Categories Electrician, Maintenance, Residential, Safety

Is electrical outlet repair a DIY job?

Is electrical outlet repair a DIY job?

Q: How many Seahawks does it take to change a light bulb?
A:
One, but it never gets done. They just hold the bulb up and wait for the world to revolve around them.

With the exception of changing a light bulb, most electrical jobs involve wiring. And no electrical wiring job – including electrical outlet repair – is DIY (do-it-yourself).

Signs You Need Electrical Outlet Repair

An electrical outlet is the wall receptacle that connects an electrical device plug to the electricity supply. They can be installed in floors and ceilings but are usually installed in walls.

There are different types of electrical outlets. Travelers often need adapters to convert the voltage in European outlets to accommodate U.S. electrical devices.

8 Signs you need electrical outlet repair include:

  1. Cracks/chips – Cracks in or chipped areas on the faceplate or outlet are more than cosmetic. Dust and dirt can build-up behind the faceplate and, like kindling, spark a fire.
  2. It isn’t working – Make sure the other room outlets work, then call your local electrician.
  3. Loose plugs – If your electronic plug-ins fall out of the outlet frequently, it’s time to replace those outlets.
  4. Power surges – If your device flickers on-and-off after you plug-in, your outlet could be “overpowered.” It shouldn’t be. It’s either damaged, outdated, worn-out, or all three.
  5. Scorching/melting – Burn marks or signs of melting plastic on the faceplate, the outlets, or the wall are major red flags. Contact your Phoenix- or Scottsdale-area electrician immediately.
  6. Smoke/sparks – If you see smoke or sparks near an outlet, call your electrician right away.
  7. Two-prong holes – If your electrical outlet has only 2 holes, it’s not just old; it’s not grounded. Replace those outdated outlets as soon as possible.
  8. Warmth/heat – If an outlet feels warm, you may have damaged or frayed wiring. In new homes, this indicates the wiring was improperly installed. Contact a licensed, bonded electrician asap.

When you believe electrical outlet repair is needed, you must contact a professional electrician. Some electrical outlet repair situations require immediate attention, but all of them are dangerous. Don’t delay.

Why You Need a Licensed Electrician for Electrical Outlet Repair

First, there’s really no such thing as “electrical outlet repair.” If you have problems, you need an electrical outlet replacement, not a repair.

Almost everyone understands DIY electrical wiring is risky at best. You risk damaging your property. You also risk serious injury and even death. It’s not worth the risk.

What many people don’t know is if you DIY an electrical project and later a fire or other damages occur that can be traced to that job, your insurance company can deny coverage. You need to be able to prove a licensed, insured, and bonded electrician did the work.

TIO Electric: Solutions for Maricopa County

Turn It On Electric inspects and replaces commercial and residential property outlets for Phoenix, Scottsdale, and nearby neighborhoods. In addition to being licensed and bonded professionals, we are also LEED-certified. This means we will offer sustainable, energy-saving options that will save money and increase your property value.

We recommend GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets for every property. If there’s a problem with the electrical flow, GFCI outlets shut off. If you have GFCI outlets but your home is older than 10 years, it may be time to replace them.

Our company believes in safety first. For our friends and neighbors with small children and grandchildren, we recommend tamper-resistant outlets.

Let’s plan this year’s electrical upgrade project before electrical emergency service is needed. Contact TIO Electric for a free consultation.

Categories Electrician, Lighting

The best way to add lighting to a room

The best way to add lighting to a room

You’d think windows would be the best way to add lighting to a room. But knocking out walls is expensive and the sun doesn’t always cooperate anyway. The most reliable and effective way to add lighting to a room is to do it yourself.

4 Ways to Add Lighting to a Room

With every room in your home or apartment, ask yourself what you want to achieve. Do you want a comfortable setting for watching television? Do you want a room that is inviting and impresses visitors? Do you want to add accent lighting to a room or do you want the lighting itself to be the focal point?

  1. Choose colors and tones wisely. Whites accentuate light but appear “cold.” Colors give lighting warmer, more inviting hues.
  2. Every room should have at least 3 sources of light. Rooms should offer general (overhead), specific (table or floor lamps), and ambient (wall sconces, candles) lighting.
  3. If you have natural light, the best way to maximize it is to keep your windows clean! Sounds simple, but it’s one of the things homeowners tend to neglect.
  4. Mirrors and metallic accent pieces reflect light and add much to maximize ways you add lighting to a room.

Room-By-Room Light Additions

Kitchens can represent form and function if you have the right lighting.

If you love working in the kitchen, you know how under-cabinet lighting is an amazing tool for food prep. Pendant lamps are fun and versatile, and they work well above sinks, islands, and tables.

“Consider uplighting your kitchen for a luxe touch that’s worth every penny,” says home interior writer Melissa Epifano. It offers a soft glow to the room. It also highlights designer cabinetry and other attractive areas.

Whether it’s a formal or casual livingroom, when you add lighting to a room it becomes your own statement. “Table lamps are great, but…a large lantern, oversized pendant, or sculptural floor lamp” can add a focal point, says Epifano. Definitely consider dimmer switches for kitchen, bedrooms, and living room. Dimmer lighting sets the mood perfectly.

Nothing is more fun than a chandelier. The designs today are so exciting. You can choose from understated elegance or light-sculpture chandeliers for livingrooms.

Don’t forget the bathrooms. If your bathroom is where you partially dress or apply makeup, vanity lighting or adding mirror lights are best.

Bathroom overhead lighting, with its harshness and odd shadows, are detriments to your daily preparations. Ask about daylight-simulating light bulbs. This offers the best possible way to add lighting to a room in which you apply makeup.

TIO: The Best Way To Add Lighting To a Room

Plugging a lamp into a socket is safe enough (unless that socket has too many power strips and extenders attached). But for beautiful, professional ways to add lighting to a room, you should partner with your local electrical services company.

If you live in an older, historical home, the behind-the-scenes wiring can be tricky. And with today’s technologies, lighting additions can be more – and do more – than turn on and off. Turn It On Electric lighting pros are safety-minded, licensed, and bonded electricians.

We’ll work with your new-home or renovation contractors and interior designers to deliver the look you want. We can also team with you and your ideas. Let’s look at the possibilities! We can add lighting to a room, several rooms, and make plans for external lighting upgrades in the new year.

Contact TIO Electric and share your lighting ideas with us.

Categories Electrician

Hiring a Phoenix licensed electrician

Hiring a Phoenix licensed electrician

A Phoenix licensed electrician is the only electrical contractor you should call for residential or commercial electrical repair. However, there’s more accreditation and certification your local electrical maintenance and repair company should have to prove competency and accountability.

Why Choose a Phoenix Licensed Electrician?

You can’t work as an electrical contractor in Arizona without a license. But that doesn’t stop normally logical property owners from hiring their neighbor’s uncle. After all, he works cheap.

Probably the most important reason to choose a Phoenix licensed electrician is liability. Your insurance company may refuse to pay claims for damages resulting from DIY (do-it-yourself) or your neighbor\’s uncle\’s electrical wiring.

What Does It Mean if an Electrical Contractor is ‘Bonded?’

When you request multiple quotes (a good idea) and one company is much lower than the others, look before you leap. The underpriced may not be bonded.

“Bonded” means the company has a surety bond in place. A surety bond tells you that this licensed electrician is so confident in their work they’re willing to guarantee your project. It’s a promise to satisfactorily complete the job. It’s also a backed-up commitment to follow the regulations governing a Phoenix licensed electrician.

Ask About Insurance

What if your Phoenix-area contractor’s employee is injured while working inside your home or business? What if you or a loved one is injured? Do you have recourse if the contractor damages furniture or flooring?

Always ask about insurance. Your Phoenix licensed electrician should have two types of insurance: worker’s compensation and a general liability insurance policy.

After you have received a copy of the insurance, call the insurance company to verify your electrician’s insurance is up-to-date.  If you don’t and you have damages… One Realtor put it bluntly: “You are probably screwed and will have to chase them through the courts to get compensation.”

How to Find a Bonded, Insured Phoenix Licensed Electrician

You can just ask electrical contractors if their company is licensed, bonded, and insured. But then you need to follow-up. Ask to see copies of all three before any work begins.

Turn It On Electric’s contractor license for the State of Arizona has been active for almost 20 years. The Registrar of Contractors (ROC) number is 265179.

Even though a licensed Phoenix electrician is bonded and insured, that’s not a guarantee of quality work. Be sure to check Home Advisor and other online testimonials and references. (The Turn It On Electric Home Advisor rating is 4.6/5 stars. We have been awarded the Elite/Top Service and Screened/Approved citations.)

We have an A rating on Angie’s List, an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Most importantly, we have your best interests at heart. We understand when money is tight, so we’ll make your quote as affordable as possible because your family’s safety comes first.

Today, residential wiring offers many options. Turn It On Electric electrical technicians receive ongoing technical training so we can offer you the best choices.

Turn It On Electric is LEED-certified. LEED is the earth-friendly building standard of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Saving energy while enhancing comfort is a priority.

There are no “dumb” questions. Contact us anytime you need information about electrical repair or maintenance in Maricopa and Pima counties.

Categories Electrician, Safety

What you need to know about a Scottsdale licensed electrician

What you need to know about a Scottsdale licensed electrician

Looking for a Scottsdale licensed electrician for your family home or commercial property can seem challenging. It isn’t, really, if you do your homework. When you won’t compromise quality, safety, or comfort, you’ll discover there’s one Scottsdale licensed electrician that can meet your needs.

What to Look for in a Scottsdale Licensed Electrician

Scottsdale property owners look for an electrician that has the expertise and experience to serve them now. But they also want a company that will be here later. A company that’s an established business takes responsibility for its quality of work.

There are 2 types of electrical contractor licenses; commercial and residential. It’s an advantage if your Scottsdale electrical professional has both.

Here are some requirements you should have for your Scottsdale licensed electrician:

  • Bonded – You usually get what you pay for. Companies that underprice their electrical services may not be bonded. A surety bond means your Scottsdale licensed electrician is confident in the quality of deliverables you’ll receive for electrical work. It’s a promise and commitment.
  • Energy conscious – Your local, Scottsdale electrical services company should be LEED-certified. LEED is the sustainable building standard of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Energy-saving processes sometimes mean saving money.
  • Good ratings/testimonials – Be sure to check Angie’s List, Home Advisor, and Yelp for ratings. Look for an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
  • Insured – If your electrical contractor’s employee or a member of your family is injured while electrical work is taking place inside your home or business, who’s responsible? What if furniture or flooring is damaged by workers? Your Scottsdale licensed electrician should provide copies of two types of insurance:
    • general liability insurance
    • worker’s compensation insurance
  • Knowledge and experience – We have some beautiful homes in Scottsdale, AZ. We also have many new homes and new-builds this year. One thing they all have in common is the need for an electrician that has technical knowledge and experience with all types of wiring.
    Today’s indoor security systems, outdoor motion-detection lights, home offices, and landscape lighting have specific wiring requirements. The perfect Scottsdale licensed electrician has electrical technology experience.
  • Professional – If a beat-up van pulls into your driveway and the electrician comes to your door in rumpled, stained clothing, chances are this company representative won’t take care of your property any better than their own.

Turn It On Electric: The Scottsdale Electrician

Turn It On Electric technicians are licensed, bonded, insured, and professional. We are committed to ongoing technical training and protecting our environment.

We can make your home more energy-manageable:

  • installing an electric car charging station
  • smart-home thermostats
  • solar-ready panels
  • light timers and photovoltaic panels
  • water heater timers

Energy saving improvements increase your property\’s value. These are good investments for you and our planet.

We want to partner with you. Together, we can make informed decisions about what’s best for your residential or commercial property electrical project. Contact us anytime you need information about electrical repair or maintenance in Scottsdale and Maricopa County.

Categories Electrician

Hiring the best Tucson electrician

Hiring the best Tucson electrician

The annual Tucson Lights event uses over 250,000 LED lightbulbs. That’s a lot of electricity. But it’s one of the best displays of its kind, and Tucson deserves the best.

If you want the best Tucson electrician for residential and commercial service, call Turn It On Electric. Our company is excited to be able to serve Pima County and Tucson-area communities.

Finding ‘The Best’ Tucson Electrician: What to Look For

If you base your choice of Tucson electrician on price alone, you’re likely creating a formula for failure. When companies underprice their services, it’s seldom a good deal.

Often, by the time you realize you’ve made a mistake, the Fly By Night Electric Co. is out of business. You paid for poor workmanship and lower-quality materials. Now, you must pay more for a do-over by a reputable Tucson electrician.

Here are six tips for finding the best Tucson electrician:

  1. Ask for references – When the electrician provides recent references, be sure to follow-up. A good tip is to contact a reference from a recent job and one from an older project to ensure the deliverables are consistently good and long-lasting.
  2. Ask questions – Verify your Tucson electrician has experience in your service area and with your type of electrical needs. “What’s your area of expertise? Do you work with contractors on new homes or remodeling projects?” are good questions to ask.
  3. Check the Better Business Bureau rating – A Tucson electrician with an A+ BBB rating is a safe bet.
  4. RecommendationsOnline testimonials are gold. You may find a few negative comments, but usually, a company’s dependability and customer service are consistent. Yelp, Angie’s List, and the company website are good resources.
  5. Request to see a license – In Arizona, there are two types of electrical licenses; commercial and residential.
  6. Talk technology – Smart homes and even the most basic security systems have complex wiring systems. Make sure your Tucson electrician has experience. But also verify the company has invested in continuing education for its professionals.

Turn It On Electric is The Tucson Electrician For YOU

The Turn It On Electric team of professionals has served Phoenix and Maricopa County over 10 years. We’re excited to be able to offer our residential and commercial electrical services to the Tucson community.

Our new office is located at 1 S. Church Avenue, Suite 1200, Tucson.

The office is new but the quality of knowledge and expertise we bring to Tucson is based on traditional customer service values. We can handle all your electrical needs; no job is too small or too big.

We’ve got you covered:

  • Ceiling fans – Ceiling fans are terrific for good heating and cooling circulation. They can lower your monthly energy bills while adding attractive décor to any room.
  • Circuitry – We respect DIY (do-it-yourself) homeowners, but electrical wiring is something best left to professionals. Circuit breakers and fuses are the centers of your electrical system. They can erode over time; we recommend regular maintenance to prevent property damage or risk harm to loved ones.
  • Electric car charging – Home charging stations for electric cars can substantially increase your property value. You’ll save energy at home and on the road when we install a charging station in your garage.
  • Home office – Work-at-home is becoming the rule; not the exception. We can ensure your electronics are safely installed and wiring will allow electronic expansion when you need it.
  • Landscape lighting – Beauty and safety are easy and affordable with sidewalk lighting and landscape illumination.
  • Security lights – Indoor/outdoor security is available in many formats and all of them improve your property value and peace of mind. Most of them require electricity or lighting hookups. We can help.
  • Spa, pool, hot tub wiring – It’s seldom as easy as plugging it in. Let us make sure you don’t overload your circuits or risk family safety.

Call us or contact Turn It On Electric to connect with the best Tucson electrician today!