By goldeneagleelect@gmail.com Tips and Tricks • • • 0 Comments

3 Reasons Why You Should Use a Surge Protector

surge-protector-bg-heroIt’s easy to take surge protectors for granted. We tend to look at them as extra outlets for plugging in phone chargers, lamps, and alarm clocks. But they serve a very real and very needed purpose: protecting your home electronics from surges of electricity beyond the standard 120 volts. If you’re at the store picking up surge protectors, don’t think of them just as outlets. Keep these three things in mind when choosing one for your home:

Protection

Surge protectors do indeed provide protection. They are designed to divert or prevent surges of electricity from damaging circuit boards that require regulated voltage levels. They often have internal breakers that will flip or absorb the charge (and the damage from it) in place of your appliances. In addition to saving electronics from damage, the surge protector prevents them from being overloaded and possibly starting a fire. This counts for all electronics: computers (as well as monitors), external hard drives, and chargers. Larger appliances like your television, refrigerator, washer, dryer, and dishwasher will also be protected. Not to mention smaller electronics like microwaves, fans, lighting, and toasters.

Savings

Surge protectors also provide one convenient switch for powering down a large group of electronics all at once. Many appliances draw power if they’re plugged in, whether they’re turned on or not. By turning off the surge protector, you can halt the flow. This is convenient for shutting them off overnight, while you are at work during the day, and especially when you’re away on vacation.

Convenience

It’s awfully handy reducing six switches into one, but surge protectors provide extra convenience through additional outlets and cord length. One outlet multiplies into six or more with just a single surge protector. This is very helpful in an office or in a den where you might have a large number of devices grouped together. Just be sure you don’t overload the surge protector itself: group smaller and lower-voltage appliances together, and spread out larger pieces like fridges and televisions.

Make sure you are covered 

It’s hard to live without surge protectors today, with all of our electronic needs. Most of us purchase them simply for the convenience, and while they provide that, they serve a much more important need of protecting and extending the life of your valuable electronics. If you have any more questions about surge protectors feel free to contact Golden Eagle Electric for answers!

By goldeneagleelect@gmail.com Tips and Tricks • • • • • • 0 Comments

3 Reasons to Invest in an Attic Fan

In the race to keep your house cool during the summer, you have an expected ally: the attic fan. Most homes rely on the natural airflow through soffit and gable vents on the home, and while these do provide some cooling effects, an attic fan actively pulls warm air from the top of your house and draws cooler air from outside through the vents.

Attic fans are generally easy to install and maintain. They come in different sizes, and they can be installed on the roof itself or in the walls. Many are also adjustable and programmable.

Still on the fence? Here are three reasons you should invest in one:

 

1. Attic fans makes living areas more comfortable

First and foremost, an attic fan reduces the overall temperature of your house. It pulls warmer air up through your home and pushes it out the top floor. This keeps the temperature lower in the living areas, and reduces the time (and therefore the cost) you need to run your air conditioning. There are even solar powered attic fans that do not affect your energy costs.

2. Attic fans extends the life your roof

An attic fan also saves your roof from unnecessary wear and tear. During the heat of summer, hot air builds in the top of your home, sometimes 30-50 degrees warmer than ambient temperature. Your roof shingles heat up as well, and over time, they can become more brittle and susceptible to cracking. When an attic fan draws the heat from your home, it cools the shingles off, thus extending the life of your roof.

3. Attic fans helps during winter, too

Attic fans are not just for the summer! During the winter, warm, moist air builds in your home – from running showers, cooking, or doing laundry – and then that warm air rises to the top floor. When it meets cold air in your attic, it collects and condenses. This can lead to rotting woodwork, wet and moldy insulation, and ice build up that expands and contracts, potentially cracking the soffit or roofing.

An attic fan can benefit your home year-round, saving you in energy costs and making your home more comfortable. They are best installed by professionals, especially when placing one on the roof itself. A professional can evaluate the best positioning, connect it to electricity, and ensure a proper seal is created.

Convinced an attic fan is right for you? Contact Golden Eagle Electric today!