Many people purchase a generator for their home or commercial business because they want the peace of mind in case the electricity suddenly goes out. However, a lot of people forget that generators need to be maintained regularly, just like other mechanical equipment and cars.
Routine generator maintenance should normally be conducted by a licensed electrician in Trumbull, CT, but you can also check it out yourself on occasion to make sure everything is in working order. Remembering to do this maintenance once or twice a year will ensure your generator lasts a long time and will run efficiently and reliably when you need it the most.
Parts of generator maintenance
Generators need the standard service and tune-ups that other mechanical equipment does, including checking the oil, filters, spark plugs and battery. Additionally, the licensed electrician you hire in Trumbull, CT to service your generator should tighten your generator’s valves and check the voltage, hertz and RPM outputs as well as the gas pressure. All of these things will contribute to the properly functionality of your generator and can help reduce potential breakdowns.
Maintenance should be performed on your generator at least once every year, but should be done closer to every six months if you run it a lot. Some of the benefits of servicing your generator include:
Ensures reliability: Regular generator maintenance ensures that your generator will be available to do its job and provide reliable electricity to your home or business whenever you need it. If you fail to check the generator for a few years, you run the risk of it not turning on in the event of a power outage, potentially leaving you stuck without power for hours.
Mitigates need for repairs: Not doing maintenance on your generator can lead to problems with the fuel system, like algae buildup and clogged fuel injectors, as well as dead batteries and other issues. These problems can be costly to repair and can even ruin your generator if they’re left untreated for too long.
Extends lifespan: Because generators are larger investments, you’ll want your generator to run as long as possible before having to replace it. Proper generator maintenance can help you get the full possible lifespan out of your generator.
Increases efficiency: Maintaining your generator can help it run more efficiently, which can lower your utility costs and keep your generator running for longer.
Prevents carbon monoxide poisoning: In some instances, poorly maintained generators can accidentally release excess carbon monoxide into the air. If your generator is located too close to your home or building, you could be at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
If you own a generator and need a licensed electrician in Trumbull, CT to help you maintain it, give New England Electrical Contracting, Inc. a call! As an authorized Generac dealer, we are proud to offer sales, service and installation for residential and commercial generators. We even offer service contracts for your convenience!
For more than a decade, we’ve also offered customers a wide range of electrical services, including electrical upgrades, repair, installation and new construction wiring. Give us a call today to learn more!
Whether you own a home or business, there will likely be at least one time in your life when a sudden power outage or strong storm will knock out your building’s electricity. This can be a major problem for business owners who need to remain functional or else lose profits, and can also be a big headache for homeowners who may have to wait hours until their heat, electronics and kitchen appliances can run again.
To avoid these problems, many home and business owners choose to install a generator that can keep the power on during the toughest of electrical circumstances. As experts in electrical installation in Trumbull, CT, we usually recommend that our customers select a generator from one of the top industry brands: Generac.
Founded in 1959, Generac has provided power solutions for over 60 years. The company manufactures a wide variety of generators for portable, residential, commercial and industrial use and is considered the premier manufacturer of home backup generators in the market. Choosing a Generac generator as a homeowner or business owner is a smart decision because of the numerous benefits the company’s products offer:
Superior quality: Generac is one of the leading providers of top-quality generators across the nation. The company is vertically integrated, meaning all parts of production and testing are created and managed by Generac, ensuring the highest quality and standards. Generac focuses almost exclusively on generators, making them the experts in power solutions and innovation.
Long-lasting: Generac generators have OVHI engines, which are the only engines on the market designed specifically for extended generator use. This means that the engines in your generators will last three to four times longer than other engines on the market, providing superior reliability.
Variety of options: Generac offers a wide variety of options with their generators, including numerous sizes, portability and power levels. You can install a generator specifically to keep your kitchen or heating system powered, or select one that can power your entire home or business.
Customer service: Customer service and satisfaction are top priorities for Generac. The company provides extensive resources such as how-to manuals and guides online, as well as access to a 24/7 customer care center. Additionally, Generac authorizes a wide selection of qualified professionals to provide electrical installation in Trumbull, CT, so you can always find help in your area.
Focus on sustainability: One of Generac’s major focuses is on reducing the company’s environmental impact. All Generac generators meet EPA standards, and the manufacturing process helps to reduce the company’s carbon footprint through thoughtful material use and emissions production.
If you’re interested in purchasing a Generac generator for your home or business, call New England Electrical Contracting, Inc. Our company is an authorized Generac dealer and is proud to offer sales, service and electrical installation in Trumbull, CT for residential and commercial generators. For more than a decade, we’ve also offered customers a wide range of electrical services, including electrical upgrades, repair, installation, new construction wiring and more. Give us a call today!
When you design a room, it’s easy to overlook the lighting features. Many people focus on colors, flooring, dimensions, furnishings, and décor. These are all important aspects, but you can’t see any of them without the proper lighting! That’s why custom lighting from your local electrical contractor in Trumbull, CT is so important. The right lighting can provide multiple benefits.
Enhances Aesthetics
Have you ever been in a room with poor lighting? You probably didn’t find it attractive. Perfectly positioned lighting can transform a space. You can add dramatic illumination to artwork, set the mood with dimmers, or create bright, inviting spaces. The fixtures themselves, as well as their light, offer beauty and attraction. With today’s technology and the many options available to your electrical contractor in Trumbull, CT, the possibilities are nearly limitless. Lighting can be customized to perfectly suit your personal style and create the appearance you desire.
Enhances Functionality
With custom lighting, gone are the days of dark corners and poor visibility. You no longer have to strain to see the food you’re preparing in the dim kitchen or discover you grabbed the wrong color socks in your poorly lit bedroom. With proper positioning, you can ensure every square inch of your space is perfectly lit. This enhances the functionality of your space.
Target task lighting over work areas
Add closet lighting
Arrange lighting for the best movie viewing setup
Create the lighting you need for the space you want it to be.
Enhances Value
Custom lighting boosts the value of your property. Standard builder fixtures make a home feel run-of-the-mill. Fixtures are cost-effective for the installer, but lackluster for the one who has to live with them. With custom lighting, your surroundings become unique and desirable. Suddenly, your property has interesting and attractive features that increase the value of your home.
Enhances Resale
With increased value comes increased resale prospects. Your home will stand out above the rest. Buyers will take note that your space offers beautiful, customized lighting that makes rooms more appealing. Your home will show better, and your property will stand out among the many others on the market. Buyers are more likely to view it as memorable and worth the investment.
Enhances Enjoyment
If you’re not selling your home any time soon, custom lighting is worth the investment for your own enjoyment! Set up your lighting exactly how you’ve always wanted it to be. Create the space that is ideally suited for your needs. Contact an electrical contractor in Trumbull, CT to customize your lighting, then sit back and enjoy the illumination.
Get Illuminated
Are you ready to enhance your surroundings with custom lighting? Contact your local electrician in Trumbull, CT to get started. At New England Electrical Contracting, Inc., we offer experienced electricians who will listen to your needs and work hard to meet them. We provide in-depth industry expertise to create custom lighting that perfectly suits your space, your lifestyle, and your budget. Call us today for a brighter tomorrow!
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The National Electrical Code is in place to ensure the safe regulation of electrical systems across the country. In addition to national standards, some local municipalities have regulations that builders must follow. States, cities and counties often complete inspections to ensure these standards are met. Whether you are an electrician in Trumbull, CT, a general contractor or a consumer who will be hiring one of these professionals, it is essential to adhere to these regulations.
If your electrical systems fail to meet the standards, you will receive notice of a code violation. Most property owners view this as a hassle. They would prefer not to have to deal with these issues. However, it is helpful to note how these standards can benefit property owners and how important it is to correct the violations.
Resale Value
Are you putting your home on the market? Will you be doing so sometime in the future? Before your home sells, you will have to correct any code violations by hiring an electrician in Trumbull, CT. Most home sales involve a professional inspection, which will reveal code violations on your property. Most buyers will not purchase a home that is not brought up to code. Rather than scare off potential buyers, it’s good to go ahead and correct issues proactively.
Civil Regulations
To remain in compliance with national and local regulations, you must correct code violations. These may vary slightly by state or region, but their ultimate goal is the same. They are intended to maintain standards for health and safety. By setting certain standards, electrical codes help keep property values up and protect your property from negligent neighbors. You don’t want to live next to someone who is allowed to create fire hazards, right? As everyone in the area maintains the same standards, the entire neighborhood stays safe.
Personal Safety
If you have a code violation, and you don’t contact an electrician in Trumbull, CT to correct it, you are putting yourself and your loved ones at risk. The code was created for a reason. Systems that do not adhere to its standards are unsafe. A violation could cause a fire, a short or an explosion. From minor inconvenience to major disaster, the violation could greatly affect the safety of you and your family. Make repairs as soon as possible to avoid these scenarios.
Property Safety
In addition to protecting yourself and your family, correcting code violations protects your property. Your home or business is a significant investment. It’s also a significant part of your lifestyle. If it gets damaged due to electrical issues, you may suffer great property loss. If the violation is not corrected, it could result in total destruction of the property or condemnation by authorities.
Contact the Code Correctors
If you experience a code violation, don’t ignore it. Doing so can cost you in fines and hazardous conditions. To properly correct any violations, contact your local electrician in Trumbull, CT. The experts at New England Electrical Contracting, Inc. are ready to assist you with electrical issues big and small.
Cold Weather Preparation for Your Standby Generator
Have you ever gone out to the car on a frosty morning, turned the key, and it just barely turned over? A cold battery produces less power, and the colder it gets, the worse it gets. Along with less power from the battery, thickened oil makes it even harder for the engine to turn over. A car that doesn’t start is probably just an inconvenience, but a house without power in sub-freezing weather is a disaster.
Cold weather makes it harder for your standby generator to start, just as it does for your car. Don’t get caught in the cold; find out what cold-weather accessories are available for your standby home generator.
Safety First
Always disconnect the generator before performing maintenance to prevent unexpected starts. Follow the instructions in the owner’s manual to perform these basic steps:
Turn the generator circuit breaker to OFF
Move the system switch to the OFF position
Remove the control panel fuse
Disconnect the generator from utility power at the transfer switch
Preparing for Winter
Before the snow flies and the weather turns cold, perform any required maintenance. Your standby generator has specific maintenance periods, and power outages of any significant duration will quickly eat into the required time between servicing. Taking care of maintenance now will minimize the need to perform maintenance in cold weather.
Maintenance kits from New England Electrical Contracting have the parts necessary to service your generator before cold weather sets in. Cold weather might require you to use a different viscosity oil. Check your owner’s manual or maintenance kit instructions for the correct oil viscosity to use in the temperatures your region normally encounters.
Home generator maintenance usually includes changing spark plugs, oil and oil filter, and the air filter. Some kits include oil, while others require you to purchase it separately. Cold weather accessories are available as kits or as separate components, including battery warmers and oil warmers.
Battery Warmers
Generac Cold Weather Kit for Air Cooled 8 – 20kW Standby Generators
Battery warmers install underneath a battery and keep it warm when the temperature drops, ensuring plenty of power when it’s time to exercise the generator. If your battery is nearing the end of its life, the installation of a battery warmer is the perfect time to install a new battery as well.
Some warmers fit underneath the battery and are shaped as a pad the battery sits on, requiring removal of the battery for installation. Other types act as a blanket that wraps around the battery. Install a warmer that was made for your generator make and model, and your generator will have the starting power it needs in cold weather.
Oil Warmers
Cold Weather Kit for 16kW and 20kW By Briggs and Stratton
Keeping the oil warm helps the generator’s engine start and also helps prevent engine damage during the first few moments of a cold-weather start. The warmer oil provides more lubrication, which reduces wear. Installation of a warmer requires draining the oil, so adding it during regular maintenance saves money and time.
Follow the maintenance instructions for changing the oil and the oil filter. While the oil drain plug is removed, install the oil warmer. It fits into the oil reservoir and threads onto the oil drain. Make the electrical connections, add new oil, and installation is complete.
Cold Weather Kits
Kohler Carb Heater for 8.5RES, 12RES, 14RES/RESA, and 14RESL/RESAL
These kits contain a combination of accessories designed to help your generator start in cold weather. Some cold weather kits include oil warmers and battery warmers, while others add additional accessories to keep frost from building up on air intakes or on the alternator. New England Electrical has the components you need to keep your generator operating in below-freezing weather.
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