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Guides

Electrical Guides for Homeowners

These guides answer the questions West Valley homeowners ask us most: older panels, breakers that trip, outlets that stop working, aluminum wiring, surge protection and EV chargers. Each one explains what is going on in plain words, what you can safely check yourself, and when it is time to call a licensed electrician.

(602) 999-2770

Federal Pacific Panels: Should You Replace Yours?

Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Stab-Lok panels were common in American homes for decades. Testing found that many of their breakers did not meet the…

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Zinsco Panels: What Sun City Homeowners Should Know

Zinsco panels, also sold under the Sylvania and GTE-Sylvania names, were installed in many homes in the 1960s and 1970s. Their known problems are…

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Signs You Need a Panel Upgrade

The main signs you need a panel upgrade are breakers that trip often, a panel that feels warm, buzzes or smells hot, no space left for new breakers,…

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The Sun City Home Electrical Guide

Many Sun City homes were built in the 1960s and 1970s, and Sun City West homes from 1978 on. Homes from those years may still have the original…

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Aluminum Wiring: Risks and Fixes

Aluminum branch wiring was used in some homes built from about 1965 to 1973. The CPSC found that homes wired with it are far more likely to have…

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Why Does My Breaker Keep Tripping?

A breaker keeps tripping because it is doing its job: something on the circuit is drawing too much power or current is going where it should not. The…

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Outlet Not Working: What to Check

When an outlet stops working, the cause is usually a tripped GFCI outlet somewhere else on the circuit, a tripped breaker, a wall switch that…

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GFCI Outlet Not Working

A GFCI outlet that is not working has usually tripped and needs a firm press on RESET. If it will not reset, check the breaker, since a GFCI cannot…

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When to Call an Electrician, and When It Can Wait

Call 911 for smoke, fire or a person who has been shocked. Call an electrician right away for a burning smell, a hot outlet or panel, sparks, or…

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Is a Whole-Home Surge Protector Worth It in Arizona?

For many Arizona homes, yes. A whole-home surge protector mounts at the electrical panel and limits voltage spikes before they reach your appliances,…

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Does My Panel Need an Upgrade for an EV Charger?

Not always. Whether your panel can handle a Level 2 EV charger depends on its size, how much power your home already uses, whether there is space for…

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100 Amp to 200 Amp Upgrade: What It Means for Your Home

A 100 amp to 200 amp upgrade raises the amount of power your home can draw from the utility at one time. Many older West Valley homes were built with…

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Panel Upgrade vs Panel Replacement: What Is the Difference?

A panel replacement swaps an old or failing panel for a new one at the same service size. A panel upgrade increases the service size so the home can…

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What Happens During a Panel Upgrade

A panel upgrade follows a set order: a phone call, a visit and load calculation, a written price, a permit, the work itself, a city or county…

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What Affects the Cost of a Panel Upgrade

No two panel upgrades cost the same, because no two homes are wired the same. The price depends on the service size, whether the meter base and…

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Why Are My Lights Flickering?

Lights flicker for simple reasons, such as a loose bulb or an LED on the wrong dimmer, and for serious ones, such as a loose connection in a switch,…

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AFCI Breakers Explained

An arc fault circuit interrupter, or AFCI, is a breaker or outlet that watches for arcing, a dangerous spark in damaged or loose wiring that can…

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Monsoon Season Electrical Safety

Arizona’s monsoon season runs from June 15 through September 30, according to the National Weather Service. Storms bring lightning, strong winds,…

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Level 2 EV Chargers: A Homeowner’s Guide

A Level 2 charger runs on 240 volts and charges an electric vehicle much faster than a standard 120 volt outlet. It needs a dedicated circuit from…

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What Affects EV Charger Installation Cost

The cost to install a home EV charger depends on your panel’s capacity, how far the charger is from the panel, the wall and ceiling the wire must…

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Golf Cart Charging Outlets: What Your Garage Needs

Most electric golf cart chargers plug into a standard 120 volt outlet, but they draw steady power for long stretches. On a shared garage circuit,…

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Aging-in-Place Electrical Upgrades

Good lighting is one of the simplest ways to make a home safer for staying in it longer. The CDC’s home fall prevention checklist recommends lights…

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Hot Tub Wiring Requirements

A hot tub combines water and electricity, so the wiring has to be done carefully. Most need a dedicated circuit, GFCI protection, a nearby…

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What a Home Electrical Inspection Covers

A home electrical inspection is a check of your electrical system by a licensed electrician. It looks at the service and panel, grounding, wiring,…

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Landscape Lighting for Desert Yards

Landscape lighting makes a desert yard safer to walk at night and pleasant to sit in after sunset. Arizona sun, heat, gravel and hard ground are…

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Recessed Lighting: What to Know Before You Install

Recessed lights sit up in the ceiling and give a clean, even light without fixtures hanging down. In West Valley homes they often go into ceilings…

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Where to Put Smoke Detectors

Smoke alarms only help if they are in the right places and working. Fire safety groups including NFPA, the U.S. Fire Administration and the CPSC…

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Tenant Improvement Electrical: What It Covers

A tenant improvement, or TI, is the build-out that turns a commercial space into a working office, shop, clinic or restaurant. Electrical work is a…

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Generator Interlock vs Transfer Switch

If you want a generator to power your home during an outage, it has to be connected in a way that keeps its power off the utility lines. A manual…

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