Glass Electric, Inc.
Jack C Glass Electric Company
Professional Electrical Contractors
Phone: (404) 505-1119
Fax: (404) 505-0907
email: [email protected]
Electrical FAQ
Q.1 When is it time to call an electrician?
When you are resetting circuit breakers or changing fuses too often. When you turn on your air conditioner and the lights dim in the room. When your lights flicker or go on and off. When you can smell electricity burning. When you have six electronic devises going into one outlet in back of your electronics center. When you have receptacle outlets over burdened by multi-plug strips. When a three prong plug needs a two prong adapter. If you have to run extension cords to plug in electrical devices. We install ceiling fans and do complete new home wiring, no job is too large or small.
Q.2 Where do you put G.F.C.I.’s?
Any bathroom, kitchen, garage, or exterior receptacle must be GFCI protected. GFCI outlets must be installed in any area where electricity and water may come into contact, including basements, pools, spas, utility rooms, attached garages and outdoors. The are two types of GFCIs in homes, the GFCI outlet and the GFCI circuit breaker. Both do the same job, but each has different applications and limitations. The GFCI outlet is a required safety device used instead a standard electrical outlet. It does not measure shorts to the ground, it measures the current difference between the hot and ground wires. A sudden difference of 4 ma. or more, indicating that there is another path for the electricity to flow, will trip this device. It protects any appliance plugged into it, and can also be wired to protect other outlets that are connected to it. A GFCI circuit breaker controls an entire circuit, and is installed on your home’s main panel. There is a test button and a reset button on these units. If you press the test button the reset should pop out, to reset just push the reset button.
Q.3 How much should I attempt on my own?
Doing electrical work yourself is a gamble. How much are you willing to risk to save money? There is a reason why it takes so much training to become an electrician. Do not make a mistake by taking electricity lightly, even the smallest job could be a safety hazard. Why take a chance. Get a professional to do this work. The most dangerous time is when you tell yourself. This is easy. I can do it myself. Why should I get an electrician? Then when you don’t remember where all those wires went, or your hair is standing straight up, you say to yourself, “Well maybe we better call someone to straighten up this mess“.
Q.4 How many convenience outlets in each room?
For new construction code states there must be an outlet 6 feet after any wall break and every 12 feet there after. Receptacle outlets are installed so that at no point along the floor line, in any wall space, there is more than six feet from an outlet in that space. This is to prevent the use of extension cords. Outlets are usually placed about 18 inches above floor level. Switches usually go about 48 inches from floor level.
Q.5 How should outlets be installed in a kitchen area?
All receptacles installed above kitchen counter tops or at a wet bar shall have G.F.C.I. protection. Receptacles in a kitchen used to serve counter tops should be supplied with at least two 20 amp branch circuits, for small appliances. Each fixed appliance (refrigerator, stove, dish washer) should have its own dedicated circuit. On counter tops 12 inches or wider receptacles should be placed within 24 inches of a break in the counter top and every four feet there after.
Q.6 What is an AFCI?
The National Electrical Code requires that all branch circuits supplying 125V, single phase, 15 and 20 amp outlets, other than those installed in Kitchens, Bathrooms, and Garages, are to be protected by an arc-fault Circuit interrupter. The AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) breaker, will shut off a circuit in a fraction of a second if arcing develops. The current inside of an arc is not always high enough to trip a regular breaker. There is a difference between AFCIs and GFCIs. AFCIs are intended to reduce the likelihood of fire caused by electrical arcing faults; whereas, GFCIs are personnel protection intended to reduce the likelihood of electric shock hazard. Don’t misunderstand, GFCIs are still needed and save a lot of lives. AFCIs can be installed in any 15 or 20 ampere branch circuit in most homes today, and are currently available as circuit breakers with built-in AFCI features.
About Us
Glass Electric provides full electrical contracting services for new commercial and residential construction, renovations, tenant improvements, service up grades, all aspects of interior and exterior lighting, retrofits and troubleshooting within the Atlanta, Ga. area.
When to call a Pro
Whether it is a commercial or residential environment, do not wait until you have six devices plugged into one receptacle, or you smell wire burning and the lights dim when you turn on the air conditioner. Contact us as soon as you have questions about your electrical system. Your safety is paramount.