Getting the Lights Back On and Keeping Them On: How Your Electrical Repair Specialist Can Help | Conway, SC

9/24/2020

Photo By EricVega at istock

Electrical repair service can be costly at times, and residents in Conway, SC know that. Yet the need for services from a qualified electrician are always going to be vital to the safety and security of your home and its entire wiring system. In fact, electrical repair service can encompass anything when it comes to your home’s electricity, which means that anything electric-related should require the services of a professional electrician. And that happens to be the case with Mr. Sparky of Conway, SC.

Generators can prove to be effective back up devices for your home, which means they are a great help for when the power goes out. They are certainly handy to have around for homeowners, especially due to the fact that the Carolinas are so close to the Atlantic where the tides run their course. Massive hurricanes could strike, thus knocking out your power for days or even weeks at a time, and that’s where a good, quality generator can help.

Before you pick the generator you wish to have installed, it’s important to consider the total amount of electricity your home uses on a daily basis. Calculating the average wattage is critical, and taking into consideration the number of electrical appliances and the amount they each use helps in determining the size and wattage of your new generator. Getting a written list of all the devices you wish to be able to run is a great first step in choosing a generator.

Good generators should be able to handle two kinds of watts for your appliances: the starting watts, or the amount it takes for initial start up, and the running watts, which is the actual amount of energy needed right after start up and during running time. Some appliances that require 2,000 starting watts may benefit from a generator that provides at least twice that amount at start up, so the next step is to consider choosing a generator that goes slightly over the size limit when it comes to powering up a device with that much electrical need.

There are a few steps that all homeowners should consider taking right before purchasing a brand new generator. One is to start with the fuel type that is appropriate for the size and type of generator you’re looking to have installed. Most portable types that hold up to 22kW typically need either natural gas or liquid propane as their fuel sources, and those that rely on diesel as an energy source may require an engine that can properly cool with a liquid source. However, these are somewhat bigger in size and will require greater time and investment to install.

But what would be the power source that’s needed for the type of generator you’d be using? That’s another question to consider when looking to have one installed as a part of electrical repair service and installation. Kilowatt measures are the standard when looking at the size of the generator that’s right for you and your electric needs.

A thorough check of your power needs during an outage should be considered when looking at a generator for your home. Do you want to power the refrigerator, the washer and dryer? Could you also possibly need to use electricity to power up an HVAC unit or your central air system?

When considering these questions, you should think about the amount of power each of your appliances will require at start up right before they run. For example, you should take a look at the data plate of your AC unit to determine the amount of watts that it typically uses during a cooling cycle. From there, you can check with your electrical repair specialist to help determine the generator that’s right for keeping your home cool during a power outage.

But like most other machines, your generator is subject to the average age, wear and tear from years of use. The battery could fail over time, leaving you in the dark during an outage. In this case, calling for emergency electrical repair service is your best bet, and this is something that Mister Sparky can definitely help with.

Other factors that lead to generator failure are loose connections that may happen at the time of installation. A sulfate build up may also be responsible for this type of issue, as it can cause the battery to malfunction due to the soot that collects right on the battery plates. Having your battery checked annually is a good idea.

Lack of coolant may also lead to failure, so when getting your generator inspected on a regular basis, you should ask your electrical repair contractor to check coolant levels. This is part of the lifeblood of your generator because it helps to cool it down after so many hours of use while the power is out.

Everytime your electrical repair specialist tests your generator, they should also give serious thought to checking the fuel levels to determine if a leak is present. This will help to keep the life of your generator going for as long as needed. If those levels happen to be low, then the contractor should be able to fill them up for you.

When your fuel runs out quickly right after you’ve used your generator, the problem may lie in the fuel pump. In some cases, your fuel line may be broken and in need of repair, so having both of those items checked is essential to ensuring that you’ll have a strong back up service when the lights go out.

Keeping your power on at all times is essential for your home and all that you do in it. But there are times when the unexpected may happen, and having another source is your best bet. But electrical repair is still possible no matter what.

So when the lights go out, don’t panic. Call Mister Sparky today for your electrical repair needs. They can get the lights back on in no time.