Having power throughout your home isn’t something that you think about on a regular basis. In fact, when you flip the switch, you anticipate the light coming on. However, there may be a day when the power doesn’t work as expected. More precisely, you may find that the power in one room isn’t working while all other rooms are fine. What do you do when you don’t have power in one of your rooms?

The electricity that flows through your home powering the myriad of electronic devices your family owns is a system. There are numerous problems that can happen that could interfere in how the system works. Fortunately, when you have only one room without power, you can isolate the problem to that particular room.

Although there are many reasons you may not have power in one of your rooms, most of the problems will originate in the room since other rooms have power. The following are a few things you should consider when you are trying to isolate the problem.

Your breaker box is the point in your home in which you can safely interact with your electrical system. Within your breaker box are switches you can turn on and off to control the flow of electricity. When you have no power in one room, you may need to simply switch the breaker connected to that room off and then on again.

Many homeowners paint on occasion. In order to get a complete look for their rooms, they may take off the covers for their outlets and switches. If you have painted recently, then your switch or outlet may be the culprit.

Your covers hide all the wires running to your switches. If one of these wires were loosened while you were removing the cover, it could have caused the power outage.

By Kellie Pearson

The holidays are just around the corner. Children all over the world are making their Christmas lists to send to Santa. Here at Mr. Electric® we have a Christmas list too, except it is not for Santa, it is for you! Our main Christmas wish is for everyone to conserve energy more effectively. Learn how you can make our Christmas dream come true with these four tips.

An energy audit can provide an up-close look at the efficiency of your home and additional suggestions for ways to reduce energy your consumption. Nothing makes us happier than helping you find more ways to save on energy and electricity bills.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Mr. Electric! Make sure to get started writing those letters to Santa – we hear he is pretty busy this time of year!

For the average homeowner, electrical panels are not very well understood. Since the job of an electrical panel is to deliver electricity, the common assumption is that if you need more electricity to support your household, you should just be able to add more circuits. This is incorrect, though.

This is only part of your electrical panel’s job. It also acts as a safety device, channeling the electrical flow into circuits so your home gets the amount of electricity that’s allowed by the panel. If your home doesn’t have enough electricity, then it’s time to upgrade your electrical panel, but how do you know when this time has come?

Have you noticed any lights in your home that flicker, dim, or brown out when you turn on major appliances such as your dishwasher or microwave? This is a sign that the draw on your system is too strong, and that you would benefit from adding more amps to your electrical box.

If you have multiple circuit breakers that trip on a regular basis, this is probably a sign that you don’t have enough power coming into your home. If you’re constantly flipping circuit breakers back on in your electrical panel, you could very well need an upgrade.

This is actually an outdated method of managing the electricity in your home. In fact, it can be downright dangerous. Many homeowner’s insurance companies won’t even insure homes that still have fuse boxes instead of an electrical panel. Fuses simply can’t provide the amount of power that the average home needs. The best thing you can do is upgrade your fuse box to a standard electrical panel as soon as possible.

What questions do you want to ask an electrician? If you are in need of an electrician and you don’t know where to begin, these tips may come in handy. Ask an electrician the right questions so you can quickly narrow down your search.

So what exactly should you ask an electrician you’re thinking about hiring? It might be tempting to rush into a decision and then deal with the consequences, but asking several questions can ensure you make the right choice. Hiring an electrician and then later finding out they aren’t the right fit can be a frustrating — and expensive — experience. Protect yourself by making sure they’re the right hire for the job.

In most states, electricians are required to have valid licenses; don’t take this for granted, however. Make sure the electrician you hire is fully licensed because this ensures they have gone through the necessary training and are equipped to handle the job you’re want them to do.

Another important question to ask is whether or not the electrician is insured. The professional you hire will undoubtedly take steps to keep your property safe, but accidents can happen. Liability insurance can cover damages that may occur during the job, and in turn, can protect you from unnecessary headaches down the line.

It’s important to know about the experience-level of the electrician you’re thinking about hiring. Keep in mind even the most thorough education isn’t much use without the experience to support it. An experienced electrician has seen cases like yours before and knows how to help you avoid unneeded expenses and setbacks that a more inexperienced professional might not notice.

You may not think that you have the means to support as big an undertaking as the work that the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute does, but this could not be further from the truth. We are happy to participate at the corporate sponsor level, but you do not have to own a local business in Boston, MA in order to support the incredible work and research done at this facility. The progress the Dana-Farber has made in understanding and treating cancer was made possible by everyone involved, including those who made a philanthropic gift, those participating in events and/or making monetary donations, business like us that became corporate sponsors, and individuals who simply took the time and made the effort to donate blood.

There is no shortage of ways in which you can get involved and help the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute make life better and brighter for those men, women, and children struggling with this disease. There are even ways in which you can shop to show your support, including Red Sox license plates, with funds being divested to the Jimmy Fund and the Red Sox Foundation, holiday and greeting cards, wedding and party favors, and more.