Seattle Aluminum wiring converted to copper by SeaTown Electric

SeaTown Electric works mainly in the Seattle area. well versatile Seattle electrical contractors are hard to come by. Seatown Electric's goal is to become you're families go to Seattle electrical contractor. We are standing by to help assist in all of you're home electrical needs, you can visit our website at www.seatownelectric.com or you can simply call (206)-293-0037 for you're free electrical estimate. We specialize in Whole home rewiring, Standby Generators, Fused panel upgrades, Service upgrade, Electric car chargers, Seattle Remodels, Hot tub hook ups, Recessed Lighting and much more. Please visit Our Services Page for more residential electrical contractor work that we preform.

Aluminum Wiring in West Seattle Home

We received a phone call from one of our Angie's List customers, they wanted to first take advantage of our free estimate process and hopefully find a Seattle Electrical contractor to work with to remove all of the aluminum wiring in the home. Seatown Electric provided a comprehensive walk through and a prompt proposal for the work that was needed. Seatown Electric provides a quick 24 hour turn around on all estimates. The estimate came in at an affortable budget for the homeowner. The job consisted of changing out old aluminum wiring with new copper wiring. There was two options that our homeowner was left with. Option one did not end up meeting the overall budget becuase it would require rewiring all of the outlets. However there is a way to reduce the dangers of aluminum wiring by eliminating the connection points (the outlet/switch or light fixture screws) Most home fires due to aluminum wiring happen at the outlet/switch connection point. You can extent, convert or Pigtail the aluminum wire at each device down to copper wire using alumiconn connectors you can click the link for more info on Alumiconn connectors: http://www.kinginnovation.com/category-pages/electrical-landing.php  The King innovation connectors are ideal for pigtailing to copper wire. And they are one of the few connectors that are Approved by the Consumer Products Safety Commission The homeowner decided this was the way to go. All and all it took 3 total days to complete. New pigtails where installed and new Tamper Resistant outlets too. Since we had to replace all of the outlets AFCI protection was required to all of the circuits that we tampred with. The project went smooth from start to finish. Another satified Seatown Electric customer, and another Seattle electrical project completed! for more information please visit our website www.seatownelectric.com

AFCI Breakers And GFCI Protection Seattle Washington

What Does an AFCI or Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter do? Arc-Faults are designed to help prevent fires by detecting an unintended electrical arc and disconnecting the power before the arc starts a fire. Unlike GFCI devices that prevent electrical shock, AFCI breakers only detect Arc-Faults. Same goes with a standard breaker, A standard breaker only detects circuit overloads and short circuits. And the AFCI again, only detects Arc-Faults. 

Arc-Faults have created a whole new challenge for Electrical Contractors and home owners in Washington State. An example, is a typical circuit extension will now require Arc-Fault protection. If the electrical panel cannot fit the required space of an Arc-Fault protection, the homeowner might be faced with having to get a sub panel, or a full panel change out, just to bring one circuit up to code.

In dwelling units, all 15-20 Amp 120 volt circuits supplying outlets or devices are required in   kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas, or any other areas described in article 210.12 (A)(1) through 6. of the NEC code.

A quick rule of thumb for AFCI protection requirements, and GFCI requirements is: if you are adding or altering a circuit in a residential dwelling you are most likely going to have to GFCI protect it: bathrooms, exterior, exposed basements, garage, kitchens, wet bars, and  any wet locations. Or  AFCI protect it: Kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas. GFCI outlets protect from electrical shock, AFCI breakers protect from Arc-Faults. 

For a whole home safety check please visit: SeaTown Electric or call: (206)-293-0037

Safety Hazards With Space Heaters in Seattle Washington

We thought some helpful information would be good on electrical space heaters, And some of the dangers that come with plugging them into lighting circuits. Most homeowners would not think twice to plug there new space heater into any old outlet. Seatown Electric has had countless service calls in the Seattle area over outlets that are burned up or breakers that are tripped due to overloaded circuits.

Most older homes have overloaded circuits just from being wired "to code". Because back when the wiring was done, it was done in an era where only a few appliances were used. With technology changing rapidly, there is defiantly a need for more power.

So how much is a typical 15 amp circuit rated for? Household devices are required to run at 110-125 volts and most are rated at 115 volts so 1725 watts for a 15 amp cord or circuit. It is generally considered to be a good idea to not run at the exact rating of the breaker or fuse using this voltage because the voltage can rise, increasing the amps, Not to mention the fuses or breakers will sometimes fail. 80% is a number commonly suggested, in this case it is easier to just to suggest 1500 watts which is about 13 amps.

So what happens if you plug in a space heater? It depends on the wattage of the heater, you can check this on the manufacture label. Most can be found as a sticker mounted on the side. A typical space heater runs at roughly 1200-1800 watts. What this means is by plugging in the space heater you have come close, if not already maxed out the breakers max load.

In Seattle, Knob and Tube is present in roughly 30% of homes. The wiring method was to support a table lamp in each room and maybe a couple small appliances in the kitchen. Most of these homes have the entire upper floor on one circuit. If you plug a space heater into any Seattle home with knob and tube wiring, You are most likely putting the home into serious risk, Especially if the home has an outdated electrical panel. Then you have no overcurrent protection if you do in fact overload the circuit with a space heater.

There is a couple steps you can take to prevent electrical fires, or burned outlets from space heaters. The first step is map out the homes electrical system. Seatown Electric in Seattle Washington is one of many Seattle Electrical Contractors to choose from when hiring to resolve electrical issues. Going through the house and get a detailed label and map of what each circuit is doing helps to determine how the original wiring was done. Step two, Is to have a look at the electrical fuse panel or breaker box. If it has been updated within the last 20 years then AFCI Breakers would be recommended to help catch any faults in the circuits or appliances that are plugged in. If the panel box is older than 20 years it is recommended that it be upgraded. If Knob and Tube is present, an estimate to get it removed would be recommended.

By this time you should have a pretty good idea of how the electrical is wired, your Electrical Contractor most likely can come up with recommendations on the next steps to accommodate your space heaters. They will include fixes such as, dedicated circuits, splitting up existing overloaded circuits, installing AFCI or GFCI beakers, New panel box, and Rewiring old Knob and Tube.

Above is an image of an outlet found by Seatown Electric on a service call in Seattle Washington, The homeowner had smelled burning in there newborns nursery. There was an 1800 watt heater plugged in, the entire floor including the kitchen was on one circuit. There was no breakers in the home, just old screw in fuses. The home had no ground, No smoke detectors with Knob and Tube wiring, and was asking for a fire. Luckily the homeowner called when they did, because as you can see this outlet was about to create a fire with no warning.

To sum up this post, think twice before plugging in one or multiple space heaters. If you are not sure of the condition of your homes electrical you owe it to yourself and your family to have an Electrical Contractor look it over. And please, bare minimum get interconnected smoke detectors installed to at least warn your family of a potential fire.

For scheduling a free estimate in the Seattle area please visit www.seatownelectric.com

 

Knob and Tube electrical wiring safety hazards in Seattle washington

Is Knob And Tube wiring safe? 

All Knob and Tube wiring is dangerous. There is nothing safe about Knob and Tube. Most homeowners or electricians in the Seattle area have heard rumors from neighbors, or handyman contractors, saying things like "It's not dangerous if you don't tamper with it" or "It's been around this long and it still works". The fact is, yes, it does work, and so does speaker wire.  But is speaker wire safe to use as a current carrying conductor? NO. And neither is Knob and Tube. 

Why isn't Knob and Tube safe? Well, for starters, it was designed for the early 1900's appliances, a table lamp or two, and maybe a refrigerator. It was not designed for computers, multiple small kitchen appliances, flat screen TVs, cell phone chargers, etc... This is old, brittle wire, we are talking about. There is a reason why insulation companies have to get Electrical Contractors to "sign off" on the Knob and Tube, before they can cover it. Seatown Electric will not "approve" knob and tube wiring.

Knob and Tube wiring has No Ground. What happens if you have no ground? It's simple. You and your family are at risk of shock. Anyone who says this is safe, needs to be educated on electrical grounding and bonding. Bottom line is, Knob and Tube is far from safe, and it should be replaced. SeaTown Electric, and our knowledgeable estimators, will come up with a plan to meet any budget, and help make your home the safest it can be.

You can visit www.seatownelectric.com for a free estimate on removal of old knob and tube wiring.

Is My Electrical Panel Safe?

Is my electrical panel safe?

 

Our answer is always the same. What year was the house built? And, have you ever had it inspected? If it has been 5-10 years, and you have no record of any inspections, you owe it to yourself and family, to have it looked at.

 

Along with inspections, to assure your safety, there are also websites available to help rule out problem panels. www.ismypanelsafe.com is a a very helpful recource, to help determine if your panel is one of the worst out there. In the electrical industry, there are three panels that every electrical contractor will agree are the worst: Zinsco panels, Federal Pacific panels, and of course, Fuse panels. All of which, have been recalled due to extreme fire hazards.

 

Electrical panels are the heart of your electrical system, and a lot of the time, are overlooked as being a simple "grey box". In reality, the panel is the source that ties in all of the components, that make your system safe. If you constantly trip breakers, and your panel is older than 20 years, you need to start thinking about upgrades.

 

To request a FREE quote, visit us at www.SeaTownElectric.com