Category: Electrical

With the weather starting to get cooler, you may be looking around the house to see what kind of projects you’d like to knock out before winter arrives. If any of those projects involve electrical work, chances are it would be a good idea to call a professional. But are there electric jobs you could try on your own? In this post, we’ll discuss a handful of home electrical repairs you should definitely NOT try to DIY.

DIY NO-NO’S

Don’t mess with the wiring. Updating the electrical wiring of your home, whether it’s old or new, is a job for licensed electricians only. Novice mistakes could easily lead to smoke or fire damage. It’s even possible that a home inspector could catch the mistake and dock your inspection. It’s just a safer bet to hire a pro.

Any changes to your electric panel definitely require a professional electrician. Older homes especially may need an upgrade to their electric panel or circuit breaker. This may be necessary to handle the electric overload as more and more electronics power our lives. But this is not a job for beginners! Even a mild mistake could lead to overheating and the potential for a fire.

Another common upgrade is adding or installing outlets around your home. You’ll need an electrician not only for the installation process but also to ensure that the circuits are providing the proper amount of power. Too much could fry your equipment, but not enough will leave you wishing for more power!

It may seem simple enough, but installing a fan is highly discouraged as a DIY job. This includes both ceiling fans and exhaust fans. Not only does this require manipulation of electrical wiring, but other issues can also arise. It’s important that fans are properly installed from an election, construction, and cosmetic perspective. Failure to do so could lead to a variety of hazards, including fans falling, fires, and even mold growth.

WORTH THE CALL. ALWAYS.

There are some electrical projects that are acceptable as DIY. But anything remotely complicated is best left to the pros. A little money spent now could save you major cash – and headaches – in the future. The Bosworth Company has a full team of certified electricians to respond to your electrical needs! Make an appointment online, or call us today at (432) 570-5233. It’s Worth the Call. Always.

The fuse box is the catalyst for all the power coming into your home. Sometimes called the breaker panel, it operates as a switchboard for your lights, outlets, and appliances. In this post, we’ll tell you a little more about fuse boxes, and why they are so important to your home comfort!

GET FUSED

It’s important to understand the different types of fuse boxes. Here are a few ways to know what type your home has:

• A traditional fuse box has disposable fuses that protect the circuit from overloading. Turning off a circuit actually involves removing the fuse. If the fuse itself blows or burns out, it will need to be replaced.
• Breaker panels are in more modern homes, but are sometimes still called fuse boxes. Instead of using an actual fuse, circuits can be turned off or on by simply flipping a switch. Breaker panels are also set to automatically trip the circuit in the event of a power surge. Breakers can easily be reset following an outage.

PARTS

Let’s take a look at the parts of a fuse box you need to be familiar with.

• The main switch allows you to turn off power for your entire home.
• Residual current devices will cause the circuit to trip in the event of a power surge or other potential hazard.
• The fuses are lined up side by side. You can identify a blown fuse if it appears melted or scorched. Fuses are easy to replace, but make sure you use an exact duplicate. Like with all electrical work though, we recommend hiring a professional to ensure the work is performed safely.
  • Common types of fuses:
    • Type-T
    • Type-S
    • Cartridge
• Circuit breakers are the beauty of breaker panels. They should be clearly labeled with on/off switches. When a breaker trips, it will flip halfway in between off and on. To restart it, turn it all the way off, and then back on.

WORTH THE CALL

The Bosworth Company offers a  full line of electrical services, including work on fuse boxes. Whether you’re in the market for an upgrade to a breaker panel, or are having an issue with frequent tripping, our certified professionals can help. Make an appointment online, or call us today at (432) 570-5233. It’s Worth the Call. Always.

It’s a good life – you finally have the entertainment room of your dreams. The centerpiece is a state-of-the-art smart TV. As you can probably imagine, a 65, 70, 75-inch, or even bigger TV can use up a lot of energy. In this post, we’ll discuss just how much power it takes to use your home theater, and the potential impact it can have on your electric bill.

ENERGY USAGE

As TVs continue to grow in size, their energy consumption can also grow. Depending on the size of the TV and how much you watch, you could use as much as 500 watts over the course of a year. That adds up to about $100 in power bill costs for your TV alone. A seemingly small portion of your total power bill, but it all adds up.

Here are a few of the factors that will help you determine just how much power your TV uses:

• LCD screens, or liquid crystal displays, are very common in modern TV screens and are considered pretty energy efficient.
• For even more efficiency, try an LED screen. Just like with LED lighting, these are usually more efficient than traditional models.
• Plasma TVs are going out of style, and one reason is that they use up much more energy. They also require more internal equipment, which adds to the power usage.

EVALUATING MY TV

Ok, so just how much energy does your TV use? Energy Guides are now mandatory, so it should be easy to figure out your usage, and then calculate how much it will cost. Just look for the black and yellow label on the back of the TV for more info.

Of course, it’s important to remember that the Energy Guide generally represents a very conservative usage estimate. If you watch a lot of TV, be sure to account for that.

IMPACT ON MY BILL

If you have a large new TV, especially if it’s a plasma, and you have a lot of screen time, it’s entirely possible you could see a jump in your annual bill. LCDs or LEDs will use less energy, and you can find out just how much by checking their Energy Guide label.

WORTH THE CALL

Televisions are just a small part of your home’s energy usage. During the summer in Midland and Odessa, your air conditioning likely uses the vast majority. The Bosworth Company has certified professionals for your HVAC, as well as licensed electricians who can review all the systems in your home to make sure you’re getting the most for your money when it comes to energy efficiency. Make an appointment online, or give us a call today at (432) 570-5233. It’s Worth the Call. Always.

As with most things, the cost of electricity will continue to rise, so many families are looking for ways to keep power bills down. The good news is, that there are a few things you can do to easily lower your monthly bill. In this post, we’ll explain what you can do and how we can help.

GUIDING LIGHT

Check your light bulbs. Are they LEDs or traditional incandescent bulbs? You can weigh the options, but LED bulbs will always win out over the long haul. That’s because they use less energy and last up to 40 times longer! It’s a positive double whammy that almost always makes up for the sticker shock from the initial price tag for LED bulbs. When you do spring for the pricier LEDs, you should see an immediate drop in your electric bill.

HOT AND COLD

In Midland and Odessa, we enjoy relatively moderate temperatures year-round. Our winters are mild, and our summers, while hot, are dry and typically not absolute scorchers like those in places like Arizona. The problem is that our winters are cold enough that we need heat, and our summers are hot enough that we need air conditioning. Some times of the year, you may even need to run the heater overnight, but then blast the a/c in the afternoon. Since the air is seemingly always on, this can get very expensive.

One fix for this is making sure your home is properly insulated. This means not only keeping insulation in your attic but also sealing up cracks around doors and windows. This helps keep the hot (or cold) air from the outside out, and the air you want in!

UNPLUGGED

Devices that are plugged in are using energy even when you are not actually using them. This can include:

• Computers and computer equipment
• Phone chargers
• TVs and speakers/sound systems
• Other devices that are left plugged in even when they are not in use

Try unplugging all your devices for a month, and see what a difference it makes in your electric bill! Just don’t accidentally unplug the fridge!

APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY

We all enjoy the conveniences of modern appliances. Even if you have a high-efficiency model, these can still be big consumers of energy. That’s why it’s important to get the most out of every use! Make sure your dishwasher or washing machine is loaded full every time! Depending on the age of your appliance, a newer, more efficient model can help lower your bills as well. Smart appliances, like thermostats, can be adjusted remotely, so you can make sure they’re not in use when you’re not home. Ask us about our Lennox iComfort Thermostat!

WORTH THE CALL

We hope these tips can help you reduce your energy bill. At The Bosworth Company, we’re experts at keeping you safe and comfortable at an affordable price. If you have questions about any of these tips or think it may be time to upgrade your HVAC, make an appointment online, or call us today at (432)366-3664. It’s Worth the Call. Always.

When it comes to home improvements, it’s important to remember that any work you have done needs to be up to code! This is especially true for anything involving your electric circuit panel – including lights, appliances, your HVAC, and anything else that requires power to operate. Proper wiring is critical not only to meet code but to prevent dangerous shocks or even electrical fires.

A certified electrician will have the equipment and know-how to inspect your wiring and provide repairs if needed or perform the proper electric installation. In this post, we’ll discuss a few warning signs that your electrical setup may not be up to code.

OLDER HOMES

Many homes in the Midland and Odessa area were built before the 1980s. Back then, aluminum wiring was a popular alternative to copper. However, aluminum is no longer used in electric wiring because it can expand and contract in extreme temperatures, making it more susceptible to loose connections and potential fire hazards. If your home was built in the 60s or 70s, you should make sure that all the wiring is upgraded.

GFCI OUTLETS

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters or GFCI outlets are an important safety measure in your home. They are commonly found in kitchens, bathrooms, or other areas that are likely to have sitting water. GFCI outlets work to shut off power automatically to prevent electrocution – and are required for homes to meet code. You know you have a GFCI outlet if it has a test and reset button. If you don’t have one in the necessary places (near water), call an electrician for an installation.

CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Circuit breakers are designed to trip as a safety feature. However, if they seem to be tripping all the time, it’s time for an upgrade. Frequent tripping can be a sign that your household is using more electricity than the breakers can handle. That in itself is a code violation. A licensed electrician can upgrade your entire panel to make sure you get the power you need without any of the risks.

WORTH THE CALL

The National Electric Code (NEC) is monitored by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. If any of the above are potential issues in your home, you could be in violation of these codes. Electricians at The Bosworth Company can give your home an electrical inspection, and fix any potentials that may arise. Make an appointment online or call us today at (432) 570-5233. It’s Worth the Call.  Always.