To answer the question “Should I worry about electrical repairs in a new home?” we need to specify what new means. Was the house built recently? Or is it “new” because it is new to you, regardless of its age? In either case, there is a simple rule to follow: if you think you need electrical repairs, you probably do—no matter how old the house is. Always worry about electrical repairs if there are signs that you need them.

When you move into any home built more than 10 years ago, you should hire an electrician to check the system for problems. Despite surface appearances, a home may have wiring troubles from DIY repair attempts from a previous owner; you want to make sure there are no serious problems that need immediate repair to prevent safety hazards.

With a home built pre-1970, you may encounter difficulties from an electrical system that cannot support modern demands. Check on the outlets and the circuit breaker panel. If the home has two-prong outlets and a fuse box instead of a circuit breaker panel, you should have new installations done to upgrade the system. Otherwise you may end up with some major repair worries in the near future. Older circuit breaker panels are often not up to the task of contemporary power needs. If you experience frequent blown fuses or tripped breakers, have a repair technician investigate right away.

With a recently-built house, you shouldn’t have many concerns about your power needs: the home should have sufficient wiring, updated GFCI outlets, and a new circuit breaker panel. However, you can’t simply go lax about small signs of difficulties or indications of improper electrical installation. Look for flickering lights that indicate small power surges. Although these rarely trip circuit breakers, they can cause damage to appliances over time. Call for a repair technician to see if your new home will benefit from a whole-house surge protector.

Check around your ceiling fixtures on occasion to see if they are growing hot. This indicates poor electrical insulation and sometimes occurs in new homes due to poor installation. If you detect poor electrical installation problems in one place in your home, they probably exist elsewhere; call for an electrician to examine your home’s electrical system thoroughly for faults.

When Pegasus Lighting’s President Chris Johnson heard that his neighbor Greg had installed such a unique solution to his dark pantry problem, he knew it was perfect for our Weekend Warrior blog post series. The Weekend Warrior series is part of our quest to bring our customers unique products and offer creative ideas for DIY lighting projects around the house.  

Parts you needPower supply & duration

Note: If you don’t feel comfortable with a soldering iron you can use “wire nuts” to connect the wires. It’s slightly less elegant but perfectly functional.

Now that you understand how the proximity switch works we can wire it up:

We are all quite aware that ever since B. Franklin decided to go outside with his kite in the midst of a thunderstorm, this thing called electricity pretty much rules our life. To understand this, you must recall what it felt like that one time your power went out for the entire day. This meant nothing worked, no computer, no refrigerator, no television and not to mention no Wi-Fi!

We know that electricity plays an important role in people’s lives from the moment they wake up to the time they go to sleep. Since electricity is always available, people usually don’t think twice about how important it is in terms of complementing their lives. Electricity makes our lives comfortable. People are so accustomed to using electricity in a range of activities. When at home, electricity is used for lighting, air conditioning, , cooking food, using computers, watching TV, and operating other appliances and devices. With the help of electricity, people function better at night because electricity has enabled them to see even through the dark. Gee, thanks Benjamin Franklin!

However, there might come times when you should find yourself encountering problems with the wiring or any other electrical work. Often, homeowners decide to feed their ego when they think these are problems they can easily fix on their own, which is highly untrue. Whenever someone who lacks knowledge, experience and training to deal with electrical issues deals with electrical issues, it has catastrophic results.

Before you decide to put your hand inside the fuse box, you must know how power works, how it moves and what could happen should you be electrocuted. I am guessing these are things you didn’t think about as you didn’t even consider the possibility of something going wrong. Don’t fret, as you can easily call in a certified electrician.

Underrated as they may be, they are the reason the wiring in your house doesn’t go bonkers and burns your house. Certified electricians not only know their work inside out but they also adhere to the best practices and follow the guidelines and rules laid down by the state. You can rest assured they will deliver a level of service that ensures peace of mind for you.

Remember José from two blocks down? He hired an electrician who wasn’t certified and he had to get whole new electrical wiring done for his house at a great cost. Do you want to be that guy?

To conclude, there are numerous benefits of hiring a certified electrician for any electrical work you have around the house. Even the government trusts their capability, so why shouldn’t you! So, before you call the first electrician you find in the directory, ask whether or not they are licensed.

Now when most people would be shy asking, and most electricians offended when asked for a licence, you should know it is within your rights to ask for it. Should something go wrong, you are liable legally while certified and licensed electricians take full responsibility for their work and the leading ones guarantee the quality of their work. Now, think about that the next time you feel shy or reserved asking for a licence when hiring an electrician for electrical work. It will go a long way, my friend.

The use of electricity understandably increases during winter when sunlight is limited, the days are shorter and the temperatures down to freezing. The need for warmth and the desire to stay indoors translates to an increase in the use of electricity, which in turn increases the risks that are associated with electricity.

There are several electricity-related problems associated with winter that can affect homeowners during this season. People who own homes should be extra vigilant because among other things, the severe weather can cause power outages, fluctuations and other electrical hazards following heavy snow, rain and strong winds. These power abnormalities are the ones that cause all manner of trouble in homes and other places where electricity is in use.

Preparedness is the key to ensuring you as a homeowner, stay safe from electrical hazards during the winter months. Below are some basic electrical tips that always help in getting ready for winter in this regard: