Location: Whiteland, Indiana Service: Storm-Damaged Electrical Service Repair and 200-Amp Upgrade Customer Need: Restore power after a fallen tree damaged the home’s overhead electrical service Beeson Mechanical Team: Kent, Steve, and the Beeson Mechanical electrical team Project Overview A severe Friday storm caused a tree to fall onto a home in Whiteland, Indiana. The impact damaged the overhead electrical service and left the homeowner without power. The fallen tree took out the service pipe running above the roof, pulled the electrical conductors out of the meter box, and damaged the lugs inside the meter equipment. The weatherhead, overhead wiring to [...]

A power surge is a sudden spike in electrical voltage that travels through your home's electrical system. These surges can happen in an instant but leave lasting damage, especially to electronics and appliances. Whether it’s a minor fluctuation or a severe spike, understanding power surges is key to protecting your home and everything in it. For homeowners in Whiteland, Indiana, and surrounding areas, this is especially important as unpredictable weather and power grid issues can increase the risk of surges. What Causes a Power Surge in Your Home? There are several common reasons power surges happen, many of which homeowners [...]

Both circuit breakers and ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) cut the flow of electricity when there is a fault—this is an occurrence where there’s an abnormality in the electric current. While circuit breakers and GFCIs share some similarities, they each serve distinct purposes in protecting your home and its contents. In this article, we’ll break down the difference between the two, allowing you to fully understand your electrical systems. In that way, you’ll be armed with knowledge when you have electrical work done. What is a circuit breaker? In your circuit breaker box is a device that controls the flow [...]

Almost everything in our homes runs on electricity, from the coffeemaker we use to wake up to the lampshade we turn off before going to bed. It’s no question that electricity has improved our lives, but with all of the upgrades come common electrical problems that we all experience during our lifetime. We aren’t talking about flickering lights -- we mean deep-rooted problems that are causing recurring issues in your home. Below, we’ll go over the most common electrical problems at home including what you can do to solve them. Power Surges Power surges (or electrical surges) are triggered by [...]

Some people unplug everything when going on vacation, thinking that it safeguards their property while keeping their bills low. While this is partially true, you actually shouldn’t unplug all of your devices. By carefully choosing which devices to keep connected and disconnected, you can strike a balance between saving energy and maintaining the ideal conditions for your home. Why Unplug When Going on Vacation? Unplugging your devices when going on holiday is a wise choice that can help you save electricity. Even when devices are switched "off," they can continue to draw power. While the electricity drawn in standby mode [...]

Every circuit is connected to a breaker, a device that keeps the electrical circuit safe in the event of an electrical fault. An electrical fault occurs when there is an interruption to the electrical current. A common example is when too many large appliances are plugged in at once. When this happens, the breaker shuts off that particular circuit to “contain” the electricity. If you’re wondering why your circuit breaker keeps tripping, we’ve broken down a few common causes below: #1 Circuit overload There’s a limit to the amount of electricity that can pass via each circuit. A circuit overload [...]

If you’ve ever searched for ways to lower your electricity bill, chances are that you’ve heard about power factor corrector boxes before. But what is it, exactly? Let’s take a deep dive into the world of power factors and find out. Different Types of Power Before we dive into what a power factor corrector box is, it’s crucial to understand what the “Power Factor” is. When it comes to electricity, there are actually two types of power: real power and reactive power. Real power (or active power) is the electricity that’s used up when we run our appliances. It’s the type of [...]

If you’ve ever DIY-ed your home’s electrical systems, there’s a good chance that they aren’t “up to code”. Unless you’re a licensed electrician, you’ll likely do electrical work that doesn’t meet the National Electrical Code (NEC). While doing it yourself is usually safe, you probably aren’t aware of the electrical standards of each state. What is the National Electrical Code? The National Electrical Code (NEC) is a set of electrical standards of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). It isn’t a federal law -- it’s simply a list of standards that states can refer to in creating their respective regulations. [...]

Having a Home Generator Is More Common Than You May Think Lots of people may think it odd that we are even writing this article. How many people actually have the need for a home generator, right? Wrong! Home generators are great pieces of equipment that more and more people are investing in. With the increase in natural disasters, particularly nasty hurricanes, floods and earthquakes in recent memory, many people are seeing the benefits of investing in their own home generator. For some, the only trouble with the power they may ever get is the occasional midnight outage, that quickly turns [...]

It can be an inconvenience when the power goes out, given our reliance on electrical appliances. However, do note that, in most cases, your electrical company isn’t to blame. In this article, we’ll tackle the various forms of power outages including their common causes. That way, you can gain a better understanding of why they occur. Different types of power outages Power outages come in different forms: Blackout This is when a large area loses power simultaneously. It typically occurs when power facilities are damaged because of bad weather. Brownout A brownout is not a total loss of power, but [...]

How Do I Know What Size Electrical Panel I Need in My Home? The size of your home’s electrical panel indicates the number of electrical appliances that can be used at the same time. If your home runs purely on electricity, you may require a much bigger electrical panel. What is the purpose of the electrical panel? The electrical panel is the main distribution point that supplies between 100 amps to 200 amps of power throughout the home. Your main electrical panel, which is also referred to as the circuit breaker panel, is equipped with safety features that protect your [...]

In case you weren’t aware, the United States has targeted a 50 to 52 percent reduction in greenhouse gasses (GHG) by 2030. With this, President Biden is calling for 80 percent “clean power”, which includes renewable power such as geothermal energy, wind energy, and solar energy. Hence, it’s safe to say that there’ll be a few changes when it comes to energy generation if the U.S. is going to meet its goals. And while the transition to “green energy” could take years to accomplish, it will take center stage in 2022. After all, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has already forecasted a [...]