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Category: Local Electrician

electrician performing home inspection in home with old electrical wiring

Signs of an Overloaded Circuit 

24Apr
by Rob Edwards  
0

Overloaded circuits occur when the power demand outweighs the supply from your electrical panel. While circuitry and technology are evolving, circuit overloads happen regularly in the modern home. Let’s explore the signs of an overloaded circuit and explain a little more about why overloads occur and what you can do to prevent them.

What Are Common Signs of an Overloaded Circuit?

By recognizing the signs of a potential circuit overload, you can prevent further damage and significantly reduce upcoming repair bills. 

Signs of an overloaded circuit include:

Losing Power Regularly

One of the most common signs of an overloaded circuit is the breaker tripping and shutting off power to the home. This power loss occurs when you exceed the rated load for the circuit and the breaker cuts off the supply to prevent the wiring from overheating and causing a fire.

Buzzing Noises from the Outlet or Breaker

A buzzing outlet signifies an urgent electrical issue requiring expert analysis by an electrician. The circuit has likely overloaded, and the breaker hasn’t tripped, potentially causing a fire.

Lack of Power in Electrical Appliances

When you’re experiencing a circuit overload, you may also find electrical appliances and power tools lack the power they need to run effectively. You could struggle to use power tools during home DIY projects or discover your oven no longer reaches the optimal temperature.

Flickering Lights

Lights flicker in your home when they don’t get an adequate electrical supply. Continual issues with flickering lights are associated with a panel that doesn’t have the supply to meet the power demand throughout the home. Lights dimming and flickering can also give you a sign as to the cause of your power supply issue. For example, if the kitchen lights dim when you turn on a toaster oven, that’s an indicator that the lights and toaster oven are on the same circuit, and it’s close to an overload. The visual element of the flickering lights sometimes makes them the most obvious first sign of an overload.

What Can I Do to Avoid an Overloaded Circuit?

Proactively updating your home electrical components can help you avoid continual overloads in the future. Below are several steps you can begin to take to prevent circuit overloads and ensure a consistent electrical supply to the home.

Inspect Your Wiring

Walk through the home and inspect your wiring to check for frayed wires and loose electrical outlets. Fraying wires occur in homes with repeated circuit overloads as the wiring is subject to high heat and electricity, which damages the insulation. Replace any fraying wiring as soon as possible to minimize the potential damage associated with overloads. 

Don’t Overuse Outlets

Spread appliances, particularly high-demand appliances, around the electrical outlets in the home. Never plug two high-draw devices into the same outlet, as this can cause an overloaded circuit, even in homes with modern circuitry. Large appliances such as ovens, dishwashers, and air conditioners should have their own separate outlets.

Upgrade Appliances

Older, less-efficient appliances place a heavy demand on your electrical circuit. One way to avoid overload is to upgrade larger equipment to Energy Star-qualified alternatives to minimize power consumption. Installing energy-efficient refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, and air conditioners can limit the amount of electricity your home requires.

Upgrade Your Panel Capacity 

While upgrading your appliances might help limit the demand on your circuit, you may add more electrical products to your home in the coming years. Perhaps you’re considering an electric car or planning to upgrade a basement? Your local electricians can upgrade your electrical panel to meet modern performance standards, immediately preventing overloads and offering the potential to add more equipment to your home over the years ahead.

Talk to an Electrician to Prevent Overloads and Improve Performance

Custom Electrical Services’ electricians have decades of experience responding to electrical panel overloads. We offer 24/7 responses to potential electrical panel emergencies and can respond in minutes when you need urgent electrical services. From inspection and analysis to expert repairs and upgrades, we’re the trusted Iowa leader for electrical projects. Contact our team today to speak with a local electrician. 

power lines down in residential area generators for emergency and backup use installed by Custom Electrical Services Iowa

Our Des Moines Electricians Explain How to Prevent Power Surges 

03Feb
by Rob Edwards  
0

Power surges can interrupt the supply of electricity to your home and present a significant safety risk. Understanding how power surges happen and how to prevent them can protect your home and electrical devices and ensure your family continual, safe access to power. This post explores power surges, their causes, and the proactive measures you can take to prevent surges in your property.

Watch for These Power Surge Signs

Recognizing the signs of a recent power surge or that a power surge is imminent can help you determine your response. 

 

Tripped circuit breakers

 

Tripped circuit breakers and the loss of power to an appliance is usually the first sign you’ll notice. 

 

Flickering lights

 

Flickering or dimming lights indicate intermittent power to the lighting source and potential damage to connected wiring.

 

Burning odor

 

In severe surges, the jolt of electricity burns through wiring and damages devices. If you notice the smell of burnt plastic or see scorch marks around an outlet, it’s a clear indicator of a power surge. 

 

Buzzing noise

 

When circuitry is overloaded and experiencing a high power load, you’ll hear a slight buzzing sound from that area of the home. Schedule a service call immediately with a local electrician if you notice buzzing noises from the circuit breaker or an outlet. This could represent a fire risk and you’ll need to get the all clear from a licensed electrical contractor before deciding how to proceed. 

 

What are the Main Causes of Power Surges?

A power surge can occur with little warning. However, there is clear research showing the most common causes of power surges in homes across the country. These causes include:

 

Faulty Wiring

 

The wiring in your home must be organized and designed to distribute the electrical load efficiently. Wiring that has insulation damage or is otherwise exposed to the elements cannot provide electrical resistance or load control. This is a common issue in homes with aluminum wiring, where connections degrade and loosen over time, allowing for power surges. 

 

Wiring that has been previously damaged and weakened is also susceptible to power surges and so if you’ve had a previous wiring issue in the home, ask your local electrician for a comprehensive inspection to ensure your wiring is safe and performs optimally.

 

Electrical Overloads

 

Electrical overloads occur when one appliance draws a large amount of power in a short amount of time. The electricity each appliance draws adds to the load on the circuit, and when the load exceeds the rating for the circuit a power surge can occur. 

 

Circuits without a breaker can overheat during an overload, melting the wire and potentially leading to an electrical fire. Overloads are more common in homes relying on extension cords to plug in multiple appliances to one outlet.

 

Lightning Storms

 

In rare cases, lightning storms may cause a power surge that spikes the electrical voltage going to your home’s circuitry. Lighting can access the circuitry through a cable line or satellite dish, potentially damaging any appliances plugged into your home’s wiring at the time of the strike.

 

What Can I Do to Prevent Power Surges?

While you cannot predict when an storm might cause an electrical surge, there are proactive steps you can take to ensure your home and appliances are protected from a swift voltage increase. Below are a few measures our Iowa electricians recommend for power surge prevention:

 

Use appliance grade surge protectors

 

Surge protectors should be installed on all large appliances in the home. Install specifically designed surge protectors at the outlets of your home refrigerator, washer, dryer and air conditioner to help protect your most important home equipment from potential power failure after a surge. 

 

Consider whole-home surge protection

 

Whole home surge protection is a great option if you’re comparing the cost and logistics of installing multiple surge protectors around the home. Whole home surge protection is also well-suited to homes in which your expensive electrical equipment such as HVAC units are hard-wired in. Whole home surge protectors can often protect equipment that would otherwise cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace.

 

Book a home electrical inspection

 

While proactive measures such as surge protector installation can help secure your property’s appliance, there is still an inherent risk within homes with older or damaged electrical wiring and panels. Your local electrician can review your circuitry and test voltage levels within your home. They can also evaluate how much demand is being placed on your system from the various appliances in the property. 

 

After the inspection they then make recommendations for panel upgrades and wiring changes to improve both the safety and electrical efficiency of your system.

 

Book Electrical Analysis with Custom Electrical Services

Our team at Custom Electrical Services is here to guide you in preventing power surges throughout the home. Book an electrical inspection with our Des Moines electricians to analyze the safety and performance of your home equipment. 

commercial electrical services of warehouse lighting in Iowa

How Commercial Electrical Services Differ From Residential

22Jun
by Cynthia  
0

We are residential electrical wiring experts but also provide commercial electrical services. Electricians in Iowa are able to work on electrical systems in both residential and commercial buildings but will often specialize in one or the other. Here are some of the key areas where commercial and residential electrical services are different and one area, they are the same.

Type of Building

Residential electricians will work in homes or apartment buildings and commercial electricians work in places like stores, warehouses, malls, or office buildings. The size of the property can be quite large for some commercial properties. Energy requirements will differ depending on the size of the building, age, what the electrical needs are, and other factors. A bucket truck or aerial services may be needed for warehouses, specialty lighting, or parking lot lighting so the electrician is able to safely work where needed. 

Voltage Requirements and Wiring

A commercial or industrial building will often require more electricity. This means they may need higher voltage. A home will most often have 120V-240V and a commercial space will use 120V-480V. With the higher voltage, electricians will use a three-wire approach to distribute the electricity and lighten the load for an individual wire. With lower voltage requirements in homes, this isn’t required. 

Residential wiring is enclosed in plastic sheathing to protect from electrocution. Wires in homes are typically hidden behind walls preventing children or pets from playing or interfering with the wires. In commercial or industrial spaces, wires may be exposed giving the electrician easier access to perform electrical repairs. 

Standards, Compliances, and Regulations

Both commercial and residential electricians have regulations and standards they must follow. These include electrical equipment and personal safety standards. 

Commercial buildings may require more durable materials that can withstand heat corrosion and chemical exposure along with high usage. Commercial buildings are also required to have backup power in the case of an emergency. Homes are not required to have an emergency power source, but some may choose to have a generator installed for these situations. 

Electrical Project Size

Commercial electrical projects are often larger and more complex than residential projects. They can take much longer to complete and, in some cases, there could be multiple electricians working on the project or specific areas. Often residential electrical projects are quicker to complete as they are smaller in scope. 

How Often You Need Electrical Services

Electrical demands in a commercial building are usually higher than in a home and will, therefore, require more servicing. 

Safety is Key for Both Residential and Commercial Electrical Services

A key component for all electrical work is safety and security. Whether it is providing commercial electrical services or residential services, an electrician wants to make sure the structure is safe for the people that live or work there.

Electricians are also able to look at energy efficiency to help lower energy costs for any type of property. Installation and upgrades to your electrical system can result in energy savings. 

All electricians in Iowa must be licensed. There are rigorous training and education programs to ensure the safety of the individuals providing electrical services and to the structures they perform electrical work on. 

Do you Need Residential or Commercial Electrical Services?

In most cases, you will know what type of electrician you need. If you aren’t sure, we can help. Perhaps you are running a business from home that needs more electricity than you are currently wired for or you have a business in a residential building or your home is a large estate with complex wiring systems. 

Just let us know what you need and we’ll be able to send an electrician to help. Contact us today to book an appointment for residential or commercial electrical services. You can also give us a call at 515-669-3418 for Central Iowa or 319-313-3313 for Eastern Iowa. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

electricians in central and eastern iowa

Who We Are And What We Do

19May
by Cynthia  
0

Since 2005, Custom Electrical Services has been helping homes and businesses with electrical projects in Central and Eastern Iowa. We take tremendous pride in the quality work we deliver to our clients. Standing behind that work with a warranty. With some of the best electricians in the business, we can figure out any electrical problem you’re having. Find out more about who we are below. 

Electrical Services

Trained electricians perform any electrical work in your residence or commercial building. There is no project too small or too large for our team to handle. One of our specialties is older home rewiring but we do new home wiring too. Breaker box replacement, hot tub wiring, whole house surge protection, GFCI installation, and landscape lighting are just some of the wiring projects we’ve done. Since we know electrical emergencies happen, we have team members available 24/7 if you have an electrical emergency. 

As Iowa’s Generac and Kohler authorized dealers, we have access to the full line of Generac and Kohler standby generators. We can sell and install the perfect generator to meet the demand of power needed for your application. From partial power backup options to fully powering your entire home or business let us help you choose the right generator today. Our generator installations include the first year’s maintenance at no additional charge!

Our equipment includes bucket trucks and aerial services for warehouse or parking lot lighting. 

We also have technicians trained to install electric car chargers at your home or business. We are factory authorized to install Tesla charging stations as well as BMW. In addition, we install chargers for the Chevy Volt, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford C-Max Energi, and Toyota Prius as well as other makes and models. 

Where we Work

You can find us throughout Central and Eastern Iowa. We have offices in Cedar Rapids and Clive Iowa. More specifically we work in these Counties: Polk County, Dallas County, Linn County, Johnson County, Black Hawk County, Jones County, Madison County, Webster County, Iowa County, Warren County, Marshall County, Benton County, Story County, Clinton County, Boone County, Cedar County, Jasper County, Dubuque County, Clarke County, and Marion County.

About Our Electricians

We want our clients to feel confident in our abilities and safe in their homes. To accomplish this, we go beyond the training required by the state of Iowa. We stay up to date on the latest best practices in the industry and always up to code. Staff receive training every week on a variety of topics. 

Every electrician is background-checked and drug-tested for the peace of mind of our clients. On top of training for electrical work, our staff are also trained in customer service. We want each of our clients to know we appreciate that they’ve chosen us for their electrical needs. 

What Clients Say

We take pride in the reviews and testimonials from our clients. Here are some of the recent reviews we’ve received on the work of our electricians.

From Bill B:

I have been using Custom Electric for about 5 years and they never disappoint. Taylor was right on time and took care of the switch replacement. He answered a question I had about outlet replacement and so I had him also replace an old two prong outlet. In the past three months I have also had Rogan and Morgan out for other items in the past two months and all projects were completed quickly and professionally.

From Matt N:

Custom Electrical is great to work with. They are professional, on-time, provide great communication, and do a great job. I highly recommend them, and want to thank Technician Eric Fierro for fixing the electrical issues at our house.

From Jeremiah B:

Custom Electrical Services did a nice job fixing a breaker for me. Their electrician, Alex Reicks, was available much sooner than I had expected. He was very professional and nice, quickly finished the job and used quality parts. No complaints.

From Kevin C:

We could not be happier with the quality work and professional demeanor of Mike and Alex, who installed can lighting and some switches in our living room. They offered friendly and helpful insights, worked with little disruption and checked periodically to ensure the work met our approval. They also spent some time to talk about a possible (and much larger) future job and how to get the best result and save the most money. This company employs some real all-stars!

You can read more reviews on our Google profile.

Giving Back to the Local Iowa Community

As proud members of the Iowa community, we believe in giving back. In some cases, we are able to fundraise to donate money and in other cases, we donate our services. We are also very active in working with young adults to educate them on working in the electrical industry. You can find out more about the work we do in the community here. 

Contact Us for Electrical Services in Iowa

For on-time, fully-trained and experienced electricians, contact us for your next residential or commercial electrical project. We work with professional contractors too. Remember, we stand behind the work we do. 

It’s easy to book an appointment online or give us a call at 515-669-3418 for Central Iowa or 319-313-3313 for Eastern Iowa. 

Our electricians in Eastern Iowa

What Kind Of Iowa Electrician Do You Need?

26Apr
by Cynthia  
0

When you need electrical work done, you know you need an Iowa electrician. Electrical work can be dangerous, so it is important to be properly trained and licensed to do any kind of work involving electricity.

Different electricians can specialize in different areas. For most homeowners, a journeyman or residential electrician is what they will require. Read on to learn more about different electricians. 

Certification Levels of Iowa Electricians

Licensing of electricians in Iowa is done through the Department of Public Safety’s Electrical Licensing and Inspection Program. You always want a licensed electrician performing work on your home. It’s also a good idea to make sure the company working in your home is insured and bonded.

There are several levels electricians go through. In most cases, electrical work in homes is performed by a journeyman electrician, sometimes with a helper or apprentice electrician. 

Apprentice Electrician

All Iowa electricians begin as an apprentice. Through an apprenticeship program or a vocational electrician program at a community college (such as the Cedar Rapids Electrical Apprenticeship Training and Educational Trust or ABC of Iowa in Grimes, IA or the Des Moines Electrical Apprenticeship in Clive, IA), students learn through a mix of classroom instruction and work experience. After completing required hours, students will find an electrician or commercial electrical business to apprentice under. Apprentices must register to become licensed before beginning their work experience.

Journeyman Electrician

After fulfilling apprenticeship requirements and completing the apprenticeship program, individuals can then take a test to become a journeyman electrician. Exams are through the Iowa Electrical Examining Board, electricians that pass the test and requirements will receive their license. Journeyman electricians are able to work without supervision as they have shown a competency to complete electrical work. To maintain their license, journeymen electricians need to renew their license every three years and take continuing education courses. 

Residential Electrician

Residential electricians perform residential installations and are qualified to do electrical work where there are no more than four living units within the same building. Similar to an apprentice, there are education requirements along with work experience hours that must be met to become a residential electrician. Once requirements are met, candidates will need to pass an exam to become licensed. 

Master Electrician

A master electrician is the highest level of certification for electricians. A journeyman can apply for a master electrician license after one year of working and will then need to pass an exam.

Upon completing the requirements, a master electrician can then become licensed as an independent electrical contractor. Master electricians also work on complex commercial and industrial projects and train journeyman electricians to do the same. Most homeowners will not require a master electrician. 

Categories of Electricians

There are two broad categories of electricians. Outside linepeople, or outside electricians, are also called electrical workers and they work on electric utility transmission and distribution systems at higher voltages to ensure the electricity produced at power plants move to substations. 

Inside wirepeople, or inside electricians, mainly work in buildings and structures on low-level voltage electricity. They will install, maintain, repair, and fix electrical systems for commercial or residential buildings. This is, of course, the type of electricians that work in homes, apartments, residences, and other building types.

Specialization of Iowa Electricians

Some electricians may work in niche industries or different fields of electrical work. Some of the most common are:

Residential Electricians

These electricians work in homes, apartments, and condos. They will be able to work on everything from circuit breaker panels to car charger installations and the installation or repair of the home’s electrical system. Essentially, anything involving electricity in your home they will be able to address.

Commercial Electricians

This type of electrician will work mainly in office buildings or other commercial settings. Responsible for installing and maintaining the electrical systems in commercial buildings. If you’ve worked in any type of business setting, this is typically the electrician that would be called for electrical work. 

Industrial Electrician

Working in factories, processing plants, mines, or manufacturing facilities to install and maintain electrical systems. They may work on manufacturing processes or large complex machinery. 

Contact Us for an Iowa Electrician

If you’re looking for an electrician for your home, we have licensed journeymen electricians that have the experience for any job you need done. Contact us at 515-669-3418 for Central Iowa or 319-313-3313 for Eastern Iowa, or use the form on the contact page. We’re happy to answer any questions you have about Iowa electricians. 

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Custom Electrical Services provides residential and commercial electrician's services for the Des Moines area. We do new installations and wiring, service & repair calls as well as 24/7 emergency service.
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altoona electrician  

1975 NW 92nd Ct, Ste 15
Clive, IA 50325

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altoona electrician  

1975 NW 92nd Ct, Ste 15
Clive, IA 50325

Central Iowa 515-669-3418
Eastern Iowa 319-313-3313

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