Home Appliances Ranked On Energy Usage

Most homes nowadays have at least five or six essential appliances and some others for the added convenience. All of these home appliances use a certain amount of electricity. As we all know, the longer an electric appliance is used, the energy consumption grows bigger. This article will show which appliances eat up the most energy. Any electrician can easily point you towards a few. We’ve listed some of the most energy-hungry appliances from top to bottom.

Here’s our list of appliances based on energy consumption:

#1 heating and air conditioning HVAC systems came on top of our list since heating and cooling systems take up to 47% of a home’s energy usage. However, the percentage may rise and fall depending on a few factors. The make and model of the system, the frequency of maintenance, and usage patterns all make a difference. HVAC systems came at number one since these heating and cooling a home require lots of energy and sustained use will take up a chunk of the monthly energy bill. #2 water heater The second spot goes to the water heater. Again, any appliance that’s designed to produce heat electronically will require a lot of energy. Water heaters are no exception. They come in at number two, taking up 14% of a household’s energy usage. #3 household lighting Do you turn your lights off when you leave home? How often do you leave lights turned on? On average, household lighting takes up 12% of the total monthly energy usage which puts it at number three on our list. If any of your lights fail, call a North Myrtle Beach electrician to have them fixed right away. This will save you time and money in the long run. #4 washer and dryer How often do you wash your clothes? On average, the combined energy usage of a washing machine and dryer eats amounts to 13% of the total monthly energy usage. If your dryer or washer has any electrical issues, call NMB Electrician Pros right away. #5 Refrigerator Every household has at least one fridge. A typical refrigerator takes up 4% of the overall energy usage per month. It must be turned on at all times to maintain cold temperatures. Unplugging the fridge costs more money and potentially spoils your food. #6 Electric oven Most household nowadays uses an electric oven rather than a gas-powered one. They are easier to control and provides consistent temperatures all the time. A typical electric oven takes up 3 to 4% of a household’s energy usage. #7 television We can all relate that watching television shows is one good way of spending the weekend. It’s one of the home appliances we can’t live without. It is simply ingrained in the culture of the modern household. Luckily, watching TV doesn’t use up that much energy at just 3% of the monthly energy usage. #8 dishwasher An average dishwasher accounts for just 3% of the total energy usage. Depending on the type of dishwasher and usage pattern, the overall energy usage could be higher or lower. #9 computer The last item on our list is the computer. On average, a household has up to three computers. However, not a lot of time is spent on computers. They don’t also use up that much energy as it only accounts for 1% of the total energy consumption.

Are you looking for a reliable and professional electrician? Look no further! Call NMB Electrician Pros today! You may reach us at (843) 491-4489.

NMB Electrician Pros North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 (843) 491-4489 http://nmbelectricianpros.com info@northmyrtlebeachhomeservices.com

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Advantages Of Having Surge Protection At Home

It may not come very often but power surges can deal a lot of damage to your home. There are instances where the power from the mainline surges into your main panel and to your home appliances or whatever gadget is connected to an electrical outlet. This sudden burst of electricity will fry just about any kind of electrical circuit it comes across. It is important to have some form of surge protection at home that acts as a barrier against sudden electrical fluctuations. This article will be focusing on how surge protectors work and the benefits of installing them in your home.

Understanding how surge protectors work

SPDs or surge protection devices are used as a protective barrier that includes the electrical installation in your home like wiring and accessories or electrical appliances from power surges or transient over-voltages. There are three types of SPDs that are used in a household. They are listed below:

• Type 1 SPD – these are surge protection devices that are installed in the main electrical panel.
• Type 2 SPD – these are installed in sub-distribution panels.
• Type 3 SPD – these are only installed as supplemental components of Type 2 SPD

Surge protection devices are quite useful for devices that do not have a built-in surge protector. Some devices like power strips and voltage regulators also offer surge protection which may come in handy. An electrician North Myrtle Beach would recommend having whole-house surge protection installed for better results. Advantages of installing surge protection Device protection – all of your electrical devices will be protected from power surges. As long as SPDs are properly working, there is no need to worry about exploding electrical appliances or worse, an electrical fire. Power surges are notorious for frying electrical circuits in an instant. Having surge protection not only keeps all of your electrical devices safe, but it could also save your home from electrical fires. Hire an expert like NMB Electrician Pros to set up SPDs in your home. Great resale value – installing whole-house surge protection is in your best interest even in the event you sell your home. It is one of the key selling points of a house. Of course, it will only pay off if your whole-house SPD is installed by a reliable residential electrician. Be sure that all SPD installation in your home is done by a licensed and reliable electrician. This is to ensure that all components of the SPDs are working as intended. You’ll save money – having SPDs install all boils down to saving money and not having to deal with electrical repairs. When you come to think of it, power surges can damage all connected electrical appliances and gadgets at once. Preventing such a chaotic scenario saves the homeowner money in terms of electrical repair costs. Although you will need to spend a set amount of money for upfront costs, the benefits will be greater.

Do you want to protect your home from sudden electrical surges? Call NMB Electrician Pros today! You may reach us at (843) 491-4489.

NMB Electrician Pros North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 (843) 491-4489 http://nmbelectricianpros.com info@northmyrtlebeachhomeservices.com

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5 Must-Have Electrical Upgrades For Your Home

Having electrical safety is a must in every household. Without proper safety precautions, it would be dangerous to use even the most basic electrical appliances. That’s why it is important to hire an electrician and inspect your home’s electrical system. A thorough assessment would indicate what you are missing out on and what you need to have installed to ensure that your home is safe from any electrical issues.

Here are the things that you need to ensure electrical safety at home:

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter – an AFCI is a type of circuit breaker that’s designed to keep electrical arcs from causing damage to wiring and other electrical components. Unlike regular circuit breakers, an AFCI will trip once an arc is detected. An unintended arc happens when an arc of electricity jumps from one conductor to another. If this is permitted to happen, electrical circuits could short out and get fried. With the help of an AFCI, major damage is averted. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter – a GFCI is different from that of an AFCI. It is somewhat an upgrade to your everyday electrical outlet. GFCI outlets redirect current leading to an electrical appliance and grounds it to avoid damage. For instance, if an appliance were to short out and electricity is not cut off or diverted, it could possibly lead to an electrical fire. A ground fault circuit interrupter prevents this from happen and possibly saves lives in the process. Electrical panel upgrades – if your home has been built 30 years ago or older, you might want to consider upgrading your electrical panel. Older homes have dated electrical wiring and components that might no longer conform to the current standards. Call a North Myrtle Beach electrician and have your electrical system inspected. This way, a thorough inspection will be carried out and upgrades can then soon follow. Surge protection – another safety feature that you should have in your house is surge protection. There are electrical outlets and extension cords that offer surge protection. Some electrical appliances may also come with surge protection already. However, it is advised to have whole-house surge protection installed. Electrical surges happen when there is excess electrical current traveling from the mainline to your home. When an electrical surge happens, it could fry your wiring and appliances if no protection is set in place. Code compliance – every single part of your home must conform to the local standards set by authorities. You may hire an electrician such as NMB Electrician Pros to check your home and ensure that your entire electrical system is updated and complies with local codes. It is important to hire only a licensed professional electrician for an inspection. Licensed electricians go through regular training to ensure that they are also aware of the latest electrical codes in your area.

Are you looking for a reliable electrician in North Myrtle Beach? Look no further! Call NMB Electrician Pros today! You may reach us at (843) 491-4489.

NMB Electrician Pros North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 (843) 491-4489 http://nmbelectricianpros.com info@northmyrtlebeachhomeservices.com

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Common Causes of A Busted Electrical Outlet

Many people take electricity for granted up until the time they encounter problems with it. If you discover that one of your electrical outlets are not working, it could be a sign of a serious electrical issue. Listed below are the common culprits of nonworking electrical outlets.

Tripped Circuit Breaker

It is common for a circuit breaker to trip, which causes the electrical outlet to stop working. You can check the panel and then reset the circuit breakers that tripped. If a circuit breaker trips, the knob does not always flip to the other side. There are instances when it sticks somewhere in the middle or close to ON that it is difficult to notice that it actually tripped. In case a circuit continues to turn off, you may be dealing with an overloading problem. Try to check if you can plug certain items, or you can call a professional electrician who can make the needed changes. Tripped GFCI Outlet Contemporary building codes need outlets close to the sinks to be a ground fault circuit interrupter or safeguarded by one. These outlets will turn off on their own whenever they detect an overheat or a short instead of triggered a trip in the circuit breaker. In case you have an electrical outlet in your kitchen or bathroom stop working, the first thing you need to do is reset all of the GCFI outlets in the affected area. A GCFI that will pop will trigger all of the electrical outlets down the line to cease working. There are instances when an electrical outlet in a different room is wired on the same circuit particularly in older houses and a tripped GFCI in the bathroom is turning it off. Defective Outlets In Older Houses Electrical outlets can easily become defective without any reason. Their contacts can easily loosen up and the whole unit might just require some replacement. Since electrical work could be dangerous, it is recommended that you contact a professional electrician North Myrtle Beach. You can easily get injured by just failing to turn off the right outlet at the electrical panel. The improper installation of a new outlet can also lead to a house fire. It may also trigger a situation where people who are using the electrical outlet will get shocked. Burned Out Electrical Outlets There are instances when electrical outlets will burn out. A flare or fire can cause the outlet to cease working. In case an electrical outlet starts to spark or shows signs of blackening around the plugs, nobody should use it anymore. Even if the other plug is working fine, the whole outlet must be replaced right away to prevent the possibility of starting a house fire. Plug another item into the outlet to check if the problem is due to a defective outlet or perhaps the appliance that you are using. Before contacting an expert electrician, be sure to inspect all GFCI electrical outlets in the room as well as the fuse panel or the circuit breaker. In case it is not one of these minor fixes, be sure to search for a highly rated and reputable electrician from NMB Electrician Pros.

Call NMB Electrician Pros if you have problems with your electrical outlet or other parts of your electrical system. You may reach us at (843) 418-4792.

NMB Electrician Pros North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 (843) 491-4489 http://nmbelectricianpros.com info@northmyrtlebeachhomeservices.com

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How To Childproof Your Electrical Outlets

Burns and electrical shocks are unfortunate results that may happen when kids play with electrical outlets at home. Kids inserting any foreign object into electrical outlets account for a third of electrical related injuries. A kid’s curiosity can result in tragedy when you only took your eyes away from them for a couple of seconds. One good way to reduce electrical incidents is to childproof your electrical outlets at home. You can do this by installing a tamper-resistant receptacle. It will not only protect your children but also make your entire home much safer.

Getting To Know Tamper Resistant Receptacles

TRRs or tamper-resistant receptacles look a lot like a regular wall outlet in your home. NMB Electrician Pros can help you better understand the differences and advantages of using such outlets in your home. One of its many distinctive characteristics includes having spring-loaded shutters to the metal prongs of the plug could make contact. If a tamper-resistant receptacle is installed, both of the receptacle openings should get pressure at exactly the same time so the shutters can be moved. This prevents accidents whenever children try to insert something into one side of the outlet. Don’t forget to ask your electrician to help you out in case you don’t know where to start. Importance Of Using Tamper Resistant Outlets Over the years, outlet covers made of plastic have grown in popularity as a childproofing device. However, these kinds of covers should be taken out every time you have to plug something in and it can be lost or sometimes forgotten, which leaves the electrical outlet exposed once again. These tiny pieces could also pose as a choking hazard for small children. Some kids also learn how to remove the cover by watching their parents do so whenever they need to use the electrical outlet. According to the 2008 National Electric Cod, tamper-resistant receptacles have to be used for all new home construction. So, in case your house has been built since then, you should already have these receptacles set in place. These receptacles should also be installed in newly renovated houses. In case you are living in an older home then you should consider upgrading your current electrical receptacles for your family’s safety. You should also consider hiring an electrician North Myrtle Beach who can safely install these tamper-resistant receptacles in your house. The Price Of Tamper Resistant Receptacles The cost you have to pay when you purchase tamper-resistant receptacles depend on the style of the device that you select. However, they commonly add around 50 cents to the price of every receptacle that will be installed, when compared to an unprotected, standard model. About 75 receptacles in an average house, so updating a whole new house to tamper-resistant receptacles will cost less than $40, which is a small amount to pay if you consider the safety and security of your family.

Call NMB Electrician Pros if you are thinking of childproofing your electrical outlets. You may reach us at (843) 491-4489.

NMB Electrician Pros North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 (843) 491-4489 http://nmbelectricianpros.com info@northmyrtlebeachhomeservices.com

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Electrician Tips – Maintaining Home Electrical Safety During The Holidays

The holiday season is just around the corner. It’s that time of year again when people start to decorate their homes with lighting and other ornaments. However, not all holiday decorations are made with electrical safety in mind. Any local electrician would tell you that some lighting and electronic decorations may come with some risks if not used properly. That’s why every homeowner should make it a point to ensure every type of electrical decoration used is installed in the correct manner.

Here are some tips from electricians for the holidays:

1. Have all electrical decorations inspected – if you are planning on installing decorative lighting inside and outside your home, be sure that they are all thoroughly inspected. Inspect each light bulb for defects, check the entire length of electrical wire for any exposed areas, and look out for any signs of damage. During the holidays, one of the common causes of house fires is bad decorative lighting. That’s why each one should be checked thoroughly before use.

2. Avoid overloading electrical outlets – one of the most common mistakes people make is to overload an electrical outlet. Do bear in mind that a single electrical outlet can only bear a certain amount of electrical load. If an outlet is overloaded, it can heat up, melt the faceplate and insulation, and start a house fire in the worst-case scenario.

3. Limit the use of incandescent lights – unlike LED lighting, incandescent lights use up more electricity and produce more heat. Stringing more than three incandescent lights together is not a good idea. If you want to install more lights, use LEDs.

4. Keep your Christmas tree from drying up – a dried-up Christmas tree is dangerous for several reasons. First of all, it will put your home at risk of an electrical fire. Dried Christmas trees inside the house can easily catch fire. To ensure electrical safety, always keep your tree fresh by constantly watering it.

5. Avoid using traditional candles – instead of using wax candles, use battery-operated ones instead. The ones that use batteries are far safer and have little to no risk of causing fires. Check with your local North Myrtle Beach electrician for a list of holiday decorations that won’t hurt your home’s electrical safety.

6. Keep electrical appliances away from heat sources – never keep any electrical appliances near heat sources or expose them to direct heat. Electrical appliances have the tendency to overheat, short out, and cause fires when sitting next to heat sources.

7. Hire an electrician – the best thing that you can do to prevent any electrical issues during the holidays is to prepare. Every single electrical problem can be avoided by hiring an electrician like NMB Electrician Pros. If you are not sure how to proceed with ensuring electrical safety at home, your best bet is to hire an electrician and have your electrical setup inspected. Don’t skimp on hiring these professionals as they provide valuable services to keep your home safe and comfortable this coming holiday season.

Make sure that you have top-notch electrical safety at home this holiday season! Call NMB Electrician Pros for the best electrical services in North Myrtle Beach. You may reach us at (843) 491-4489.

NMB Electrician Pros
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 491-4489
http://nmbelectricianpros.com
info@northmyrtlebeachhomeservices.com

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When Should You Have Your Home’s Electrical System Maintained?

Regardless of how old your home is, electrical problems can still arise. Newer homes have lesser chances of encountering such issues. However, the chances of encountering electrical problems arise in older homes. This is the reason why you should have a local electrician maintain your home’s electrical system on a regular basis. First of all, there are a lot of things that could go wrong when your home’s electrical wiring and other components start to go bad.

Here are some signs that indicate it is time to have electrical maintenance done

When you are having issues with the circuit breaker

While it’s not so easy to tell when there’s an issue with the circuit breaker, it’s not impossible to tell. One sign that your circuit breaker is having issues is when there’s no electricity in one or a number of electrical outlets at the same time. Circuit breakers also frequently trip if they are faulty even when there is no overload in the system. Although it wouldn’t cause more issues, faulty circuit breakers can be inconvenient. Be sure to have your local North Myrtle Beach electrician have a look at your service panel and circuit breakers in case you notice these signs.

Your electricity bill is spiking or is increasing each month

There are times when the electricity bill spikes and then normalizes again in the next month. The usage of certain appliances can affect your monthly electric bill. However, if you can’t seem to justify the electric bill versus your daily usage, you should be worried. There are instances where the electric bill rises even without added usage of electrical appliances. This happens due to a number of reasons. First, the electric company might have increased their rates. This very common and you should make it a habit to read your bills. Second, there could be issues with your electrical system and appliance settings. In case you are completely oblivious about what’s causing the spikes in your electric bill, hire a residential electrician to have a look.

You are having lighting issues at home

Lighting issues can come from a number of issues. The lighting fixtures in your home might be old enough that it starts to fail. Another reason that could cause flickering lights is loose contact. The light bulbs and the fixtures might not be connected properly. It could also be caused by faulty wiring or insufficient electricity leading to the lighting fixtures. The bulbs themselves could also be the culprit. Either way, you must have all electrical appliance circuits, wiring, and electrical components in your household checked and maintained.

Who should maintain my home’s electrical system?

It can be tempting to do your own maintenance. However, this task is not as straightforward as it seems. A lot of things can go wrong. This is the reason why you should only let experts like NMB Electrician Pros do the electrical maintenance. Professional electrical services can ensure electrical safety inside your home. Always hire professionals especially since the risks are high with electrical work when done by non-electricians.

Find a reliable and honest electrician in North Myrtle Beach today! Call NMB Electrician Pros for top-notch electrical services. You may reach us at (843) 491-4489.

NMB Electrician Pros
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 491-4489
http://nmbelectricianpros.com
info@northmyrtlebeachhomeservices.com

The post When Should You Have Your Home’s Electrical System Maintained? first appeared on NMB Electrician Pros.

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