FAQ

There Are Some Important Things To Conside

• Will you guarantee the price IN WRITING before you start the work, and stick to that price? Even if the work takes twice as long as you expected?
• Are ALL of your employees background checked & drug tested so NO felons, criminals, or drug addicts are entering my home? Will the electrician show the same care and concern for my home as they do for their own?
• Is your company licensed, insured and employees extensively trained?
• How long is your warranty? What all does it cover? Do you back your warranty, or would I have to deal with the manufacturer?

These are five great questions to ask not just an electrician, but also any contractor that you are going to let into your home. Here at Powell Electric we can answer YES to all of the above questions!

If you have any questions or don’t understand the meaning of these questions, call us today!

Other Frequently Asked Questions from Homeowners

• Why do circuit breakers trip?

  Overload is the most common reason for tripping. Too many things are plugged in or turned on in the circuit. Short circuit is another reason – faulty wiring, appliances or fixtures may cause this.

• What is a GFCI?

  A GFCI, or, Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter is a special breaker or receptacle providing extraordinary protection from shock. The GFCI can tell if current as low as 5 milliamps is “leaking” out of a circuit to ground. If the GFCI senses this leakage it will de-energize the circuit. If this current is “leaking” through your body to the ground from having touched an energized piece of equipment, you may experience a short duration of a shock before the circuit is turned off by the GFCI. These are the receptacles with the “test” and “reset” buttons found in many bathrooms and kitchens.

• What is an AFCI?

  An AFCI is a special breaker intended to provide fire protection caused by arcing faults (small sparks). An AFCI recognizes the “signature waveform” of an arcing fault and shuts the power off to the circuit to protect against fire. AFCI’s have been required in all new homes’ bedrooms effective January 1, 2002. However, if you have an older home you can still benefit greatly with AFCI protection. We want our customers to a peace of mind knowing their family is protected with the best technology available.

• Why do my light bulbs burn out so quickly?

  You may be exceeding the maximum lamp wattage of your fixture. There should be a label inside the fixture. If the label is not there consider replacing the fixture. We recommend not letting your light bulbs fixture exceed 60 watts. Many times vibration is the culprit in short bulb life. There are vibration resistant bulbs for ceiling fans and garage door openers, and there are rough service bulbs for portable lights. Slamming a door can also cause your porch lights to burn out quicker. A rough service bulb would do well in such a location.

• Why are my battery-powered smoke detectors not good enough?

  The National Electrical Code sets the minimum safety standards for the electrical system in your home. They require that each smoke detector in your home be hard-wired into your electrical system, with a battery back up in case your power goes out, and interconnected with your other smoke detectors. So if one goes off, they all go off. A smoke detector is required in each bedroom in addition to one within six feet of your bedroom door. In addition, a C.O. detector is required to be within 15 feet of your bedroom door if you have natural gas, propane or an attached garage.

• What is a surge arrestor?

  A surge arrestor protects against surges, spikes, lightning etc. These surges may come down the utility line or they may come from within your home or nearby. This device will sacrifice itself to protect your electrical system and electronic equipment from surges. Many surge protectors plug into the wall and your equipment plugs into it. Using this kind of surge protection is less than optimum protection for the attached equipment. Powell Electric can install a whole house surge protector to ensure everything in your house including phone and cable equipment is safe. We believe this to be the best surge protection you can get, as it protects everything in your home.

• Why do dimmers get warm, and is that safe?

  During normal operation, solid-state dimmers generate heat. A solid-state dimmer is roughly 98% efficient-2% of the power is dissipated as heat, causing the dimmer to feel warm to the touch. The closer a dimmer is run to full output and the higher the load (watts) on the dimmer, the warmer it will feel. This is perfectly normal and safe. Dimmers are designed to the strictest UL safety standard, and can handle their full rated load without overheating.

• What is Trouble Shooting?

  Trouble shooting is the “detective work” involved in any electrical repair. We need every clue we can get to troubleshoot quickly and accurately. You can help us tremendously by giving us an accurate description of what the problem was, and also how and when the problem occurred. We test and examine your wiring of course, but first we listen to you, to find out exactly what you have experienced and why you have called us.

• How long does Trouble Shooting generally take?

  Trouble shooting a problem typically takes an hour. In many cases the solution to the problem is even easier than finding the problem. If we discover the trouble shooting process will take additional time, we tell you before continuing.

• How many technicians do you send on a service call?

  Most of the time we send one technician. In some cases, two technicians are necessary or more economical than one. In these cases, of course, we send two.

• Can you fix the problem the same day?

  We will make every effort to do so. More often than not, we can fix the problem very quickly with same-day service. Some problems require a county or city permit, an inspection, or the power company to do work and we have to work with these entity’s schedules.

• How can I know the cost?

  Ask Us! We don’t want to surprise you with a higher bill than you expect. Once we have diagnosed your electrical problem we will give you an upfront price to fix it.

Remember, electrical wiring is not a hobby! Many of the serious problems we see are code violations in wiring installed by a “do-it-yourself” job. These problems often come to light when a property is being sold and a real estate inspector requires expensive repairs. They can also be a fire, safety, or electrocution hazard. For these reasons, we recommend you schedule an appointment with Powell Electric today!