Category Archives: Electrical

To Do List

Charge up Your Electrician’s To-Do List

 —  December 26, 2014 — No Comments

When it comes to big repair and remodeling projects, you probably turn to a professional electrician to do the job right. Many electricians charge a trip fee for each visit and an hourly service fee—even if the job takes much less than an hour.

Next time you call an electrician, consider using the time and your dollars to the fullest.  Ask your electrician to take on additional smaller tasks that will improve home safety, comfort and convenience.  Also, serves as a great way to get those little tasks out of the way.

Consider the following ideas:

Review electrical service

Have your service evaluated, especially in older homes with outdated 60-amp service, but also in newer ones where standard 100-amp panels may be overtaxed by modern household electronics.

Upgrade old outlets

Change existing outlets to ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets, which improve safety by automatically shutting off in an emergency.

Add a dimmer switch

Replace a toggle switch with a dimmer switch, which allows you to easily adjust light levels for different needs.

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Flipped Circuit Breaker

Safety Tip: Electrical Safety and a Flipped Breaker

 —  April 21, 2013 — No Comments

Electrical safety is an important part of responsible homeownership. It requires that you always follow the proper procedures when working with electrical outlets and wiring. Remember, electricity can be deadly. If you’re not experienced in electrical work, it’s always best to call in a licensed electrician to perform repairs or improvements.

Flipped Breakers and Blown Fuses

Flipped breakers and blown fuses are nothing to take lightly. Breakers flip and fuses blow because an electrical circuit in your home has been overloaded. Overloaded circuits get hot, and that heat causes fire. In other words, circuit breakers are there for your safety. If your circuit breaker is cutting off electricity to a portion of your home, first think about whether you’ve added any new appliances or other electrical draws that would explain the extra electrical demands being placed on the circuit. You might be able to solve the problem by simply unplugging your new microwave, for example, and moving it to another circuit that isn’t experiencing such high demand.

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electrical-safety

Electrical Safety Tip: Replace Faulty Outlets and Switches

 —  April 14, 2013 — No Comments

Electrical safety is an important part of responsible homeownership. It requires that you always follow the proper procedures when working with electrical outlets and wiring. Remember, electricity can be deadly. If you’re not experienced in electrical work, it’s always best to call in a licensed electrician to perform repairs or improvements.

Old Outlets and Switches

One of the most straightforward electrical improvements you can make is replacing old outlets and switches. Loose outlets and old switches can lead to an outlet fire and electric shock. Replacing them with new units is an easy and effective way to prevent more serious problems. If you’ve already experienced an outlet fire, sparks coming from an outlet, or smoking outlets, shut off the power to the outlet and call an electrician immediately to check if the outlet fire caused more significant damage that needs to be dealt with.

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Classic Light Switch

Tip: Understanding Electrical Switches

 —  March 16, 2013 — No Comments

You probably already have a pretty firm grip on what electrical switches do, but you may not realize what they can do for your home. Redesigning the layout and function of your switches allows you to completely redecorate your home. Here’s a breakdown on what electrical switches do and some ideas for upgrades, repairs, or replacements.

The most familiar electrical switch is the common light switch, referred to by hardware dealers and electricians as a single-pole switch. A switch that operates lights from two locations—the ends of a hallway, for example—is called a three-way switch.

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Kitchen Lighting

Kitchen Lighting Basics

 —  March 2, 2013 — No Comments

Homeowners who renovate their kitchens often don’t consider one of the most important concerns: the kitchen lighting. It’s a common oversight because many homeowners mistakenly believe that they have to leave out sufficient kitchen lighting in order to use this room in a modern way. With good design, common sense, and some of the latest lighting technology, your kitchen can remain the center of life in your house while providing plenty of light for your work.

Know Your Kitchen Lighting Options

There are many new products and ideas that can help you bring out the character of your kitchen; lighting might seem like a “no brainer” but it can be trickier than you think. The problem is that even well-informed homeowners might not know about all their options. In most cases, getting a little help from a professional will give you a far better idea not only of what’s available, but of how newer products (and older products, as well) are likely to perform and hold up.

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bundle

Tip: Bundle Electrical Repair Jobs Together

 —  February 28, 2013 — No Comments

To save money and time on electrical work, bundle projects together. Anytime you discover an electrical problem, put it on a list.

When you feel it’s time to call an electrician, such as Mr. Mighty Electricians in Chicago, review your list and then conduct a mini-inspection of your home. Look for faulty switches and dysfunctional or crowded outlets. When the electrician comes, you’ll save money and time by getting everything taken care of at once.

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Ceiling Fan

Benefits of a Ceiling Fans During the Winter

 —  January 26, 2013 — No Comments

Ceiling fans are one of the smartest solutions when it comes to achieving a comfortable, energy-efficient home. In fact, ceiling fans have been helping to heat and cool residences for more than a hundred years. By circulating warm air in the winter, ceiling fans effectively reduce the demand of a conventional heating system.

Ceilings Fans and Energy Efficiency

Ceiling fans increase the energy efficiency of your home during the winter. Warm air from your furnace rises and collects at the ceiling, where it doesn’t do you much good. By flipping the switch on your ceiling fan so it turns the other direction, you eliminate the stiff breeze it creates, but still benefit from the air circulation it provides. All that warm air up at the ceiling is conveniently recirculated throughout your home.

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Outdoor Outlet

Benefits of Having Outdoor Outlets

 —  January 15, 2013 — No Comments

Outdoor electrical outlets are pretty much a standard feature of any home and can eliminate the need for extension cords, enabling you to upgrade your holiday lighting display, use power garden tools or enjoy your backyard long into the evening.

Outdoor Electrical Outlets

Outdoor outlets are safe for one reason only: with the aid of the ground fault circuit interrupter, otherwise known as a GFCI outlet. GFCI’s cut the electrical current when electricity leaks to ground (which in most cases means the electricity is running through you). Because working outside often involves working around pools, hot tubs, puddles and in wet weather, GFCI’s are the difference between you receiving a mild shock and you being served up well done at the next neighborhood barbecue.

If you don’t have a GFCI outlet installed for all your outdoor electrical outlets, contact Mr Mighty – Chicago electricians to get this done as quickly as possible.

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upgrade now

10 Ways to Upgrade Electrical Circuits for Today’s Lifestyle

 —  October 20, 2012 — No Comments

Our modern lifestyles now include many new technologically advanced products that challenge old electrical services.

If you’re remodeling an older home, odds are your local building department will require you to upgrade your electrical service to 100 amps. Why? It’s to ensure that there’s enough power in the home for all the modern electrical needs without causing a fire. Older homes didn’t need to support so many appliances.

When upgrading your electrical service and rewiring for a remodeled kitchen, a new spa, or other home improvement project, you should think beyond your immediate needs and anticipate other features that you or a future owner may want. Spending a little more now to expand your electrical capabilities may save a lot of time and money in the long run.

Most standard home electrical circuits are on a 120-volt line. To run major appliances and heavy electrical equipment, you need 220-volt current in the house. And unless your clothes dryer runs on gas, it will require a 220-volt outlet to operate, so it’s necessary to upgrade to 220 to handle this kind of appliance.

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Electrical Safety Inspection

The Importance of Electrical Safety Inspection

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What we look for in our home is safety from all harms. Similarly we also need to make sure that every systems in our household are in compliance to the latest safety norms. Often, we hear that one or two has been electrocuted or a house ends up in flames due to fire resulting from electrical sparks. All these are the results of faulty electrical installation, lack of electrical maintenance, etc. To put an end to all these, safety inspection is necessary. One should call up one of Mr. Mighty Electric’s electricians for all maintenance and safety inspections.

You may also have noticed at times that your home or workplace’s electrical system is not performing as per expectation. But you ignored it thinking that you can have it repaired some other day. As the saying goes, “never put of till tomorrow what you can do today”, your delay can cause the problem to worsen and disaster may hit anytime. It is therefore, suggested that whenever you see any flaw in your system, you should call up any residential or commercial Chicago electrician and have your system repaired.

Why a safety inspection service?

Electrical systems, appliances and units are bound to degrade in quality as well as performance due to passage of time and frequent usage. It is also hard to know when to have them repaired or replaced. To ease yourself of all doubts regarding when to repair and replace an appliance or unit, you can call up Chicago electricians and have your system inspected for compliance to the latest safety norms. Safety inspection are truly important to keep our house or workplace free from the harms of faulty installation and degrading systems.

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