Frequently Asked Questions

When to call an electrician These are the most common electrical questions asked by our clients in the South Florida area. Contact us today at 954-623-3497 so that we can discuss your electrical needs, since each electrical configuration and design is different we will study your case and provide an array of options.

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When you are resetting circuit breakers or changing fuses too often. When you turn on your air conditioner and the lights dim in the room. When your lights flicker or go on and off.

When to Call an Electrician

If you have to run extension cords to plug in electrical devices.

Most states call for 100 amps minimum, but with all the new electronic devices, air conditioning and electric heat, I would suggest 200 amps especially in new homes. This also gives you some space for future additions. This is not a job for an unlicensed person to attempt.

In most cases it involves replacing everything from the service loop (this is the wire that extends from the top of your meter to the utility tie in ) up to and including the main panel.

Any bathroom or garage outlet within 6′ of a sink must be GFCI protected. The code also requires all kitchen outlets for countertop use to be GFCI protected.

GFCI outlets must be installed in any area where electricity and water may come into contact, including basements, pools, spas, utility rooms, attached garages and outdoors. At least one GFCI outlet is required in an unfinished basement and for most outdoor outlets.

The are two types of GFCIs in homes, the GFCI outlet and the G.F.C.I circuit breaker, both do the same job, but each has different applications and limitations.

GFCI receptacles don’t last outdoors even under the best of conditions. Be sure to test the device using the “test” button before you use one.

At The present time most states allow you to do whatever you want in your own home. But doing electrical work yourself is a gamble.

How much are you willing to risk to save money. There is a reason why it takes so much training to become an electrician. Do not make a mistake by taking electricity lightly, even the smallest job could be a safety hazard. Why take a chance. Get a professional to do this work.

Also In some states the homeowner can pull his own Electrical permit for work in his single family home, what he does not know is that in case of damage or fire caused by his work, his homeowners insurance will not pay, they will only if the work is done by a licensed Electrical Contractor.

You should check with your homeowners Insurance Co., and they should sign a document or something to this effect to acknowledge this when they pull a permit.

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In every kitchen, family room, dining room, living room, parlor, library, den, bedroom, or similar room or area of dwelling units, receptacle outlets shall be install so that no point along the floor line in any wall space there is more than six feet, from an outlet in that space. This is to prevent the use of extension cords. Outlets are usually place about 18 inches above floor level.

Air conditioners should be on a single dedicate circuit.

All 15 and 20 receptacles install within 6 feet of a kitchen sink or wet-bar shall have G.F.C.I. protection.

Receptacles in a kitchen use to serve counter tops should be supply with at least two 20 amp branch circuits, for small appliances. Each fixed appliance (refrigerator, stove, dish washer) shall have its own dedicate circuit. On counter tops 12 inches or wider a receptacle shall be install so that there is no more than 24 inches between outlets.

There shall be no more than 24 inches from center line of counter top. No receptacle shall be installed face up on a sink counter top.

Starting January 1, 2002, The National Electrical Code, Section 210-12, requires that all branch circuits supplying 125V, single phase, 15 and 20 ampere outlets installed in dwelling unit bedrooms be protected by an arc-fault Circuit interrupter.

The AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) breaker, will shut off a circuit in a fraction of a second if arcing develops. The current inside of an arc is not always high enough to trip a regular breaker.

You must have noticed a cut or worn piece of a cord or a loose connection in a junction box or receptacle arcing and burn without tripping the regular breaker. As you can guess this is a major cause of fires in a dwelling.

If a GFI receptacle is install on the load side of an arc-fault it is possible for both the arc-fault and the GFCI to trip on a fault if the current exceeds the limit for both devices. It is also possible for the A.F.C.I to trip and the G.F.C.I to not trip since the two devices could race each other. However, in no case is safety compromised.