Monthly Archives: April 2018

What Causes My Light Bulbs to Be Burning Out Quickly All Over My Greenwich, CT House?

Replacing light bulbs constantly is irritating. Incandescent light bulbs should have a lifespan of 1,000-3,000 hours. However, there may be times that you are replacing them much more often. This could be a sign that there is a problem somewhere. Sentry Electric is here to talk about some of the reasons that your bulbs may be burning out so fast and what you can do to avoid the problem.

Bulbs that Aren’t Properly Connected to the Fixtures

When you are twisting your light bulb into place, you should avoid twisting it in too far. Screwing it in too tightly will drastically shorten its lifespan. You should also check the fixture for any damage that could cause a connection problem. Sometimes, when you use cheaper bulbs, they have little to no solder. This will cause a problem every single time. You should definitely invest in quality bulbs to avoid these problems.

Vibration Will Cause Light Bulbs to Burn Out Prematurely

The delicate filament inside an incandescent light bulb should be carefully handled. If the fixture that your lightbulb is in vibrates too much, you could experience premature burnouts. The most common fixture that causes this problem is the ceiling fan. The jarring that happens when the fan is in motion can cause light bulbs to burn out. Choosing long life light bulbs or a rough service light bulb, can help you avoid this problem even when the fixture moves.

High Temperatures Damage Light Bulbs

Anytime your bulb is exposed to excessive heat, it can cause a bulb to burn out. This can happen even if you are using the right wattage. Make sure you have the right sized bulb for the fixture in your home or business to avoid this problem. If you have a fixture that isn’t getting the right amount of ventilation it could also cause too much heat. This can be caused by a fixture that needs to be cleaned as well.

High Voltage in Your Home Burn Out Light Bulbs Quickly

If you have lightbulbs that are burning out every couple of months, this could be caused by too much electricity entering into your home. If your home is overpowered, you will find yourself burning through the light bulbs. If you think this could be the case, you can have your home tested by a professional to see if this is the problem.

Poorly Installed Electrical Wiring or Fixtures

When the wiring in your home or the light fixture isn’t installed properly, it can result in fluctuating current flowing through the bulb. This can end up burning out the light bulb prematurely. This problem should be ruled out by a certified electrician to avoid injury from electric shock.

Electrical Inspections & More in Greenwich, New Canaan, Darien, Norwalk, Westport, Southbury, Stamford, CT & Fairfield County, Connecticut

If you seem to be noticing that your bulbs aren’t lasting as long as they should, you could be experiencing any one of the problems listed above. The team of certified electricians at Sentry Electric can help you figure out what is causing frequently burnt out bulbs and make any necessary adjustments and repairs. Call us today!

Typical Home Electricity Consumption & How to Stop Vampire Power in Fairfield County, CT

In modern homes, most are filled with a plethora of electronic gadgets, appliances, equipment, and other devices the continually suck up energy. With many homes built under code, the outlets placement is no farther from a corner than 6 feet and no more than 12 feet between outlets on long walls as a minimum. With the electronic devices and toys continuing to multiply, it can be difficult to find enough outlets to keep up with our power supply needs. We at Sentry Electric would like to further expound on the different electrical demand needs we seem to need in daily life.

How to Stop Vampire Power

Since so many electronic devices are remote controlled, they are nearly always on to allow the remote operation. These gadgets continue to draw anywhere from ¼-1/3 of their power usage even when turned off. You can only completely kill the power to these devices by unplugging them. Over a year’s time, this can save you a considerable amount of power.

Examples of Home Electrical Equipment

However, it is important that the electronics designed with night lights, clocks and security features remain active. With a little strategy and planning, you can have the electronics plugged into to a power bar that is completely turned off with a switch and the devices you need to run continually in another area. Home theater and entertainment systems that are fully loaded with projectors, amps, large screen TVs and the ability to attach pads, computers and game decks require special wiring. Kitchens could use additional outlets to power kitchen tools, appliances, and provide under cabinet lighting. Many homes opt to incorporate various devices for security purposes that include lights, cameras, and alarms; all of which need power and low voltage wiring to operate. For double duplex outlets additional circuits will be required as a maximum of 10 receptacles can be handled on the typical 20 amp circuit.

Avoid Long Term or Permanent Extension Cord Use

Additional issues arise when the outlet isn’t convenient; we tent to utilize extension cords. These extension cords are likely to be subjected to abuse, leading to wear and tear. Not only can be people trip over cords, but the devices can also be damaged in the process and so can the outlets.

Adding Electrical Outlets

When it comes to providing your home with adequate power, you will likely want to install additional electrical panels and outlets to supply your home with power demands your home requires. Existing outlets that are loose pose a safety hazard and can be annoying as the plug slips out easily, those can be easily replaced.

Electrical Inspections, Repairs & More in Greenwich, New Canaan, Darien, Norwalk, Westport, Southbury, Stamford, CT & Fairfield County, Connecticut

No matter what upgrades your home needs to accommodate the power needs Sentry Electric is readily available. Our electricians have been expertly trained, accrued years of experience, and utilize quality products, tools, and equipment, apply proper safety protocols and procedures to ensure quality electrical services. Call Sentry Electric today to discuss the options of upgrading the electrical needs of your home. We can consult with you on the optimal solutions that will better suit your home and meet your needs.

Why Would an Electrical Outlet Feel Warm in Stamford, CT? Is it Normal to Be Hot to Touch?

When you walk into a room and need to charge your phone it is likely that you will find an outlet on just about any wall. Electricity is a way of life and it is used in our homes as a way to increase our comfort. There are outlets that you can plug devices in, light fixtures, speakers and more that we use to enjoy our home. The electrical system should be able to handle what you would use on a regular basis in your home. With that said there are some parameters that you need to stay within when using the outlets. One problem that people tend to have is that the outlet that they are using gets warm or even hot! This is not a good sign and usually means there is a problem that needs to be addressed. The outlet should be wired in a way that protects it from heating up and that is why you want to stop using the outlet right away and do what you can do to find the reason this is happening.

Sentry Electric Has Explains Why an Electrical Outlet Might Feel Warm

Are You Overloading Your Electrical Outlets?: The first thing you need to look at is if the outlet is warm after you have been using it. You should be able to safely plug something into the outlet without having the outlet get warm so if it is you need to start with what you are using it for. Look at what you are plugging into the space and determine if the appliance or cord is pulling too much wattage. The outlet is set up to be able to run a certain amount of voltage and when you are using it for more than the recommended amount it can start to heat up. The best way to reduce the use of that outlet is to avoid adding a power strip to that area and limit what is plugged in at one time. To check if the outlet is heating from being overused is to unplug everything from the outlet and check if it is hot after about an hour. If it has cooled down then you need to be cautious about over using the outlet.
Is the Outlet Cracked or Broken?: If you notice the outlet you are concerned about is not even being used and it is hot it can be the actual outlet. If the casing around the outlet, the outlet itself or any of the wiring has damage it can be the cause of the heat. It is important to have an electrician check for areas that may be damaged because the outlet does have electrical current that is running to it. This can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing.
How to Fix a Hot Electrical Outlet: Now that you have found the outlet that is heating up you need to have it looked at right away. The outlet can be a fire hazard and it is best to avoid using it until it has been inspected. The electrician may come out and replace the outlet or even replace some of the wiring that was used in the circuit.

Electrical Inspections, Repairs & More in Greenwich, New Canaan, Darien, Norwalk, Westport, Southbury, Stamford, CT & Fairfield County, Connecticut

Sentry Electric offers electrical inspections and other electrical needs to keep your home safe. Call us to meet with a technician today.

What Causes Electrical Emergency Power Outages, Cuts, Failures & Blackouts in Southbury, CT?

Just a little under two centuries ago, the discovery of electricity changed human life forever. With the development of electricity, we have become, in our current modern society, completely dependent on power. When we lose power to our homes, we lose our light, heating or cooling abilities, along with spoiling of refrigerated food, as well as the rest of our modern conveniences. Complete power failure can be caused by several different reasons. Sentry Electric will share some of the common causes of power loss to help determine if the power loss is singular or is affecting an entire area.

What Causes a Power Cut at Home?

Thunderstorms & Other Weather Cause Power Outages – A number of power loss situations are due to weather conditions. Weather can affect a single home as well as an entire region. Weather conditions that involve rain, snow, hail, ice, flooding, lightning, wind and even dust storms have an affect on electricity. Moisture exposure can lead to short circuits and power failures. Wind can damage electrical power lines, while lightning strikes can send a surge of power and blowout electrical systems. Dust that accumulates on switch boards and transformers can also cause short circuiting and power loss. Weather can cause physical damages to the home’s electrical system as well as pubic power lines. Major natural disasters from hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes, and other similar disasters can also cause power loss. Connecticut’s worst disaster threat comes from hurricanes. To protect your direct power systems, it’s recommended that you seal your circuit boxes.
Car Accidents Cause Blackouts – Some outages are caused by automobile accidents. Construction mishaps are another cause of power outages. Power poles and lines can get damaged unintentionally which will cut power flow. Sudden outages are often due to accident related scenarios. When power loss occurs without warning or explanation, call your local power company. They will able to notify you as to the cause.
Short Circuiting Causes Power Failure – Short circuiting is when an electric current flows down the wrong or designated path. When the electricity flows down the wrong path, it can cause damages, fires, and even small scale explosions. Short circuiting will damage the electrical wiring which cuts the power flow into some parts of the home or even the entire home. Short circuits are one of the leading causes of structural fires throughout the world. Short circuiting can occur when the wiring insulation breaks down, or when the wiring comes in contact with water or liquids. Another cause of short circuiting is the result from an abnormal build up of electrical currents within the electrical wiring system.
Determining Power loss versus Short Circuiting – When you have complete power loss it could be due to short circuiting. In this case, you may need to reset your home circuits. When you go to investigate the cause of power loss, first go to your circuit box and reset all of the switches inside the panel. If you just short cycled and the power is still running into your home, the circuit box outside will still be making a humming sound or the digital gauge will be on. If there is no power going to your circuit box or panel then the fault is an outside problem and has nothing to do with your home electrical system. If you have no power going into your home, contact the power company to determine the cause and alert them as to the situation. If they say the power current to your home is still active, then contact an electrician.

Electrical Inspections & More in Greenwich, New Canaan, Darien, Norwalk, Westport, Southbury, Stamford, CT & Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Sentry Electric provides emergency electrical repair along with electrical installation and maintenance. If you lost power to your home and need help determining the cause, contact Sentry Electric today.