Electrical Service

Electricity is essential to the modern world. It powers homes, businesses and industrial facilities to run lights, appliances, heating/cooling systems, electric motors, security cameras, cash registers and much more. However, electricity cannot reach its full potential unless it is properly delivered to the equipment that utilizes it.

Electrical service is generally provided by the electric utility company to residences and businesses through two 120-volt service wires that offer a combined 240-volts of power (voltage being a measurement of energy’s pressure or rate of flow). The main electrical service wires may come into the building through overhead lines that enter the service mast on the roof and then pass through an electrical meter, or they can be buried underground and connect directly with the meter base and service riser.

The point at which the electrical wires from the utility company connect with the customer’s wiring is usually referred to as the electrical service point and is regulated by the National Electric Code, or NEC. The rules in the NEC must apply to the customer’s wiring from this point on, unless there are local provisions or codes that provide exceptions.

To find the location of your home’s service panel, look at the exterior of your house for a large vertical gray metal box on a wall in a utility area. It will likely have a label that reads “200 amp service” on it, or something similar. If you’ve done a lot of remodeling, the panel may have an additional label that reads “subpanel” on it. A subpanel is a secondary panel that is fed by the main one and serves as a convenient way to add circuit breakers to a house during additions or remodels, or to power garages and workshops.

Inside your electrical service panel, you will see two rows of individual circuit breaker with small toggle levers that control each of the individual branch circuits running through your home. Each individual breaker is numbered and indicates its amperage.

When adding breakers, always make sure that you are not increasing the total amperage of your electrical service. If you do, the wiring will have to be recertified by an approved electrical inspector to ensure that the new breaker can safely handle the increased load.

Regular preventive electrical maintenance in your business can help to reduce expensive outages, equipment failures and fire hazards. By having an electrician inspect and test your building’s electrical system regularly, you can catch issues such as loose or faulty connections that could lead to problems down the line. It will also save you money on energy costs by ensuring that all of your equipment and appliances are working at their optimal capacity. This can mean less wear and tear on the electric motors that drive your appliances, so they last longer and require fewer repairs. It will also keep your customers happy by ensuring that things like lights, refrigerators and ovens, cash registers and security cameras are always up and running when they are needed.