Electricians and Service Companies

We have all been through a lot during the last few years. We’ve struggled as a nation and we are now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Most of our friends and family are back to work and it appears we are getting back to normal.

But what used to be normal has changed to a different normal and it really is a good thing. We are more conscious of where we are spending our hard earned dollars and who we are spending it with.

This brings me to spending money with a service company. Let me define Service Company. What I’m referring to is a Plumbing, Heating or Cooling, Electrical Service Company. These types of companies don’t typically sell a product but are providing a much needed service. There is a wide variety of options when it comes to looking for a service company. What have we been taught in the past, just doesn’t work.

Here is the confusion, because plumbers, electricians, and HVACs companies are considered construction and not service companies to many, the old “get 3 bids” advice doesn’t transcend into service. Believe me, service is measurable and valuable but it you go for Cheap Charlie you’re not getting what you pay for even if the bottom line dollar is a little less.

There are certain things that you should demand in Electrical Service Company and if they don’t provide these things then you are probably getting a guy off a construction site who is trying to pick up a little extra cash.

Here is what is important:

Look for a company with a long time reputation. One that has weathered the economy and come out at the end stronger. They didn’t make it without long time loyal customers and referrals. What stronger recommendation is there!

There have been a number of young startups which is great but make sure they carry the licenses and certifications needed. Here in Idaho there isn’t anyone watching out for you in this area. Many will walk into your home without carrying Workman’s Comp Insurance. The state says if you’re the owner of a company which many of the startup one man companies are, that they can be exempt. Great, but what if something happens while at your house. You guessed it; your homeowners insurance is being sought after.

Make sure they are licensed journeyman. Seems simple, but we have had many now Journeyman work for us who admitted their previous employee sent them alone on service calls when they were still apprenticing. Yes it worked out, but what if it didn’t?

Background checks and drug testing. Well only a few companies even think about doing this. I would want that peace of mind if someone was coming into my home.

Ok, cost if a biggy. I understand you’re willing to give up some things to save money. Look for a company that has published pricing. The great deal that they gave over the phone and what got them there may turn into something else once they get there if they are pulling prices out of their head. Don’t hire someone that looks around your home and decides to pull a number out based on what they think you can afford. It’s just not right but it does happen.

Before I get to some of the little things, one more important quality that a good reputable electrical service company can offer is a guarantee. Honestly if an electrician knows what he is doing everything should be ok and no future problems will arise. That said, what if there is a continual problem, it’s not fixed correctly the first time or the fix doesn’t hold for long. Paying for a company to come out again to fix the exact same problem again is not saving money. Find one that has a guarantee, it is worth it!

Some of the other small things that a good Service Company can offer are:

Answering their phone. This will give you confidence that the company is a company and not a guy working out of his mini-van.

Exact appointments times. Do you want to wait all day or even half a day wondering if you will have electricity tonight? A good Electrical Service company should be able to give you an appointment window that you are comfortable with.

Confidence in who you’re letting into your home. Has the company called and announced the electrician’s arrival? Is he driving a well marked van or truck with the company name on it? Is he uniformed with the company identity and logo? These things all help you to know who you’re letting into your home.

Cleanliness is important because it showcases the type of work that serviceman does. Is he doing a sloppy job up in your attic where he is not being watched? If he is not a neat and tidy person, who really knows. Your home should be left as spotless as it was when they arrived. Booties on the boots can make a huge difference when you’re going from job to job. Some outside and some inside.

To sum this up, yes the new normal is different which makes these qualities in the service company you pick even more important than ever. Call us at Same Day Electric and let's discuss this.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

If you’re looking to have an electric vehicle charging station installed at your home that are a few factors to consider. In this blog I am going to line out a few. However the easiest way to know what the exact cost would be to get your home charging station for your EV is to call an electrician to do an inexpensive home consultation. The electrician will verify all the factors below.

First he will find out if you prefer the Level 1 or Level 2 Electric vehicle charging station. The Level 1 stations are much slower than the level 2 and most homeowners opt for Level 2. A level 1 charging station can take 8-16 hours to fully charge while a Level 2 EV home charging station takes 3-6 hours.

When it comes to getting your home ready to install a charging station, it really depends on what you already have. You will need a properly configured 240v outlet with sufficient amperage. If you don’t have it ready available a licensed electrician can provide that for you. Depending on where you want the outlet will determine some of the cost involved.

Having a licensed electrician check your existing electrical panel to make sure you have the space needed to add another circuit of this size to your electrical system. If you only have a 100 amp panel you may have to have an electrical service upgrade before moving forward with your home charging station.

Once the electrician has determined your panel can handle another 240v circuit, he can then lay out a plan to get the power to the location that will make it easy and accessible for your electric car. Most electric vehicle charging stations for homes come with cords between 18’ and 25’.

Many States and Cities require an electrical permit to be purchased and the agency electrical inspection will have to inspect and pass the installation upon completion. A reputable electrical service company will be able to take care of this process for the homeowner.

These pre-install inspections are inexpensive and allow you to know all the facts before purchasing your electric vehicle or your home electric vehicle charging station.

Hot Tubs - Electrical Installation

I heard a great conversation amongst our electricians the other day and started asking questions and wanted to share some of what I found out with anyone thinking about installing a hot tub or hiring an electrician in Boise to install one.

The first thing that caught my attention was Water and Electricity.  Well I even know those two things do not mix and it made me realize how important the electrical installation of a hot tub can be.  I am going to be purchasing one this spring and obviously I will have one of Same Day Electrics qualified electricians hook it up for me, but it really made me think that I needed to write one of my blogs on this subject because it is so important.

So, this is what I caught my attention.  A person can be sitting in or just have their feet in a hot tub and touch a piece of metal and if that metal isn't grounded properly they could be shocked!  If you think about all the metal objects that could be around a hot tub it's kind of scary.  Metals that could be close to a hot tub and need to be grounded are items such as a metal door or window frame, a gutter or down spout, a vent, metal fence or gate.  That is a small list that I'm sure could be expanded on.

Some others things I picked up on was that you need to have a properly installed disconnect with a GFCI breaker.  This is really important during maintenance of the tub.  Another biggy that I didn’t realize and I'm betting the average homeowner would not either is to have the wire sized correctly for the hot tub. If an unqualified electrician or a do-it-yourselfer or even a handy-man may not realize the importance of this and your hot tub's life span just became shorten.  Hot tubs are a big investment and I don't want mine giving out on me any sooner than normal.

Ok, one more thing to take note of is that by electrical code you cannot have an outlet within 5 feet of the hot tub.  Yes, anything plugged in that close is just to close and can be a safety hazard.  If you want that radio or clock plugged in, just have an additional outlet added a little further away. It's worth the small investment.

An Inspection is best way to know your electrical installation of your hot tub is safe.

In conclusion, I wanted to point out that the best way to make sure you have a safe and secure electrical hook-up for your new or used hot tub is to have a qualified, licensed electrician install it for you. And, all electrical hot tub installation requires an electrical permit for the agency you live in.  So if you live in Boise City limits you would need one from the City of Boise, or if you’re in Meridian you would need one from the City of Meridian.  Nampa City has their own and everywhere else you would need one from the State of Idaho.  A reputable electrical service company will always pull the permit for you and arrange for the inspections.  Another pair of eyes looking at that electrical install that puts you and your family in a water and electricity situation is always an excellent idea.

Should I go solar in Boise Idaho?

The question is being debated and this is good. When consumers start to look at solar as an alternate energy, they most likely will find themselves with a calculator that will convert what they are paying for the solar product, how much energy use they will save, and how long will their investment take to pay off.  Idaho power has a lot of information on their website that gives you good information on how much money you will save on your power bill.

Here in Idaho, we are fortunate to have one of the lower prices of electricity per kilowatt hour.  However, there are so many other reasons for installing solar products in your Boise area homes.  We want to lower our energy consumption not just our cost.  We are a community of energy conscious people who want to protect our environment and our homes.

Benefits for either Solar or Electric Powered Attic Fans

Same Day Electric has been installing electric powered attic fans in the Treasure Valley for the last 12 years.  By installing an electric attic fan you still will save on your cooling cost by removing the hot air from the attic (attic temperatures easily reach 160 degrees in summer month in Boise) and this allows your cooling system to not work so hard and in turn you save!

Our electricians are now providing solar attic fan options to our customers and believe this is an excellent choice for many.  They do run a couple hundred dollars more but with the 30% federal tax credit for the Energy Star product, it's really not much more.  According to the EPA website about half of what an average household pays in utility bills is for heating and cooling.  If we can cut our cooling bill by even $30 dollars a month during the summer, our investment would only take a few years to recoup.

Attic fans also extend the life of your roofing by removing excess heat and moisture build up.  Any attic fan we install comes with a thermostat.  This is a good thing to look for when comparing attic fans of any kind.  And, since we do have very warm summer nights in Boise, we have solved the problem of the solar attic fan not running at night because we can install a wireless convertor which will allow your solar fan to run even when it’s dark.  By the way, both fans have motors whether it’s solar or electric so there is some noise from either product so placement of your fans should be chosen carefully. You want to look at where is optimal for best results but also keep in mind not to place it directly above a master bedroom.  Some attics that are large or sectioned off and my and require more than one fan.

For more information on adding a solar or electric power attic fan to your home, please call one of our knowledgeable electricians.  We are here to help.