Everything that you need to know about generator maintenance is here. Generators are essential for houses and businesses that are without access to the power grid. You can use them for when the power fails out or even in rural areas that don’t have access to the grid. So, this, in addition to many other features and benefits, makes generators a great investment for any individual or business looking to save money on their energy bills.

However, generators can also be dangerous if not properly maintained and operated. Find out if you have serviced and maintained your generator as it deserves below.

Importance of Routine Maintenance on Your Generator

Everything that you need to know about generator maintenance is needed. Regular maintenance goes a long way and is a must if you want your generator to last and give you the most bang for your buck. Whether you are using a generator for camping or a backup during a power outage, it is important to keep it in top condition. Your generator can quickly fail and cause more problems than it solves if not properly maintained.

More insights: Things You Must Know About Generators During a Power Outage

Here are some reasons why regular maintenance of your generator is essential:

Preventive Maintenance helps to avoid costly repairs

Proper preventive maintenance ensures your generator will run reliably for as long as possible without breaking down unexpectedly. You’ll also avoid dealing with unexpected repair bills because your generator was improperly maintained.

Regular Maintenance Improves Fuel Efficiency and Performance

Regular maintenance ensures the engine operates at peak performance levels. This reduces the amount of fuel consumed per hour, saving you money on fuel costs over time. It also ensures your unit runs smoothly, so you won’t experience any unexpected shutdowns or other problems when you need it most – like during an emergency or natural disaster.

Generator Maintenance Prolongs Its Lifespan

One of the biggest benefits of regular generator maintenance is that it will prolong its lifespan, saving you both time and money in the long run. When you invest in routine maintenance, you don’t have to worry about spending money on repairs or replacements as often because the machine will be in better shape overall. 

Maintenance Prevents Carbon Monoxide Generation and Poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the leading causes of death in America, so it’s important to keep your generator clean and free of carbon buildup, as you can be poisoned by breathing in too much carbon monoxide over time. In addition, if you use a portable generator in an enclosed space such as a garage or shed without proper ventilation, CO levels will build up quickly. A faulty spark plug, leaky fuel line, or cracked muffler could all cause dangerous levels of CO to build up inside your home even when your generator is running outside and away from the building it serves.

How to Service or Maintain a Generator

Your generator needs servicing on a regular basis to maintain its efficient output. Given the size of the investment in the generator, you will want to extend its useful life as much as possible. It’s best to have a professional company do the maintenance since you know they will do it correctly and safely. Despite this, you can handle some routine maintenance tasks on your own. These include:

Ensure Portable Generators are covered at all times when not in Use

If you live in an area where there is a lot of rainfall or snowfall, then it is important that you ensure that your portable generator is covered when not in use. By doing this, moisture entering the engine will be less likely to produce corrosion and rust. Covering a generator that has an oil tank on top of the engine will also prevent rainwater from getting into the tank and contaminating the oil inside of it.

Monitor the Generators Wattage Capacity

It is important to monitor the wattage capacity of your portable generator so that you do not overload it, as this will cause overheating and possibly damage your generator’s internal components.

Check For Leaks

Making sure there are no leaks in or around your generator or fuel tank is the first step in any maintenance program. If there are any leaks, they could cause serious problems with the engine, so they need to be fixed immediately.

Check Battery

If you have a portable generator with a battery backup system, you should check the battery each time you start the machine. This will ensure that it has enough power to run all of your critical electrical equipment during an outage. Also, check for corrosion on the terminals and ensure that there aren’t any loose wires or connections in the unit itself that may cause problems down the line.

 Take a look at: Why Are Hardwired Smoke Alarms Considered Over Battery-Operated Smoke Alarms?

Change oil regularly

You should also frequently change the oil as the manufacturer recommends in your owner’s manual. Keep an eye on how much oil comes out when you first start up (or after running for a while), so you can tell when it’s time to change it. Be sure not to overfill when adding new oil, as this could cause problems with starting up again later on if there is too much pressure inside the engine due to overfilling!

The above tips are only a few of the things you can do to maintain the efficiency of your generator. Other than that, an insured electrical service company should do all other maintenance responsibilities.

Conclusion

Everything that you need to know about generator maintenance is the efficiency needed. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to generator and engine maintenance because each engine has its own unique requirements. However, some fundamental best practices apply to all types of engines, regardless of what they’re designed to power. The tips we shared above will get you off to a good start, and hopefully, there is at least one that you can apply right away to improve your generator maintenance.

There are ways to reduce energy use, Energy use is one of the biggest household expenses, and energy-efficient appliances and devices can help reduce those costs. But, according to a Denver electrician, you can do many other things to reduce your energy use. Here are some of the best ways you can try today:

Install a programmable thermostat

Programmable thermostats can reduce heating and cooling costs by as much as 10 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). A programmable ElectriCall thermostat allows you to adjust your home’s temperature to a lower setting when you are away or asleep and then automatically raise it when you return home. You’ll save even more if you adjust the temperature while away from home by turning it up or down only 1 degree F at a time over several hours.

Use Energy Efficient Windows

Windows play a big part in heating and cooling your house — so make sure they’re as efficient as possible! Install new windows that are designed for insulation and airflow control (if installed with a Denver electrician, these will often come with warranties). If you own older windows that leak cold air during winter months and hot air during summer months, consider putting plastic shrink wrap around them for extra insulation during those seasons only.

Invest in Smart Power Strips

Smart ElectriCall power strips are a great way to cut back on energy consumption. A smart power strip allows you to turn off your appliances and electronics with the touch of a button to save energy while you’re away from home. Most of these strips have an energy-saving mode that will turn off the strip after a certain amount of time (for example, after 10 minutes). This is great because it helps reduce phantom loads – when an appliance or electronic device is still plugged in but turned off. Phantom loads account for 30% of residential electricity usage in the U.S., so reducing them can greatly impact your energy bills.

Reduce Hot Water Consumption

Reducing how much hot water you use isn’t just good for the environment; it also saves money on your water bill and reduces the strain on your HVAC system. There are many ways to reduce hot water consumption in your home: install low-flow shower heads, take shorter showers, set your dishwasher temperature lower and only run full loads of dishes (if possible). You can also reduce the amount of time your washing machine runs by keeping an eye on how full it gets before adding more clothes or turning off the washer when it is half full instead of waiting until it reaches capacity.

Unplug idle electronics

This is probably the easiest way to reduce your energy use. Our Denver electrician confirmed that it takes a few minutes every week to unplug your devices when they’re not in use. This includes TVs, computer monitors, printers and anything else with an electric cord attached. If you have any devices with a battery backup (such as a laptop computer), make sure to remove the battery when it’s not in use so it doesn’t continue to draw power from the outlet.

Service and Maintain your air conditioners

Although it may appear obvious, it is crucial to keep your air conditioning system in a good working order. This will help make sure that it’s running efficiently and not wasting any ElectriCall energy unnecessarily. It’s also important to look at your filters to ensure they’re not clogged up with dirt or dust – this can reduce the effectiveness of your unit by up to 40%.

Insulate the house and seal cracks and gaps

Aside from the obvious benefits of keeping your house warm in winter and cool in summer, insulating it also provides a number of other advantages. Insulating will help lower heating bills and improve comfort levels in the home. You’ll also find that if you insulate properly (with the help of a Denver electrician), you’ll notice less condensation on windows during cold weather – which is something that can be very annoying when cleaning!

Purchase a Smart Meter to Track Your Consumption

A smart meter is an electronic device that monitors your home’s ElectriCall power usage. It helps you keep track of how much different appliances or devices are using electricity or gas in your home and how much it costs you each month. This can help you identify areas where you might be wasting energy and allows you to make changes that are more efficient and cost-effective for you and the environment!

Use Natural Light if Possible

Turn off lights in rooms that aren’t being used. This includes lights in hallways, bathrooms and other rooms that don’t need light. You can also get ElectriCall motion sensor lights that turn on when someone enters the room and turn off when they leave. The best part about motion sensors is that they only come on when needed, so there’s no point in leaving them on all day long just because they’re there.

Replace Old Electronics

If you have old appliances or electronics that are still working but take up space and use electricity, consider replacing them with newer ElectriCall models that use less power. This will help lower your electric bill and make your home more efficient overall!

Conclusion

Having to spend hundreds of dollars on electricity bills can be a hassle and put a considerable dent in a person’s finances. It can be difficult to determine why additional charges are being incurred. So, knowing the best ways to reduce energy use enables one to lower the electrical costs incurred over time. As confirmed and shared by a trusted Denver electrician, the above examples can keep energy costs low and prevent an endless slump financially.

How safe are electricity sockets for kids? Electricity is an essential part of our everyday lives but can also be dangerous. Electric sockets are a common source of electrocution accidents, especially for children.

According to the National Safety Council, roughly 5 percent of all deaths due to electric shock occur in children under 5. And about half of these injuries are caused by home outlets and extension cords. Here are some actions you may do to safeguard your children from electrical danger in sockets:

Use protective covers on electrical cords and cables

These safety caps look like little plastic helmets that fit over the end of extension cords so that kids don’t put them in their mouths or chew on them; they also keep pets from chewing on them as well!

Related article: Extension Cord Safety

Invest in a Cord Shortener or Cover

A cord shortener or cover will keep the cord out of reach of your child’s hands and prevent them from pulling it out from the socket. This effective safety measure can be easily implemented at home with little effort and cost required. You can buy them at affordable rates at any hardware store or online stores like Amazon or eBay. Just find the right size for your socket and plug it in!

Invest in a baby safety outlet cover box

An outlet cover box is a great way to keep your child away from power sockets and cords as it completely covers them. It comes with a self-closing mechanism so that once you plug something into it, it automatically closes itself and keeps your child away from danger. You can easily find these online or at local stores such as Walmart or Target. 

Use Self-Closing Outlet Covers

Outlet covers are one of the most effective ways by which you can keep your kids away from electrical sockets. These covers prevent kids from sticking their fingers into the sockets and thus save them from getting electric shocks. You can easily buy these covers at any local store at an affordable price. You may pick the one that best complements your child’s room or play area because they are available in a variety of colors and designs.

One thing you should remember while choosing these covers is that they should be easy enough to open up when needed by using only one hand (e.g., in case of an emergency). 

Read more: Electrical Outlet Safety: 9 Tips

Get Plastic Outlet Covers

Plastic outlet covers are great as they protect children from getting shocked by accidentally touching the exposed outlet prongs. These plastic covers come in different shapes and sizes, so you can get one that fits in your existing electrical outlets. They are very easy to install as well and do not require any tools or expertise.

Install AFCI or GFCI outlets

These outlets protect against electric shock by sensing current leakage from an appliance or device before it reaches a dangerous level and shutting down power to the circuit when such leakage occurs. Experts also recommend these devices as they protect people even if they touch metal parts of an appliance while still plugged into an outlet. This often happens with kids who like playing with cords and plugs of appliances like vacuum cleaners or blenders.

Teach Your Kids about the Dangers of Electricity

How safe are electricity sockets for kids? If there’s one thing parents need to teach their children, it’s how dangerous electricity can be. Teach them about the dangers from an early age so they’ll know what to look out for when they’re older. For example, ensure your kids know not to play with wires or touch an outlet when wet or standing in water (including while bathing). Also, ensure they don’t stick anything into a socket or try to rewire anything themselves; this could result in an electric shock or even death if something goes wrong.

More insights: Electrical Safety Tips for Children

Key Operated Sockets

Key-operated sockets are a great way to keep children away from electricity. Unlike traditional plugs, these sockets require a key to be inserted before power flows through them. This prevents children from accidentally plugging something into these sockets and getting electrocuted. These sockets are also available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and patterns, so you may choose one that best matches your decor.

Use shatter protection outlets

These outlets will not work unless all three pins are inserted into the outlet. If you have one of these types of outlets already installed in your home, then you will need to buy a new electrical socket box as well as install them both together in order for it to work properly. A shattered outlet is also known as a tamper-proof outlet because it prevents children from tampering with the electrical outlet.

Use tamper-resistant receptacles

Receptacles are the plug slots in the wall outlet. They have an internal mechanism that prevents children from inserting foreign objects (like paper clips) into them. Tamper-resistant receptacles are easier to use because they don’t require pushing down hard on the plug to insert it into the socket. In addition, they have a cover over the prongs on top of the socket which makes them harder for kids to grab onto and pull out of the wall.

Cord Protectors

Cord protectors are another easy way to keep children safe around electrical outlets. A cord protector is a flexible plastic shield that covers the entire cord length, with openings at either end so you can still plug it into the outlet. The cord protector keeps your child from touching both ends of an extension cord at once, which could result in electrocution or an electrical burn if they accidentally touched both sides of the socket simultaneously. 

Conclusion

How safe are electricity sockets for kids? Despite all the benefits of technology and science, teaching kids about electrical safety is important. Just like adults, children are especially at risk of getting hurt or even killed by electricity. It is never too early to teach your little ones about electrical safety. So the next time you head out to pick up a new electrical toy or appliance for your home, remember that child-friendly power outlets in your house can prevent accidents. 

How to cut energy usage in commercial buildings? Cutting energy usage in commercial buildings is a challenge for many businesses. There are numerous reasons for this, including the fact that the buildings are typically large and often contain multiple tenants. Each tenant will have their own needs and requirements, making it difficult to manage the building.

The good news is that there are many ways to reduce this consumption, with little or no investment from building owners.

Here are some reliable tips to guide you:

Track Your Energy Usage

Tracking your current energy consumption should be the first step you take to reduce the roaring consumption. The easiest way to do this is by installing smart meters in each building room and monitoring it with an app or software. You’ll get precise information on your electricity usage and where it is used by tracking your consumption. It will also enable you to set up alerts when certain areas start consuming too much power, such as a room full of computers or air conditioning units that could have malfunctioned or need maintenance. In addition, by knowing how much electricity your business consumes and how much it costs, you can begin to identify areas where you can save money on your electric bill.

Focus on insulation

Insulation is one of the most important things you can do to reduce energy usage in commercial buildings. The more insulation you have in place, the more comfortable people will feel at work while lowering their utility bills. It also helps keep buildings cooler during summer months and warmer during winter months — which means less AC use and fewer space heaters needed!

Choose the right ventilation system

The ventilation system in your building can make a big difference in saving on energy consumption. That’s because this is one of the biggest things that affect indoor air quality and how comfortable people feel in their space. If you’re not careful about choosing the right kind of ventilation for your building, you could face problems like mold growth or moisture buildup on the walls and windows. This leads to higher costs for maintenance and repair — not to mention higher utility bills from having to run an HVAC unit longer than necessary just so that people feel comfortable in their space!

Use smart lighting systems

Smart lighting systems are another way to reduce your energy usage. These systems allow you to control the lights in specific building areas. So, if you’re leaving an area but don’t want the lights on, they’ll turn off automatically when they detect no movement for a certain amount of time. This saves both money and energy from being wasted on unnecessary light usage.

Incorporate Natural Light Wherever Possible

You can have a lot of natural light available during the day depending on where your business is located. However, not every firm has the luxury of utilizing enormous skylights or windows for their operations.If this is the case for you, consider installing track lighting above your workstations and desks to give employees some extra light during the day. Also, make sure that any desks that do not have windows are equipped with task lighting so employees can still see what they are doing when working in low-light areas.

Replace Old Electronics

The average lifespan of an appliance or electronic device is six years. If you have equipment that has been around longer than that, it should be replaced immediately. These older devices use more energy than newer models, and they are often less efficient.

Educate your employees on turning off electronics

You may not realize how much energy your employees use when they leave their computers turned on overnight or their phones plugged in all day. Educate them on the importance of turning off electronics when they are not being used so that they can reduce their overall energy usage.

Update your HVAC System

The most efficient HVAC units use a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system, which allows them to respond differently to different zones of your building. For example, if you have an empty office space during the day but are very busy at night, it makes sense to have the system run on low power during the day and ramp up its output at night when people are working. This means that you’re only using as much energy as necessary at any given time.

Invest in a Smart Building Technology

One of the most affordable methods to reduce energy expenses is through the use of smart building technology, which is also simple to retrofit into existing structures. You can find plenty of options on the market today that allow you to remotely monitor and control your building’s temperature, lighting levels, and more from anywhere in the world. These devices can also be programmed to automatically adjust their settings based on how many people are in each room at any given time of the day — which means more efficient energy use.

Consider switching your energy supplier

If you’re not happy with your current energy provider, it might be worth switching, especially if you’re paying more than $100 per month. Depending on where you live, multiple suppliers may offer competitive rates. So, you can compare prices online or by calling local suppliers directly.

Conclusion

How to cut energy usage in commercial buildings? Although commercial buildings come in a variety of sizes and designs, there are techniques to lower your building’s energy usage. If you’re thinking about purchasing new technology or equipment, ensure you consider the expense. You might also want to research how the renewable energy sector could help your business offset the cost of your new investments.

How to Avoid Electrical Mishaps

The electrical system in your home is an integral part of your life, but it can also be costly and dangerous. So, despite how important it is in our daily lives, electrical mishaps can be a very serious problem, especially if they are not caught in time. There are some simple things that you can do to prevent an electrical mishap from occurring. These include:

Use More Than One Outlet

If you only have one outlet in a room and it goes out, you’ll need to move all of your devices to another room. To avoid this problem, use two or three outlets throughout the house. You may even want to consider installing a power strip for smaller items that don’t need their own outlets. This way, if one item goes out, it won’t affect the others plugged into the strip.

Feel Your Outlets

If an outlet is warm or hot, you should replace it immediately. This means there’s too much heat coming off the wires inside it — which can lead to fire hazards — or that something has shorted out inside the outlet itself. Either way, it needs replacing before you get shocked or burn down your house!

Child-Proof Your Outlets

Children are curious creatures who love unravelling mysteries — including those involving electricity! So make sure that your child-proofing efforts include outlets. You should have them covered with outlet caps or place them out of reach behind furniture, so they don’t have access to them. If your child is still curious about outlets despite these precautions, consider installing an outlet cover plate with an LED light.

Investigate Flickering Lights

If lights in your home are flickering or dimming, it’s time to investigate. The first thing to do is check the circuit breaker panel to see if any breakers have been tripped. If all breakers are working properly, it may be time to call in an expert.

Install Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupters

Arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) can help prevent fires caused by arcing faults — when electricity jumps from wire to wire instead of flowing through a circuit correctly. AFCIs can detect these problems before they become serious and shut off power automatically to prevent damage to wiring or appliances and to keep people safe from electrocution. AFCIs should be installed in any outlet near water sources such as sinks, tubs and showers; around appliances such as washing machines and dryers; and anywhere else where moisture might get trapped inside electrical boxes.

Avoid overloaded or damaged extension cords

Always use extension cords with the appropriate gauge (thickness) of wire – never use an undersized cord for its intended purpose. Extension cords should not be run under rugs or furniture where they could be damaged by foot traffic or vacuum cleaners. If an extension cord is damaged in any way – melted or frayed insulation – throw it away immediately and replace it with a new one before using it again.

Replace old wiring

If you have old, damaged or worn-out wiring, it’s time to replace it. Old wiring can cause a fire and shock you. If the wiring is damaged, you might not even know about it until there is a problem. It’s important to have your home checked by a professional electrician every few years to ensure your wiring is safe and up to code. If they find any problems with your electrical system, they will repair or replace any faulty wiring as necessary.

Don’t Ignore Persistent Circuit Breaker Trips

If your circuit breaker trips more than once in a short period, there may be an issue with your wiring or other equipment. It’s always best to call an electrician if this happens so they can check out the problem and make any necessary repairs.

Leave Electrical Repairs to the Experts

Electrical repairs should be left to professional electricians unless you have experience with electrical work. If you aren’t sure what you are doing, it’s best to call in someone with the proper training and knowledge of electricity.

Be careful when drilling into walls

Drilling into a wall can cause damage that could expose wires and lead to a fire. Always use a stud finder before drilling into walls so that you don’t drill into an electrical wire or outlet. If there is no stud behind the drywall, don’t drill through it! Instead, consult an electrician about installing a new outlet box behind the drywall.

Don’t overload sockets

Remember that your home’s wiring was designed for a certain amount of current, and if you overload it by plugging in too many items, it could result in a fire or electrocution. If you have multiple appliances plugged into a single outlet, use an extension cord to give each device its own outlet.

Ensure your kids are aware of electrical hazards

Educating your children about the dangers of electricity is one of the simplest things you can do. Teach them how to identify and avoid certain safety hazards, such as frayed wires, overloaded outlets and water near electrical sockets. You should also teach them not to play around with cords or try to fix things themselves when they break or malfunction.

Conclusion

The tips offered here should give you a good starting point for avoiding electrical mishaps. Of course, if you follow these suggestions and find yourself experiencing problems, it is best to contact an electrician as soon as possible. They will be able to recognize the issue and recommend a suitable solution. Electrical safety is vital, so ensure you handle this process correctly and safely.