Your home’s electrical system may not always perform so well during the hottest part of the year. The peak of summer can have negative effects on your entire HVAC system in Beckley, WV. Air conditioners tend to run harder and longer, straining your system with an increased load. Wiring in your panel can also expand or degrade due to intense heat. This can create a serious safety hazard. At Childers Air Plumbing & Electric, we want to offer some practical information to help you handle these seasonal demands.
We strongly recommend focusing on key electrical upgrades to keep your home safer. Improving system capacity and protection are great ways to ensure safety. Things like backup power systems, panel upgrades, and efficient ACs can relieve heat-related stress. When you’re ready to make these upgrades, we’re here to help with the installation.
Upgrade to a Modern Electrical Panel
Your electrical panel acts as the heart of your home’s power distribution. In older houses, many of the panels are rated fairly low. If your panel is rated for 100 amps or less, then you’re going to have trouble running modern technology. Half a century ago, this was a pretty big number. But your modern AC, fans, and other appliances may be taxing your older system. Many homeowners do not notice this until the summer when demand on HVAC systems increases.
We recommend upgrading to a 200‑amp panel. This gives you the wiggle room you need to operate power‑heavy appliances simultaneously. Even if you have a modern variable‑speed air conditioner, hot days still tax your panel. Your system will ramp up its power to provide cooler air. This draws more amperage. Doubling your panel’s capacity is a wise move.
Install Whole-Home Surge Protection
The issue with summer is that it’s not only the heat you have to worry about. In our region, we get heavy thunderstorms throughout the hot season. These storms lead to grid instability. Storm issues can cause fluctuations and surges. A power surge can fry your electronics. Even if they’re not harmed immediately, multiple surges take a cumulative toll. Brownouts, which occur when too many people draw power from the grid, are an issue, too.
Whole-home surge protection is great to have. We install the equipment that provides it directly into your main electrical panel. Unlike strips that protect only what you plug in, a whole-home setup protects everything. This is a professional‑grade solution for every appliance and electronic. It even protects your lighting fixtures and your water heater. No matter what type of surge comes through, it shields your circuits.
Add Dedicated Circuits for High‑Demand Appliances
Dedicated circuits for independent devices are another smart way to add protection. For instance, you may notice that turning on one appliance causes your lights to flicker. Or your AC could be on the same circuit as a kitchen appliance. Running more than one appliance or device at once may be causing issues. We can install a dedicated circuit for high‑demand, high‑draw appliances.
This gives your larger appliances their own direct line to the panel. There’s no tug of war. Amps do not need to be shared. Your high‑draw appliance has its own personal lane. Your smaller devices can share without issue in other lanes. This prevents tripped breakers and may help those lights stop flickering.
- Central air conditioners
- Window AC units
- Pool pumps and heaters
- Extra refrigerators or freezers
Invest in a Whole-Home Backup Generator
At the height of summer, rolling blackouts can be a serious issue. This isn’t necessarily due to power‑saving measures like in other states. It’s more about equipment failure, severe storms, and high demand. Losing electricity during a heat wave can be a miserable experience. It certainly helps to have a backup generator. We recommend a whole-home generator. This allows you to power more than just one or two appliances.
A whole-home generator installation offers you a seamless transition to backup power. As soon as the grid’s electricity goes out, your generator kicks on. You can run multiple appliances with a generator. Your AC, fridge and/or freezer, water heater, electronics, and your lights. This is really helpful if a transformer blows or some weather event leaves you without grid power for hours or days.
Replace Aging or Damaged Outlets and Switches
Heat causes many materials to expand and contract. Over time, this movement could loosen wire connections in the home. Your outlets and switches may stop working due to intense summer heat. This is dangerous. Loose connections create arcing, where electricity jumps across a gap. This results in extreme heat and could cause a fire.
A good way to tell if arcing is an issue in your home is to call us in for an inspection. At Childers Air Plumbing & Electric, our trained electricians will run a maintenance check on your entire electrical system. We can easily replace old and damaged outlets and switches. This keeps your home much safer. We can also upgrade you to GFCI and AFCI protection where needed and tamper‑resistant outlets.
Signs Your Electrical System Is Struggling With the Heat
Recognizing the warning signs of an electrical system struggling with heat is important. Electrical problems generally only get worse over time. Most of your electrical system is entirely hidden from view. It’s not as if you can observe it regularly. So, you have to be aware of other sorts of signs.
- Frequently tripping circuit breakers
- Burning smells near the panel or outlets
- Flickering or dimming lights
- Buzzing or popping noises from the walls
- Outlets that are hot to the touch
We recommend giving us a call if you notice any of these warning signs. Even flickering lights could be a sign of something more serious under the surface. Heat will only worsen problems you already have. Take a proactive approach, and have us come inspect your system. It’s a great way to ensure the safety of your home.
Trust Childers Air Plumbing & Electric for Your Summer Electrical Safety
At Childers Air Plumbing & Electric, our goal is to help you enjoy the summer without any electrical issues. It’s a taxing season on your electrical system. It’s hard enough for entire grids to handle the heat, much less a normal home. Our company has been around since 1951, helping our community with a range of electrical needs. Every electrician on our team is certified and trained to handle any issue with your system. From an outlet swap to a full panel upgrade, we can handle the job for you.
Waiting to act until your power fails is dangerous and expensive. Preemptive upgrades are the best way to stay protected. You do not have to worry about surges or outages with the upgrades we recommend. They will ensure that your home can handle the summer and whatever it brings.
Contact Childers Air Plumbing & Electric today for more information about electrical upgrades in Beckley.
