Tag: electrical safety

Stopping Surges in Their Tracks

One of the most frustrating things you can experience as a homeowner is a rogue power surge. These jolts of electricity can fry your expensive electronics, leaving you without critical appliances you may need to go about your routine. And while you can do a few simple things to try and avoid them, sometimes surges figure out how to attack your power grid anyway.

But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless to stop them (no pun intended). With a few smart tips and tricks, you can stop surges in their tracks before they have any chance to zap your much-needed appliances. Here are a few of the most successful ways to do just that from the electrical experts at Weeks Service Co.!

Unplug It All

The first and most obvious solution is also the most time-consuming and strenuous. Power surges funnel their way through your circuitry until they can pass through outlets and into your appliances, so the obvious fix is to remove that path completely.

If you unplug your appliances, the rogue surge has no road to travel down, so to speak. If the cord is out of the outlet, then your appliances are clearly safe. But you’ve got to weigh whether it would be worth it to go through your home, stopping to unplug anything of note every time a storm arrives.

Odds are, it probably isn’t. But if you’d rather live in safety and don’t need a ton of appliances, then it may work for you!

Point-of-Use Surge Protectors

This solution is probably the one you’re most familiar with. Power strips with surge protection are designed to let you consolidate several devices into one hub. That way you aren’t responsible for keeping track of a dozen different plugs in a handful of different outlets – you can put them all in just a couple spots, which you can switch on and off all at once with ease.

However, don’t assume this means you can load up all of your plugs into one surge protector and call it good. Even though these handy devices are designed to bear the electrical load for several things at once, even they will reach a breaking point. Make sure your voltage requirements meet the amount that a surge protector can handle before you buy them.

Whole-Home Surge Protectors

Perhaps you’ve experienced one too many accidental power surges despite your best efforts, or maybe you just don’t want to risk it at all in the first place. If that’s the case, a whole-home surge protector is the right solution.

These are installed in your circuit breaker or fuse box, right where they can stop surges as they enter your home’s electrical grid. It prevents the current from traveling to any of your devices and appliances, and some of the more advanced versions can even pre-emptively shut off power to more sensitive areas if they detect inclement weather.

Weeks Service Co.: Here to Help League City, TX Stop Power Surges Year-Round

Power surges are no fun, and we understand it better than anyone. When you need reliable service from friendly faces who will implement the right surge-protection solution for you and your family, give Weeks Service Co. a call!

We’re available at 281-738-1362, and we’d love to hear from you!

What Are GFCI Outlets?

what are gfci outlets

Outlets are everywhere in your home – and outside of it as well. Without them we’d be dead in the water when it comes to powering our devices and appliances. Although we just assume that outlets will be there at all times, have you ever noticed how some of them look different than others?

Some of the outlets in our home have a little light in the middle of them as well as a button. What’s going on there? Those are what’s known as GFCI outlets, and they can be a literal lifesaver, believe it or not. Follow along right here, and the electrical experts at Weeks Service Company will show you how these outlets can make a big impact in keeping you and your home safe!

What They Are

Regular outlets don’t have any distinguishing features. There’s just the plug, and that’s it. But these GFCI outlets are identifiable thanks to their reset button and indicator light. But why does a GFCI outlet need these things?

It’s because they have a special system inside of them that regular outlets don’t have. GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter – this system automatically shuts the outlet down when it detects even the slightest change in the voltage entering and exiting the outlet. When it notices a difference, it cuts the power instantly to prevent a short circuit from occurring.

How small of a difference does it take to kill the outlet’s power? Hardly anything. If the GFCI outlet detects a difference of as little as 5 milliamps, it’s done. This is a miniscule change, but it’s vitally important to catch these potential short circuits before they can cause any damage to you or your home.

Why Do These Outlets Need Special Treatment?

What’s the reason these outlets have a built-in kill switch? Well, have you noticed where these outlets usually are? Most of the time, they’re going to be in places where short circuits could occur more frequently. This is usually around areas where water could be.

That means GFCI outlets are typically installed near sinks and other water appliances. They’re also on the exterior of your home, because water is obviously outside as well. When a circuit comes into contact with water, the voltage finds a quicker route to the ground and throws the circuit out of balance. If you’re touching the water while this happens, you’ll get shocked.

Should You Install GFCI Outlets in Your Home?

Absolutely. Unlike a circuit breaker, a GFCI outlet is self-contained and isn’t reliant on the circuit in your home as a whole. Your home should have these installed in places like bathrooms and the kitchen, and if they aren’t, then it would be smart to do so as soon as possible.

 

If your home is in desperate need of replacing outlets with GFCI models – or if you just need some GFCI outlets installed in your home, period, get in touch with us at Weeks Service Company! Our electricians can take care of this job in no time at all! Your family will have peace of mind knowing they’re protected from electrical danger.

Give us a call at 281-738-1362 to see how!

Handy Tips for Eliminating Electrical Fire Hazards

tips for eliminating electrical fire hazards

Everyone is aware of how a fire can potentially spring up at any moment, wreaking havoc before you’re even aware that it’s happening. However, a lot of us probably don’t associate house fires with electrical malfunctions, even though they’re fairly prevalent.

In fact, roughly 6% of all house fires were electrical fires in 2014, according to the United States Fire Administration. These types of fires can happen in the blink of an eye, which is why it’s so important to safeguard your home so you minimize the chance of one happening. Here are some tips for eliminating electrical fire hazards from the trusty electricians at Weeks Service Company!

Consider Replacing Appliances

Although we get attached to certain devices and appliances in our homes, the sentimental value isn’t worth the hazard some of these things present. If you ignore replacing them for too long, you’re putting you and your family at risk.

Things like washers, dryers and heaters should be replaced as soon as they reach the end of their shelf life – if not a little earlier, just to be safe. A rogue spark from one of these appliances’ cords can easily jump to a rug or another flammable material, creating an electrical fire before you know it.

Always Clean Your Lint Traps

Turns out that the little lint screen in the top of your dryer is important. Lint is extremely flammable, and if you neglect to change out the lint trap when you begin drying clothes, you run the risk of it catching fire – and that percentage only increases the more you ignore it.

So, even though you probably do it every time, just make sure not to forget to change it out!

Check Your Outlets

One way that electrical fires get started is when an older outlet gets loose or the wires inside them begin to fray. The electrical connections begin losing their integrity, which makes it easier for sparks to jump around. You’ll usually see discoloration around the outlets when they decline in quality, which means it’s time to call an electrician.

They’ll take a look at your outlets – and the electrical system at large – to see whether it’s just an isolated incident or something that warrants a larger strategy to fix.

Don’t Overload Your Circuits

It’s tempting to plug everything we’ve got into a few outlets, especially in areas like the living room where we’ve got home theaters and the like. Although it’s convenient, this type of strain on your circuits can eventually cause serious problems.

Circuits can only handle so much of an electrical load before they get overloaded and short-circuit. Make sure to space out which circuits you’re plugging things into if you can to avoid this hazard.

Weeks Service Company: Providing League City with Top-Notch Electrical Service

We know how difficult it can be to keep track of all the different ways electrical hazards present themselves. You’ve got a million other things to keep track of every day, and worrying about overloading circuits can be confusing. Leave it to us!

Weeks Service Company has the knowledge and expertise to eliminate electrical hazards in your home. Give us a call at 281-738-1362 to see how we can safeguard your electrical system once and for all!

Sparking Outlet – Should You Worry About?

should you worry about a sparking outlet

You’ve just unplugged a lamp from an outlet, but something out of the ordinary happened. This time, a little blue spark jumped out from the plug when you removed it from the wall – and now you’re worried. Is your home in trouble? Are you one lamp-removal away from catching something on fire? Should you avoid plugging anything in for the foreseeable future?

Lots of questions! They’re understandable since electricity is so volatile and can present legitimately dangerous problems in the blink of an eye. If your outlet is sparking, though, it might not always be something you need to worry about. To help whittle down the possibilities, here is a quick and easy guide to when a sparking outlet is something you can ignore, and when it’s more serious.

When It’s Not a Problem

Most of the time, if you’re seeing a sparking outlet, it’s nothing to worry about. After all, this is the point at which electricity connects to your device, so when a current is present, it’ll understandably jump from the plug to the outlet sometimes.

This spark, which is blue in color, isn’t anything to worry about if it’s happening every now and then. But if you notice it happening more frequently, then we recommend putting in a call to an electrician you trust.

When It Is

But there are times when sparking is out of the ordinary. If you notice one or more of these indicators, don’t run the risk of causing greater damage – stop using the plug immediately and call a professional.

  • Longer sparking: Normal sparks don’t last very long – they’re gone in the blink of an eye – but sparks that last longer are ones you need to take more seriously.
  • Charred/burned smells: If your nose picks something up that smells like this, then something has melted. This is obviously a sign that something is wrong and should prompt a service call as soon as possible.
  • A strangely colored spark: Like we mentioned earlier, normal sparks are blue. But when you unplug a device, sometimes the color is white, yellow, or something else. This indicates a problem as well.

Why Sparks Occur

Sparking isn’t just limited to one cause. Things like water damage can lead to sparking, as can normally wear and tear that your electrical system undergoes over the years. Or, it could even be because a previous electrician installed wiring or an outlet incorrectly or didn’t repair something the right way.

It’s tough to tell why your outlet is sparking without taking a look at your specific situation. When you’re worried about whether the sparks you’re seeing are something to be concerned about or not, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Weeks Service Company is the League City and Houston-area service provider you can count on. We’ll figure out why your wiring is acting up and work with you to develop a solution that makes sense and will prevent this issue from popping up in the future.

Give us a call at 281-738-1362 to speak to a member of our team today!

Easy Methods to Avoid Power Surges

It’s just another typical weeknight. You’re kicking back, watching the latest episode of your favorite TV show while your family bustles around the house. They’re making food, flipping light switches and using different appliances when all of a sudden – zap! A power surge.

Surges bring whatever you were doing to a screeching halt. You’ve got to drop whatever you were doing to go flip a breaker or wait until the power returns – but you could’ve avoided this aggravating situation in the first place! Here are a few ways to avoid power surges from the electrical experts at Weeks Service Company.

Load Up on Surge-Protecting Power Strips

If you want a single point-of-use protector to safeguard one particularly troublesome appliance, then a surge-protecting power strip is a wise choice. These include basic surge protection inside the strip itself to help reroute potential overloads away from your appliances.

However, a word of caution. These are strikingly similar to traditional power strips – ones without surge protection added on – and it’s easy to confuse the two. Make sure that you thoroughly look over the label before purchasing one to double-check that it actually provides protection and isn’t just a collection of outlets.

Don’t Overload Outlets

Even if you do get one of those surge-protecting power strips, you don’t suddenly have unimpeded freedom to load up those outlets with a million different plugs. The surge protection does in fact work, but it isn’t an impenetrable wall against any and all electrical surges.

You still need to take care and pay mind to how many things you’ve plugged into that power strip. These things are designed to handle some measure of excess voltage, but even they will crumble under too big a spike in energy. It’s okay to plug a few things into the power strips, but don’t overload them.

Install a Whole-Home Surge Protector

On the other hand, if you just want to protect everything in your home at once and skip the piecemeal solution, invest in a whole-home surge protector. An electrician installs one of these at the source of your home’s electrical grid, so it catches any surges before they have a chance to travel through your grid.

The benefits they provide are numerous. Whole-home surge protectors handle a higher voltage load than individual power strip surge protectors are, and they last longer to boot.

Weeks Service Company: Your Surge Protection Experts

When you’re searching for an electrician in League City, don’t look any farther than the pros at Weeks Service Company. Our team members are dedicated to providing the most reliable service in the area. We’re confident you’ll find that they’ll go above and beyond to make sure you’re taken care of.

Surge protection is no match for our electricians. They’ll work with you to devise the right solution and you’ll never have to worry about your appliances being fried.

Give us a call at 281-738-1362 to find out more about our surge-protection services!

Is It Safe to Troubleshoot My Electrical Problem?

“Is it safe to troubleshoot my electrical problem?” We get this a lot, and it makes sense. With the amount of technology available in the world nowadays, it’s almost inevitable that we’ll encounter electrical problems in some form or another at home. Since it seems like everything is becoming digital or electronic, it makes sense to be prepared to troubleshoot these issues.

However, it’s not always safe to attempt these problem-solving procedures. Some require more precise tinkering with the dangerous wires in your home, while others can be solved with a simple adjustment to a single component. But which is which? We’ll list a few of the more common issues and help you figure out if you can undertake the fixes yourself, or if you should just let a professional handle it.

Flickering Lights

There it goes again! If you’re experiencing frequent incidents of flickering lights, then something is obviously wrong. Pinpointing exactly where the trouble is coming from, however, is a tougher task. It could be a result of any number of things, but the most likely explanation is a faulty connection in a circuit somewhere.

Unfortunately, this isn’t something you’ll likely be able to tackle yourself. You’re better off calling an electrician to come handle this, as they’ll be able to wade through your various electrical components until they discover precisely what needs fixing.

Frequently Tripping Circuit Breaker

Few things are as irritating as tripping a breaker while you’re using some device or appliance. It’s annoying not only because the thing you’re using will immediately shut off, but you’ve also got to go find the breaker box and flip the circuit back, interrupting whatever you were doing.

The easiest way to correct this problem is by finding out what’s at fault for the tripped breaker. Take note of which appliance or piece of equipment you’re using when the breaker trips – it might be straining the electrical grid too much. Consider swapping it out for a lower-wattage unit or plugging it in somewhere else to even out the power load.

Surges

This is another tricky one to diagnose from afar. Several different things can cause power surges, like storms, faulty equipment or shoddy craftsmanship on appliances or circuit boards, to name a few. This is another case of something where it makes more sense to have a professional electrician come inspect your grid to find out what the root of the issue is.

Light Bulbs Burning Out

Light bulbs have exactly one job: to illuminate a dark spot. That makes it all the more frustrating when they burn out – but it’s not necessarily the bulb’s fault.

There could be a loose connection somewhere, or the wiring in the outlet or device itself could be faulty. Your lamp or other lighting implement might not be able to handle the wattage of the bulb you’ve placed in it, which is arguably the most common culprit.

 

Electrical problems can be tricky, since one wrong move can spell disaster for you, your home or your family. If you’re not too sure of the right steps to take – or if you are and would just rather have someone else take care of it – give us a call!

We’re always willing to help you feel safer, and we’re able to answer any question you have. Call us at 281-738-1362 for more information!

When Should You Get an Electrical Safety Inspection?

when should you get an electrical safety inspection

As is the case with a lot of the resources we have access to at home, we don’t pay too much attention to our electricity most of the time. But once that valuable commodity is either lost or disconnected, we’re suddenly very aware of how important it is.

This is a situation nobody ever wants to experience, but it’s one that can sneak up on you. Of course, there are ways to ensure you take as many steps as possible to prevent it from happening, but nobody can stop everything.

One of the most effective methods of safeguarding your home’s electrical capabilities is by having an inspection performed. Not only will a technician be able to identify any problematic spots in your home’s connections, but they’ll let you know if there’s anything that requires a larger-scale repair.

An inspection is a valuable tool to use, but they’re pricey, and it doesn’t make sense to have them done frequently. So, when should you get an electrical safety inspection? The folks at Weeks Service Company have a handy list of five common scenarios when it would make sense to have one.

Before Buying a Home

There are a lot of things running through your mind during the home-buying process, and that’s understandable. You’ve got a lot on your plate, but one thing you don’t want to overlook is your new home’s electrical capabilities.

A worst-case scenario would be moving in, getting everything set up and settling in to your new home, only to realize the wires were at risk of sparking and causing a fire. Even if the wiring ends up being fine, you’d rather be safe than sorry!

Before Moving in to a Newly Built Home

This one is obviously in the same vein as the previous point. Have an electrician inspect the fresh wiring in your brand-new home and put that concern out of your mind for good.

Before or After a Major Storm

Storms are one of the major causes of severe electrical problems – one wayward lightning strike, and you could have a disaster on your hands!

If a storm is particularly nasty, go ahead and have your electrical components inspected. That way, you’ll know if your home’s grid is up the task of enduring the storm, and if it isn’t then you can adequately prepare.

On the other hand, if a storm ended up being stronger than you anticipated, it might be a good idea to have it inspected afterward to ensure nothing was permanently damaged.

Older House

Even if your home’s electrical grid was fine when you first moved in, it eventually wears down and deteriorates – just like everything else does. If your home was built 30 or more years ago, it’s probably high time to have its electrical components inspected.

As we’ve described, an electrical inspection is something that doesn’t seem too important in the moment. It can, however, save you time and money in addition to maintaining safety. Whether you’re moving in to a new home or just want the peace of mind that comes with a new inspection, Weeks Service Company has your back. Give us a call at 281-738-1362 to learn more!