Category Archives: Electrical Wiring

Ways to Save on Your Commercial Electric Bills

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Businesses looking to save on their electric bills can make several simple changes that add up to big savings throughout the year. No matter if you operate a small office with a few employees or have a bigger business that requires a larger number of electrical devices, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the amount of money you can save with minimal effort.

Saving money on electricl bills with LED lighting

Get an energy efficiency audit

A great way to get started with lowering your business’ electric costs is by hiring a professional electrical company to come and look at your site. The electrician will spot a few ways in which you can be saving on your energy usage and will give advice on what you can do to fix the issues.

Common things that can be found in an energy-efficiency audit include air leaks, insulation issues and inefficient lighting.

It is suggested to also do an after-hours audit on your own once you have gotten an energy audit from an electrician. It’s best to do the audit a few hours after workers have gone home, or even on the weekend, to see what devices and lights stay on when people are out of the office.

Switch to LED lighting

Another way to save big on your commercial electric bills is by making the switch to LED lighting. This lighting not only emits less heat that incandescent and halogen lights, it uses roughly 75 to 80% less energy overall.

After you’ve made the switch to a LED system, you can save further by installing motion sensor lighting or by simply reminding people to turn lights off once they leave a meeting area or lunchroom. Creating more natural light can also create big savings by encouraging workers to leave lights off during the day.

Choose laptops over desktops

Replacing older desktop computers with laptops is a great way to save money. When you need new computers at your commercial site, be forward thinking and choose this energy-efficient option.

Laptops use less power than their clunky counterparts and many workers will even take the laptops home at the end of the day, avoiding overnight energy costs for your business. Even better, laptops allow employees to work from home with ease, which can create greater savings.

When you want to save on your business’ electric bills, we are the licensed and certified commercial electrical team to choose in Western Colorado at Always On Electric. Our electricians will be happy to come to your commercial site and offer our opinion on ways to save on your energy bills. We can also assist with any LED lighting installation, service upgrades, building lighting and more. Call our experienced electrical team at 970.309.2616 to get started!

Warning Signs It’s Time to Re-wire Your Home

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Re-Wiring Home Does it feel like you blow a fuse at least once or twice every week? There’s a chance that you could have too many appliances plugged into one circuit. There’s also a chance that your home’s electrical system might be outdated and that you could benefit from rewiring your entire home in the near future. Take a look at some of the other warning signs you’ll likely notice when it’s time to rewire your house.

Your home is more than 40 years old.

Electrical systems have advanced a lot over the course of the last few decades. So if you have a home that was built 40 years ago or more and you’re still using the original electrical system, it’s probably just about time to think about updating your system. By rewiring your home, you can make it a lot safer and avoid many of the potential problems that come along with using an older system.

Your home has aluminum wiring in it.

Speaking of outdated electrical systems, there was a time when many systems relied on aluminum wiring. That is, until electricians started to figure out that many aluminum wires ended up causing fires once they got old. Today’s electrical systems rely on copper wiring as opposed to aluminum and are noticeably safer. You should consider going with copper if you still have aluminum in your home.

Your home has certain outlets that have stopped working altogether.

Are you running extension cords all over your house to power up certain rooms? This might seem like a reasonable solution, but extension cords should not be used for this purpose. You should have an electrician come take a look at your nonfunctional outlets. They might be repairable, or they might be a sign of a larger problem within your home’s electrical system.

Is it time for you to update your home’s electrical system? Always on Electric can help you with it. Call us at 970-309-2616 today to set up an appointment with one of our reliable and experienced electricians.

Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Do Your Own Electrical Work

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DIY Electrical Work Home maintenance projects can be expensive, and it is often tempting to attempt a repair on your own. After all, many times a DIY repair will not only save money, but may also be satisfying. Electrical work is one area of home repair where you may want to reconsider doing it yourself. These are a few reasons why you should not try to do electrical work on your own.

Fire Risk

The risk of fire from faulty wiring or improperly installed electrical components is very real. Electrical fires are also frequently devastating as they may start inside a wall at night and be fully involved before a homeowner notices. A small mistake, like a loose wire or an overloaded circuit, may lead to a dangerous electrical fire.

Electrical Shock

Electric shock is another serious risk of working with electricity. Professional electricians have years of experience and training, as well as specialized tools that help them stay safe while performing electrical work in your home. It only takes one small mistake or one second of inattention to receive a dangerous electric shock. The risk of electric shock makes DIY electrical repairs a bad idea.

Building Codes

All electrical work must be done in accordance with applicable building codes. Trying to fully understand the electrical codes takes considerable effort and time. Electrical work also may require an inspection. Performing electrical work by yourself may result in work that does not meet building code and is not inspected. This may become an issue when you attempt to sell the home.

Always On Electric has you covered whether you need residential or commercial electrical work performed. We work on all types of buildings throughout the western Colorado region. Our electricians are fully trained and experienced, and we are licensed, insured, and bonded. You can have full confidence in electrical work that we perform on your home or business. Contact us today at 970-309-2616 to learn more about our services or to request a quote.

Leading Causes of Electrical Fires

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Although they may only account for a fraction of residential fires, electrical fires can be devastating and even fatal. To prevent your having any issues at your home, be sure to check the following areas of your house that are the most common places where electrical fires start.

Failed Electrical OutletOutlets

If you go to plug in an appliance and nothing happens, it could be a sign that the wiring leading to the outlet might be loose. In this compromised state, the wiring could be exposed behind the call, potentially leading to contact with wall insulation or causing sparking behind the outlet. To fix this situation, have an electrician come out and look for the cause of the outlet failure and make any necessary repairs to the connection or the outlet itself.

Appliances

Speaking of appliances, whenever a power cord becomes frayed or starts to fall apart, you should have the connection repaired or replace the cable, if possible. Exposed wires can be dangerous for anyone using the appliance and can allow heat transfer from the connection to combustible surfaces that the cord may be set on. In fact, faulty appliance connections and outlets are the leading causes of home fires. Also, if you feel a mild shock or tingle when touching an appliance, it often is a sign of a ground fault or incorrect wiring. Don’t simply ignore it – call an appliance repair professional or electrician to come take a look.

Circuit Breakers

Although circuit breakers are meant to prevent a circuit from overloading, sometimes they can do their job a little too much and that’s a problem. Modern equipment and technology often requires more power than devices even a few years ago, which can put extra strain on an outdated circuit breaker. If your breaker continues to trip, it is time to contact an electrician. An older breaker box can have wear that prevents the circuit from being thrown properly or allow an overload to start a fire. Be safe, not sorry, and call an electrician to investigate and replace your breaker box, if needed.

Light Fixtures

Make sure that all of your light fixtures have bulbs that meet the proper wattage capability of the fixture. If the bulb’s wattage is too high, it could lead to an electrical fire. If you aren’t sure about the proper wattage, a simple way to test is to check the area around the fixture once you put a new light bulb in. If you feel heat, switch to a lower wattage bulb as the current one’s wattage is too high for that fixture.

If you think your home might have faulty wiring or the wiring is in need of repair, let Always on Electric help. We offer residential and commercial electrical services to keep your home or business protected from electrical fires. For more information, call us today at 970-309-2616!

How Does Cold Weather Affect Electrical Systems?

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Cold weather can have a very big impact on how your electricity works. Winter can bring major storms in some areas of the country, and in Colorado, it definitely can. Freezing temperatures also can affect the way your electrical systems work and cost you more money when it comes to energy bills. The solution to the problem is to always make sure everything is running smoothly and properly before heading into the winter season or before a storm.

Electrical problems in home during Winter

What Occurs to Electrical Systems During the Winter

Yes, power outages can occur during the winter either from storms or freezing temperatures. For instance, if there are freezing temperatures, your electricity might have to work harder to heat your home. If your home has an electrical furnace, then it will be working harder, especially if there are other space heaters in specific rooms.

On certain colder days during the winter season, electrical heaters are turned up, which can cause the electrical system to overload, thus causing a power outage in many circumstances.

How to Prevent Electric System Problems

First and foremost, it’s essential that you minimize your energy use during the winter season. One of the easiest ways is to turn your thermostat down just a few degrees. This can help with your energy bills in the winter. Evaluate which rooms of your home you’re using the most. If you only spend time in a couple, use space heaters to heat those rooms for a short period while turning your furnace down for the rest of the home.

One of the best ways to make sure your home’s electrical systems are working properly is to have them serviced and evaluated by a professional like Always On Electric. We can make sure your backup generator is ready to go and make sure you have the correct service upgrades. Contact Always On Electric at 970-309-2616 today or visit us online for more information!

The Importance of Agricultural Electrical Maintenance

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Farming in the United States is one of the most important industries. Farmers work hard for many hours of the day making sure they can provide for several parts of the country. There are many negative factors that can impact farmers year-round. Some include weather related issues that can impact growth of crops and the timeline. Others can include electrical issues that can cause downtime. Like any other business or home, your utilities need to be working properly in order to live and make a living.

At Always On Electric, we have the electrical team to make sure your electrical is always on!

Agricultural electrician

The Benefits of Electrical Service for Your Farm

Electrical services can prevent major problems from happening to your business. In the agricultural industry, electricity and energy is relied on heavily for the farm’s function and working ability. Without functioning utilities, the farm could introduce itself to devastating issues.

How we can help:

We have the experience and professional electric service team to provide a new electrical system, as well as electrical fixes and repairs.

  • Tough Heaters
  • Standalone Services
  • Barn/Shop Lighting & Equipment
  • Irrigation Pumps, Well Pumps, Etc.
  • Gas Pumps and Equipment

The benefits of having a professional electrical service come and repair your system or get it up and running are extremely helpful. When running a farm, you need to make sure everything is working properly for your business to run properly.

Renewable Energy for the Agricultural Industry

As the world continues to implement renewable energy into farms, there will need to be more electrical services to keep up with new technology that is implemented. We’re looking forward to the innovation of electrical equipment on farms.

If you’re looking for a new electrical system on your farm, or you need some electrical maintenance, contact Always On Electric at 970-309-2616 today or visit us online for more information!

Be Prepared for Colorado Storms

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It’s the Fall season, which means there’s a chance for some dicey weather elements here in Colorado. For homeowners, it’s essential to be prepared for these storms inside your home, as well as outside. Making sure all of your electrical is running smoothly in your home is very important during storms. Your power could go out as well, which means backup generators may come in handy in dire circumstances.

Always On Electric Can Prepare You

With someone by your side to make sure that the electrical systems in your home are updated and running properly will give you a stress-reliever during severe storms this Fall and Winter seasons. Here at Always On Electric, we can provide you with maintenance and electri

cal fixes for appliances and every electrical equipment in your home.

We can even help with backup generators. A backup generator for your home is very important if you experience a power outage during a severe storm. If you need fixes or adjustments for it to run smoothly, we can help.

The Benefits of Having Your Electrical Checked:

  •  Prevent Fire Hazards
  • Eliminate Electrical Downtime
  • Update Your Lighting Fixtures
  • Decrease other safety hazards

Besides severe storms interfering with your electrical, it’s always important to keep your home up to date with fixes and maintenance tasks, especially with your electrical. As your home gets older, updates need to be made to ensure the safety of you and your family. With more severe storms approaching with specific seasons, it’s crucial to have everything in proper order.

Call a Professional

We encourage you to reach out to a professional to inspect and maintain your electrical in your home. If you’re concerned about fixes or updates, contact Always On Electric at 970-309-2616 today or visit us online for more information!

Why Would Plugs Fall Out of My Outlets?

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Loose Electrical OutletWe’re all so reliant on outlets these days. Whether we’re charging our phone, tablet, laptop or plugging in our favorite game consoles or lamps, we use the outlets in our homes and businesses every single day. As such, it can be quite frustrating when they’re not working properly.

One such example would be the process of a plug literally falling out of the outlet. Let’s say you’re charging your phone, and leave the area for a while, only to return to see the phone hasn’t charged and the plug is no longer in the outlet; once it’s happened more than once and you’ve ruled out a ghost playing tricks on you, you realize there are is an issue with the outlet. So what would cause plugs to drop out of your outlets (besides that mischievous ghost)?

Daily Wear and Tear and Defective Contact Points

If you’re like us, you probably use your “favorite” outlets each day. It’s not so much that you have a favorite, as much as a particular outlet is convenient for doing a certain job, and you start using it habitually. In this scenario, the daily wear and tear can add up and cause the outlet to be loose enough that it loses its grip and the plug slides out. If the metal in the outlets lose their sturdiness on electrical plugs, this could also cause it to fall out.

The Importance of Having Your Outlets Looked At

Sadly, a loose plug can cause sparks or electrical arcing, two things that are potential fire hazards. In addition, a loose outlet can cause damage to interior wiring, which could lead to a blown fuse or it could cause the circuit breaker to trip.

How an Electrician Will Help

A professional electrician can come and see what is bothering your loose outlet, and will isolate the problem. Next, he or she will can either fix the outlet if it’s salvageable, or rewire a new one.

If you’re in the Rifle, CO area and need a licensed electrician, contact Always on Electric today.

How to Prevent Electric Shocks

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Electric ShocksThere are more than 30,000 non-fatal electric shocks that take place all across the country each year. Many of these shocks occur inside homes, and some even involve children. The good news is they’re often preventable as long as you take the proper precautions. Here are a few ways that you can stop an electric shock from happening in your home.

Put plug covers over all your electrical outlets.

If you have a small child living in your home, you should place plug covers over each and every electrical outlet in your house. No matter how many times you tell a young child not to touch an electrical outlet, there is always a chance that they could get curious and try to do it anyway when you’re not looking. If they’re able to stick something into an outlet, it could result in them experiencing an electric shock.

Keep anything that’s plugged into an outlet away from water.

Positioning electronics anywhere in the general vicinity of water is a big no-no. You should keep your toaster away from your sink, your Bluetooth speaker away from your bathtub, and all of your other gadgets away from the various sources of water throughout your home. If an electronic falls into water while it’s plugged in, it could prove to be catastrophic.

Replace old, worn-down electrical fixtures.

The electrical switches and outlets in your home aren’t designed to last forever. They will wear down on you over time and eventually need to be replaced. If you choose not to replace them, your electrical fixtures could cause small electric shocks. Touch base with an electrician as soon as you can to have old electrical fixtures removed from your home and replaced with new ones.

Always On Electric can reduce the chances of anyone in your home sustaining an electric shock by providing you with electrical services. Call us at 970-309-2616 today to see how our services can keep you safe.

Commercial Vs. Residential Wiring

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Residential vs Commercial Wiring If you’ve never done any electrical work on your own, you might be under the impression that residential and commercial wiring are one and the same. But this couldn’t be any further from the truth. Since residential properties typically have much different electrical demands than commercial ones, there are lots of differences that separate residential and commercial electrical wiring. Check out a few of the key differences between the two below.

The designs for residential and commercial electrical wiring are different.

In most instances, residential electrical wiring has a single-phase design. It consists of three wires, including a positive wire, a negative wire, and a neutral wire, and they’re capable of carrying 120 volts. The only exception is when the electrical wiring is connected to a large appliance like an air conditioner or a washer and dryer. In that case, residential wiring utilizes a two-phase design that can carry 240 volts. But when it comes to commercial electrical wiring, a three-phrase design is the preferred option. This type of system includes two legs that can carry 120 volts each and another leg that can run 208 volts.

The location of residential and commercial electrical wiring is different, too.

Residential wiring is usually hidden inside of most homes. The only way you can find it is by taking down part of a wall or crawling into an attic or crawlspace. Commercial wiring, on the other hand, is often put in more accessible places. For example, you’ll often find commercial wiring in the ceiling rafters of a commercial property where it can be serviced quickly and easily.

Residential and commercial wiring also have different insulations.

Residential electrical wiring is almost always covered up with sheath insulation before it’s installed. But commercial electrical wiring is typically covered with a more heavy-duty type of insulation called TTHT. It’s specifically designed to protect commercial electrical wiring from liquids, corrosive gases, and more.

There are some electricians who only work on residential wiring. There are others who specialize in commercial wiring. However, at Always on Electric, we do both. We offer residential electrical services as well as commercial electrical services to our clients. Call us at 970-309-2616 today to schedule services for your home or business.