-All smoke detectors should be tested once a year for proper function and if they are not a 10-year sealed battery type, all batteries should be replaced also. These devices are a life safety device and a crucial part of the electrical system.

-All electrical panel connections should be checked and re-torqued as needed. It is suggested to do a thermal imaging of the panel to see if hot spots are forming and need attention. This is the heart of your electrical system and is the most important part of the system to keep your place up and running.

-All GFCI devices and breakers need to be tested and replaced as needed. These devices are life safety and are a crucial part of the electrical system.

Maintenance on these devices is just a part of the important steps in an all-home safety inspection that should be done once a year on a home or business.

The post Why is it important to have an annual electrical inspection? first appeared on Ehman Electric.

Here are the most common causes of electrical circuit trips around the house.

You have an overloaded circuit

Have you noticed that using your toaster oven and electric kettle at the same time keeps tripping your circuit? More common in older homes, not having enough circuits to accommodate the amperage needed for your daily functions and electrical needs can become frustrating. Adding additional circuit to your breaker panel can eliminate this issue from continuing to happen.

You have a ground fault

When the breaker detects a current flowing along an unintended path, you will have a ground fault. The electrical current takes an alternative route to the ground. Having GFCI outlets installed can help with the dangers of a ground fault.

You have a short circuit

What is a short circuit? It is an electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path with no, or exceptionally low electrical impedance. This results in excessive current flowing through the circuit. This can cause damage, overheating, and sometimes explosions. The difference between short circuits and ground fault is simple short circuit Hot wire meets neutral and ground fault is the hot wire meets the ground. Both short circuits and ground faults will result in a blown fuse or tripped breaker.

The post 3 Things that Could Cause an Electrical Circuit to Trip first appeared on Ehman Electric.

LED lasts longer…

The one pro to upgrading to LED lamps is their lifespan. LED lamps have more longevity and a longer operational life. So much so, if you were to leave an LED lamp on for 8 hours daily, it would be close to 20 years before that lamp needs replacing!

LED is more durable

An amazing quality of LED lamps unlike incandescent is that they are break resistant. Most lighting is contained in glass which can be easily damaged. Almost all LED lamps are made of plastic. LED lamps can also handle rough weather conditions such as wind and rain. LED lamps are extremely durable.

LED offers better light quality

Without an external reflector needed, well-designed LED lighting can deliver light more effectively to the desired area. There is little to no wait time for an LED to fully illuminated, unlike fluorescents which can take 2-5 minutes to be at full brightness.

LED is energy efficient

In conventional lighting such as fluorescents and incandescent, only about 80-90% of the off-putting energy is converted to light. This means 10-20% of the remaining energy is converted into heat, making these lamps extremely hot and causing your air conditioning unit to work harder to cool the space. LED offers a Minimal heat solution.

The post The advantages of upgrading to LED lamps and fixtures first appeared on Ehman Electric.