Category Archives: Residential 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!

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.

Reasons to Replace Outlet Receptacles

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Outlet Receptacles

Over the past few months, we’ve all had extra time to look around our homes or businesses and think about which improvement jobs need to be prioritized. Now, more than before, it’s essential for homeowners and business owners to have an ample amount of outlet receptacles, since we’re so reliant on the technology that requires outlets for charging or working purposes. As such, if you can’t remember the last time you’ve replaced the outlet receptacles in  your home or business, here are some telltale signs that it’s time.

The Outlets Feel Warm When You Use Them

Have you ever taken a phone charger out off the outlet and it felt hot? If so, it’s a scary feeling, and if it is happening often, it’s also a warning sign to replace your outlet receptacle. More often than not, the heat stems from outlets being worn out, though sometimes it might be caused by poor electrical wiring. Either, it’s best to further instigate if it becomes a common problem, especially if the screws holding the sockets in place are hot.

There are Breaches in the Outlets

If you see gaps, cracks and other openings in the outlet receptacle, it could lead to an accumulation of dust and possibly make the outlet a fire hazard. A build up of dust and other debris is bad news, and if your outlet is hot and has cracks or other crevices, then you know it’s time to do something about them.

You See Sparks

If you see sparks emanating from the outlet receptacle, it could indicate that the electrical wiring behind them has become outdated or is not able to withstand modern technical demands. A sparking outlet could lead to a fire breaking out, making it essential to have a professional look at your outlet receptacle.

If you’re in Rifle, CO area and are unsure about the outlet receptacles in your home or business, the electricians at Always on Electric are here to help. For more information, give us a call at 970.309.2616

A Guide to Finding a Reliable Residential Electrician

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Residential ElectriciansAre you in search of a residential electrician right now? If so, you shouldn’t have much trouble at all tracking one down. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 700,000 electricians operating throughout the country. As such, it can be a little bit difficult finding the right residential electrician for the job that you need done. Here is a guide to finding a residential electrician you can trust.

See if you can find a good recommendation from a family member or friend.

You might not have much experience working with residential electricians. Nevertheless, there’s a decent chance you have at least a few family members and friends who have had to work with one in the past. Call on your family members and friends to provide you with recommendations for residential electricians in your area. You might even want to put out an open call on Facebook to cast a wider net when searching for a great electrician.

Read through online reviews to find out which electricians those in your community like best.

If your family members and friends aren’t much help when it comes to recommending residential electricians, turn to online reviews for electricians in your area for help. You can learn more about which residential electricians people in your community seem to like best based on the online reviews you read for them.

Call and interview electricians yourself to find out what they bring to the table.

While it’s smart to turn to others for assistance when you’re on the hunt for a residential electrician, you shouldn’t expect them to do all your dirty work for you. You should also make an effort to learn as much as you can about the electricians you’re considering. You can do this by browsing around on their websites to see which services they have to offer. You can also do it by calling them up and spending a few minutes talking to them about what they have to offer to you. It’ll make you feel more confident in your decision when you narrow down your choices to just one residential electrician.

If you’re looking around for a residential electrician that you know you can trust, look no further than Always on Electric. We can set you up with the residential electrical services you need and do it at a great price. Call us at 970-309-2616 to hear more about the services we can provide for you.

What Does It Mean to Be a Licensed Electrician in Colorado?

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Licensed electrician Do you need to have electrical work done in your home? If so, you should always make sure you’re working with a licensed electrician. Don’t be afraid to ask an electrician to provide you with proof that shows they’ve taken the proper steps to earn their license. All electricians in Colorado are required to obtain a license from the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Electrical Board by passing an exam. They also need to meet several other important requirements. Learn more about them below.

Residential Wireman

This is the most basic type of electrician. They specialize in installing electrical wiring inside of homes. To get a license to become a residential wireman, an electrician must prove that they have at least 4,000 hours worth of experience when it comes to installing electrical construction wiring for things like lights, heat, and power over the course of the last two years.

Journeyman Electrician

This type of electrician is a step up from the residential wireman, as they can perform electrical work in both homes and businesses. They need to be able to prove that they have at least 8,000 hours worth of experience over the last four years working on electrical wiring for lights, heat, and power. Additionally, they need to have at least 4,000 hours worth of experience over the last two years working on electrical jobs in commercial and/or industrial settings.

Master Electrician

This type of electrician is the best kind of electrician around. To get licensed, master electricians need to meet all the qualifications of a journeyman electrician. They also need to have at least 2,000 hours worth of experience with regards to electrical planning and supervising electrical installations over the last year.

If you’re searching for a licensed electrician to set you up with electrical services, look no further than the electricians at Always on Electric. We can provide residential, commercial, industrial, and even agricultural electrical services and make sure your next electrical project goes according to plan. Call us at 970-309-2616 to schedule an appointment.