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June 19, 2017 at 10:41 pm

Preparing Your Home’s Electrical Use for Summer

electrical use for summer

Just like how meter rates typically rise in the winter from people using their heat, AC/fans can take a toll on your electricity bill as well. However, there are steps you can take to make your home more energy efficient in these high usage months. Consider some of these creative ways to keep your house cool and your energy usage low.

Use Fans and A/C Sparingly

Most people know that running their fans or A/C throughout the day is going to cause their bill to speak, but when you’re in the middle of a heatwave it’s easy to push those thoughts to the side and stay cool. That’s understandable and if you have the option to lower the heat, why wouldn’t you just turn the fan on? What it really comes down to is deciding when you’re going to use your cooling systems.

It’s tempting to leave a fan on in the other room so it’s nice and comfortable when you walk in later, but that’s money coming out of your wallet every second. There’s a mild inconvenience waiting for the temperature to drop after you turn it on, but saving your A/C time to only when you’re in the room will benefit you in the long run.

Mind Your Windows

People will often open their windows during the day in the summer months to let a breeze in and naturally cool off the house. This comes with really good intentions, maybe even with the mindset to lower your electricity bill, but it actually can have the inverse effect. Keeping your windows shut during the day will actually help keep out and maintain the temperature in your home. If things cool off at night, you can go ahead and open the windows then and you’ll definitely get the benefit of the breeze without inadvertently raising the heat. Also consider investing in drapes and blinds. By keeping your windows covered, you can block sunlight from entering your home and making you boil.

Create Less Heat Yourself

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” In the summer months, you might want to create your own motto: “If you can’t stand any more heat, limit your time in the kitchen.” Summer heat means you have to change up your own routine to make sure you’re not contributing to adding more heat. Obviously you have to cook sometime, but try and use less time with the oven. Maybe it’s a great time to try whipping up a fresh summer salad or wraps – something that won’t mean turning the oven on.

Dryers can also raise the temperature in your homes. Instead, make the summer weather work in your favor and hang dry your clothes and wash your clothes in cold water. Even when it’s hot out, a warm shower is often preferable to a cold one. There’s no need to force yourself into an icy shower; just change up your routine and take showers at night instead when it won’t heat up your home.

Upgrading Appliances to Improve Electrical Use for Summer

For a long term solution, maybe it’s time to upgrade your home appliances. We’ve extolled the virtues of Energy Star appliances before and how they can help lower your bill. It’s important to note that you won’t likely reap the benefits right away – it takes a while before the savings outweighs the upfront cost of buying a new dishwasher. But this is a step to preparing for those future summer months and other year round savings you want to take advantage of.

Need some help getting your home read to beat the heat? Wire Craft can help. Reach out to us today and we’ll have one of our electricians help you walk through your home and find ways to make your home more energy efficient.

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June 9, 2017 at 7:10 pm

How to Find the Right Generator for Your Home

How to Find the Right Generator for Your Home

As electricians, we don’t ever hope for someone’s power to go out. However, sometimes an issue or violent weather happens that makes it unavoidable. This is especially true in the Northwest, with winter windstorms and occasional snow leaving many without power. Seattleites may even remember the equipment failure earlier this year that left 20,000 people without power. Situations like these are unpredictable, even if you’re doing everything to try and save power.

If you do want to prepare yourself for the unexpected, maybe it’s time to start considering investing in a power generator. There’s nothing worse than being stuck without power for days on end and many homes within city limits aren’t equipped to handle your needs without electricity, relying on central electric heating. Having a generator handy can make all the difference. It’s not something you ever really want to use, but having a generator in your garage can be the difference between being stuck in the cold and staying safe and comfortable. Generators don’t have to be a massive, complicated investment, either. We’ll walk through what specs to look for and how to stay within your budget.

Portable vs. Standby

There are essentially two types of generators you need to know: portable and standby. You can infer a lot just from their names. Somewhat obviously, portable generators are ones that you can move around from place to place. If you’ve ever watched someone pull a generator out of their garage to get the power going again, this is a portable generator. In contrast, a standby generator is one that’s implemented more-or-less as a permanent fixture outside your home. They automatically will start running as soon as the power goes out.

Whereas you can sometimes get a portable generator for as low as a few hundred dollars, standby generators are going to start in the thousands range. What it comes down to is how much you’re willing to invest and what your commitment is to ease of use. What’s nice about the standby generators is that you don’t have to lift a finger. They’ll take care of themselves and you won’t miss a beat. However, if you’re not planning on living in your home for the long haul then it’s a costly investment that you can’t take with you. A portable generator will stick with you as long as you want to move it around, but it requires much more work to use and can be especially annoying when you’re trying to set up in the dark during a snowstorm. There’s no right or wrong answer here – it’s about what works best for you.

Decide How Much Power You Need

Is your refrigerator running? Well you better go… get the proper generator to accommodate its electrical needs. Jokes aside, one of the main factors in buying a generator is going to determine on your intended use. Do you want a generator that’s just going to keep the lights on or are you trying to keep everything from your HVAC to freezer working? If you’re leaning toward the latter, double check your appliances and see what their wattage needs are.

How Long Will You Need Power

How long do you like to keep you appliances on?

Some people are fine with turning on their generators at key times. This is just to get some basic housework on-going, like cooking or using the washroom.

However, if for whatever reason you need to keep the power on for longer than you need a generator. You can also check your home’s electrical panel to see what the maximum wattage your home can take. After that, find a generator that matches those needs.

Feeling like it’s time to invest in a generator but not sure what’s right for the limitations of your home? Wire Craft can help so just give us a call.

Our team of electricians will help you find the right generator for you. We can also help proof your home from other potential issues like wiring and repairing faulty outlets.

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June 2, 2017 at 12:49 am

Maintaining Your Exterior Outlets

Exterior Outlets

Your exterior outlets always come in handy. You can plug in all of your electrical yard equipment to get some yard work done more effectively.  Plug in your stereo for the BBQ so that everyone can listen to the big game or dance to the music. There are so many benefits to being able to plug things in outside, but often, our exterior outlets get overlooked when it comes time to maintain your home on an annual basis. The problem with this is that problematic exterior outlets could cause electrocution or an electrical fire. Make sure you follow these tips on how you can maintain your exterior outlets, as an ounce of prevention goes a long way in keeping your home and family safe.

Tips on How You Can Maintain Your Exterior Outlets

Inspection

One of the first things that you need to do to keep your exterior outlets in good working shape is to inspect them regularly. You want to make sure that the cover doesn’t show any wear or tear, and that the outlet is protected from the elements safely. Check that there are no exposed wires showing.  Also, you want to look for any gaps that have opened between the outlet and the wall. You’ll want to make sure that if you do find any holes or cracks that they are repaired if possible or replaced completely.

Often, it’s a good idea to have a professional come out to handle these repairs or replacements whether they are in your home or business.  They can better determine what the best fix is for the problem, and ensure that your wiring is up to the housing codes.

Damaged or Incorrectly Installed Outlets

Some of the biggest problems that result in electrical accidents are outlets that are either damaged from use or are incorrectly installed.  As soon as you notice a problem with your exterior outlet, it needs to be replaced. That means any cracked or chipped corners should be replaced right away. Outlets that can be jiggled or plugs that are loose when plugged into the outlet can also show that there is some type of damage here that needs to be replaced.

Updating Your Outlets

You may find during your inspection that while your exterior outlets don’t look damaged, but they may be outdated. Updating your outlets is a great idea. This is the perfect time to get more up-to-date wiring installed. One sign that you need new outlets is if you still have two-pronged outlets as these older outlets should be replaced with three-pronged outlets. Three-pronged outlets are grounded outlets that work better for many electrical appliances.

Calling in the professionals when updating your exterior outlets is another good idea because of the grounding wire. You may find that there isn’t a grounding wire in your outlet to be used with your three-pronged outlet. Take note that this needs to be added before installing these types of outlets.

In addition to updating to a three-prong outlet, there’s also the option to use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter outlets. This is a safety feature that works to prevent electrocutions.  It works in that the outlet will stop the flow of electricity if it detects a ground fault.

Using Plugs Safely

You will also want to make sure that you’re using your exterior outlets safely. You don’t want to use them in inclement weather as water and electricity don’t mix.  Make sure also that you never touch the outlet with wet hands. There’s a good chance that even with updated plugs you may be electrocuted. Water acts as a conductor and is dangerous to have around your outlet.

You’ll also want to make sure that you plug in the electrical plug in securely, and when you’re ready to unplug it, don’t pull it. This can cause damage to your outlet or your electrical plug. This can cause wires to break and plugs to be bent on your favorite appliances, but there can also be potential damage inside of the outlet where you can’t see it.

Children and Exterior Outlets

Did you spent lots of time putting plastic plugs to keep your young children from playing with your interior outlets? But what about your exterior outlets? You’ll want to make sure that your children don’t have access to these outlets. As they get older, you teach them to only use a outlet under the supervision of an adult.

Problems With Your Exterior Outlets?

Are you having problems with your exterior outlets?  Wire Craft Electric can help. Our Seattle-based electricians can remove your exterior outlet wiring worries by repairing, replacing, or even updating your current exterior outlets. Need some exterior outlets installed?

Right now is the perfect time to have us come out to handle your exterior outlet needs. Get your home ready for the coming summer. Spend your days outside enjoying your backyard without worrying about the safety of your outlets.

Contact us today to set up your appointment for your exterior outlets.

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May 31, 2017 at 10:32 pm

Saving Money & Keeping Your House Cool During Summer

Tips on keeping your house cool with Wire Craft Electric

With an average high of 74 degrees, it would seem that concerns related to rising electrical bills during summer here in Seattle would not be that prevalent. The reality is that there are a couple of factors that can drive power costs up during summer, and area residents need to be aware of them. Keeping your house cool is one thing. Saving is another thing.

First off, despite the average summer temperature hovering pleasantly around the mid 70s, there are days when it may stretch up into the high 80s and low 90s. Compounding this is the reality that there may be less that 10% of Seattle homes that have air conditioning.

Short of incurring the costs of having either a central air condition system or window air condition units installed, it may appear that there’s not much that can be done to lower those summer electricity bills, which often rise by as much as 5 percent. But this is a false assumption. There are steps you can take to help lower power usage costs.

Here’s a few that can help you keeping your house cool and save money.

Break out the fans

While it’s true that box fans and other portable fan options certainly help to circulate air in the home, they aren’t as effective as ceiling fans are in cooling the home and helping to lower power costs. If your home doesn’t already have ceiling fans, you might be well advised to consult with a professional electrician about having them installed. Here are some ways a ceiling fan can cool your home while helping to lower summer electric bills.

• Ceiling fans should be set to run counterclockwise during summer as this prohibits hot air from collecting near the ceiling and allows for the fan to circulate the air throughout the room which helps to equalize the temperature.

• Ceiling fans also work to lower temperatures by making people feel physically cooler. Because they cool by evaporation, ceiling fans can make a room feel over 5 degrees cooler.

 • If you decide to have ceiling fans installed, consider choosing Energy Star-rated fans. Due to advances in design these fans are capable of moving air up to 20 percent more efficiently, as well as reducing heat by as much as 75 percent from Energy Star-rated ceiling fans that come with light fixtures that are 50 percent more efficient.

• If your home has an attic, consider consulting with an electrician about the benefits of installing a whole-house fan, which can help cool down your home during nighttime hours when the temperature has dropped below 70 degrees. The energy savings of a whole-house fan, as compared to an air conditioning system, is substantial and can greatly defray the cost of having one installed.

Let there be proper lighting

Believe it or not the lighting fixtures in your home can have a considerable impact on electrical bills, especially during summer months.

• Changing light bulbs from incandescent to compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs, can reduce heat in the home substantially.

•  With consultation with an electrician, you may opt to have Energy Star Certified light fixtures installation. This can result in up to a 75 percent decrease in energy consumption while generating 70 percent less heat. In addition, these fixtures allow the use of CFLs which last as much as 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

• Don’t forget your porch light. While it can be one of the most used lights in the home, it also consumes a lot of energy. It is a perfect candidate for having a new Energy Star Certified light fixture installation to replace it.

What about wiring?

Seattle’s cold winters are not particularly friendly to your home’s wiring. Make sure you are aware of the condition of your existing wiring. After that, decide if you need to have an electrician inspect it. Of course, not only for reasons of efficiency, but for safety reasons as well.

• If your wiring is faulty it can have a substantial impact on your power cost. Wires with damage and problems associated with cold weather should not be taken lightly and may, in fact, need replacing. This is especially true in older homes.

• It is also possible that there may be undetected problems with your temperature control system’s thermostat. This may cause an increase on power consumption.

Are you sick of paying higher electric bills during summer while keeping your house cool? Are you not ready to invest in an air conditioning system?

It may be time to call in a professional electrical services company for a home inspection.

Here in Seattle, Wire Craft Electric is an award winning electrical company serving the city and surrounding areas since 2004. They pride themselves on their same day service and on their up front pricing policies.

Keeping your house cool matters to us. At the same time, saving you bucks in the long run matters more to us.

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May 19, 2017 at 7:09 pm

Home Wiring: Knowing Your DIY Limits

DIY Limits | Wire Craft Electric

When it comes to maintaining your home these days there is a strong emphasis on “doing it yourself.” Just turn on the television and start flipping through channels and it won’t be long before you arrive at one of many DIY programs to be found. Many homeowners have proven and effective DIY skills in many areas of home improvement and repair. But one area that demands a cautious and honest assessment of your DIY limits on skills is electrical wiring. To fail to do so is not only dangerous, it can lead to unexpected expenses. Know your DIY limits!

There are two considerations concerning DIY wiring in your home, and the most important of the two is concerns for your safety and the safety of those who reside in your home. Any time you are exposed to live electrical wires there is a danger of being shocked or even electrocuted.

Here are some common electrical problems in the home when you are assessing whether to DIY or call in a professional electrician.

  • A sign that circuits are drawing too much electricity is breakers that trip constantly. This is not a DIY fix. It’s a potential fire risk requiring an electrician‘s training and skillset, so pick up the phone and make an appointment with someone you trust.
  • If any of your outlets are not working, it’s a sign of poor connections and something you want to avoid fixing unless you know exactly what you’re doing.
  • An immediate concern that warrants calling an electrician is when fixtures and switches are warm to the touch. This is a common electrical problem, and should never be ignored.
  • Another indicator of poor connections would be flickering lights, or lights that go dim for no reason. Unless you know how to safely DIY, call an electrician. We don’t want you electrocuting yourself in the process. Chip Gaines may make it look easy, but it can be far more complicated than what you might assume.
  • Light bulbs eventually burn out, but if one is doing so frequently: you’ve got a problem with a loose connection in either the circuit or the socket itself. Call an electrician to help you solve this problem.

Aside from concern for safety, there is the need for conforming to code. All electrical work must conform to the National Electric Code and, here in the Seattle area, the Seattle Electrical Code.

Failure to do so may impact your pocketbook in a big, bad way.

What if you try to sell your home and it is found to have electrical systems? It simply do not conform to these codes during an inspection, corrective repairs must be performed. It will now be re-appraised and could even halt the selling process.

Knowing some DIY limits will save you much time in the future.

Are you in Seattle? Are you seeking the services of a professional and licensed electrician? Be sure and check out Wire Craft Electric.

We serve Seattle and surrounding cities in King and Snohomish county, and we’re available right now.

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May 12, 2017 at 5:39 pm

How To Keep My Electricity Bill Low While I’m on Vacation

electricity bill

This Memorial Day you’ll probably be going out of town to take full advantage of the three-day weekend, or maybe you’re slipping away for a much needed escape that lasts even longer. The question comes up: how can I keep my electricity bill low during the time I’m gone? Why pay for more wattage than necessary if no one is actually home? Of course, vacation safety etiquette dictates leaving on lights and having some of your electronics going to deter any prowlers, but there are ways to still reduce how much energy is being used while you’re away.

Fight Energy Vampires Affects Electricity Bill

One of the first things that you should do before leaving on your trip is unplugging any energy vampires you have around your home. This will lower your electricity bill. An “energy vampire” is an electronic device that’s not being used, but is still using energy. Energy vampires can often be spotted by having a red light or another indicator that shows the device is plugged in, even if it’s not actually on. Go through the house and unplug these devices. You may even want to consider unplugging your television, but you may want to leave your DVR on in case you’re recording any shows while you’re gone.

The Fridge

Depending on what you have in your fridge, you may want to unplug it while you’re out of town, especially if you’re going out of town for longer than the weekend. This can be a great time to clear out your refrigerator and let it sit while your home is empty. This option may not be for everyone, but it is one to consider if you could swing it.

Put Technology to Work

You can put technology to work for you in helping you to conserve energy. One of the best technologies for going out of town are light timers.  These allow you to turn on your lights at night, to give the appearance that someone is home. After that you turn your lights off, as well.  This is a better option than just keeping a light on at all times. Also, there are many systems out there that you can control from your phone. Forget to turn down the heat? You can use these connected systems where you can control your thermostat, lights, and other functions. Do this by simply opening an app on your phone.

Your vacation is meant to be a great time. No one wants to come home to find out that they ran up a huge electricity bill.  These simple steps in advance can make it so that no unnecessary electricity is wasted.  Then, when you come back home, you’ll just need to get everything plugged back in. If you need help with any of these steps, or if you’d like our help with wiring and you’re in the Snohomish/King County area, get in touch with Wire Craft today!

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April 28, 2017 at 4:53 pm

How To Solve Wiring Problems

wiring problems - wire craft edmonds

For many homeowners, it’s easy to think of your electricity as some magical force that flows from your outlets and powers your appliances. That is, until it stops working. That’s when you have to face the harsh reality that there’s wiring running throughout your home and it needs to be addressed. It may sound daunting, but solving wiring problems can be done easily when addressed early on and by getting the help you need.

Before Anything, Check The Basics on Wiring Problems

Instead of jumping to conclusions that your wiring is faulty, you’ll first want to check some of the basics. Check your circuit breaker and the GFIs on your outlets to see if they’ve been switched. It’s common for outlets to switch their breakers when they’re under immense strain. Also, check your lightbulbs to make sure they’re not just burned out. That may sound silly, but it’s an easy assumption to overlook.

Replace Faulty Cords and Power Strips

You also might find that the cords and power strips you’re using for your appliances and devices aren’t functioning the way they’re supposed to. This can be a real danger and something you’ll want to fix right away. Not just that, but they also can put a strain on your home wiring.

Tightening Loose Wiring and Cleaning Corrosion

Either through vibration or some other force, there’s a chance that your wiring may have come loose. This can be solved by doing some simple tightening on your terminal blocks. Take extreme caution when doing this and make sure the power is turned off from the main panel and double check this with a voltage tester. Even better, ask a professional electrician to help you do this. You also may have corrosion or moisture built up as well that needs to be cleaned off. This is another case where you’ll want to shut off the power before attempting or bring in a electrician.

Replacing Old Wiring

If you’re living in an older home, it may be time to replace your wiring altogether. We’ve talked about the issues of older homes on this blog in the past and older wiring is chief among concerns for homeowners. If you have aluminum wiring in your home, it is essential that you replace it right away. Unlike some of the other steps in this post, this one is incredibly intensive and we recommend not taking a DIY approach. Your homes wiring is crucial to your day-to-day functions and if something is done wrong you run the risk of starting an electrical fire or some other calamity.

Have you checked your outlets and cables and still don’t have answers to your home electrical problems? We can help. Wire Craft’s team of electricians specializes in mystery cases like these.

We serve areas like Edmonds, Shoreline, Seattle, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and more! Give us a call today and we’ll help you resolve your issues. Let’s get your home working properly in no time.

Need help replacing any old wiring? Contact us Today

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April 18, 2017 at 8:56 pm

Energy-Efficient Home Design

Energy-Efficient Home Design

You’ve fantasized about your dream home your entire life. The type of flooring you want, the white picket fence, the layout, and so on and so on. But in those fanciful daydreams, it’s unlikely that most are thinking about how they’ll make an energy-efficient home design. It’s not nearly as sexy or fun of a topic.

When you’ve finally got to the point where you’re designing or remodeling a home to make those dreams come true, now is the time to start asking those questions. This doesn’t mean making a compromise. Energy-efficient home design is all about being functional and making your day-to-day life easier. Here are some ways to consider as you begin drawing up your plans.

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April 13, 2017 at 6:16 pm

Wiring for the Ideal Home Technology System


Wiring for Ideal Home Technology System
Many homeowners today are turning their houses into homes where technology is seamlessly integrated into every part of their daily routine. People want to virtually do anything they want from their device, from anywhere. This includes listening to music from any room in the house from your fancy new SONOS system, hooking multiple computers to each other and one printer, turning lights off and on remotely, etc. Sound crazy? You’re not alone. For many, this sounds like something right out of the future.

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April 10, 2017 at 11:31 pm

Signs of Home Electrical Problems

Signs of Home Electrical Problems

If you’ve ever watched BBC’s Sherlock or any modern detective show, one of the highlights is always how our hero is able to accurately predict facts about people just by observing. A frayed thread on a sweater can imply a hasty escape. Dirt on the shoes implying they’ve been somewhere out in the country. The way it’s all presented feels very superhuman. But there are certain principles you can apply in your home to tell if there’s something wrong just by, well, observing.

Electrical problems are not something you want to find out about. When the issues finally emerge, it can be costly at best and dangerous at worst. Knowing a few common signs of electrical issues can help you be your very own Sherlock.

Tripped Breakers

This is probably the one that most people know. When a circuit is being overused, your breaker will trip. But that’s not the only case in which this will happen. If you shut off the electrical supply, the breakers are designed to stop wires from overheating. And they can trip simply by being too old. That last one is key. With how massive of a safety measure breakers are for preventing issues, you need to make sure your breakers are fully functioning. If you’re in an older house, you might need to consider bringing in a electrician to replace your breakers with newer versions.

Lights Flickering

This is another occurrence that would be easy to dismiss. Typically when you’re lights are flickering, you either tighten or replace the bulb. But it can also be indicative of a larger, unseen issue. If it’s not the bulb, it either means the fixture itself is degrading and needs repairs or you have a larger wiring problem on your hands.

Hot Light Switches and Outlets

This one probably seems obvious. If you touch an outlet or a switch in your home and it feels hot, that can’t be a good sign. Make sure you unplug whatever is drawing power from the outlet. There’s a chance it’s just being overloaded. However, if you’re in an older home with older outlets and switches, this can also point toward a major wiring issue that you’ll want to address immediately.

Have you found any of these problems in your house? We can help. Wire Craft’s electricians are equipped to walk through your home, inspect these symptoms, and help execute a plan to get it fixed right away. We’ll make sure your home is safe and give you peace of mind. Send us a service request today.

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