Hire an Electrician in Trumbull, CT for Pool Heater Installation

There are plenty of instructions online about turning an electric pool heater installation into a do-it-yourself project. But while this may appear to be a simple way to save money on heating your pool this spring, you are better off hiring an electrician in Trumbull, CT for this work. New England Electrical Contracting, Inc. is a specialist in marine wiring, including pool heaters. Here what you gain by hiring us rather than attempting a pool heater installation yourself:

  • Getting the right size: It is not uncommon for people to purchase the least expensive pool heater they find, only to discover it is not powerful enough to keep their pool warm. There are many factors to consider in the size of heater, including pool size, shape and whether you use a solar cover when it is not in use. Our electricians consider all these factors when installing pool heaters so you secure the power you need to avoid a cold swim.
  • Save time: Installing a pool heater can be hit or miss. You may make the attempt and be successful the first time, but there is also a good chance that you will make multiple attempts and troubleshoot problems only to keep redoing the same mistakes. When you hire us, we will get it right the first time. While we are busy installing your heater, you can accomplish other tasks and merely have to wait until your pool is ready!
  • Safety: Anytime you mix electric systems with water, there is danger involved. One misstep can turn your pool from an oasis of relaxation to a hazardous condition. Since we are trained in marine wiring, we understand how to avoid dangers and assure good lighting and heat for every pool. You will also relax knowing for certain your heater is not only functional, but also safe for everyone who uses your pool. There is no fear that the need for a swim will turn into a shocking experience!
  • Work guarantee: When a professional installs pool amenities, there is a work guarantee and consumer protection with each job. While we will likely get it right the first time, we will make it right if a mistake leaves you with cold water. Also, if anything goes wrong and shorts out your pool or landscape lighting, we can make those repairs as well, and usually at no cost to you. When you make mistakes, it often means bringing in a professional anyway, so you might as well have us involved from the beginning.
  • Finish other projects, too: You may not just want a pool heater. There may be plans for marine lighting or even a large sound system. If this is the case with you, we can perform those projects as well and save you money by performing all the installations in one visit. Once we are done, you will enjoy the perfect environment for those summer pool parties!

If you need an electrician in Trumbull, CT with experience installing pool heaters and other marine wiring, call New England Electrical Contracting, Inc. today. We also install lighting, multimedia and filtration for pools.

Ask a Licensed Electrician in Trumbull, CT About Whole Home Surge Protection

There are a lot of things that can happen during a lightning storm, including your electricity going out for an extended period of time. Think about how much residential homes and commercial buildings rely on power. Large appliances like freezers, refrigerators, computers, televisions, lighting and even Wi-Fi devices all run on electricity. So if you experience a major lightning storm and your home or business is struck, all your electronic units are at risk. This is why it’s important to install the right surge protector: one that protects against lightning.

Here are a few things your licensed electrician in Trumbull, CT wants you to know about whole house surge protection—especially if you live in an area where lightning strikes are a real threat.

Protect your home and electronics

When lightning is a threat to power, be it minor or major, you risk having some or all of your electronics being damaged. This is where a whole house surge protector device comes in handy. It is typically installed in an easily accessible spot, but connected to your home’s main electrical box. These devices are capable of defending against most power surges brought on by tripped circuit breakers, power company malfunctions, nearby lightning strikes and more. Here are some tips to protect your home against lightning storm damage:

  • If your local weather person predicts an impending lightning storm, or you notice the signs of one approaching, turn off any electronics you do not absolutely need to be using. This includes the TV, radio, lighting and computers.
  • Should you experience an outage, turn off or unplug any electronic devices not plugged into a surge protector. Doing this can help to avoid a power overload when the outage is over.
  • Private water well owners should switch off the main power to the well pump during a severe storm to avoid lightning damage. A damaged well pump will leave you without water until a repair company can come out and fix it.
  • Surge protectors are your best chance at preventing a total power outage. Of course, you can use several around your house to plug multiple electronics into. Or, to protect everything from your smaller electronics to large appliances and the HVAC system, consider installing a whole house surge protector.
  • Whether your power is prone to getting knocked out during a lightning storm or due to other regularly occurring events, you may want to have a standby generator on hand.

Since your power can be out for anywhere from a few seconds to many days, depending on where the lightning strikes and how strong the event is, it would be wise for you to consider installing whole house surge protection. This can save your electronics from complete destruction and your electrical system from frying. It’s worth getting for your safety and peace of mind.

If you are interested in learning more about installing equipment to protect your home or business against lightning, don’t hesitate to contact the team at New England Electrical Contracting, Inc. Speak to a licensed electrician in Trumbull, CT about surge protection from lightning today!

An Electrician in Trumbull, CT Offers Tips for Standby Generator Maintenance

Some areas are more prone to power outages than others, and we’re not talking about little outages that last a couple minutes to a few hours before electricity is restored. It’s the outages that are caused by violent storms, bad weather and lightning strikes that are the worst. These natural elements can mean severe electrical outages, often leaving residents and business owners without power for days at a time. This is a major inconvenience, but if you are no stranger to power outages, then you are likely familiar with backup generators—and keeping them in good condition so they work when you need them to.

With that in mind, let’s check out some tips for regular and annual standby generator maintenance from an electrician in Trumbull, CT:

  • Perform visual checks: Keeping the unit and components clean can help to avoid issues with your backup generator. A simple wipe-down is a good way to remove light dirt and dust from grills, but you should also look for and clear away debris—like leaves, other plant parts and grass—from both the inside and outside of the generator. Clogs from debris buildup hinder proper operation, especially when exterior exhaust and intake vents are clogged.
  • Install in an ideal location: Smaller portable generators are best stored indoors, where there’s not much chance for moisture formation or temperature fluctuation. For built-in outdoor standby generators, make sure they’re installed away from water sources, protected from wet or humid weather conditions. Don’t keep them near sprinkler heads or rain gutter downspouts, as water is likely to reach the unit. For your generator to remain reliable, check all major components for rust and corrosion often, and get damage fixed immediately.
  • Replace spark plugs and the air filter: While it’s recommended that you pull the spark plugs after one year, air filter replacement depends on use and the environment where you live. Even with minimal use, spark plugs can get dirty, and may even corrode inside your standby generator. When you pull them to install a new set, you will notice them covered in a dark layer of corrosion. As for the air filter, it allows fresh air to pass through, but it can’t do this if it’s dirty and clogged. How often you change the filter depends on the surrounding air quality. Typically, filters should be changed anywhere from twice a year to once every two years.
  • Check and change the oil regularly: Since your standby generator is motorized, you will first need to check the oil level, then refill or change the oil as necessary. A good suggestion from the pros is to keep an extra bottle of oil on hand for times of extended power outages, because if the unit is lacking oil, it will shut down to preserve the engine.

While you should be performing regular maintenance on your home generator, there may be some important annual maintenance that requires the skills of a professional electrician in Trumbull, CT. When yearly standby generator service is needed, know you can call on the experts at New England Electrical Contracting, Inc. Contact us today with questions or concerns.

What Does It Take to Become a Licensed Electrician in Trumbull, CT?

You wouldn’t let someone without any medical knowledge perform surgery on you, or try to let someone who hasn’t been to law school represent you in court. So why would you hire an untrained person to perform electrical work at your house or business? Electrical work can be very dangerous and is best left to certified professionals with years of formal training. At New England Electrical Contracting, Inc., we only hire the best licensed electricians. Here’s everything you need to know about becoming a licensed electrician in Trumbull, CT, as well as a closer look at what we can do for you.

Licensed electrician formal training

Once someone has a high school diploma or equivalency, he has the option enroll in electrical training school, or skip schooling and go directly into an apprenticeship. Training school is optional, but an apprenticeship is required. Most apprenticeships last three to five years. During that time, potential electricians learn the trade in real time. Apprentices learn the technical side of the job (like repairs and installations), as well as the business side of the job (like providing estimates). After the apprenticeship is over, potential electricians must take—and most importantly, pass—several certification exams. With this much training, you can rest assured that a licensed electrician will be able to handle anything that comes his way.

What services do our licensed electricians offer?

We have multiple electricians on staff, and each specializes in a variety of aspects of the electrical business. Here are just a few of the services we offer our clients:

  • Electrical system upgrades: Many of the appliances in our homes have greatly advanced over the past few decades. However, the electrical wiring and components of many older homes across the country haven’t advanced with the appliances. Older wiring and other components like outlets and breakers can be a fire hazard and an electrocution risk. A licensed electrician in Trumbull, CT can walk through your home and let you know if any parts of your electrical system need to be updated in any way.
  • Code violation corrections: It’s bad news if your home or business is inspected and doesn’t pass the electrical code. You could end up paying heavy fines or even have to vacate the building until everything is brought up to code. Fortunately, our electricians can fix that situation for you! We’ll get everything fixed up to ensure it’ll pass electrical inspection next time.
  • Ceiling fan installation and repair: If you don’t want to spend a lot on your air conditioning next summer, ceiling fans are the way to go. They keep rooms cool without using much energy at all. If your fan breaks or you need a new one installed, give us a call!
  • Surveillance camera installation: The most cost-efficient way to keep your home or business secure is by installing surveillance cameras around the property. A licensed electrician in Trumbull, CT is able to install cameras for you to ensure your peace of mind.

Give the friendly team at New England Electrical Contracting, Inc. a call today to learn about all of our services!

Five Places to Consider Surveillance Camera Installation in Trumbull, CT

Business owners need to know what’s going on at their property 24/7. But you can’t always be there, and hiring a security guard service can be expensive. Even if you do have a security guard, and something bad happens at your company, the perpetrator is gone for good if the guard doesn’t catch him quickly.

However, if you have surveillance camera installation in Trumbull, CT at your business, there’s a sliver of hope that you’ll be able to track down the perp. One security camera won’t do the job, though. There are at least five areas on your property that should be monitored 24/7 by surveillance cameras:

  • Parking lots: We live in a world where it’s not all that uncommon for people to be mugged or attacked in parking lots. If someone is mugged in your business’ parking lot, it’s not only bad for the victim; it’s also negative PR for your company. With one or more surveillance cameras installed in your parking lot, you’re more likely to be able to identify anyone who committed a crime outside of your business.
  • Entrances and exits: As a business owner, you probably want to know who’s on your property at all times. If something goes wrong inside your store or office, you need to be able to assess who the possible suspects might be. One of the best ways to do that is with surveillance camera installation in Trumbull, CT at all possible entrances and exits to your building.
  • Areas with money or other valuables: Above all, your business exists to make money. If you store that money in a vault or safe, you run the risk of having it stolen by a criminal. Two things could happen if you have a security camera installed and watching the safe. First, a potential robber may get scared off if he notices the camera, so you’d completely avoid the robbery situation in the first place. Second, if the criminal does happen to rob you, there’s a higher probability of identifying and catching the perp if they’ve been caught on camera.
  • Lobby or check-in area: It’s terrific if you have surveillance cameras pointed at the entries and exits. But after people enter your building you want to be sure they’ve signed in at the front desk and are not doing anything suspicious. Having an unauthorized stranger wandering around your building can be a big problem.
  • Common areas: Trouble can start quickly in crowded common areas like in your office building. Unsavory characters who may have eluded your security guards could target places with heavy foot traffic, like a courtyard or cafeteria, and may try to pickpocket or even attack your employees. If something like that were to happen, wouldn’t you want a security camera installed to identify the perpetrator if he got away?

Don’t shell out thousands of dollars to a hire security company. Call New England Electrical Contracting, Inc. today to find out how surveillance camera installation in Trumbull, CT can help keep your business as safe as possible.