Test Your Standby Generator Before Wildfire Season Standby generator readiness in late May and early June is what most Salem-area property managers and homeowners are not thinking about. That is the problem. The unit has been sitting in the side yard or behind the building since the December ice storm. The exerciser cycle has been […]
What Causes Frequent Breaker Trips in a Commercial Building? Frequent circuit breaker trips in a commercial building are almost always caused by one of four things: an overloaded circuit, a short circuit, a ground fault, or a failing circuit breaker itself. The breaker is doing its job. Something on the circuit, or the breaker […]
What Does a Commercial Electrical Inspection Cover? A commercial electrical inspection covers the complete safety, code compliance, and functional condition of every part of the electrical system on the property. That includes the service entrance, main and sub-panels, branch circuits, grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection, emergency lighting, surge protection, and any specialty equipment tied […]
Is My Commercial Wiring Up to Code in Salem? It depends — and the answer hinges on a few key factors: whether your building has been altered, whether your business type has changed, and whether anyone has touched the electrical systems since the last inspection. Oregon law gives existing commercial buildings more breathing room […]
The difference between a 100-amp and 200-amp panel is capacity: how much electrical power your home can draw at one time before the system is overwhelmed. A 200-amp panel can handle twice the electrical load of a 100-amp panel, which matters enormously in a modern household running central air conditioning, electric appliances, EV chargers, and […]
Most electrical panel upgrades in Salem take between four and eight hours for a straightforward replacement on a single-family home, meaning many homeowners can expect the work to be completed in a single day. That said, the actual timeline depends on several factors specific to your home, your current panel, and whether any additional work […]
In most cases, yes. Oregon law requires a permit for outlet replacement work in most situations, and permits require the work to be performed or supervised by a licensed electrical contractor. While Oregon does allow homeowners to perform electrical work on their own single-family residence, that exemption doesn’t eliminate the permit and inspection requirements, and […]
A tripping circuit breaker can be dangerous, but whether it is depends on why it’s tripping and how often it happens. A breaker that trips occasionally because a circuit was temporarily overloaded is doing exactly what it was designed to do. A breaker that trips repeatedly, won’t reset, or fails to trip when it should […]
Your wiring is likely outdated if your home was built before 1980 and has never had an electrical update, but the age of your home alone isn’t the only indicator. Outdated wiring shows up in ways you can see, hear, and smell, and some signs are more urgent than others. Salem homeowners living in […]
Your electrical panel is safe if it’s properly sized for your home’s power demands, free of known manufacturer defects, and showing no signs of heat, damage, or repeated failures. If your panel is more than 25 to 30 years old, hasn’t been inspected recently, or carries a brand name with a documented history of failure, […]
Rewiring a house in Oregon isn’t a one-size-fits-all project, and the cost reflects that. The final price depends on your home’s size, age, construction type, and how accessible the existing wiring is. Salem-area homeowners with older homes, particularly those built before 1980, often face higher costs because aging systems require more labor and may involve […]
What to Do if an Electrical Outlet Stopped Working But the Breaker’s Not Tripped When you plug in your phone charger or coffee maker and nothing happens, your first instinct is probably to check the electrical panel. But what to do if an electrical outlet stopped working but the breaker’s not tripped leaves many […]
7 Ways an Electrical Panel Upgrade Saves You Money When homeown
When the power goes out during a storm or grid failure, having a relia
