Electricity Explained |
| Household electricity is more clearly understood when it is compared it to household plumbing. Both enter the home through a source, are distributed, perform a function and then exit. |
Voltage |
 |
|
| The water supply system pressurizes the water. Similarly, the electrical current that flows through a home's "hot", or black wires is pressurized. Voltage is the pressure of electrical current. |
Amperage |
| With plumbing there are various sizes of pipes. There are larger supply pipes that carry a greater amount of water and smaller pipes that carry a lesser volume of water. The wires that carry electrical current have varying capacities. The capacity, or rate at which power flows through the wires, is measured in amps and is called amperage. |
Outlets |
|
| Water is dispensed through taps and faucets. Electricity, on the other hand, is made available through outlets, fixtures and switches. |
Circuit |
| Water then leaves through the home's drainage system. At this point the water is no longer pressurized. Comparatively, electricity runs in a continuous loop or circuit. It returns along white (neutral) wiring. The wires are no longer under pressure and thus have no voltage. |
| |
Electrical Circuits Explained |
When it comes to electricity a circuit is a continuous loop of current that runs along cables and wires. Each circuit originates in the home's service panel.
One circuit can provide power for a number of fixtures, switches, plugs or appliances. That is why when a circuit breaker flips an entire room or area of the home is without power. |
 |
| The electrical current flows through the circuit by means of hot wires. These wires are "live" and are either black or red in color. The circuit is completed by neutral wiring that is white or light gray. These wires return the current back to the panel. As a safety measure a third wire, one that is either green or bare copper, is included in most circuits to ground the current in the event of an overload or short circuit. |
Blowing a Fuse or Flipping a Breaker |
| When a breaker flips or a fuse blows in the main service panel it is because one of the circuits has been overloaded with too much power. Each electrical circuit in the home is protected with its own breaker or fuse in the electrical panel. If your fuses are constantly blowing you may need to upgrade or replace your electrical panel. A licensed electrician will be needed to replace a service panel. An electrician can also evaluate your circuits according to their safety capacity and remedy any electrical issues. |
| |
Hiring an Electrician: |
|
- Do not try to do electrical work on your own. Hire a professional.
- Electricians generally charge by the hour. Compare hourly rates along with experience.
- Hire an licensed, skillful electrician. Hiring an inexperienced electrician lead to the need to call an expert electrician to fix faulty work.
- To save time and money buy your own light fixtures, switches, plates etc.
|
- Make a list of all of your electrical needs and have an electrician do the work at one time. Multiple calls translate into higher invoices.
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Need more work done on your home? Try our other services: |
BetterLandscapers.com - BetterPlumbers.com - BetterContractors.com - BetterPatioBuilders.com
BetterPainters.com - BetterDeckBuilders.com - BetterDrivewayPaving.com |
|
| |
| Over 98% of consumers recommend the service to friends and family. |
| |
| Our network of contractors have gone through a screening process that checks for important things like insurance, licensing and a satisfactory Better Business Bureau record.
Our contractors will be contacting you very soon!!
|
| |
