Summers in Alabama are overwhelmingly hot and humid, and thunderstorms develop without warning. With all the humidity and electricity in the air, electrical problems can emerge quickly and cause damage to major systems in the home.
Many residents in the state experience more problems because of the heat, persistent thunderstorms, and increased demand for power in their homes. Scheduling professional electrical services is the only way to mitigate risks to the home and to all occupants of the structure.
The Circuit Breaker Trips Too Often
If the main circuit breaker overloads, the breaker trips and shuts down power to the entire home, and these sudden shutdowns are dangerous for families during the summer. Without access to power and cooling services, everyone is at risk and could succumb to the heat. The higher demand for energy in summer causes major home systems to require more power and create greater risks for the electrical system.
Experiencing Brownouts or Blackouts
Greater demand for power in Millbrook leads to brownouts or blackouts for the entire area. Homeowners experience flickering lights and changes in the amount of power flowing to the home. Because of more frequent storms in the summer months, many residents are familiar with temporary and long-term outages. Brownouts generate limited power to the residential properties and might overload circuits and cause on-site electrical problems. During blackouts, Alabama residents experience great losses and need fast electrical services to prevent damage to their homes and other financial losses.
Lightning Striking Near the Property
Statistics show that lightning is a major cause of property damage in Alabama. In fact, state insurance records show that at least 34% of insurance claims filed by homeowners involve lightning striking the home or the homeowner’s yard. Properties that don’t have proper grounding are at risk of major electrical events, and a licensed electrician can perform the services to protect the property against lightning.
Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) shut down the power to prevent fires and electric shock, and homeowners need their preferred service providers to test their electrical system and install vital upgrades to keep the home safe and keep seasonal electrical problems at bay. GFCI outlet installations help families with electrical issues in the kitchens, bathrooms, and other wet areas. A complete electrical inspection and assessment determine what the homeowner needs to stay safe and avoid overloads, overheating, and system failures.
Power Surges During and After Power Outages
The summer months are part of hurricane season, and more storm activity happens during these hotter months. While hurricanes do not reach Central Alabama often, the storms from hurricanes travel into Millbrook and cause major power outages and storm damage. The power outages lead to significant problems for homeowners because when the power company restores utility lines, power surges flow through homes.
The best way to mitigate the effects of these power surges is to install whole-house surge protection to lower risks. Whole-house surge protection prevents appliances, electronics, and major appliances in the home from sustaining electrical damage.
Electrical professionals can also install updated electrical outlets to manage electronics such as smartphones and prevent damage from electrical surges. New outlet designs are great for multiple smartphones and give the owner and their family a dedicated and safe space to charge their phones.
Buzzing Noises from Appliances
During a brownout, buzzing noises coming from appliances are a major issue for Millbrook homeowners, and these noises are caused by either too little power or too much energy flowing through the outlets. The high demand in summer for power creates this problem and could damage the electrical systems in the home.
Local electricians can troubleshoot prevalent problems caused by power reductions and circuit overloads. At the first sign of buzzing noises coming from refrigerators, freezers, or even the cooling system, homeowners need fast electrical inspections to find the source of the issue.
Overused Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are beneficial in the summer to circulate more cool air in the home and keep the property comfortable. Summer electrical issues can lead to damaged wiring in ceiling fans and prevent them from operating as expected. Many homeowners use ceiling fans to push hot air away from the living spaces and improve the function of their cooling system, but if they do not adjust their settings, the hot air circulates back toward the room and spreads the hot and humid air around instead. Overworked ceiling fans could present financial losses for the property owners and prevent them from getting the full benefits of their ceiling fans.
A Higher Demand for Air Conditioning Services
Air conditioning services must be reliable in the hot summer months, or the entire family is at risk from the extreme temperatures, especially in July and August. Increasing summer temperatures cause air conditioners to engage more frequently to maintain the interior temperatures and manage cooling needs. Unfortunately, the increased energy flow causes major problems for homeowners. Not only do energy costs increase, but there is a higher risk for complete system failures during the hottest temperatures.
Overheated systems and fan motors are common when HVAC systems try to maintain cooler interior temperatures. Sunlight shining directly on the system can also play a role in increased overheating and malfunctioning air conditioners. Homeowners must take precautions before summer temperatures soar and protect their HVAC systems from these risks.
Landscaping around the exterior units can provide shade for the AC unit and the home, but the owner must keep their landscaping trimmed to prevent debris from clogging the exterior units. Electrical professionals complete annual inspections to find problem areas that lead to summer electrical issues for the cooling units and related electrical systems.
Where to Get HVAC Services
At AirNow Cooling and Heating, we care about Alabama families and want everyone to stay safe in their homes all year long. Our electricians perform electrical inspections, repairs, routine maintenance, and new installations. Contact your hometown electrical professionals and find out more about our superior services.