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How to get electrical work approved in shoreline washington

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July 27, 2019 at 7:56 am

How to get your electrical work approved in Shoreline (Washington)

How to get your electrical work approved?

Any form of electrical work carries some risk because so much responsibilities for the professionals.

Local governments regulate and strictly monitor any electrical work and projects because all electrical works requires comprehensive inspections.

These inspections ensure that a proposal as built conforms to the approved plans and minimum code requirements.

This is a must-know for you and all the electrician out there because at some point you will need electrical repairs.

In this post we will highlight the steps required to get your electrical work approved in Shoreline, WA. 

Fill Out the Application Packet

Installation, alteration, and renovations to electrical systems in Shoreline, needs an approval packet in order to obtain a permit.

Each packet contains different requirements depending on if you are working on a commercial or residential project. Another thing is if you are the owner of the property or a contractor. 

For residential electrical permit submittal packet, a Department of Labor and Industries Permit Application must fill-out. Moreover, submit it along with the appropriate fees per schedule on the application. 

If you are the property owner, you have to complete this permit application form and have project inspection because it is a requirement.

Schedule an Inspection

The city of Shoreline allows you to schedule your inspection online for your convenience. Shoreline offers three methods to schedule inspections (online, by phone or by QR code). 

WA State Dept of Labor & Industries conduct all electrical inspections for the City of Shoreline.

After the inspection, the inspector will notify the permit holder or agent of any corrections necessary for code compliance. Any portions that are not complete must be correct.  Re-inspections may be subject to a minimum hourly charge of $199. 

If you need help with any inspection or other electrical approval concerns, we can help. Reach out to Wire Craft Electric now for more information that you need.

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What our seattle electricians do

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July 15, 2019 at 7:42 am

What Our Seattle Electricians Do

Electricians do make the image as the superheroes of power because they help us keep the lights on! But what is that they specifically do?

Essentially, electricians install and maintain all electrical power systems. Electricians generally focus on installation or maintenance however at Wire Craft Electric, we happen to do both. 

There are four primary types of electricians:

  • Residential wire men
  • Inside wire men
  • Telecommunications electricians
  • Outside linemen. 

 

Our highly experienced and trained electricians cover a broad domain of electrical work. These are just some of the primary jobs they cover.

Troubleshooting 

Our electricians troubleshoot electrical issues and electric heat problems. You can count on Wire Craft to help troubleshoot nearly all home electrical issues.

Troubleshooting is an important service to outsource to the experts because it can present dangers to people who are untrained in electrical work. 

Repairs 

Repairs are one of our most common requests as electricians. Wire Craft’s highly trained electricians are often called to repair electrical systems such as faulty outlets, switches, circuits and circuit breakers.

It’s important to hire the experts instead of attempting to repair faulty or broken electrical systems. 

Installation

Electricians also can install new electrical systems in homes. At Wire Craft, our electricians are often called upon to install new electrical circuits, new lights, outlets and switches. 

Upgrading 

Electrical systems often require upgrading . It is important to upgrade systems for safety reasons and to make sure you are in compliance with current codes. Our electricians upgrade electrical panels, meters and systems. 

The engineer who conducts the site visit may determine if your electrical panel requires updating, for instance when installing solar panels.

This means that your new solar panels will require more amps and the ampere capacity of your electrical box will need to increase. This is something we can help you with. 

Rewiring 

Rewiring a house or rewiring faulty circuits is an important and potentially dangerous task. It’s important to rely on expert opinions.

Likewise, for any home over 50 years old, you will want an electrician to inspect the electrical systems. This is because you need to see if it requires rewiring.

This is something our electricians can assist with in addition to the initial service. 

Wire Craft Electricians Do Efficient Tasks for Best Results

In conclusion, if you need further help, you can Call Wire Craft today.

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June 6, 2019 at 9:27 am

How to install an electric tankless hot water heater

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Stylish switches and sockets

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October 26, 2018 at 3:56 pm

How To Make Your Switches and Sockets More Stylish

Who says electrical components such as sockets and switches can’t be chic and stylish? In this article, get to know some tips on how to beautify your home electrical system while still maintaining its efficiency and safety.

Tips For Fashionable Switches-Sockets

Most people fail to notice how light switches-sockets look, since they’re merely tools to activate electricity into fixtures and appliances connected to them. However, it won’t hurt to try making them attractive or in tune with your home design.

Here are some style tips related to these electrical accessories:

Kind of materials

Are you aware that light switches don’t just come in plastic? Some switches and electrical sockets are made of glass, aluminum, steel, brass, and marble. Aside from their function, these electrical components may be built from a unique material that already brings a welcome aesthetic.

Functionality

Apart from rocket switches that come with only two settings (on and off), you may opt for dimmers. This kind of switch customizes the amount of light that the lamp emits, based on the setting of the rotating knob.

Another ingenious and modern way to upgrade lighting fixtures is through the use of motion sensors. In some facilities, the light will automatically turn on when the sensors detect movement. This is perfect for convenience (wherein you don’t want to touch a switch anymore) or security (in which an outdoor spotlight is active or turns on when someone sneaks into your compound).

In addition, due to the rise in popularity of mobile devices, why not install a USB charging port inside your home? Wall-mounted USB ports are extremely helpful, especially when you can’t find the charger adapter.

Patterns

You may also choose to add some patterns and colors onto your existing sockets and switches. Some electrical stores sell patterned casings for light switches. You may also make your own pattern by painting near the electrical socket.

Combination

Some manufacturers have already produced panels that combine switches-sockets. If you find this kind of orientation useful, visit your local store and ask about this kind of product.

Final Word

As with any action or process, function is always more important than form. While fashioning your electrical switches to make them look good, don’t miss out on checking for safety. Make sure that the electrical fashion pieces have been have approve seal

If you need help in assessing the safety of your home electrical system, give us a call at Wire Craft Electric. Our skilled electrical professionals will evaluate your home and give you expert advice on what to do.

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Water and Electricity a dangerous combination

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October 19, 2018 at 3:29 pm

Water and Electricity: Is it a Dangerous Combination?

Time and again, we at Wire Craft Electric have been consistent in warning our clients – and you, our beloved followers – against exposing electrical components to moisture. This is especially critical in moisture-prone areas such as the kitchen, bathroom, and the outdoors. But have you stopped to think why water and electricity don’t go well together?

The Science of Water

In its purest form, water is an electrical insulator. Meaning, it shouldn’t be able to conduct electricity or allow current to flow through it.

The danger lies with the components dissolved in water, specifically the ions in it. Although pure water doesn’t conduct electricity, this form of water doesn’t come naturally. In fact, most of the water that we come into contact with – tap water, bottled drinking water, or rain water – contain ions from varying sources.

Ions are particles that are electrically charged in their natural state and are good conductors of electricity. These particles turn the inert water into a natural electrolyte that allows current to pass through in the presence of an electric voltage.

Pure or distilled water does not contain ions, and so it won’t conduct electricity.

Avoid Combining Water and Electricity

You can be sure that you’re using distilled. Sweat from your skin, suspended particulates from the air, or dirt from the container’s surface can contaminate it. The best safety tip is to keep water and electrical components away from each other.

Safety Tips to Avoid Water-Electricity Contact

Make sure to implement these safety precautions to prevent any potential contact between moisture and your home electrical system:

  • Keep hands dry when handling electrical wires and plugs. You don’t want to become a human electrical conductor, do you?
  • Unplug electrical appliances when not in use. This is especially critical in moisture-prone areas – say, a hair dryer inside your bathroom or an induction cooker beside the kitchen sink.
  • Keep electrical devices and extension cords away from water puddles or running water sources.
  • Hire a professional electrical contractor to install electrical connections in swimming pools or bathrooms.
  • Use battery-operated appliances instead of electricity-driven devices for areas near water sources.

Final Word

If you want to be absolutely sure about the electrical safety in your home, give us a call at Wire Craft Electric. Our professional electrical personnel can perform a comprehensive electrical safety audit to identify risks and address them before they become worse.

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diy tips for smart homes

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October 12, 2018 at 3:01 pm

DIY Tips To Slowly Turn Your House into a Smart Home

Smart homes have turned up in huge ways all over the world, bringing convenience to millions of homeowners everywhere. While you may salivate at the thought of automating your house, converting to a smart home entails a significant amount of spending. Today, we’ll dish out some DIY tips on gradually turning your humble abode into a smart home.

A Handy Guide To A Do-It-Yourself Smart Homes

Check out these tips on how to switch to a smart home by yourself:

Pick your preferred assistant and device controller

Three of the most trusted and most popular voice-controlled virtual assistants are Google Assistant, Siri by Apple, and Alexa by Amazon. When configuring your smart home installation, make sure that everything is compatible with your main virtual assistant interface.

From there, you may choose the primary device that will control the integration and maneuvers in your smart home. For instance, some of the modern Android smartphones can operate Google Assistant, while iPhones and iPads work with Siri.

Start with lights

Lighting is the safest and easiest smart home upgrades you can do by yourself. All you need to do is buy a smart light bulb or lamp with Wi-Fi connectivity, and install it to a fixture. Look for a compatible app that can control the smart bulb using your chosen device, and customize the configuration based on your preferences.

Use a smart doorbell

Another non-intrusive smart home upgrade is installing a smart doorbell. This revolutionary product usually comes with a camera (so that you can see who’s at the door), motion-activated sensor, and two-way communication. That way, you don’t have to approach the door to know who’s ringing the bell.

Install a smart thermostat

Here’s where smart home upgrades become more interesting: Replace your temperature controlling system with a smart thermostat. Although it’s not as easy as replacing a bulb, most smart thermostat products come with easy-to-follow installation instructions.

Use a robot vacuum

Robotic vacuum cleaners have upgraded the way homeowners clean their houses, and all without breaking a sweat. What’s great about these modern vacuum cleaners is that you set them on the floor and let them do the dirty work.

Look for a robot vacuum that you can configure using a smartphone. That way, you can customize its program, check its status, and control it remotely.

Final Word

Smart homes are not easy to accomplish. Unless you can ensure that every inch of your installation is connected properly, there is risk of electrical fires.

We at Wire Craft Electric offer a wide range of services.

This can help you install a smart home automation system into your house. Take note, without breaking the bank or causing property damage.

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electrical system safety

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October 5, 2018 at 2:56 pm

How To Keep Your Electrical System Safe When You’re Away From Home

Are you sure that your electrical system is safe every time you go out of your house?

Whether you’re leaving for work or taking a vacation for the fall, keeping your home electrical system in check is absolutely critical in preventing accidental property damage or loss. After all, you can only monitor so much of your home whenever you’re away.

Before leaving your house unattended for a certain period of time, take precautionary measures to ensure safety and security of your home electrical system. Check out our safety tips below:

Unplug all appliances

The best first step in keeping your electrical system secure is to disconnect any plugged appliances from power sockets. Especially if you’re going away for a number of days, keeping your home appliances plugged in (even though they’re turned off) may still be at risk of short circuiting or faulty grounding.

Shut off the main power

Another safety tip to secure your home is to turn the main breaker off. This is only applicable if you have no perishable items in your refrigerator. However, this may not be a good idea if you have a security alarm system installed in your home – it won’t activate if you have no power at home!

Install electrical safety devices

You won’t know what freak accident may happen in your home while you’re away, and one potential risk is a lightning storm. To keep your system protected from a sudden bolt of lightning that may hit your house, it would be a great idea to install power surge protectors for the whole house.

Check the outdoor environment for potential hazards

Look out for anything outside your home that may cause untoward electrical accidents. These may include a bunch of dry leaves covering an outdoor lighting fixture/. Also some electrical wires exposed to moisture, and growing plants that may snap off nearby power lines.

It may be best to seek help from professionals. They are such as electricians, gardeners, and landscape architects to check the safety of your immediate outdoors.

Final Word

No one wants to enjoy a destination vacation or go to work, only to return home with an electricity-related accident. Make sure to maintain your electrical system regularly.

Need help inspecting your home? you can contact Wire Craft to help you out.

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power strip vs extension cord

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September 28, 2018 at 2:50 pm

Power Strip vs. Extension Cord: Which One Should You Use?

When talking about electrical accessories at home, it’s easy to interchange some of the common items that we see. Such is the case of the power strip and the extension cord, which are two distinct things. In this article, we will look into the difference between a power strip and an extension cord, and the right choice for your intended purpose.

Power Strip

As its name implies, a power strip is composed of a series of electrical sockets with a cable and electrical plug at its end. This device is designed to accommodate and power up multiple electrical devices that are in close proximity to each other, say the devices inside an entertainment room.

Some power strips come with a circuit breaker as a precautionary measure in case a short circuit or power overload happens. In some modern designs, power strips may have an automatic shut-off feature when the device or appliance remains unused for a number of hours.

Extension Cord

Based on its name alone, you can already predict what this electrical accessory does. An extension cord is a long electrical cable with at least one socket on one end and an electrical plug on the other. It is designed to extend a power outlet to a distant electrical device or appliance.

Extension cords come in a variety of forms, depending on the use. Some are only 2 feet long, while others run 30 feet or longer.

Situations Where Power Strips and Extension Cords Are Used

It’s easy to confuse the two terms, especially since some manufacturers have designed power strips with lengthy cables similar to most extension cords. However, the main difference between the two lies in the purpose:

  • If you want to multiply the number of electrical outlets from a single source, use a power strip.
  • If you want to stretch out a power source towards a distant appliance, use an extension cord

Here are some of the best ways to maximize the use of the power strip and the extension cord:

Power strip:

Entertainment rack with multiple audio and video devices, computer setup with printer and router, permanent installation of multiple sockets.

Extension cord:

Appliances far away from an electrical outlet, temporary electrical setup, extension of power to occasional outdoor appliances.

Final Word

Whether you use a power strip or extension cord, make sure that safety is at the top of your priority. Never overload a power strip with so many appliances, and don’t make an extension cord permanent.

Knowing the purpose of each tool, you can maximize the use of either the power strip or the extension cord.

If you need help installing a power strip at home, feel free to contact us at Wire Craft.

Unsure if your current electrical configuration is safe? Schedule a home inspection today!

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extension cords safety tips

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September 21, 2018 at 4:02 pm

Safety Tips When Using Extension Cords

Can you imagine a world without extension cords? These electrical accessories have evolved as indispensable tools in any home.

Although extension cords provide better distribution of electricity throughout your home, it’s important to keep them in tiptop condition. Make sure that you follow these safety tips to prevent accidents and property damage:

Check for signs of wear and tear

Exposed wirings or evidence of burned sections are telltale signs that something is bound to go wrong when you use the extension cord. Either address the issue immediately or replace it with a new extension wire.

(If you need help in checking your extension cord and your home’s wiring system for potential risks, give us a call at Wire Craft Electric, and we can do the work for you.)

Choose a safety-certified product

Although some extension wires may be more expensive than others, choosing a premium product may prove to be a wise financial decision. Having said that, look for a seal or certification to prove that the extension cord has been tested by a laboratory and labeled safe to use.

Protect the cord from moisture

Wet electrical accessories automatically invite short-circuiting, which may increase the risk of electrical fires in your home or facility. Make sure to use extension cords away from water sources.

If you need to use cords in moisture-prone areas such as the bathroom or kitchen, never use the extension cord when you observe that it is sitting on a water puddle.

Unplug unused cords

Precaution is always welcome in terms of electrical safety, and one simple but effective way of achieving this is by cutting off the power in unused items. The same goes with electrical cords – if you’re not using the extension cord, unplug it from the power socket.

Don’t use extension cords permanently

It’s easy to disregard the use of extension cords, which may lead you to use it on the same set of appliances for long periods of time. If you notice that you’re using a particular electrical appliance regularly and on the same spot, you might as well install a wall-mounted electrical socket.

Note that extension cords are meant for temporary connections only.

Never overload an extension cord

The convenience that extension cords bring to any home is vast. The effect is that you may find yourself plugging in too many electrical devices into the same cord. This is a big no-no, as extension cords can only accommodate so much electrical resistance.

Avoid “octopus” connections to the extension cord, where you plug in 4 or more appliances into a single extension wire. You may be inviting danger into your house!

Final Word

The extension cord is an extremely helpful tool to widen the scope of electrical supply in your home. Just make sure that you’re using it safely and effectively. This is so that you can get the most out of this handy electrical accessory.

Need help with any electrical concerns? Wire Craft can help you out. Reach out to us now.

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save on power costs

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September 14, 2018 at 3:56 pm

How To Save on Power Costs During the Fall

As the cold inches back into the new season, you need to prepare yourself for power consumption that involves heaters and other home appliances at the same time, save on power costs.

Here are some effective techniques to reduce your electricity bill during autumn:

Make the Sun Your Friend

With longer nights this season, expect to use your indoor lighting more. If you don’t want to spend too much on lights, use the natural brightness of sunlight to illuminate your home.

One way of doing this is by opening your curtains and letting the sunshine into your house. If you already have a sunroof, that’s even more fantastic!

In addition, because the fall is colder than spring, use the warmth of the sun as your natural heater. In short, make the most out of the sun.

Replace your light bulbs with long-lasting products

Because your home lighting will be used more during fall and winter, you need lamps and bulbs that will last long. Make sure to replace any busted bulbs with LED lamps.

Aside from its long service hours, LED lamps use significantly less energy than old incandescent bulbs.

Seal any window or door gaps

The heater will definitely become one useful device during the fall, and especially more during winter. However, you cannot use it efficiently if there are entry points for the cold outdoor environment. This includes cracks and gaps on windows, and the gap under the door.

You may buy caulk, ready-to-use window seals, or weatherstripping materials from your local hardware store.

Ready your heater and other electrical components before use

After being on standby for some time, your heater may need to be checked before using it again. Before fall sets in, make sure to schedule servicing for your heaters. The same goes with heat pumps and furnaces.

Schedule an electrical safety inspection

While you’re in the momentum of having your electrical equipment serviced, it’s also a good idea to schedule an evaluation of your entire electrical system. That way, you can address potential electrical issues before the new season kicks in.

Feel free to call us at Wire Craft Electric, because electrical servicing and electrical home safety inspections are just some of the services that we can help you with.

Final Word to Save on Power Costs

As with any other season, you can always optimize your electricity use by knowing how to handle electrical appliances and manage your indoor environment. We hope the tips above will help you enjoy the fall and save big at the same time.

Need more advice on power cost savings? Reach out to us at Wire Craft.

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