Winter is here and many homeowners need to start preparing for the extreme winter weather and conditions that can impact an electrical system. From excessive precipitation and gusting winds, to heavy snowfall and ice storms, winter weather can certainly make it difficult to keep your electrical system operating effectively. With that said, our team of skilled professionals would like to provide a few electrical tips to keep every home and family safe during the winter and Christmas season ahead.
IMPORTANT SAFETY TIPS
Here are some important electrical tips to give focus to this winter and holiday season.
Indoor space heaters – Many homeowners not only look for ways to provide supplemental heat in their homes, but also look for ways to reduce their heating costs. To add heat to a drafty room in the house, many people turn to portable heating devices. This may be an ideal short-term solution, but it is important to avoid using an extension cord or a power strip of any kind to power up your portable heater. Be sure to always keep the space heater on a flat surface. Also, never run the cord of your heater under furniture pieces or carpets since this can easily result in fires.
Don’t overload your home outlets this Christmas – During the winter holiday months, it is best to plug in only one high-watt holiday decoration into your wall outlets so as to avoid overloading your home’s electrical outlets. We also recommend you use surge protectors to avoid voltage spikes when plugging in your Christmas trees.
Use outdoor extension cords for all those outdoor decorations – Many people do not realize that there is a difference between indoor and outdoor extension cords. The outdoor extension cords are equipped with three prongs and with insulation that protects the wires from fluctuating winter temperatures and moisture. The insulation also prevents damage that can occur from sunlight and other chemicals. For all your Christmas decorations, be sure to identify extension cords that are specifically for outdoor use.
Perform a system inspection – Before the frigid winter weather sets in, it is important to ensure that your electrical system is operating at peak levels. To accomplish this task, homeowners should schedule a thorough inspection. Our team of skilled electricians is on hand to perform a system inspection in their efforts to identify any potential issues and provide effective solutions to any such problems.
Avoid storm conditions and downed electrical wires – The winter season often presents with circumstances that can interfere with the typical flow of electricity and power to your home. Many times, a winter storm can result in downed electrical wires. If and when this occurs, our team wants to remind you that you should never come near to, or in contact with, downed wires or any other damaged electrical wires that may run directly to your home. It is important that you immediately reach out to the power company and notify them of the downed wires. Never attempt to fix or alter downed wires.
THE PROS WHO STAND READY TO SERVE YOU
With winter and the holidays right around the corner, Gervais Electric Inc. would like to remind all our valued clients to give focus to these important electrical tips that are sure to contribute to the overall safety of your home and family. We also want to remind you that if you find yourself in need of electrical services, whether winter, spring, summer, or fall, our team of skilled and experienced professionals stands ready to serve you. Our award-winning team is committed to providing you with only the highest quality electrical products and services. Give us a call to schedule your service appointment today. We look forward to serving you with all your home electrical needs.
With the release of Tesla electric vehicles, more and more people are now investing in anelectric car and, therefore, are becoming more interested in installing ports for electric car charging in their homes. With that said, it is important to understand the significance of electric car charging ports and whether or not it is worth the investment.
For the average person, having an electric car charging port in their home ensures that they have an appropriate charge for the vehicle while it is parked overnight. It also ensures that your vehicle has enough of a charge when it comes time to take long trips. If you are thinking about making an investment in an electric car it is important to determine whether or not an electric car charging installation is right for you.
IMPORTANT FACTORS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ABOUT INSTALLING A CAR CHARGER
There are a number of factors you should take into consideration when trying to decide whether or not installing an electric car charger is right for you.
What is your current electrical infrastructure at your home?
Before taking into consideration the installation of a charging port or even plugging a car charger into your home’s power supply, it is wise to have a professional electrician perform an inspection of your current electrical infrastructure. You may very well have sufficient wiring and outlets in your parking area or garage, but there is a chance you may lack the sufficient infrastructure needed.
Only a licensed electrician can determine whether or not your home electrical system meets with the necessary standards to install a charger. So be sure to reach out to Gervais Electric and let one of our highly skilled and experienced electricians perform a thorough inspection of your home electrical system.
Where and how often do you need to plug in?
When deciding on whether to install a car charger, it makes good sense to assess the overall usage of your vehicle as well as the type of electric vehicle you own. This will help you to choose the best solution specific to your individual needs. If you only drive your vehicle to work and your employer has a car charging port, then using the port available to you each day makes good sense. Also, while traveling local distances, you can more than likely plug in at parking stations, shopping malls and other local charging stations as needed.
However, most individuals who own an electric car will more times than not want to have their very own car charging port at their home to be able to recharge and refuel in a location where the vehicle spends the majority of its time. Charging your electric vehicle at home can take amounts of time that vary, so be sure to determine what solution is efficient and meets with your individual needs.
How fast does it charge?
When you set out on your daily travels you want to be sure you are starting out with a full vehicle charge. How quickly you are able to attain a full charge is dependent upon the option you choose for charging. If you elect to plug your vehicle into a standard home outlet, often referred to as level 1 charging, it will charge your vehicle but do so very slowly because you are using 120 volts rather than a specialized charging port.
The recharge time also relies upon your battery capacity and the amount of driving you have done since your last vehicle charge. Installing a 240-volt charging port, referred to as a level 2 charger, requires a 240-volt power supply and typically a wiring upgrade in your home. Again, this should be performed by a professional electrician. You can contact Gervais Electric to discuss the charging options you have and the steps needed to upgrade the electrical infrastructure and charging power in your home.
The actual installation of your car charger
Finding a licensed and insured professional electrician to perform your electric car charging installation is key to the whole process. An electrician will assess the infrastructure of your home along with the area where you want to install the charger, to ensure that a proper installation can be performed. Having a professional electrician is essential to both the preparation and the overall charging station installation to ensure that your new charging port functions both properly and safely. An electrician will take care of necessary permits and building inspector approval as well.
TRUST OUR RELIABLE TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS
Gervais Electric, Inc. takes a great deal of pride in our team of licensed professionals who is steadfast in their commitment to meet the individual needs of all our valued clients. Whether you are looking to install a new electric car charging port in your home, or have any other electrical needs, rest assured we are the team for you. Give us a call to schedule an inspection of your home electrical infrastructure or discuss any other electrical concerns you may have. We look forward to serving you with only the highest quality products and services!
