In every home there is a circuit breaker that is designed to prevent electrical injuries and fires, as a safety feature, though few realize their function. Designed to detect and stop excess current in its tracks, this mysterious device is electrically powered. The breakers will trip when they are overloaded or short circuit, which causes the circuit breaker to cut off the current to the problem line until the issue can be addressed safely. With that in mind, we at Sentry Electric would like to continue to share the fundamentals of the circuit breaker.

How Does a Circuit Breaker Work

In every home, the service panel contains a series of lever-operated circuit breakers that control and protect the circuits coursing through the structure. With the different size breakers in the box that are predetermined amperage loads, and each of the breakers are designed to shut off, or trip, during an electrical issue. The home and people inside are protected from electrical injuries and fires as the breaker trips once it has reached the limit, at which point the circuit opens to prevent the flow current to that specific electrical line or circuit.

What Causes a Circuit Breaker to Trip?

1) Ground fault: Typically, in areas with high moisture, such as kitchen or bathroom, but with GFCI are required by current electrical code for your protection.
2) Overloaded circuit: Extreme Christmas light display or dueling blow dryers can cause overload.
3) Short circuit: The short circuit is due typically to a wiring issue with an appliance for example due to the excess current being pulled.

Power Went Out; What to Do

Often found in the utility closet, basement, garage, hallway, or storage room, the circuit breakers are in a breaker box. If you are having a problem finding it, look for the electric meter outside the house, for safety and distribution, they are generally close. Should you lose power to an outlet or circuit breaker, first check to see of the circuit breaker was tripped. Once you know where the breaker box is, resetting the breaker is simple. The blocky switches mounted sideways have toggles, which should stand out when you open the door. As the toggles point towards the center, meaning they are on, and pointing outwards indicates the breaker is off, when the switch is in the middle, that is the breaker that was tripped. In order to reset the breaker, you have to flip the switch to the off position before resetting it to the on position. It will not reset if you do not switch it off first. If the breaker trips again right away, flip it off and call an electrician immediately.

Breaker Keeps Tripping; How to Fix

Understanding why the circuit breaker trips repeatedly is important. In rare instances, the breaker itself may be damaged. But generally, it could be cause an appliance is malfunctioning or the circuit breaker is overloaded with too many devices. In the event the circuit breaker trips continually, you see signs of sparks or fire, you smell a burning odor, or the breaker is charred, immediately shut it off and call an electrician. If you are unsure or doubt how to operate the circuit breaker, don’t and call the professional.

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No matter if your need repairs for your circuit breaker or feel you need an upgrade, call Sentry Electric and let our trained and experienced electricians assist you.

Have you ever experienced sparks coming from your outlets when you plug in an appliance, vacuum cleaner, or electronic device? If so, this could signal a problem that needs attention. While occasional, random sparking could be harmless, if you notice a certain outlet in your home omitting sparks frequently, don’t ignore it! Stop using it immediately and call Sentry Electrical to come out and give a proper diagnosis of what is causing the sparking. Sparking precedes fire, the more you use that outlet, the more likely it is for a fire to start. Almost 40% of all residential fires each year are caused by electrical mishaps that could have been prevented. Between 2010 and 2014, fire departments in the U.S. responded to an average of 45,000 home structural fires caused by electrical malfunction. Accidents like these have caused more than 1.4 billion dollars in property damages and claimed the lives of more than 400 civilians. Finding a small problem and fixing it before it gets out of hand can save lives.

Why Does My Electrical Outlet Spark when Unplugging or I Plug Something In

Plugging in a Device While it is Turned On: One way of preventing sparks from happening is to ensure anytime you plug something in, the power switch is in the “off” position. The power switch on your appliances has the job of opening and closing the circuit located in the device, when the switch is “on” it allows the electricity to be transferred from the electrical outlet to the device. When you plug in any device while the power switch is on, you are making an immediate connection between the outlet and device which could cause sparking to occur.
Weathered Electrical Outlets: Outlets get their fair share of use in the household. After years of continued use and plugs being inserted then removed from the outlets many, many times, it is normal for electrical connections to become worn down. The metal contacts come loose and present more “slack” in the connection which can cause sparking to occur. Have you ever plugged something in to an outlet and noticed it wasn’t as tight of a fit as it used to be? Time will do that to an outlet, this is a good sign that it is time to upgrade to newer GFCI wall outlets. GFCI outlets provide additional protection from electrical short circuits by cutting off power to the outlet when electrical surges occur, greatly reducing the risk of fire from occurring.
Moisture Buildup: Electricity and water do not mix! Water coming into contact with electricity of any kind is extremely dangerous. The most common places we find water damage to outlets are outside, but water damage to electrical outlets can also occur inside the home due to a water leak or in bathrooms where moisture has built up on the wall outlets. Water coming in contact with outlets can cause sparking too. For more than 20 years, GFCI outlets have been mandatory for all 15A, 20A, and 125V receptacles in bathrooms located inside homes.
Short Circuiting: When this happens, electrical charges begin flowing along a different path than it was intended to, which causes wire insulation to break down or melt. When this happens, wires can become exposed and makes way for overheating to occur which can cause fires or even explosions.

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Sentry Electrical offers electrical inspections and can trouble shoot your electrical system to find out where the source of the sparking is originating from. If you notice an outlet in your home sparking more often than it should, call Sentry Electrical as soon as possible to schedule your inspection today!

When you own a home most people know that there are things that you will constantly need to work on and upgrade. The home is a place that you want to live in and you want to be comfortable. That is why knowing what to look for and signs that something needs your attention is a good idea. One of the areas of your home that will need to be taken care of and upgraded is the electrical system. The system is made up of lots of different components. They include the wiring through the entire house, the outlets, the switches, the fixtures and much more. The other part of the system that acts as a main frame is the circuit board or electrical panel. There are some signs that you need to be aware of that mean your board is not working properly and you need to consider an upgrade.

Sentry Electric Lists Signs Your Electrical Panel is in Need of an Upgrade

Flickering Lights Electrical Problem: If you are sitting in your house and you notice that a light here and there are not staying with the same level of light then there might be a problem. The lights should have enough electricity going to it to stay lit without flickering. The light usually can stay lit when there is not a surge but when the electricity is being sent out to another outlet or appliance like your air conditioner the lights may start to flicker. If you notice that there is flickering at any time you want to make sure that the circuit panel is looked out and inspected. This often means that the panel needs to be upgraded and replaced.
Hot Outlet Or Switch: There is another sign that you need to look into when it comes to a problem with your circuit panel. The outlets and the switches should be able to run and send electricity to them without overheating the are. There should not be an area of the house that has a hot spot and you want to make sure that you address a hot spot as soon as possible. It can mean that there is a problem behind the wall in that area with the wiring but it can also be a problem with the circuit that is sending currents to that outlet. This is a problem that needs to be addressed and repaired because it can end up becoming a fire hazard.
Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping: The other sign happens to be if you are stuck with a breaker that is being tripped regularly. They are not supposed to trip unless there is a surge that might damage that circuit. If you notice that you are resetting the circuit often then it could be a sign that the panel is out of date and it needs to be upgraded. Be sure to have an electrician out to inspect for the problem and offer services to correct the problem.

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As a versatile means to provide both ambient and task lighting, recessed lighting as a versatile approach and can be implemented in nearly any area of your home. Commonly mounted in the ceiling and capable of being mounted in the wall, instead of being mounted on the surface, recessed lighting is also known as pot lighting and can lighting. Whether you are looking for aesthetics or function, recessed lighting does both. We at Sentry Electric would like to elaborate on recessed lighting if you are considering it for your Fairfield County, Connecticut home.

Draw a House Lighting Plan

A qualified professional is needed to plan and install the recessed lighting. We can help you decide on the right fixtures because of the technical aspects and compatibility with your home. Having the professional design your light plan is the first step. When it comes to recessed lighting you can incorporate layers of lighting that include ambient, task, accent, and decorative options to optimize the results. Part of the plan is ensuring you have enough lights in the area you want the recessed lighting as well as the layering and the correct bulbs, along with selecting the fixture and trim. With the help of the professional, you plan the lights accordingly to bring the right amount of illumination balanced with a beautiful display.

Types of Recessed Lighting Bulbs

Incandescent, fluorescent and LED (Light Emitting Diode) are the three types of lighting, based on the lamp, or light bulb, you can use to brighten your home. The housing and trim are the two main components of recessed lighting. The housing may be limited to the technical factors. But the trim is generally based on your taste.

New Construction VS Remodel Recessed Lighting Guide

A remodel or new construction is first element to determine the housing for your recessed lighting. The different circumstances dictate the accessible space for light placement. With a new construction, you have more allowable space, giving you more options with the bulkier selections. A remodel limits the space, so smaller housing is typically required. Another technicality is if the housing needs IC or Non-IC rated components. An IC (insulation contact) rating is given to a fixture that can come in direct contact with thermal insulation. The Non-IC (non-insulation contact) rating indicates the fixture that can’t come in direct contact with thermal insulation; forcing them to be installed at least 3” from any insulation. Finally, a technicality for the housing is if you want the recessed lighting to have line or low voltage. A standard residential 120 volt current is all that is needed to operate line voltage, which is why it is typically recommended. A special transformer to reduce the voltage along with special modern-dimmers if you want the dimming feature is needed for low voltage because it uses a 12 volt current; it is more energy efficient however. This option is recommended for those that want to see a high contrast or want accent or task lighting for their recessed lighting.

Recessed Lighting Trim Rings

The trim is chosen mostly for style as it is the visible part of the lighting. Multiple sizes are available for trim, ranging between 1″ and 6″ in diameter. The larger the trim the broader amount of light is produced, the smaller trims are inconspicuous and are often the more popular option. There are styles of trim that also influence the choice. Popular for commercial use, high ceilings, and kitchens are the reflector trims. They maximize the light produced with a smooth interior. TO allow for a floating bulb to direct the light to target areas, adjustable trims are used in general lighting, accent lighting, task lighting, and wall washing. To reduce glare baffle trims are optimal and they can be black or white. Dining rooms, living rooms, dens and bedrooms are typically seen with baffle trim. The trending option is the decorative trim since it provides a more aesthetically pleasing. For applications in bathrooms, above showers, and in closets, the lensed trims are best because they protect the bulb from moisture or direct water contact.

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When you are looking around your house at the outlets that you have you will notice that there is almost one on every wall. The outlets are placed in rooms at specific levels to accommodate the general needs of that room. The outlets in most of the rooms are typically about 12 inches from the ground level. The outlets are set so that you can use them to get electrical current to your phone, computer, lamps and televisions to name a few. You want to make sure that you use the outlets the way they are recommended which means not overloading them and only plugging in plugs and cords that are not damaged. You may not really notice any difference in the outlets but there are several types of outlets that could be installed or upgraded to in your house.

Sentry Electric List Electrical Outlets that May Be Installed in Your House

GFCI: This is the outlet that you will find in your home already. The purpose of this type of outlet is to add a level of security if there is water introduced in the circuit. The GFCI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter and will prevent a running shock if water is near the area. You can walk around the house and check areas that may be prone to water such as the bathrooms, kitchen and outside outlets as well. You will know that you have these outlets because they are outfitted with a button that will pop up if the circuit is interrupted. You will notice that the outlet no longer works unless you reset the button.
20A: The outlets that are in your home have a rating for amps. The amps that the outlet is able to cover and produce will be what the name of the outlet is. In this case the outlet is named a 20A because it has the capacity to cover appliances that need to pull more amps than a standard outlet. You will be able to locate these types of outlets in your garage where often the outlet us used on larger equipment. You can also find them in your laundry room and kitchen to accommodate the appliances that are usually running. You want to make sure that you have your outlet checked if you plan to use an item that is not standard like a generator to ensure that is has the ability to send that much power out.
USB: You may notice that over time everything upgrades to fit the needs of daily life. The same goes for the outlets that you have access to in your house. If you go into just about any house you are sure to see cords that are in outlets to charge phones and tablets. These are all being transferred from a USB to an electrical outlet. The great thing is that you can use the USB port to charge your smart device too which outlets can give you now. There are outlets that not only have a plug but also USB ports you can plug right into.

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