By Blake Daniel, Franchisee of Mr. Electric of West Fort Worth

Whether it’s due to thunderstorms in the spring, ice storms in the winter, or blazing heat and power distribution regulation in the summer, the electricity supplied to your home can be unstable at times. This makes your home vulnerable to power surges.

Preventing power surge damage has traditionally been left to the consumer to guess what to do. Do you buy numerous surge protectors and power strips? Do you spend time running around the house during a lightning storm unplugging everything in sight, while putting yourself at risk for electrical shock? Or, do you rely on your homeowner’s insurance policy to cover any power surge losses that may occur?

Now there is no need to worry, you can protect your investments by preventing power surge damage with a Whole House Panel Surge Protector, the heart of industrial protection for your home. There are features not seen in the marketplace until now, creating a main zone of protection and acts as your first line of defense while stopping power surges before they can enter the house through the transmission lines.

As the main line of defense, a Whole House Panel Surge Protector prevents high-energy power surges from ever entering into your home and protects your electrical panel, motor-driven, and other AC-powered appliances in your home against power surge damage.

While this is not a one-unit, full coverage surge protector, as there are many ways in which you can receive a surge, you can be confident that your electrical panel and most electrical items in your house are covered. If you would like more information on how to protect your house from power surges, ask your local Mr. Electric service professional.

Whether your home is old or new, you are likely the kind of homeowner that wants to make sure the house is safe for your family. One of the major concerns many homeowners have is the safety of the electrical wiring. You must rely on the people who originally worked on the construction of the home to have done it safely and correctly. Older homes may have been safe according to the standards of years gone by, but we have better, safer ways of wiring homes today.

A Burbank electrician can help give you peace of mind by conducting a thorough electrical safety inspection. The Electric Connection is a company Burbank home and business owners have come to rely on and we would love to help you ensure the safety of your home.

An electrical inspection will be able to determine if there are any issues or concerns that a homeowner will need to address. Older homes are liable to have outdated wiring that will need to be updated. GFI outlets can also be used to replace older outlets. Any light fixtures, outlets and switches will all be investigated to determine whether or not they need replacing or upgrading in order to meet today’s safety standards.

If you are experiencing any trouble with outlets not working, lights flickering or a burned wire smell, it is a good idea to call an electrician in Burbank immediately. These are all signs there is a problem. It is crucial to the safety of your family and the investment in your home to have any electrical problems investigated. The Electric Connection can help put your mind at ease by inspecting and fixing any electrical problems that may be discovered during the course of the inspection. In many cases, it is a simple fix. However, left unchecked it could become a major issue, resulting in a home fire.

Choosing the right size depends on the level of energy independence that a renewable energy owner wants. It may simply boil down to what you can afford. These levels range from 100 percent or completely off the grid (the most costly), to a simple energy backup for emergencies.

100% energy independence or completely off the grid: this requires a huge investment in terms of generation and storage. In addition, it may require other power sources such as fossil fuels or wind generators.

High energy independence: This requires a solar system with enough batteries to last a few days or even through the winter. PV systems are sized to enable the owner to have surplus energy to store during summer and be self-sufficient through winter without relying too much on the grid. The customer will still rely on the grid for backup just in case there are prolonged days of bad weather.

Summertime independence: Customer installs just enough panels and storage capacity to get through a normal summer day but will have to draw power from the grid during the winter.

Peak time independence: Battery size should be large enough to supply power during peak times when electricity rates are highest.

Reduced reliance on the grid during peak times: Some customers cannot afford to install enough storage to cover their entire peak time usage. In such a case, some will install a system that will enable them to at least reduce part of their grid usage during these times.

Emergency power backup: This requires smaller energy storage, enough to cover a short power outage. Some customers use this together with fuel generators. Battery storage is only required for the short duration from the time grid power goes out, to when the alternative power becomes available.

Even though a solar energy system is a great investment that reduces your electricity bills, it is not possible to completely get off the grid without investing in large storage systems. However, adding modest battery storage to a grid connected to solar systems is a better way of increasing your independence from the grid without spending too much.

Most marketers have online tools that can help you get the right size battery based on various factors. However, it is advisable to consult professionals for the best advice.

Customers with solar systems are increasingly adding battery storage to reduce their electricity costs or become independent from the grid. With better technology and prices getting lower every day, battery storage is becoming an appealing component to many solar power system owners.

This type of storage allows the customer to charge their batteries during the day and then discharge them when there is no generation. This permits homeowners and businesses to have a backup power source and save on electricity bills. In addition, you can sail through cloudy periods or other times when power generation is low.

DC motors are electrical devices which draw electricity (direct current) and convert it into mechanical energy. They have many uses in today’s industries, even though alternating current is the preferred choice for mains power supply. They are especially useful for machines that need to be driven at variable speeds.