When it comes to replacing a main breaker in your home, it may feel like an overwhelming and expensive task, and you likely want to be sure that is your only option before you move forward to schedule the electrical services. Finding an electrician you can trust can help you to decide whether main breaker replacement is your best option, but you may also want to learn the basics yourself so you can make an informed decision on your own.

Let’s take a look at the basics of circuit breakers and the main breaker, how they work, and when you would need to consider replacing a main breaker:

Circuit breakers exist to keep the home’s wiring from getting overheated or catching on fire. The necessary size of the breaker for a home depends on the wiring size as well as the expected electricity load that it will support. When the circuit breakers are in a closed position, they conduct electricity. However, when the flow of electricity (measured in amps) goes beyond what the breaker can handle, it trips or opens. This activity “breaks” the circuit and stops the energy from flowing.

You can reset the circuit breaker by closing it, but repeated tripping and the need to reset the circuit over and over can wear down the breaker, which can end up reducing its capacity.

The main breaker is the circuit breaker that serves as a safety feature to protect your electrical panel from overload. Overloading can then lead to overheating, which is obviously a fire hazard. This breaker is usually located at the top of the smaller circuit breakers in the electrical panel. Some main breakers are locked in place, while others snap or slide in. The main breaker serves to turn on and off power that is incoming to the home. Without a well-working main breaker, you will likely have major power problems, and it may even shutdown altogether.

While sometimes your main breaker will fail without any warning, you will usually have signs that point to it wearing down. Here are the typical warning signs that will clue you into something being wrong:

If you are noticing several of the signs above, it’s time for a main breaker replacement. If you are only experiencing one or two symptoms, you may just need some repairs. However, in either case, you need to call a professional electrician for an appointment immediately. An expert will be able to assess the situation and determine exactly what is going on and provide you with a plan of action to get your electrical services running smoothly and safely once again.

Across the country this week students strapped on their backpacks and headed out for an exciting new year of school. But in the midst of that back-to-school glee, one word still strikes fear in both parents and students … Homework. What if there was a way to make the homework battle less stressful, dare I say enjoyable? Today I’m sharing five dread-busting homework stations with creative lighting that may actually make your student want to do homework.

solar lights to our online store, and there are a handful that I’ve been ogling since the day they took residence on our site. In a strictly professional quest to gain a better understanding of our product offerings (wink, wink) I requested some products for thorough evaluation. The first item to take the spotlight: The Solar LED White Washed Metal Lantern:

The Nitty Gritty:

This lantern would be an attractive addition to just about any style or decor. Use it with a beachy/coastal home or a rustic mountain cabin. I probably wouldn’t choose it as a decoration for an ultra-modern home, as it has a very vintage look.

Electricians exist because of problems with your electrical system. But not every problem requires an electrician to come to your house for a service visit. Often, a simple phone call and a few questions can fix the problem!  Troubleshooting common power problems like this not only lets you get on with your life, but it saves time and money! Not every electrician is willing to tell you this, of course. Too many electricians, even legitimate ones, are motivated only by the money they can get from piling on charges from a service call, instead of being interested in helping their customers. Customer service and caring for families’ situations is more important than money. Remember that gets you better friends, employees, and customers.  I really do wish more electricians remembered that.  Having said that, here are some of the most common problems I solve without scheduling a service appointment and have successfully helped repair over the phone: