Ackermann Electric — Serving Northwest Washington Since 1950

“They bent over backwards to quickly replace a dangerous panel. Very knowledgeable and professional electrician. Great communication, fair price, and real caring about the work done by all!”

-Monica

I called several different companies. Ackermann Electric was the only one to call me back. He stepped me through the issue I had. Outstanding service. Thank you.”

-Michael

“Ackermann Electric upgraded my old zinsco panel. They did exactly what they said they’d do. They did it exactly when they said they’d do it, and they did it for exactly the price they quoted me. They were friendly. They were professional. Everything is perfect. Well done.”

-Joy

“Great company.
Honest and very knowledgeable.
Good leadership and excellent electricians.”

-Lee

“Can’t fault them. So professional and turned up on time. They stayed and did all the work needed. I would highly recommend this company.”

-Roz

Just as a powerful wind storm can cause serious damage, the improper use and installation of electricity can cause serious injury or damage to life and property as well. This is why it is important to take steps that ensure it is safe.

In the electrical industry we have a code book that dictates the minimum requirements of electrical installations. Notice that I said “minimum”. More on that later. All of these requirements are directly related to life and building safety. No one wants to lose life or property in a fire caused by an inferior installation.

No one wants to deal with a non-working outlet or light. Everyone wants to enjoy a trouble free electrical system and be able to sleep safely at night.

That’s why it is important to have qualified people install your electrical wiring. To protect yourself, always make sure the individual is licensed and
purchases an electrical permit for any electrical work done.

State law requires this and many insurance companies can and will deny claims if work was performed without this. Permits are easy to obtain and inexpensive. Contact the local Labor and Industries Office for more info.

Let’s talk about a typical small remodel. As the rooms are restructured, invariably a wire or two will need to be moved or added. Many people will say to themselves, “I know how to do this myself” and off to the store they go to get supplies.

As a homeowner, do yourself a favor – stop at the local permitting office first and picking up an electrical permit. If you, as the homeowner, aren’t the one performing the electrical work then it must be a licensed electrical contractor and they should get a permit.

Don’t sell yourself short when it comes to electrical safety.

It’s that time of year that storms are approaching or already here. Have you considered having a backup generator system installed to keep you powered during those power outages that will happen? There are a lot of options out there to select from. There’s also many ways to connect it into your system.

Not all of the options available are suited for your specific application. We’d be happy to design and install a system that fits your needs.

Remember, if you’re putting in one yourself, don’t forget to purchase an electrical permit and have the installation inspected.

So what does a breaker do, anyway? The wiring in your home is capable of a certain amount of electrical current flow based on its size.

The breaker can sense the amount of flow and turn off the circuit if there is too much. Pretty cool. Let’s say a breaker trips and a person puts in a bigger one to “solve” the problem. Now the wire is forced to carry more current than it’s rated for, to the extent that it gets quite hot! Not so cool. Always match the breaker to the wire size.

Better yet, call us and we’ll take care of it for you so you don’t have to worry about it.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (“GFCI’s”, “GFI’s”,”funny outlets with test and reset buttons on them”) are a valuable life safety device. They come in breaker and receptacle form. It is important to test them monthly to make sure you are protected from that little thing that hurts real bad called a shock.

GFCI’s can sense when electricity is going to the wrong place and trip before it hurts. You should have them in the kitchen, bathroom, garage, and
anywhere outside. Have you tested your GFCI’s lately? Give us a call if you need assistance installing new ones.

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters are another valuable life safety device. They will normally be a breaker. It is important to test them monthly. AFCI’s can sense when electricity is not flowing like it should. For example, they know when you drive a nail through a cable (wondered why my picture was glowing!) or if the dog chewed up the lamp cord.

If yours trips, check what is plugged into that circuit. If the problem is not obvious, call in the experts and we’ll get it fixed. Please don’t change the breaker to a standard type as you do. If you have a problem.

Ever stop to realize how many electronic devices are in your home? TV, stereo, microwave, computer, fridge, stove, furnace, and the list goes on.

Every minute of the day, little power anomalies peck away at these electronics to the point of eventually wearing them down to failure. This can be prevented by the use of surge protection.

I recommend that you have one at your main panel as well as one near the electronic equipment as some of your devices are the source of these little chippers. We offer a full line of surge protection to fit all of your needs.

Why do I need a ground wire? Because it will safely carry current during a fault or short in your circuit. Without it, the breaker may not be able to “see” the fault and thus not trip when needed.

It also carries unwanted currents to ground when your surge protection is active. The ground wire should always be bare or green. This is code required. It should not be mistaken for the neutral wire, technically called the “grounded conductor”, as the ground wire shouldn’t normally carry the circuit current.

It’s a good idea to have your system grounds checked for good continuity so that they can do their job when needed.

There are still many ungrounded (two prong) outlets and wiring systems in existence. Don’t be tempted to replace a defective ungrounded outlet with a grounded type. That plug with the ground prong needs to be plugged into a true grounded outlet. If there is no actual ground on the outlet then whatever the cord is attached to will be turned into a safety hazard.

If you need a grounded outlet near the device you’re plugging in then I recommend a grounded circuit be wired in. Don’t create a danger to yourself and others by taking the cheap way out!

Why do I need a ground wire? Because it will safely carry current during a fault or short in your circuit. Still have that fuse panel in your house? Chances are it is over 60+ years old and is in need of replacing. Most of the insulating parts of a panel of that age are breaking down and can’t do their job anymore. You, as the owner, should consider protecting your investment and replacing this panel. It will only be a matter of time before it will fail which could lead to many other things to repair. Planned maintenance is always better than an emergency. It’s usually less costly as well.

Let’s talk smoke detectors. These are life-saving devices and every home should have at least one. Most codes require one in each bedroom, one in the hallway outside the bedrooms, and one on each level of a multi-level home. They should also be hardwired together for multiple alarming from any location. The battery backup keeps them active in case of power outages. If your smoke detector starts to chirp, simply replace the battery and the little bird will go away. I suggest changing the battery once a year and do it to all detectors at the same time. Pick a day such as New Years Day or your birthday so you remember when you last changed them.

How come they call the white wire a neutral? Well you see, the black hot wire is always arguing with the bare ground wire but the white wire just wants to stay neutral! Kidding aside, the neutral is technically called the grounded conductor. It carries the current from the load (light, radio, etc.) back to the source of power. Since it’s on this side of the circuit, it is at neutral compared to the hot side, thus neutral was born. Notice that it is always white and terminated to the silver screw of your outlets.

When was the last time you had your electrical panel serviced? Preventative maintenance is a smart thing to do if you want to keep those little emergencies from happening. Connections can become loose over time due to temperature changes so making sure they are properly tightened can save a lot of grief. It’s also a good idea to turn your breakers off and on every so often to keep them in good working condition. Inspecting for oversized breaker or fuse ratings should also be done to ensure the proper protection is in use. We have found many cases of this and the owner is usually unaware of the problem. Give us a call to have your panel serviced today!

The age of Fluorescent tubes and CFL lamps is coming to a close. These lamps have been used as a replacement for incandescent lamps in all types and sizes of fixtures. There are LED solutions to all your lamp replacement needs. Many LED lamps can be used as a direct replacement to your ballasted fixtures. Make sure to check the description to ensure you have the correct style. The energy savings will normally pay for the lamp during it’s lifetime. Also, the hassle of lamp maintenance is greatly reduced. Don’t forget to dispose of your fluorescent lamps properly as they contain mercury. Also, check your ballasts for PCBs if they are older than 35 years old.

Tired of wasting electricity because your lights get left on? Try using an occupancy sensor to automatically turn it off. Occupancy sensors monitor your presence and turn the light on and off similar to your outdoor motion light while vacancy sensors force you to turn the light on and then, after sensing no movement, will time out and shut the light off automatically. The vacancy sensor is usually a better choice for home use unless you want the hands off experience during times your hands are full. There are different styles of connections to match your existing wiring so be careful to check what style you need before investing in what you can’t use.

For quite some time now the State of Washington has required your grounding electrode system to be encased in concrete that is in direct contact with the earth. This mainly applies to a new building or structure that has a concrete foundation and footings. No longer is a set of ground rods accepted unless they are tested by an outside testing contractor. If you plan to build a structure, make sure that you or your contractor provides the proper provisions for the electrode system. Otherwise you may have to spend a considerable amount of money to correct the situation. You should contact your electrical contractor for a more detailed description of what is needed.