How Do I Find a Good Electrician?
When you find yourself in need of an electrician, it can be difficult to know where to start if you haven’t done it before—or even if you have recently moved. Finding a talented local electrician is an important skill for a homeowner to have, but it is one that you should only need a few times in your life, so you might end up needing a refresher. In this article, we will explore what it takes to find a great electrician in your area. Look for Companies Online In our digital world, we all tend to turn to the internet for answers when we need them. It is hard to beat that convenience, and it is a great way to find a local electrician. The majority of electricians in your area will have an online presence. This means that a quick Google search should reveal the companies that are operating locally and have an established online presence. If you are looking to find an electrician in your area, you can try the following searches in your preferred search engine: “Electrician [Zip Code]” “Electricians in my area” “Electrician [City Name]” “Local electrician” Ask Your Neighbors Looking for electricians online can be a tricky business. Just like with other industries, there is always the possibility that the electrician that you will work with will not provide satisfactory service. It is perfectly natural to want a great electrician instead of just someone who ranks high in search engine results. For a more personal experience, you can always ask your neighbors if they have worked with any electricians in the area. They might have a great recommendation or maybe the name of a group that should be avoided. Either way, it can help you to narrow down your list of options. Talk with the Team in Advance There are plenty of people in different industries that offer different experiences for their customers. One great way to trade finding an electrician for finding a great electrician is to communicate with the electrician in advance. In today’s world, we often value convenience and less face-to-face interaction. However, this can cause you to miss obvious red flags when working with an electrician. Talking to the company in advance instead of scheduling online can help you to properly vet your choices before they show up at your house. It is a great way to ensure that you can communicate well with the individual and that they seem knowledgeable about their job. Read Top Reviews If you find yourself unable to step away from work long enough to make the call and you need a good electrician quickly, reviews can be a wonderful opportunity for you to screen potential electricians before you agree to pay one. Reviews are a tricky subject in today’s world. Good reviews don’t guarantee quality and bad reviews don’t confirm a lack of it. A review will always be a reflection of the customer and the company combined. However, they can help you to check the temperature of a potential electrician. If you see a lot of glowing reviews, that is great news. If you see multiple bad ones, it might be best to keep looking.
Dangers of Holiday lights
Holiday light dangers you need to know Don’t Use Electric Lights on a Metal Tree Electrical shock and fire are risks with this combination. Don’t Leave Lights on Overnight or While Gone From Home Unplug tree lights before leaving the house or going to bed. If you have these holiday decorations, Be Aware of Fire Hazards Keep the tree at least 3 ft. from candles and fireplaces. Verify Proper Rating Be skeptical of discount Christmas lights and make sure they have an Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) logo on them or an Intertek (ETL Semko) logo. Check for Fraying A lot of things can happen in a year when you store your Christmas lights. Depending upon where you store your Christmas decorations, you could encounter some damage to your lights. Use Indoor Lights Indoors and Outdoor Lights Outside It seems pretty obvious but people sometimes think they’re interchangeable. They’re not. Lights designed for outdoor use are made to withstand cold and wet conditions. Indoor lights are safety tested so they’re not a fire hazard for trees. Never Use Staples, Tacks or Nails to Hang Lights Staples, tacks and nails can pierce Christmas light strands and create a potential electrical shock. It’s best to use insulated holders designed to hang Christmas lights. Extension Cords Make sure they’re in good shape and don’t overload them. Place them in a place where they won’t be a tripping hazard and they won’t topple your Christmas tree and decorations. Bulb Replacement It’s dangerous to plug in a strand of Christmas lights with an empty socket, so it’s important to test your Christmas lights with a bulb tester. Know How Many Strands You Can Connect The rule of thumb is that you can only string three strands of lights together safely. Any more than that and we’ve created a potentially dangerous electrical situation. Keep Your Tree Hydrated Dry trees burn quickly so you need to keep it watered. Use GFCI Outlets for Outdoor Lights A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) reduce the danger of deadly shock from faulty plug-in cords and devices. It will detect dangerous ground faults and immediately turn off power. Don’t Run Lights Through Windows or Doors It should go without saying but you shouldn’t run lights through doors and windows because the cord can become damaged, creating a dangerous electrical situation. For all your electrical needs give ARK Electric a call 303 656 3689