Indoor & Outdoor Ceiling Fans, There Is A Difference!

FanCeiling fans enhance our indoor lives with a cooling breeze in the Summer and a beneficial circulation of warm air in the Winter.  However, the benefits of ceiling fans are not exclusive to indoor environments. Outdoor ceiling fans can make a hot, sticky, mosquito infested outdoor area cool and relatively bug free!  So, can one simply take a ceiling fan that they use indoors and install it outdoors? Read more

We’re Growing and Hiring

“Life Savers! On Wednesday night before Christmas a tree fell on our power lines. My husband is on dialysis and the situation was critical. Belco arrived in 45 minutes and worked diligently until Christmas Eve to restore our power. This was our first experience with Belco. We will never use anyone else and highly recommend them.”

This  recent comment from one of our customers illustrates the commitment of our electricians to providing our customers with the best electrical service in Atlanta. Read more

Surge Protection-It’s Not Just for Computers Anymore

By now most people are aware of the need for surge protection for their computers and TV’s, but is there more in the modern home that you should be concerned with when it comes to power surges? Technology is finding it’s way into more and more of the items we use everyday. Read more

When To Upgrade Your Electrical System to Current Code

The following is an excerpt from a recent complaint posted on a consumer reporting website by a homeowner regarding an electrician in Atlanta:

He told me (the electrician)  he couldn’t connect the pool pump unless he did all this work and  that the house wasn’t up to code (turns out he meant up to current code, but I later found out from a builder that houses are just suppose to be up to the code at the time they were built so he deliberately misled me). He said he had to rewire the main panel in the house and totally redo the way the pool was set up or we could get electrocuted in the pool or the house could catch on fire from the wiring. He said it would take two days and cost around $3,100. He worked about six hours and then told. me it would cost more money than he thought he said I and I had to pay him the $3,100.

The National Electrical Code is a United States construction standard and is part of the National Fire Codes series published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Read more

When Should You Replace Your Electrical Panel?

If you have a Federal Pacific “Stab Lok” circuit breaker panel in your home you need to be aware of the frequent problems inherent with these panels. Read more

What To Do When The Lights Go Out

The loss of electrical power in our homes and business is a fairly common, and sometimes a frequent event in our daily lives.  Knowing what causes these power outages and subsequently how to correct them can make this nuisance a little less stressful to deal with.  Some outages will be out of your control and must be resolved by the utility company.  Still many will originate from within your home or business and, with a little knowledge, can often be corrected very quickly and simply. Read more

How to Install a Ceiling Fan & 5 places Not to Install One

unscrewing fan assemblyInstalling a ceiling fan can vary from a very simple job that can be performed by a homeowner with basic handyman skills to one that is somewhat complex requiring the services of a qualified electrician.  There are many factors that need to be considered when dealing with ceiling fans: ceiling height, whether ceiling is sloped, condition of existing outlet box and whether it is adequately supported, access above the ceiling, how many switches are to be installed, will there be dimmers or remote kits installed, if the fan is to have a light kit, etc.   Materials required may include: fan brace, electrical switch, cut-in boxes, switch plate, romex and staples, down-rod, mounting kit,  pancake box and ceiling medallion. Read more

Why your Electrician Needs Insurance Before Doing Electrical Repairs

We all make mistakes and accidents happen, so no matter how reliable the electrician or electrical contractor, comprehensive and adequate insurance is a necessity.  Checking for proper insurance may be more complicated than just asking your electrician if he has insurance.  Sometimes the electrical contractor’s insurance consists of minimum insurance on his truck which happens to be leaking oil all over your driveway or parking lot.

For our blog post this week, we are featuring a guest article from our commercial insurance agent, Wilson Vickers, who will explain the importance of requiring proof of insurance from an electrical contractor who you employ whether it be to work on your electrical system at your business or your home:

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Belco Named 2011 Best Pick Electrician in Atlanta

We just learned that Belco Electric has once again been selected as a “Best Pick” electrician in Atlanta by Home Reports, a publication of EBSCO Research, a consumer satisfaction research organization.  Home Reports has given us its top rating every year since it was first published here in Atlanta in 1997.

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How to Change a Kitchen Range from Electric to Gas or Gas to Electric

A frequent question we receive at Belco Electric is one concerning replacing a gas stove with an electric range or vice versa.  Often people may be buying a new home and are in the habit of cooking on one type of stove only to find that the opposite and unfamiliar type currently exists in their new kitchen.  Well don’t worry, all is not lost!

Let’s look first at replacing an electric stove with a gas stove.   Read more