Paciorek Electric, Inc.

Looking back, there have been many times we’ve gotten to a job to troubleshoot a problem that turned out to be a burnt-out light bulb or a tripped breaker. Although we feel bad charging a customer our minimum service call rate when we may have only been on the job for 5 minutes, we still need to charge a minimum fee to cover the many expenses that businesses incur, like travel, time, fuel, insurance and other overhead.

We hope that this guide may help you with some of the simpler problems and explain how some things work:

    Where Can I Get My Own Fixtures?
    Can I Supply My Own Parts?
    How to Prepare for an Electrician

    Fuses (Blown)
    Resetting Circuit Breakers (Tripped)
    Dimmers (Warm)
    How to Pick a Great Electrician
    Power Problems (Flickering, etc.)
    Telephone Power
    Refrigerator Power
    GFCI’s
    AFCI’s
    Smoke Detectors
    House Struck by Lightning

Fuses (Blown)

Don’t have circuit breakers, only fuses?

Most screw in Edison base fuses has a clear window that you can see the metal filament. If you see that this filament is broken or burnt, the fuse is blown. In some cases, even if the filament looks to be intact, the fuse may still be bad. To screw a new fuse in, simply take the “blown” one out and screw the new one in, as long as it is sized properly. (See Below)

People often think fuses are not safe. In reality, fuses are very safe and usually quicker to react to a fault than a breaker. In fact, fuses are still used quite a bit to protect equipment in many industrial factories and commercial applications. Really what you should be thinking is if your house still has fuses, that is a tell-tale sign of the age of the wiring and a thorough inspection should be performed by a professional, like, you guessed it... Paciorek Electric, Inc.!

One problem with fuses is that when one “blows”, many people will take the nearest fuse and screw it in, for example, installing a 30amp fuse where a 15amp fuse should be. This will create a hazard. Fuses and breakers are meant to protect equipment and the wire feeding the equipment. Fuses and breakers are always supposed to be sized to the wire it is feeding, in most cases (there are exceptions when it comes to motors). If you protect a 15amp wire with a 30 amp fuse, there is a good chance that the wire it is supposed to be protecting could burn up before the fuse actually “blows”.

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Resetting Circuit Breakers (Tripped)

There are a couple things that will make a breaker trip:

There can be a direct short between wires. This can happen if there is a loose wire that comes in contact with another, a wire that was cut, or an appliance that is plugged into the circuit is defective and shorted out.

There can be an overloaded circuit. An example would be running a Coffee Maker, Microwave, and Toaster all at the same time and on the same circuit. If the added amps were 30 amps powered by a 15 or 20 amp breaker, you would be overloading that breaker and it would/ should trip.

The circuit breaker is defective. This can happen with age, too much overloading of the breaker can make it weak, or just mechanical failure. Just as parts need to be replaced in you vehicle, etc, there are life spans on equipment.

Though replacing a defective breaker is a relatively easy job, we wouldn’t recommend attempting this yourself. Under many circumstances if you touch the wrong thing you can get hurt badly if not killed, especially in circuit breaker boxes! An "arc flash", caused by shorting out live conductors, is very dangerous. The arc flash can reach temperatures of 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit or 4 times the temperature of the sun! The sound of an arc flash explosion reaches sound levels of over 140 db. See our electrical safety page for more info- coming soon!

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Dimmers (Warm to touch)

If you are concerned with your dimmers being warm, don’t be, this is normal!

You can think of a dimmer as a transformer, which will generate heat.

Dimmers will get especially warm if it is nearing its wattage capacity. You can add up the amount of wattage the dimmer is controlling. An example would be: Six 60watt bulbs would be 360watts or six 100watt bulbs would be 600watts. An average line voltage dimmer is typically rated at 600 maximum watts. Of course, there are higher rated dimmers available.

It is important to know that there are special dimmers to control certain loads like ceiling fans, low voltage lighting, fluorescent lighting, and certain types of motors.

Even though dimmers are easy to install, there are certain installation instructions that need to be followed or the dimmer can be damaged.

Please see the Dimmer page to see the benefits of dimmers and the energy savings.

For more info go to: LUTRON or LEVITON.

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How to pick a great electrician:

First of all, call Paciorek Electric, Inc.! Tim, president of the company, has been an electrician since he was 14yrs old. When he was 21yrs old, he went into business for himself. Since 1997, the company attends all types of training seminars and trade shows to keep on the current edge on all of the latest products and innovations. Look at our company history!

You want to hire someone that has been licensed for a while. Among some of the electrical inspector seminars and meetings we attend, we are constantly hearing more and more stories of guys that just get there license and think they are instantly ready to start their own business. Guys are failing inspections because they simply don’t know everything yet! The feeling among most electrical contractors and inspectors is that the owner of the company should be a licensed electrician for at least 2 years prior to starting on there own.

Make sure the company has insurance! Legitimate businesses should be fully insured. If the company has more than person, they are required to have Workman’s Comp insurance also in case someone is injured on the job.

Another way you can judge if you’re hiring a legitimate full-time electrical contractor is by their rates. When you add up all the business expenses that a business like ours have like; insurances, licensing, overhead (auto, office, keeping supplies in stock), training, taxes, etc, you’ll find that the going average is $65-$90 per hour for a licensed electrician.

Also, keep in mind that the 2nd largest cause for fires in houses is attributed to electrical problems. With this in mind, you should be hiring an expert that has the experience and the "know how". Don’t put your life and other people’s life at stake by trying to do work you may not be qualified to do. I can’t tell you the hundreds of code violations I’ve seen from unqualified people doing electrical work! I have been shocked that there wasn’t a fire!

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Power Problems (Flickering, etc.)

My lights are flickering, what does this mean?

There are a couple reasons why your lights can flicker & dim:

If your lights dim occasionally, think about what is operating in your home. Furnace, Air Conditioning, Certain motors, Garbage disposals, Dishwashers, Laundry machines, etc, are all types of loads that “could” make your lights dim for a split second when the appliance first starts. This is because of the inrush of current. On certain types of loads, like a Central AC system, a hard start kit can be installed to help this issue.

If your lights actually shut off for a split second or longer or at least a distinct flicker, this can be a major issue and it is time to call an electrician that is good at troubleshooting. There could be a loose connection in a junction box, switch or outlet, light fixture, in the breaker panel, or even in the meter socket or service connections. There may be a problem at the street pole which would mean it’s time to call the power company. Electricians are responsible for everything from the service drop connections. (Connections to the power company wires from a transformer pad or utility pole.) Troubleshooting a problem like this can be a pretty extensive process trying to locate the problem; however, a bad connection could cause a fire.

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Telephone Power

The power is out and my phone doesn’t work.

Most telephones today, being cordless, need to be plugged into not only the phone jack but also a power outlet. Even if your phone line isn’t affected during the power outage, a cordless phone will not work.

You should always have a phone handy that does not need power and can run by only plugging it into a phone jack, like the "old" days, in case of an emergency.

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Refrigerator or other Appliances (Not Working)

My appliance doesn’t work.

If there isn’t any power at the outlet your appliance is plugged into, check for GFCI’s, Breakers, or Fuses tripped.

If there is power at the outlet, then most likely there is a problem with your appliance and you need to either get an appliance repair person or get a new appliance.

Typically, residential refrigerators should not be plugged into a GFCI circuit. In commercial kitchen applications, all outlets in food prep areas must be protected by a GFI- including ones being used by cord-connected refrigerators, coolers, freezers and ice machines! If your equipment trips out the GFI, it’s time for a new appliance… something is wrong with it! There are no exceptions to the code, regardless of the age or cost of the piece of equipment.

Don’t forget, if it’s a refrigerator or freezer and you find that it is an actual problem with the outlet it was plugged into, you can always get an extension cord for temporary power till you or an electrician finds the problem.

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GFCI

What is a GFCI?

GFCI: Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. A GFCI is a safety device that will help protect a person from getting electrocuted. GFCI’s are required by code in bathrooms, Kitchens, Garages, Unfinished Cellars, Outdoors, and certain other locations. One GFCI can protect other outlets on the same circuit. Typically, you will have 2 GFCI’s in a kitchen.

GFCI’s have a test and reset button. They should be tested once a month per their instructions. This can be done with a GFCI tester or by simply pushing the test button. The reset button should pop out. When it does, you reset it by pushing the reset button in till it clicks and stays pushed in. Sometimes, to reset them, you need to push it in twice. If it won’t reset, it’s time to replace it.

GFCI breakers work the same way as a breaker when it comes to resetting it.

New codes require that a GFCI have a “smart lock” feature on them which prevent power to the GFCI in the event that there is something wrong with it. Older GFCI’s used to keep giving power to the plug even when the GFCI wasn’t protecting the circuit correctly. Beware: Most GFCI’s found in hardware stores don’t seem to have this required feature. You can usually tell by the price. Don’t trust a $6 GFCI!

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AFCI

What is an AFCI?

AFCI: Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter. An AFCI is a safety device that will help protect a circuit by monitoring it for arc faults that breakers can not see and will trip out before a normal breaker would. AFCI’s are required by 2008 electric code to protect circuits supplying power to virtually all rooms in your house, with the exception of kitchens. One AFCI can protect many outlets and lights, etc., on the same circuit. Currently, AFCI’s are in circuit breaker form and will be found in your circuit panel and will look similar to a GFCI breaker with a test button on it. An example of what an AFCI would do is if you had a lamp cord was underneath a rocking chair and over time the cord got damaged and the conductors started to touch. The AFCI would see this problem and trip the breaker when a standard breaker may not. AFCI’s are complicated to explain in a short paragraph how they work, but this was a general idea.

AFCI’s have a test button. They should be tested once a month per their instructions. This can be done with an AFCI tester or by simply pushing the test button. The breaker should trip. If it won’t reset, it’s time to replace it.

AFCI’s are a fairly new technology and therefore still cost quite a bit. However, like any life-safety device, the benefit far exceeds the cost!

AFCI breakers work the same way as a breaker when it comes to resetting it.

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Smoke Detectors

Where do I need smoke detectors or why do they beep occasionally?

Smoke Detectors, Carbon Monoxide Detectors, and Heat Detectors are very important in homes, for obvious reasons.

There have been many changes to the requirements of placement and types of detectors to put in certain locations. Basically, you need a smoke detector in every bedroom. You need a detector on every level of the house, in a common area such as a hallway, including the cellar; in most cases this means 3 detectors. You also need a carbon Monoxide detector on every level of the house and they need to be within 10 feet of a bedroom.

Heat detectors would be placed in a garage.

All detectors need to be hard wired and have a battery backup and need to be interconnected together so if one goes off, they all go off.

When changing out one defective detector, it is often necessary to replace ALL detectors in the same house so they can “talk” to each other. Many older models are not compatible with newer models and you can damage the detectors if improperly installed.

When selling a house, it is often required to update the building and add detectors if none are present.

If your detectors are beeping once a minute or once every 15 minutes, all brands vary; it usually indicates that the battery needs to be replaced. If the alarm goes off for no reason (false alarms) it is usually because the unit is dirty and it would be time to replace the unit. Some people say you can blow them out with air; however, our feeling is it’s not worth your family’s safety to not spend the extra money and just replace the unit. If you have a detector that keeps going off, you can pull the detector down from the ceiling, unplug the connector that plugs into the detector, take the battery out, and call an electrician to replace the unit as soon as possible.

Batteries should be replaced in all your detectors on an annual basis. See our Inspection/Preventive Maintenance Program.

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Surge Protection

My house got struck by lightning. Some items in my house won’t work.

First off, if there is a bad storm, it is always a good idea to unplug all electronics. An example of these electronic appliances would be: Cordless Phones, Answering Machines, Computers, TV/ Entertainment Center, etc. Even if the appliance is turned off, a surge of power during a lightening storm can destroy an appliance.

If you don’t do this and find that any of your appliances don’t work, it is probably related to a surge of power and you will need to replace the unit. Usually, the unit would not be able to be repaired.

We highly recommend Whole House Surge Protectors. We also recommend secondary surge protector strips for computers, etc. See the Surge Protector page for more Info.

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Fixtures and Parts

Where should I get my fixtures?

This question is asked often along with “Can I supply my own parts?”

There are many large “all in one” stores out there where you can get many of your electrical, plumbing, and building supplies. If you ask just about any professional contractor where they get there materials, most will say the name of the closest supply house. Sometimes, the prices they pay at the local supply house may even be slightly higher than that of the “all in one” stores, however, there are many things to consider:

The convenience of a nearby supply house will save time & money. How long does it take to drive to a place 20 miles away and much will the gas cost you to drive there to save a buck or two? Most of the time, the fuel savings alone would save you money overall.

Talking with someone who actually knows what you’re looking for is sometimes hard to find at the large “all in one” stores.

You don’t get the same quality of product. Ask any contractor of any trade and most could probably tell you stories of parts and fixtures they had installed in the past that were supplied by the customer. Many times there were parts missing and if this happens now you could be wasting your valuable time retrieving the correct parts and now your contractor is held up and you’d be paying extra labor expense. I’ve been told the rumors many times that the quality isn’t the same, even if the brand and model # are the same! I’ve confirmed this a couple times personally where a customer supplied a fixture that was the same brand and model # of what I get from my local supplier. I found that the metal was not only a different color but also not as thick as I was used to, which explained why the price they paid may have been less than what I could’ve purchased it for.

Warranty (typically 90 days): If we supply the part and something is wrong with it, we will not charge labor to replace it. If you supply the parts and something isn’t right, you will of course need to pay any labor to replace it. We can not be responsible for any supplies not supplied by us.

It will typically cost you more in our labor to make a list of parts for you and explain what we need than if we just supplied the parts ourselves.

I recently had a customer supply me with some track light fixtures they wanted me to install. They were no where near the quality of the track lights I would typically supply. The parts that were supplied to me were wrong. I explained to the customer the correct parts needed. Another 2 hour round trip was made (travel time, traffic, dealing with a busy store, and cashing out, etc.) to get the correct part (brand specific, only supplied by this type of store). When the customer returned, they gave us the part which was still not the correct part. They said they even talked to the person in the department and explained what was needed. Now a third trip was made (another 2 hour round trip) and finally the correct part was brought to me. How much time and money was wasted to try and save a couple dollars?

Many times I will send a customer to my local vendor store to pick out the major fixtures and give me part #’s. I will then either order the fixtures myself or they can pay for them directly. This way, if something is wrong, I know who to call and how to get the problem resolved as quick as possible to save on labor costs. Also, I will most likely be familiar with the products purchased, which will further save on labor to install.

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How to prepare for an electrician:

So you know you have an electrician coming...

How can you save some time & money?

Have a list of jobs written out to ensure you don’t forget anything when we get there.

Think about any color choices you may have to make. (Device colors, plate colors, fan blade color choices, etc.)

If you have fixtures to be installed, put them in the rooms they will be installed in or write down on the box which room they go in. Make sure you get light bulbs that match the fixture you have. (Wattage, style, etc.) We can’t tell you how many times we’ve installed a new light for a customer who has forgotten to get the specialty bulb- so we weren't able to test the new light.

Make sure the areas that you need work done are cleared out. Examples would be: Attic Access Spaces and the Area in front of your breaker panel or fuse box (the code states that there needs to be a 3 foot clearance in front of any service panels or disconnects.)

Have a convenient place for us to park. Shorter trips to our vans make for a quicker job. If you know you will be leaving after we arrive, try to have parking arrangements made prior to our arrival to prevent too much “vehicle shuffling”.

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