Tag: Save Money | NextGen Electric

Heat Tape: Prepare NOW!

July 23, 2018March 27, 2017 by Next Gen

This year’s winter weather was one for the record books! If you’re in the Pacific Northwest, we are still holding our breath hoping that summer is just around the corner. Many home and commercial building owners had to deal with challenges when removing snow and ice from roof tops. Of course, that’s the time when we all think, “I wonder if heat tape would be helpful right now”.

If you’re not familiar with heat tape and its benefits, I’m going to tell you right now…call an electrician NOW to get it installed onto your roof. Yes, I know we’re heading into April and enjoying the nice (snow-free) mild weather, but now is the time to be thinking of next year’s snow and ice potential.

How Does It All Work?

When the joy of winter hits us, our roofs and gutters host massive amounts of snow and ice. When the sun is out and snow starts melting, the dripping water needs a path to drain off the roof. Heat tape can melt a channel in the underside of the snowpack on your roof and give water a route to drain out. And heat tape installed in gutters and downspouts allows water to drain away from the roof, rather than getting plugged up by a dam of ice.

*DISCLAIMER*

Be sure to keep an eye on your roof throughout winter for ice damming. If blocks of ice buildup under the snow, that could indicate inadequate insulation. Ice dams and icicles hanging from the roofline is a possible indication of not enough insulation in the attic. That’s an entire other conversation! However, if you do the air sealing and insulation work to begin with, the need for heat tape on the roof is drastically reduced.

How Does This Effect My Energy Bill?

Yes, those that have heat tape installed on roofs or in gutters to help prevent winter ice dams may find their energy bill heating up a bit. However, using a heat tape timer can help make the system run more efficiently when it’s needed, and turns it off automatically when it’s not needed.

The best time to run heat tape is during the day, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. whenever snow or ice is sitting on the roof. Heat tape is not effective enough to sufficiently melt ice during cold evenings, and it will just waste power all night long. The goal is to run heat tape only enough to keep a channel cut in the snow or ice.

There Are Cool Tricks To Help Saved Money When Using Heat Tape:

Installation of a heat tape system with a manual toggle switch will easily turn on the tape only when it’s needed, and switch it off later.

Tying the heat tape system into the building’s automation controls so the heat tape only operates when the air temperature is above 32 degrees and the sun is out.

A good rule of thumb if you keep things “old school” is to mark your calendar for mid-April or making a note to turn off heat tape at the breaker switch after the last big spring snow.

Next Gen Electric is always here to answer any questions regarding prepping your home or commercial building for cold weather. We offer FREE estimates and always provide education to help you stay successful. Give us a call today!

Stay Fire-Free With AFCI’s

July 23, 2018October 10, 2016 by Next Gen

Throughout the past 30 years, our homes have been largely transformed thanks to modern electrical devices. However, these helpful devices have also supported and contributed to the number of electrical fires throughout the U.S each year. Current homes are overwhelmed by today’s electrical demands, putting them at greater risk of arc faults and arc-induced fires.

What Is An Arc Fault?

An arc fault is a dangerous electrical problem caused by damaged, overheated, or stressed electrical wiring or devices. An arc fault occurs when older wires become frayed or cracked – possibly due to a nail or a screw behind a wall. It’s also common when outlets or circuits are overburdened carrying too large of a load. Think of a bolt of lightning, for example. Lightning is a very large and powerful arc that crosses from an electrically charged cloud to the ground, or another cloud. When an electric current in your home crosses to an energized component to a grounded component, a glowing discharged is formed called an arc. Just as lighting can cause severe damage, arcs produced in your home wiring are capable of producing high levels of heat that can ignite surroundings causing fires. In the U.S, arcing faults case more than 44,000 home fires each year. This results in hundreds of deaths, injuries, and millions in property damage.

What’s The Solution?

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) could help prevent more than 50% of the electrical fires that occur every year. AFCI’s are special electrical outlets and circuit breakers designed to detect and respond to potentially dangerous electrical arcs a home.

AFCI’s function by monitoring the electrical waves moving through your home and then interrupting the circuit they service if they detect changes in the wave pattern that may become a dangerous arc. They also are capable of distinguishing safe and normal arcs, like those that are created when a switch is turned on or a plug is pulled from an outlet. AFCI’s are extremely sensitive so that they can detect, recognize, and respond accordingly to extremely small changes in wave patterns.

Where Do Arcs Typically Form?

Arcs tend to form where wires are installed improperly or when insulation becomes damaged. In many older homes, wore insulation will eventually crystallize as it ages, becoming brittle and will crack and chip. Damaged insulation exposes wire to it’s surroundings, increasing the chances of arcing in your home.

Arcs May Occur In The Following Situations:

damaged electrical cords
damaged wire insulation due to nails and screws driven through walls
damaged appliance cords due to heat, aging, kinking, and over extension
liquid spills
loose connections in outlets, switches, and light fixtures

To Keep You And Your Home Safe From Fires, It’s Best To Have An AFCI In The Following Locations:

Kitchen
Family/Living Room
Dining room
Bedrooms
Den/Office
Hallways
Closets
Bonus/Play Rooms

Each state has it’s own provisions based on the National Electrical Code requirements for AFCI protection in new homes. It is up to the home owner to know and understand what is available to protect your home and our family from electrical fires.

Depending on the size of a given home, the cost impact for installing additional AFCI protection is about $75 per circuit. That’s a small price to pay when it comes to saving your loved ones and your home from damage, injury, or death. There’s no doubt that AFCI’s provide advanced protection against electrical fires, but only if they are working properly. REember to reach out to your trusted Master Electrician to inspect and service your elctrical to ensure a safe and fire-free home.

Call Next Gen Electric today to get a FREE consult. We’re happy to take a look around your home to troubleshoot or provide peace of mind for you and your family.

Are You Eligible?

July 23, 2018September 28, 2016 by Next Gen

Solar adoption is taking flight thanks to the price of solar panels plummeting. This enables homeowners and businesses to save more money by controlling their own electricity costs instead of being at the mercy of rising utility rates.

We’ve shared before about the top motivators to switch to solar but for most, the federal incentive is where it’s at! Thanks to the Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit, homeowners can help themselves to a 30% incentive.

The Best Part?

This incentive is now good through December 31, 2019!

A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the amount of taxes owed. For example, a typical solar array with Next Gen will cost around $13,000 for a 4 kilowatt installation. In this example, the homeowner would benefit from the federal tax credit and reduce their taxes by $3,900. Yes, please!

This incentive is super easy to take advantage of. Like with any good deal, you much do your research to ensure that you’re eligible and how to claim your credit.

REMEMBER:

We know solar, not taxes! The information provided below may not be appropriate for your situation. Be sure to consult a tax professional before filling your tax credit to ensure you meet the requirements.

Eligibility

To qualify for the 30% Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit, you must meet the following requirements:

Have A System Installation Date On Or Before December 31, 2019
Panels Are On A Residential Location In The U.S.
The Solar Panel System Is New Or Being Used For The First Time
You Own The Panels (Not Leased)

Your Next Gen team is happy to help with any questions you may have. We know that going solar is a big decision and a large financial decision. That’s why we want to make sure that you are fully educated on how much your specific situation will cost and how much money you can expect to stay in your pocket. For a free Solar Site Evaluation, visit our website or call our office to get scheduled today: 208.765.WIRE.

For current information on incentives, including incentive-specific contact information, visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency website at www.dsireusa.org.