22 Oct
Electrical Inspections, Electrical Repairs, Electrical Safety, Holly Springs Electrician

Why Are My Lights Flickering? Ask Our Local Electrician in Holly Springs

If your lights start randomly flickering, it might be because of a goblin or ghost?but it?s much more likely to be due to one of these four common electric issues. Don?t be afraid of the dark?call your Holly Springs NC electrician for a quick, affordable electric repair today! Note: Unless you have professional electrician training and/or experience, never attempt DIY electric repair yourself.

Loose Lightbulbs

Sometimes the most likely culprits are actually the problem. If your lights are flickering, it may simply be that the lightbulbs aren?t secure. Light bulbs that aren?t fully secured in their sockets are receiving inconsistent power, which results in flickering. Tightening loose bulbs is the easiest way to remedy flickering lights, and can be done without any assistance. Remember to turn the lights off and let them cool down before touching them.

Loose Connections

Electrical connections need to be as tight as possible to avoid creating resistance. Even low resistance can overheat connections or any surrounding wires, which can then start a fire if the problem is located near any flammable materials. It?s important to understand that loose connections don?t just involve wires; they can also involve a loose terminal on an electric device, or a loose connection to the circuit breaker. If you believe you have loose connections, be sure to call an experienced electric company to come evaluate your home for damage. If you let the problem linger, you are placing yourself at risk for an electrical fire!

Voltage Changes?

If your lights only flicker or dim when you turn on a large electrical appliance, like a washing machine, the problem is most likely an overloaded circuit. In other words, the appliance pulls more electrical current than the circuit can handle, causing the voltage to drop.

Most electricians know that large appliances should not be installed on the same fuse or circuit breaker as the lights. That?s because, if the fuse blows due to the appliance, you?ll be left in the dark. ?However, minor flickering can happen even with houses which have large loads on their own circuits. If the flickering is infrequent, minor, and only happens briefly right when the appliance comes on, it may not be a concern. If the flickering is severe or happens consistently, however, there is most likely a problem, either with the circuit or the appliance itself.

You Have Fluorescent Lights

Fluorescent lights often employ the use of an inductive ballast to control to amount of current passing through the bulb. A disruption of power running through the bulb can cause it to flicker. Replacing your fluorescent bulb with an incandescent or LED light may fix the problem.

Stay on the Safe Side?Call an Holly Springs NC Electrician!

If your lights are flickering, it could be a minor issue, or a sign of a serious electrical problem. Home electrical fires can cost you your home as well as your life, so be sure to call a professional electric company in Holly Springs to evaluate your system. To schedule an appointment and free estimate, click here!

08 Oct
Electrical Safety, Energy Consumption, Holly Springs Electrician

Can I Save Money With An Electric Space Heater? Our Electrician in Holly Springs Discusses the Pros and Cons

Shoppers and nature-lovers first know that it?s fall when the leaves start to change and pumpkin spice products start lining the shelves. But here at Alternate Current Solutions, we know it?s fall when we start to hear questions about electricity conservation during the cold winter months. The most popular question by far is on the subject of electric heaters. Is it possible to save money by turning off your HVAC and plugging in a box heater? The short answer is, no. For the long answer, keep reading.

When an Electric Space Heater Makes Sense

Many electric space heater brands advertise themselves as money-savers. However, this is only true under certain circumstances. An electric space heater can save you money, if you lower the central air, and use it in one small room only. However, can an electric space heater keep your house as warm as central heating does, for less money? In most cases, no. You will only reduce your expenses by reducing your level of warmth. In other words, you could realize the same savings and the same comfort level by simply cranking down the thermostat.

How Much Does It Cost to Heat a Room with a Space Heater?

If you?re still not convinced, let?s crunch the numbers. To figure out how much you?ll spend using one 1,500-watt space heater, use this formula:

  1. Multiply 1500W by X hours of use = A.
  2. Multiply A by your electricity rate per kilowatt hour = B.
  3. Divide B by 1000.

Most electric?space heaters use 1,500 watts at full power, so that is what we use in the formula above. If your heater uses more or less power, you will want to change it to that number. Since you should never use a space heater while sleeping, we?ll calculate the cost of running a 1500-watt heater at 16 hours a day.

Based on the national average electricity rate, it would cost $2.82 a day to use a space heater for 16 hours a day. Multiply that by the meteorological length of winter, 90 days, and you have $253.8 for 3 months? worth of heat. If your monthly heating bill is less than $84, this might be a money-saver. However, remember that this is to heat just one room with one heater. Plug-in electric heaters of this wattage will generally be ineffective at heating an entire house.

Get Winter-Ready with Our Holly Springs NC Electrician

If you need to cozy up a cold bathroom or office, electric space heaters are wonderful little devices. However, if you want to realize significant cost savings on your electric bills, there are many more effective steps you can take by calling our Holly Springs electrical contractor! We can help you swap out your lighting for energy-efficient bulbs; install energy-efficient appliances, and conduct an energy audit to determine where your system is struggling to draw power. To schedule an appointment, click here!