Dedicated appliance circuits are used for the heaviest appliances in your house. Some of these circuits already exist in your home because they’re required to be there by electrical code. For example, your stove, fridge, and dishwasher are all on dedicated circuits. This ensures that each appliance receives the right amount of current, preventing electrical
We install low-voltage landscape lights for dozens of customers all over the Triangle. Many of our customers do question us about the benefits of low-voltage lighting over solar lighting. Sure, solar lighting is easier and cheaper to use. But this is definitely one of those cases where you get what you pay for. One of
Many of the projects that we’ve showcased on this blog require you to use a multimeter to test outlets before you get on with doing the rest of the work. In the interest of electrical safety we wanted to give this task some individual attention so that you’d know exactly how to do the job
Our customers are always asking us, “do ceiling fans really save energy?” We certainly understand the desire to save energy and money! The answer is that they do, but only if you choose them well and use them right. Let’s look at using them first. Using Your Ceiling Fan A ceiling fan’s magic is in
We’ve been talking a lot about Energy Star. Looking for the Energy Star label is important, but it’s also a great idea to know how to read the home energy guide on appliances. Understanding this little yellow label is the absolute best way to understand exactly how much each appliance is likely to cost you
Nobody likes getting surprised by an enormous electric bill at the end of the month. That’s probably why our customers ask us for home energy savings tips all the time! Fortunately, we’ve got a few answers. Here they are, in no particular order. 1. Control Your Thermostat! Heating and cooling eat up the largest portion
Electrical wiring problems are nothing to toy with. They are dangerous fire hazards that need immediate attention. Of course, any faulty wiring that you may have will be hidden inside of your walls. Since you can’t see the bad wiring you’ll need to look at other warning signs to tell whether or not there’s cause
Several of our DIY projects have required the use of electrical wire connectors or electric wire end caps. However, we’ve never covered how to use electric wire connectors safely, so we thought we’d rectify that situation today. It’s extremely important to create good, tight, safe electrical connections. Loose connections cause sparks which arc from wire
So you need to know how to replace a doorbell because your chime has stopped working? Don’t worry. This is a very easy DIY project that almost anyone can do. You’ll need a doorbell and chime kit. You can purchase one from almost any hardware store. Note that you’ll find both wired and wireless versions.
Here at the Volt Doctors we know there are many customers in our service area who want to know how to install a dimmer switch themselves. There are a lot of good reasons for installing dimmer light switches. They allow you to create romantic lighting anywhere in your home and they’re energy efficient, too. If