power strip

Why Are My Electrical Outlets Warm?

Electrical power is necessary for most of the tasks we do in our everyday life. Appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, televisions, etc. wouldn’t be able to run without electricity. Because power strips are convenient and easy to get, we often plug multiple appliances into the same outlet.

Because we use these appliances in our everyday lives and usually don’t think twice about it, we often forget that we need to do safety checks. It’s important to touch our outlets here and there to make sure they are not warming up. If they are warming up it doesn’t necessarily mean they are broken or need to be replaced but its a sign that something is overworking and needs to be adjusted in order for the outlet to cool down. Here are some reasons as to why your outlets may be warming up and how you should go about fixing the issue. 

Too Many Devices are Plugging In

If you have many different things plugged in at once, the outlet may be overwhelmed and can’t keep up with the electricity demand. It is recommended to unplug a few things for a few hours or even days. If the outlet cools down you can then plug them back in but it’s probably best to only plug certain appliances in when you need them. If they don’t need to be plugged in all the time, don’t leave them plugged in. Another solution is to move some appliances to other outlets in your home. Don’t plug all your appliances into just one outlet for your convenience. You have a number of other outlets in your home for a reason. 

If you go back to the outlet after letting it sit unplugged for a while and the outlet is still warm, it probably needs to be replaced. 

Your Outlet Is Broken

If your outlet continues to get warm even if a lot of things aren’t plugged in it is likely that your outlet is broken and you’ll need to replace it. It is very common for outlets to break or wear down over time. So if you haven’t replaced your home’s outlets in many years, its probably time to do so. 

Damaged Wiring

There is a chance that if your outlet is constantly overheating that the wiring behind the outlet is damaged or worn out. Since the wiring is trying its best to work it will overheat and become very warm. If you believe your wiring is damaged it’s recommended that you call the professionals to come and replace the wiring as soon as possible. 

Your Fuse or Breaker is Incorrectly Sized

Older homes tend to run into this issue more than newer homes. The older electrical systems were not designed to handle some of the appliances and electronics we have these days. They were also not designed to handle how many things we plug into one outlet. Power strips nowadays can hold up to 10 appliances. If your outlets were created many years ago, it is likely they cannot handle power strips without overheating. 

Contact Brunelli Electrician

If you are experiencing warm outlets in your home it may be best and safer to call a professional to come to evaluate and fix the issue. The professionals at Brunelli Electrician will take a look at your outlet and wiring systems to find what needs to be fixed or replaced so that your home can remain safe. Don’t hesitate to contact us today by calling or filling out a contact form on our website!

save energy costs

How Can I Conserve the Amount of Electricity My Home Uses? 

In order to find out how to prevent high electricity bills, its important to know how much electricity each appliance in your home uses. Here are some tips to help you keep your home as energy efficient as possible in order to lower your electricity costs. 

Air Conditioning & Heating 

Your HVAC system that cools and heats your home is what uses the most electricity. This makes sense as it needs much energy to either heat or cool each room in your home. Some things you can do to reduce using your HVAC system as often include: 

  • Using ceiling fans 
  • Make sure your HVAC is regularly inspected
  • Close your curtains during hot summer days or keep them open during the winter to get heat from the sun. 
  • Replace your air filters so that your HVAC works properly
  • Regularly dust and vacuum to prevent clogs
  • Dress appropriately by wearing extra layers in the winter and fewer layers in the summer
  • Use blankets for extra warmth in the winter.

Water Heating 

Water heaters are next on the list for things that use the most electricity. If you’re wondering how to use your water heater less, try these options:

  • Set the temperature to 120F or lower
  • Insulate the hot water pipes
  • Wrap a water heater with an insulation jacket
  • Turn down the water heater during the day when you are not home or when you go on a vacation
  • Invest in water-conserving showerheads and faucet aerators
  • Upgrade to a solar water heater

Appliances 

You may think that there’s no way of lowering the amount of electricity your day to day appliances use, yet, there is. 

Refridgerator 

While you can’t turn your refrigerator off, there are things you can do to reduce the electricity used. 

  • Don’t put too many things in your refrigerator
  • Keep the products you use the most in the easiest to reach place so your door is not open for too long
  • Make sure your refrigerator is set to a recommended temperature
  • Regularly clean underneath and behind the refrigerator to maintain airflow
  • Invest in a newer refrigerator that is more energy efficient

Washer & Dryer 

When it comes to using your washer and dryer there are a few ways to lower the amount of energy it uses. 

  • Do full loads at a time instead of half loads so that you are using the machine less frequently. However, do not overload as that will result in the washer needing more energy
  • Wash your clothes with cold water to avoid having the water heater turned up
  • Use drying racks as much as possible to avoid using the dryer
  • Clear the lint in your dryer after each use

Electric Stove & Oven

Use these tips to reduce the electricity load from your electric stove and oven with these tips:

  • Use a smaller appliance if possible such as a toaster oven or microwave
  • Try to use the oven and stove during cooler hours of the day
  • Only preheat the oven if it is necessary for the dish to cook the right way
  •  Turn off the burners a few minutes before the dish is done and let the remaining heat finish the job

Lighting

The lights throughout your home do not use as much electricity as one may think, however, if they are left on for no reason they can rack up the electricity bill. Here’s what you can do:

  • Make sure lights are off in rooms no one is in
  • Use LED bulbs that are energy efficient
  • During the day open the curtains so you can use the natural light instead of needing to turn on your lights
  • Use motion detectors on outdoor lights so that they only turn on when someone needs them

Contact Brunelli Electric 

If you’re looking for an electrician in Franklin, MA, or its surrounding towns, contact Brunelli Electric! We are happy to assist you with all your electric needs. Check out all the services we offer on our website. 

outdoor lighting

How Landscape Lighting Can Help Your Business 

When most people think of landscape lighting they automatically think about a home’s exterior lighting. However, landscape lighting is just as important for businesses as well. You can never go wrong with extra lighting. Exterior lighting can help your business in more ways than you may think, and here’s why.

Use Accent Lighting to Make the Entrance the Focal Point

Lighting up the entrance to your business is important. When people approach your business while it is dark, it is important for them to not only be able to see but to feel welcomed and excited to enter your business. Exterior lighting will give people a better first impression than if the entrance was dark. There’s a chance exterior lighting will also give you more business. If it is dark outside and there are no lights highlighting the building, people may think you are closed.

Make Your Area Feel Safer At Night

Even if some people aren’t necessarily scared of the dark, nothing is less inviting and intimidating than a dark entrance to a building. People often feel safer at night going into a business because of the outside lights. For example, if you own a convenience store and are open late hours, it is important to light up the outside of your store. This will make people feel safe to approach your business, leading you to get more business. Safety is most people’s concern at night time so making your customers feel safe should be a top priority.

Highlight Signage for Specials and Deals

Lighting is what often catches people’s eyes during the night time. If your business is promoting something or having a special of the day, it is important to highlight the sign outside that promotes this. The bright sign will not only allow people to read it easier but may catch someone’s attention who wasn’t even looking. This would then again lead to more customers for your business.

Increase Your Visibility From the Road at Night

When people are driving at night and looking at their surroundings, everyone knows that the lit-up buildings are open and the dark buildings are most likely closed. Your business will easily catch someone’s eye while they’re driving if there is bright exterior lighting. Don’t miss out on the opportunity of potential customers just because your business’s building was not highlighted during the dark hours.

Contact Brunelli Electrician 

Brunelli Electrician will assist you with all your outdoor lighting projects. We have a team of experienced and skilled electricians that will help you create a beautiful lighting set up for the outside of your business. Contact Phil Brunelli today for more information or to schedule an appointment! 

changing a light bulb

Why Do My Light Bulbs Keep Burning Out?

We all expect the lights to go on at the flip of a switch every time we enter a room. It can get frustrating, or even scary, when you flip a light switch and the light does not go on. You realize the bulb has burned out, and you are forced to postpone whatever you intended to do and get an alternative source of light. These bulb burn-outs can get costly in the long run, and you will need to understand the major causes of this problem, and what you can do in case a bulb burns out on you.

What Causes Bulb Burn-Outs?

Most cases of burnt-out bulbs are as a result of the following:

Excess Power Supply Voltage

The standard voltage for lighting in North America is 120V. Outlets that supply too much voltage will cause the bulb to burn out sooner, for example, those light bulbs connected to non-standard lighting outlets meant for high voltage appliances.

Poor Connections

When connecting the light bulb to the power outlet, you will need to ensure that the bulb is connected as it should. If the bulb is connected loosely, there might be intermittent voltage, and that will cause the bulb to bun out. Other faults include bulbs that are screwed too tight, damaging the contacts or misaligning with the contacts. These bulbs will not receive consistent power, and this may lead to burning out. It is also important to check that the bulb has enough solder at the contact base.

Wrong Bulb Type

One of the most common causes of burnt out light bulbs is the use of wrong types. Using a 120 watt light bulb in a 60-watt lamp will create excess heat and could even cause a fire. It is imperative that you use the correct bulb for your lamp’s wattage. Other bulbs are burnt out by constant switching on and off. To prevent this, use LED lights for applications like motion sensor lights, rather than compact fluorescent lights whose electrodes diminish due to the constant on/off switch.

Contact Brunelli Electrician

Whatever the cause may be for your burnt out light bulb, one fact remains. Electric faults are dangerous to the unskilled person, and you do not want to be that person. It doesn’t help if you go poking around with a screwdriver and trying to find out what caused the burnout.  You are safer, and better placed to receive a lasting solution if you reach out to experts such as Brunelli Electrician. Armed with many years of experience and the best equipment, we will offer you the best solutions for your light bulb problems. Contact us today!