Nearly everyone has a surge protector or two these days. We use them to protect our valuable electronics such as computers, stereos, TVs and more. Although they are less common because they’re less publicized, whole house surge protectors can give you a whole-house solution without having to have a bulky surge protector for each outlet. Having surge protectors installed by a Electrician in the McLean Area could simplify and protect your home.

There are two different types of power surges that you should know about. The first, and most dramatic, is the power surge caused by lightning. Although this type of power surge can be incredibly devastating, it is not very common. A quick chat with an electrician in McLean VA, and you will be assured that lightning would have to strike a power pole within one mile of your home for it to have an effect on you. This is not very likely. The most common types of power surges are caused by changes in electricity use, downed power lines, or even by the fluctuations in the power usage of the larger appliances in your home. This type of surge may not be noticed at first, but it will take a toll on your electronics, eventually wearing them out much earlier than their expected lifespan. This type of surge will eventually lead to broken GFI electrical outlets, interior lighting failure, and other residential electrical problems that electrical contracting companies like Certified Electrical Technologies deal with every day.

Benefits of Whole House Surge Protectors

What, then, is the best way to protect your home against these two types of power surges? If you talk to an electrician in McLean, they will most likely recommend using both a whole house surge protection system, as well as your standard plug-in surge protectors. The whole house suppression system will act as your first line of defense against any higher-than-normal electricity levels. It is also important, however, to continue to plug in your valuable electronics such as home theater systems, computers etc. into their own surge protectors as a second line of defense. For the most part, both systems operate the same. During normal voltage conditions, they just allow the current to flow through normally. Under high voltage, they will act to throttle and even stop the flow of dangerous
voltage if necessary.

Surge Protector Installation – Find a Knowledgeable McLean Electrician

Having these surge protectors installed is a fairly simple installation. Most whole house protectors are installed directly into your service panel. You should ask your electrician in McLean about things such as how high the protector is rated, and whether it has thermal fuses, lights and alarms that will let you know when a surge has hit. In addition to the protection unit on your service panel, it is also recommended to install protectors on phone and cable lines. Because dangerous levels of electricity can also enter through these lines, it is important to make sure that you are protected. Typical installation of a whole-house surge protection system by whichever electrician from McLean VA you choose, will take around 2-3 hours depending on the unit you choose.

By making the relatively small investment on a whole-house surge suppression system, you are very likely saving your self from extensive and costly repairs and replacements in the future. Whether you end up facing a catastrophic power surge, or more frequent microwave, television and refrigerator replacement, the costs of dangerously high voltage can begin to add up quickly. In the same way that you have your smoke detectors installed, outlets installed and other important electrical repairs and maintenance performed, you should also consider protecting your whole house from power spokes.

Call a local professional electrical contractor today, such as Certified Electrical Technologies, a dependable and fully licensed McLean Electrician to talk about the pros, cons and options.

If you need any electrical work in McLean, please don’t hesitate to contact us at:

Certified Electrical Technologies
1390 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean,VA 22101
703-547-8186
visit our website
www.certifiedelectricaltechnologies.com/electrician-mclean-va/

Because the electrical wiring is such a vital piece of your home, it is important to always have a Leesburg Electrician complete any electrical work that you may require. This is a necessity to ensure that you keep your home, your family and your electronics safe and secure at all times. Using a Leesburg electrician who is not certified could lead to costly repairs or even electrical failure and dangerous electrical safety situations.

When contracting out an electrical job, one of the first things you should do is get an electrical estimate. Companies like Certified Electrical Technologies are always more than happy to send out a qualified Leesburg electrician in to take a look at your project. On it’s most basic level, an electrical estimate will involve a general examination of the problem, followed by any necessary electrical troubleshooting. The electrician will then provide you with an estimate and/or contract for the electrical work that needs to be done.
What is Included in an Electrical Estimate?

Most electrical estimates will contain three main parts: the total price, a description of the work to be done and how any additional expenses will be handled. Because rates can vary between each electrician Leesburg has available, each contractor will have a different workflow, rates and materials costs. Some may work on a flat-rate basis while others, such as Certified Electrical Technologies, may base their estimate on work hours and materials. Each has its pros and cons, and should be discussed with your electrician. These estimates will give you the opportunity to get to know your electrician and to figure out if the electrical work to be done is within your budget.

Why You Should Always Get a Firm Estimate
James and Leslie just moved into a new home. Everything about the house was perfect, except for the master suite. They wanted to install brand new custom lighting, have some electrical outlets installed and have some other basic electrical upgrades added to their living space. Rather than calling on several electricians to provide estimates, they did a quick Internet search for electrician Leesburg VA and called the first electrician in Leesburg VA they found.

The company seemed nice enough. They were easy to talk to, flexible in their scheduling and offered a wide variety of electrical services. The young couple gave the Leesburg electrician a list of things they wanted done, and let them get to work with just a guess as to how long it would take and what it would cost. Halfway through the job, the contractor found some damaged wiring that needed replaced in addition to having almost all of the electrical outlets replaced. Although these additional repairs were necessary, they not only added more materials to the job, but also much more time. At the end of the job, the technician handed them the bill, which was almost double the initial, verbal estimate. If the couple had spent more time getting estimates at the beginning they could have either saved some money, or been less surprised when receiving the bill at the end of the process.

When you have your electrical estimate and a signed contract up front, you will have a clear idea of how long the job will take, what it will cost and what procedures will be followed if anything unexpected should happen.

In the situation above, all surprises could have been avoided by establishing clear procedures for any deviations from the original plan. Make sure you talk to your Leesburg Electrical Contractor about these procedures before having them start a job to make sure that there are no surprises at the end of your electrical job. Certified Electrical Technologies in Leesburg, VA is both an honest and dependable choice in electrical contracting services!

If you need any electrical work in Leesburg, please don’t hesitate to contact us at:

Certified Electrical Technologies
319 E Market St, Leesburg VA 20175
703-777-5651
visit our website electrician in Leesburg VA

The basic job function of a Herndon Electrical Contractor is to install, maintain and troubleshoot any and all electrical systems for the Herndon area homes and businesses. Electricians are responsible for electrical troubleshooting, home rewiring, commercial electrical, panel upgrading and much more. When choosing to become an electrician, it is common to specialize on either construction or maintenance. As experience increases, however, it is also possible to do both.

Job Duties of a Herndon Electrician

An electrician in Herndon who chooses to specialize in maintenance will spend much of their time performing electrical safety assessments, home rewires and other types of electrical repairs. When seeking employment, t is best to find a well established, quality company such as Certified Electrical Technologies that specializes in this type of electrical work. You will likely spend much of your time doing custom lighting, bath fan installations and electrical estimates until you become more experienced in the field. This is a great place for an electrician in Herndon VA to start. If you decide to specialize in construction electrical work, you will spend most of your time performing larger installation jobs. For example, you may help to install complex wiring systems into new buildings,

homes and other construction sites.

What Training is Involved?
If you want to become an electrician Herndon VA is proud of, you will typically learn your trade through an apprenticeship program. This type of program is a combination of in-class instruction and on the job training. As a partner of your program, a local electrical contractor will often provide supervision as you observe and learn in the field. This type of electrical training program normally takes about 4 years.

While you are learning in class, you will learn skills such as how to install conduit, electrical theory, electrical codes and regulations, electrical safety and even some first aid. When you’re in the field, you will begin by observing an experienced electrician in Herndon VA. As you become more comfortable with the job, you will learn skills such as testing electrical wiring, switches and outlets and installing light fixtures. By the time you finish your apprenticeship program, you will have learned to perform all of the tasks typically required of a certified electrical technician.

At the completion of your program, you will be required to take the most important test that an electrician Herndon must take, which is your certification examination. Because you must be certified and work under a licensed contractor, in order to perform professional electrical work, your career hangs in the balance of this test. If you have worked hard and learned everything that you can, however, you should have no worries about whether or not you will pass.

The beauty of an apprenticeship program is that you get paid for much of the learning. To sweeten the deal, this type of program will also introduce you to at least one electrical company, increasing your chances of finding a job when you are finished. This is an especially comforting aspect of venturing into this field of work. Although a job at the end of the tunnel is not guaranteed, you are given ample opportunity to network and prove your ability to work hard and consistently, thus increasing your chances of success and becoming an Electrician in the Herndon Area.

Of course, to become the type of electrician Herndon VA needs today, you need more than just a strong knowledge of interior lighting, ceiling fan installation and other electrical components. You also need to have strong communication skills and the desire to help others.

Electricians who are able to provide superb customer service alongside their specialized skills will grow in leaps and bounds over those who cannot. Remember, as an established Herndon electrical contracting company, Certified Electrical Technologies is held to have a very high level of company standards and excellence in both residential and commercial electrical services.

If you need any electrical work in Herndon, please don’t hesitate to contact us at:

Certified Electrical Technologies
478 Elden St., Herndon, VA 20170
703-539-5059
visit our website Herndon electrician

Although most local power companies work around the clock to ensure that everyone has reliable and consistent electricity, power outages do happen. Whether a storm, damaged lines or a freak accident causes it, there is a good chance that sometime in your life you will have to depend on an alternative source of electricity. While it is prudent to keep supplies on hand, such as candles, lanterns and other lighting and heat sources, one of the best ways to keep your power going during an outage is with the help of a backup generator. With proper use, a backup generator can keep your electrical essentials running for several days at a time. Adding one to your house, however, is not as simple as plugging it in. There are many dangers involved in connecting a generator to your electrical system. A licensed Electrician in the Great Falls Area, such as Certified Electrical Technologies, should always perform all electric generator installs to ensure that it is done safely and properly.

What Does a Generator Protect?
When operating your electric generator, it is important to power on only the most necessary items. This typically includes appliances such as heating equipment, sump pumps, water pumps, refrigerators, freezers and any home health equipment. You will also want to use the generator to help provide a limited amount of lighting. Keep in mind that your generator will only operate as long as it has fuel. If fuel is abundant, and it is easy to get more, you may power more items. If you are stuck in a snowstorm, or otherwise unable to leave your home, you will want to keep usage to a bare minimum. If you have any questions about what you should and should not power with your generator, feel free to contact Certified Electrical Technologies, a knowledgeable electrician in Great Falls VA.
Types of Generators

The best generators for home use are those that have their engine directly connected to the generator. This type of generator is the most readily available and comes in several different sizes. You can talk to your electrician in Great Falls to determine which size best suits your home. These use a double-throw switch to stop the electricity from feeding back onto the electrical lines, which could cause severe injury to anyone performing outdoor electrical safety assessments or repair work. A certified electrician in Great Falls must install these generators.

If you happen to live on a farm or someplace where a tractor is readily available, you may choose a power-take-off-drive type of generator. This type of generator will connect to your farmstead meter pole, and will allow you to distribute power to your entire home and farm through your current system, with no electrical rewiring required. In this situation, the generator is normally installed permanently in a small building next to the meter pole. An opening is left for the tractor’s power shaft.

Regardless of the type of generator that you select, the most important thing to remember is that the installation must be completed by a qualified electrician in Great Falls. If an installation is done incorrectly, serious damage could be done to your home or to nearby power lines.
While your Great Falls electrician is at your place installing a generator, this is the best time for them to do any type of electrical troubleshooting, home rewiring or electrical upgrade that is necessary to properly support an added generator. You may, for example, need new electrical circuits installed or electrical outlets replaced. These are all considerations that your Great Falls Electrician will take into account when installing your new electrical generator.

If you do a quick search on the Internet for electrician Great Falls MD, you’ll easily be able to find Certified Electrical Technologies, and you’ll be glad you did!

If you need any electrical work in Great Falls, please don’t hesitate to contact us at:

Certified Electrical Technologies
9893 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA 22066
703-955-4629
visit our website electrician in Great Falls

Adding landscape lighting to your lawn and garden is a great way to accent the pieces that you are particularly proud of. This type of lighting will also give you an increased level of safety, due to the fact that there is much more visibility around your house at night. Whether you are just lighting up one flower bed, or if you’re adding custom lighting for every tree, bush, nook and cranny, you may want to consider having a Germantown electrician do the job for you. There are many to choose from, each bringing different expertise and experience to the table.

DIY Lighting Kits

There are lots of do-it-yourself lighting kits available to the aspiring garden decorator, and one of the greatest things about this type of landscape lighting is the price. However, if you talk to any Germantown Electrician about your project however, they will quickly educate about some of the reasons that you may not want to go this route. Although you may initially believe that any electrician in Germantown would be biased against these kits, it is important to take a closer look at the pros and cons of the different types of exterior home lighting.

While they are ideal for very small projects, landscape lighting kits may not work very well for some of the larger projects that you have in mind. If you want to install a spot in front of a tree in your front yard, for example, it may not make sense for you to run wiring across the yard to power the light. In addition to the limited abilities of these kits, you must also take into consideration that you will be doing all of the work yourself. You will need very few tools and electrical experience, but the finished product will be nowhere near as professional as it would be if completed by a licensed and experienced Electrician in Germantown.

Aside from the ease of installation and the fact that you will be doing all of the work, DIY lighting kits are very inexpensive because they are often slightly disappointing due to poor quality. The finished photographs of the outdoor lighting on the box look great, don’t they? Of course they do! If the lights didn’t look phenomenal on the box, they wouldn’t ever sell any units. One of the biggest complaints about this type of kit is that when it’s completely installed, it’s not very impressive. The casing is made of plastic, which will fade and wear quickly. Plastic also does not stand up very well to heat, meaning that the bulbs are low quality, low wattage bulbs that

will not have much output.

Professional Lighting
In addition to being able to provide an electrical service call, new electrical circuits and interior lighting, your typical electrician Germantown offers will also help you install great looking, long-lasting landscape lighting. Certified Electrical Technologies, for example, has been installing systems like these for years.

When you choose to have an Electrician in Germantown install your lights, you will have the maximum level of customizability, meaning that you will get exactly what you want. You will be able to choose the look of your lights, and they will be constructed of materials that are made to last. Whether you are installing some recessed garden lighting, or safety lighting around the exterior of your home, strength and durability are important. With the help of a high quality technician from Certified Electrical Technologies, a dependable and trustworthy electrician Germantown MD has, you will end up with a landscape lighting system that always works, lasts for a long time, and looks like it was meant to be there.

Because your Germantown electrician will work hard to custom install your lighting, you can be assured that there will be no unsightly wires or transformer boxes. Enjoy your new lighting!

If you need any electrical work in Germantown, please don’t hesitate to contact us at:

Certified Electrical Technologies
13017 Wisteria Dr., Germantown, MD 20874
301-825-8182
visit our website electrician in Germantown MD