Residential Electrical Services

We provide residential electrical services including these areas:

Panel Installation & Replacement

Why Upgrade Your Electric Service Panel?

A new circuit breaker panel is safer, more reliable, and designed to meet the demands of modern tech and electricity use.

If your electric breaker often trips, the lights flicker, or there are physical signs of damage to the box, it’s almost time to upgrade.

Your electrical panel (also called a circuit breaker box) is at the core of your home. If you have flickering lights, your breaker trips often, or there are physical signs of damage to the box, it’s probably time to consider an upgrade. An upgrade will provide more safety, and reliability and is designed to meet the demands of modern technology and electricity use.

How Long does my Electrical Panel (or Circuit Breaker Box) last?

Contrary to what many people may think, electrical panels are not built to last forever.

Factors like moisture, weather, and water damage can significantly reduce the life of an electrical panel. Since residential electrical service panels are typically installed in basements, it is likely that a residential electrical panel will last 15-20+ years, however, each residential electrical situation is different.

Is my Panel Safe? 

Things to be aware of…If you have a Federal Pacific Panel also known as a FPE Panel or a Zinsco Panel these can be a concern and you may want to consider having your panel replaced sooner than later as both of these electric panels have design flaws that may result in sparks and fires.

Additionally, these electric service panels are no longer manufactured and it is generally difficult to find parts for them.

Over the years, if your electrical service panel has started to decline or you have noticed signs of rust or water damage, or if you specifically have a Federal Pacific Panel or Zinsco Panel, Contact Us today for a FREE estimate on having your electric panel replaced.

Service Replacement and Upgrade

When houses were built years ago it was standard to install 60-amp or 100-amp electric services.
Today, a 60-amp service is very inadequate to power a modern-day home and all its technologies.
A 100-amp service may still be enough to power a home less than 2,500 square feet if it doesn’t have a lot of electronics like electric heat, central air conditioning, and too many appliances.

However, as more and more electronics and appliances are added to homes, it may be time to consider upgrading your service from 100-amp to 200-amp electrical service or greater.

It is also important to know or find out if your service from the Utility Company is an overhead electric service or an underground service.

Meter Base Replacement

One common area of misconception that homeowners have regarding their meter base is who is responsible for what. It is often the assumption that the utility company supplies the meter base. This is not true.

The utility company provides the glass that goes into the meter base, but the property owner is responsible for the meter base enclosure.

There are several types of meter bases. The most common type of meter base on a single-family home is what is considered a single-gang meter base. This means that only one ratepayer receives a bill for the property.

There are different types of meter bases including a two-gang meter base, a three-gang meter base and also meter stacks that are more common in commercial and industrial settings.

You want to pay attention to the condition of your meter base because it is always easier and cheaper to have a meter base replaced on a scheduled basis versus in an emergency situation. It is important to note that your utility company may shut off your power if the meter base is deteriorating, pulling away from your home, or is corroded and rusting.

If you are interested in an estimate to replace your electric meter base, Contact Us today for a FREE estimate.

Indoor & Outdoor Electrical Wiring

No matter where in your home you are looking to add electricity, A and M Electric can help you out. Our team of trained professional electricians can install and help troubleshoot why items in your home are not working properly.

LIGHTING

Recessed Lighting: Brighten an entire room with recessed lights (sometimes these are referred to as pot lights). Recessed lighting is ideal for the kitchen areas, family room, man-cave or wherever you want even lighting throughout a space in your home.

Track Lighting: Track lights are cost-effective and work well in nearly any area or room in your home. Track lights can be used to brighten and lighten a dark hallway, living room, or family room. You can also direct them specifically to highlight pictures, artwork or family photos hanging on walls.

Kitchen Cabinet Lighting: Add under or over cabinet lighting in your kitchen for better-lit food preparation areas or lower the lights to set a warm, cozy atmosphere.

Pendant Lighting & Chandeliers: Often used in kitchens, dining rooms and stairways, pendant lighting and chandeliers are add elegance and offer many options to reflect your style and your home’s décor.

The right lighting can make all the difference in the beauty within your home! This is true in business office space as well as at your home. To make sure that you can best do the things that you need to do, you want to make sure that you have proper lighting, both indoors and also outdoors.

To make your home feel balanced and inviting, you want to include multiple forms of lighting throughout your home from decorative pendant lights to table lamps, track lighting, and sconces.

REMOTE CONTROL LIGHT

What if you were able to control all the lighting in your home with a single device? It’s possible! Turn on the floodlights for incoming guests, keep a light on for the kids or show off your holiday spirit.

We can help you control when, how and where your lights turn on. Reach out to discuss this today!

LOW-VOLTAGE LIGHTING

Low-voltage lighting is a highly efficient, less conspicuous way of lighting up areas around your home. These lights use less voltage and wattage than traditional lights, but keep areas adequately lit. Some examples of low-voltage lighting include under-cabinet (or under-counter) lighting as well as exterior landscape lighting.

RECESSED LIGHTING

A recessed light (also known as a “can light”) is installed into a hollow opening in the ceiling. Over the past decade, recessed lighting has gained popularity among homeowners as there has been a move away from end tables and lamps. Recessed lighting comes in various options and can help to accent areas of your home from lighting up the cabinets in your kitchen to highlighting photos on your bookcase.

DIMMERS

Adding dimmers allows you to adjust the brightness of lighting based on the atmosphere you are trying to create within a room. We can help you assess what will work best and install these for you.

LED Lighting

If you have not done so already, you may want to consider upgrading your home to energy-efficient LED lighting. LED lighting uses considerably less electricity than incandescent lighting and it has a longer life span. This saves you money!

Doorbell Installation 

Do you have a standard doorbell or a newer video doorbell that you are looking to have installed? Give us a call and we can have one of our highly trained professional electricals help you out with installing your doorbell, whatever the type.

Ceiling Fan Installation or Attic Fans 

Are you looking for some ideas to cool your home and lower your electrical bill? Consider installing ceiling fans in multiple rooms or an attic exhaust fan. We can look at your home and give you ideas.

Ceiling fans can provide energy savings in the summer months because they create a breeze, allows you to turn your thermostat up a few degrees, thus saving energy. In the winter months, if you set your ceiling fan in reverse, the ceiling fan will help to push the heated air that rises near your ceiling back down into the living space to keep your space warmer.

There are also specific ceiling fans that are designed for patios and porches and can help to cool down your outdoor living spaces in the hot summer months as well, making your outdoor living spaces more enjoyable for entertaining guests or simply allowing you to enjoy some much-needed time outdoors.

Contact us to discuss! Attic Fans and exhaust fans can lower the living area temperature, extend your roof life, and reduce air conditioning expenses.

Hot Tub & Pool Wiring

Ready to take the plunge? We can help make it easy to add some refreshment to your home.

Our team has wired many pools and hot tubs over the years, and we welcome the opportunity to install your electrical needs.

Yes, we can even help out with above-ground pool electrical needs as well.

Lightning & Surge Suppression

Did you know the average home gets hit at least once a day with a surge?

According to Nema Surge Protection Institute, “In general, a surge is a transient wave of current, voltage or power in an electric circuit.”

In simple terms, it is an oversupply of power for a short burst of time, often a second or less.

If you have ever experienced a surge, then you know the devasting effects that one can have on your home and devices.

What causes Surges?

Surges can be caused by several things but some of the common reasons include:

Damaged or Exposed Older Wiring

Lightning Strikes…your home does not have to be directly hit by a lightning strike to experience a surge. A lightning strike near your home can cause a surge.

Power Outages…Typically the power going out will not cause a surge, but when the power is restored by the electric company, a surge can occur.

Air Conditioners, refrigerators, and other appliances that pull a lot of power can also cause a surge when they turn on, especially if there is faulty wiring or insufficient or old wiring within your home.

What are the effects of Surges?

A power surge can damage, degrade or destroy any electronic equipment within your home.

With more and more electronics powering homes today, a surge can be very costly.

Depending on how the surge happened, your homeowner’s insurance policy may help cover the cost of appliances and electronics that are damaged or destroyed by a surge, or they may not. That is something to check out.

What can I do to prevent losing everything from a surge?

To start, you can install power strips that contain surge protection (please note…not all power strips have surge protection) for as many electronics as possible, such as your TV and computer.

But what about appliances where you cannot install a power strip…Washer/Dryer, Refrigerator, etc.? You can also install a Whole Home Surge Protection Device.

There are various types of Whole Home Surge Protection devices ranging from thousands of dollars to a few hundred dollars.

Give us a call today at (717) 961-8575!

Providing residential electrical services in