Who Do You Call: An Electrician or a General Contractor?

When you are making home improvements, renovating, or just need repairs done, how do you know who to call? When you do call an electrician, and when do you contact a general contractor? It really depends on what kind of work you are having done, and what is involved.

What does a general contractor do?

A general contractor is someone who is hired to oversee or manage a project, in this case, likely to do with construction or renovations. A general contractor can have different specialties and licenses, and he or she can have people that work directly under them, also called sub-contractors. A general contractor typically has a contract with the client regarding the overall expectations of the project and is directly responsible for the outcome of the project. A general contractor is usually not an electrician, but some general contractors are also licensed, electricians. Some general contractors, even if they are not an electrician in Florence, might be approved to do minor electrical work during a project. What does an electrician do? An emergency electrician is a specialty contractor. He or she is a person that specializes in the installation and maintenance of electrical equipment. There are different levels of knowledge for electricians. Some electricians only do minor jobs such as changing or installing light fixtures, outlets, and switches. Others, usually licensed electricians, can do just about anything to do with the electrical systems in your house or business. There are varying levels of licensing for electricians, starting at Trainee all the way up to Master Electrician. Electricians that do work in your home or business should have an Electrical Contractor license at the very minimum. How do I know which one I need? When you are completing a project involving the construction or destruction of a part of your home, you will likely seek the services of a general contractor. A general contractor is the one with the knowledge of construction, and likely has at least some knowledge of plumbing and electrical to make small changes or repairs during the project. If during the project the general contractor needs actual electrical work was done that can only be done by an electrician, he or she will recommend someone to bring on to the project. Usually, electricians like Florence Electrician Pros are only called when they are needed. If your project only involves wiring or other electrical issues, you likely need just an electrician. He or she will tell you if you need the expertise of any other professionals when you are explaining the project or when they come out for an estimate or to do the work. As always, when hiring any professional contractors of any type, make sure that you are hiring a reputable professional that has good references, and is licensed and insured. These guidelines keep you, your home, and the contractor safe in the event of an accident. Contractors of all types, general contractors and electricians included, should be licensed and insured in your state without exception.

When your project calls for an electrician, call Florence Electrician Pros for a free estimate.

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Tips To Prevent Electrical Fires

More than 25,000 electrical fires are reported in the United States on a yearly basis. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, these results to the injury or death of more than 1,300 people. Home electrical fires cause more dollar loss per fire when compared to non electrical fires. Even more shocking is that all those electrical fires could have been prevented if only homeowners took time to follow some simple steps. Listed below are some tips provided by expert electricians to prevent electrical fires. Electrical Inspection In case you are living in an older home, you need to hire a professional electrician to conduct an inspection in your home electrical wiring. The wiring of your electrical system will not last forever and that means if your house has been standing for decades, then you should consider having its electrical system rewired. This holds true for houses that has aluminum wiring, which is more susceptible to electrical fires than copper wiring. The Copper Development Association said that all contemporary homes must have 12 American Wire Gauge or AWG solid copper wiring so they can meet the demands of most modern appliances. In case your house still has the thinner 14-AWG, hire a well trained, experienced, and reputable Florence electrician to check your electrical wiring and make the necessary recommendations. Electrical Cord and Plug Damage A faulty electrical wiring is another cause of electrical fires. In case you notice any wire that is tattered, frayed, or worn out, be sure to have it replaced with a new wiring. Electrical cords in poor condition easily overheat and trigger sparks that could eventually start a fire. For appliances, there are replacement cords that you can buy over the counter. Overburdened Electrical Outlet Overloading is one common cause of home electrical fires. This takes place whenever you plug in too many appliances into one single electrical outlet, power strip, or extension cord. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends that you purchase power strips that come with internal overload protection. This can make sure that the strip will turn off as soon as it detects an electrical overload. Keep All Flammable Materials Away Portable electric space heaters, hair dryer, irons, as well as lamps can be dangerous. Electrical appliances can start an electrical fire whenever they make contact with materials that are considered flammable like rugs, towels, and blankets. Do not hid cables, especially the extension cords, under carpets or rugs. They can easily start a fire if they are overheated. Electrical Short and Wiring Problems Unless it involves something extremely simple such as replacing a cord, fixing faulty wirings and shorts need the expertise of Florence electrician. Signs that you have a faulty wiring include sparking plugs, flickering lamps, and buzzing outlets. All of these can trigger sparks that may lead to an electrical fire. While you are at it, be sure to change or remove any connection, wire, fuse box, or extension cord that feels warm to touch because these usually indicates an unsafe or faulty wiring connection. It could also be a sign that too much current is running through the affected circuits, which could probably lead to overload and electrical fires.

Call Florence Electrician Pros if you need help in making sure that your home is safe from electrical fires.

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Useful Tips When Looking For A Residential Electrician

Electrical issues at home are inconvenient and can pose a threat to anyone living in the household. That’s why these issues must be dealt with right away by a licensed residential electrician. Faulty wall outlets, wiring, and or lighting fixtures can be difficult to repair on your own. Of course, it also is dangerous for an untrained person. That’s why it’s best to hire an electrician instead.

Here are some ways on how you can easily find an electrician in your area

Ask around – your friends, neighbors, and family can probably give you a few names if you’re looking for a Florence residential electrician. There’s really no need for you to go anywhere or even the internet if you can simply ask someone nearby for some information. It’s one of the best ways to get reliable information. Happy customers would be happy to recommend their favorite electrician to anyone. Do your research – local electrical contractors like Florence Electrician Pros are trustworthy. However, it never hurts to do a quick background check if you are planning to hire a different contractor. Most legitimate electrical companies provide true information about their business. On the other hand, there are others that are not so honest when it comes to disclosing certain information. That’s why you should always be careful about doing your homework. Checking their background – a background check is necessary. This is important especially if you are planning on hiring an electrician for the first time. Letting someone in your house is never a comfortable thing particularly if you barely know them. Regardless of what type of contractor they are, checking their background helps in preventing issues later on. Get quotes – you’ll never know how much a particular service is going to cost you until you ask for quotes. If you’re speaking to the company over the phone, describe everything in great detail. This often provides them with a clear idea of what is going on and how to proceed with the electrical repair. However, you shouldn’t rely on this too much. It’s still better to have an electrician come over, do an inspection, and provide you with a quote. Check for the right tools – professionals in their respective trades have tools that are specifically made for such applications. Dealing with electrical issues, for instance, requires different apparatus to check for arc faults. Without the right tools, an electrician can’t do that much of a good job. It’s best to ensure that they can deliver great results. To do this, you can verify if they have the right equipment for the job. Ask if they have insurance – working with electrical panels can be dangerous. Sometimes, even with the utmost care accidents can still happen. However, with insurance coverage in place, it will be comforting to know that everything will be compensated. As your electrician, if they have an active insurance policy. Most reliable electricians are covered by insurance. When you are planning to hire an electrician in Florence, be sure that they are fully insured.

Are you experiencing electrical issues at home? Call Florence Electrician Pros today and have all your electrical problems fixed!

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5 Instances You Will Need An Electrician

Small electrical issues at home may or may not call for the help of an electrician. If you are experienced and knowledgeable enough about doing electrical repairs, fixing the broken fixture and replacing that bulb will be super easy. However, for the rest of the population, it’s not so simple. The mere fact that electricity can injure or cost a person’s life is very threatening to many. That’s why it’s a wise decision to leave any electrical repair that’s beyond your capacity to the people who know how to safely deal with the issue.

Here are five times you will need an electrician

1. Overloaded extension cords – first of all, extension cords should never be used as a substitute for solid and permanent wiring. Extension cords are not rated for long-term use under high loads. The fact that these devices are overloaded can cause major issues in your home. Not only will it cause injury, but it can also trigger electrical fires.

1. Heating wall outlets – your wall outlets are not supposed to heat up when in use. After you’ve plugged in an electrical appliance and the outlet heats up, it’s a clear sign that there’s something wrong. If you encounter any issues with your wall outlets, call a Florence electrician. There’s no need to wait for the problem to worsen. If there’s a sign that something is wrong with your electrical system, call it in right away.

1. Sparks coming out of the outlet – if you see any kind of spark flying out of a wall outlet while it is in use, you know there’s something bad going on. Regardless of how you use it, there shouldn’t be any sparks being produced by the wall socket. If it does, then you know that an issue is at hand. Be careful about these kinds of situations. If sparks are flying, that often means there’s a short in the system. If a short happens, it can damage other electrical components and cause a fire. Call an emergency electrician immediately.

1. Flickering lights – there are different reasons why your light would flicker. The reasons could either be due to a faulty fixture, broken light bulb, or intermittent electricity leading to the light bulb. If only one of the lights in your house is flickering, the issue is isolated and can easily be fixed. However, if more than one is flickering, there’s a bigger issue.

1. Weird odors – if you’ve ever smelled anything weird coming from an appliance you just plugged in and turned on, there’s probably an issue. If the odor is coming from the wall outlet, the problem is most likely bigger than you thought. Any burning smell or odors like melting plastic means there’s overheating going on that could be caused by different reasons. One reason is because of a short circuit or an overload in the wiring which is causing it to heat up, melt the insulation, and burn anything that it touches. In case you encounter any of these signs, call Florence Electrician Pros to have the issue resolved right away.

Are you experiencing electrical issues at home? Call Florence Electrician Pros today and have all your electrical problems fixed!

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Expert Tips For Do It Yourself Electrical Repairs

Electricity and electrical repairs have become an important part of our daily lives. Electricity plays a significant role in allowing us to accomplish daily tasks from baking or browsing the Internet to watching television. Although we can always rely on the assistance of professional electricians whenever we encounter problems, it is also always handy to have some basic skills in do-it-yourself repairs.

Below are some expert tips to allow you to do your own electrical repairs at home:

• Get the necessary parts and materials

Keep in mind that not all wire types could be used in every electrical repair. You will need to know which specific wire is needed for a specific repair and make sure to get that exact wire. This not only applies to electrical wiring. You must also have the same principle in all necessary parts and tools to ensure that you will not further complicate the problem and create additional cost instead of repairing the problem. It is critically important to know the differences in the parts and materials you will be using, so as not to spend more money in the long run.

• Always turn off the main switch

Even if it is a minor electrical repair, one where you wouldn’t touch the insides of an electrical box or one that doesn’t require you to make contact to a live wire, the main breaker should still be turned off. Always ensure you and your family’s safety. Don’t ever assume that you’ll only get a minor electrical shock for repairing your electrical system while the main switch is on. It’s always better to take precautions rather reap the consequences of a simple neglected act.

• Know when to call professional help

Even if you have years of experience in do-it-yourself electrical repairs, you should still call a professional electrician for help when you’re no longer able to fix a problem. Electricians have the necessary skills and expertise to repair any electrical problem with high-quality results. The additional cost is usually less than what you will have to pay in the future if you insist on doing difficult repairs yourself. Every one of us relies greatly on electricity. As important as it is to know how to properly maintain and use electricity, some basic electrical repair knowledge is good to know. This will help us make some immediate repairs if an electrician is not available.

Learn more about electrical repairs at home by contacting Florence Electrician Pros.

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Electrician: How To Identify An Electrical Fault?

Being able to identify electrical issues in your home is important. It’s one of the primary ways you can ensure the safety of your family. There are many ways on how you find electrical faults and fix them right away. However, the most efficient and safest way to deal with any electrical issues is to hire an electrician. In case you still plan on going with DIY electrical inspection and repairs, proceed with caution. Electricity can be dangerous when handled incorrectly. Here are some steps on how you can find electrical issues at home:

Things that electricians want you to know about electrical inspections

Understanding the cause of the problem There are plenty of reasons why electrical appliances or components cease to work. Most of the time, issues are caused by the lack of a properly working circuit. A circuit is basically a closed path that allows for the flow of electricity from one point to another. In basic electronics, a circuit needs to be closed to be able to do anything from switching on the TV, turning on the lights, and running your appliances. Neither of these tasks will be possible is the circuit remains open. When the circuit is open, it could mean that a switch needs to be triggered or if a problem is keeping it from being closed. It’s a bit complicated that’s why you will be better off hiring a Florence electrician than doing your own electrical repairs. Checking circuit breakers and fuses When there is no electricity from your electrical outlets, you shouldn’t be too worried. You can do some simple inspections to see what is causing the problem. Most of the time, you might have just blown a fuse or tripped a circuit breaker. For newer systems, everything is controlled by circuit breakers that can be found inside the electric panel. You need to inspect whether the circuit breaker is tripped or not. It is usually labeled and can easily be figured out. As for blown fuses, you will need to replace it. Be careful, though. Replacing the fuse can be dangerous if you are not wearing any protective equipment. Checking wires for issues The wiring in your electrical system is complex and should not be tampered with. It is advised to keep away from having to deal with the wires as it could potentially pose threats. Electrocution is the primary danger of handling live wires. If you are not certain as to how to check for issues in your electrical system, call Florence Electrician Pros for assistance. Fixing a broken lightbulb is rather easy. However, dealing with something as complex as your home’s electrical wiring is on another level. You must have skills, knowledge, and equipment to successfully pull off inspections and or repairs. Hiring an electrician It is advised to call an electrical contractor in case you run into any issues with your electrical system. Homeowners may attempt to do their own electrical repairs but it does not come without any risks. To be safe, hire an expert who knows what’s he’s doing to easily fix the problem.

Looking for the most reliable electrician in Florence? Call Florence Electrician Pros and get a free quote!

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