Month: November 2020

Career Guide for Electricians

Electricians install and maintain electrical power systems in homes and businesses. They provide maintenance and repair of existing electrical systems.

Electrician Summary

Job opportunities should be good, especially for those with the broadest range of skills.

Most electricians acquire their skills by completing an apprenticeship program usually lasting 4 years.

About 79 percent of electricians work in the construction industry or are self-employed, but there also will be opportunities for electricians in other industries.

Working as an Electrician

Electricians install and maintain all of the electrical and power systems for our homes, businesses, and factories. They install and maintain the wiring and control equipment through which electricity flows. They also install and maintain electrical equipment and machines in factories and a wide range of other businesses.

Electricians generally focus on either construction or maintenance, although many do both. Electricians specializing in construction primarily install wiring systems into factories, businesses, and new homes. Electricians specializing in maintenance fix and upgrade existing electrical systems and repair electrical equipment. All electricians must follow State and local building codes and the National Electrical Code when performing their work.

Electricians usually start their work by reading blueprints— technical diagrams that show the locations of circuits, outlets, load centers, panel boards, and other equipment. After determining where all the wires and components will go, electricians install and connect the wires to circuit breakers, transformers, outlets, or other components and systems.

 

How to Become an Electrician

Starting a new career can be confusing at times, and perhaps a bit scary. Don’t worry. We are going to show you everything you need to know about how to become an electrician in our complete step guide.

What is the Electrician’s Salary and Wages?

Let me give you a brief run-down of the electrician’s salary and wages. Not only does the electrician enjoy steady and satisfying work, the electrician’s salary and wages are the highest paid of the skilled trades due to the technical knowledge and diverse skills that are required to perform a broad range of tasks. This is good news when learning how to become an electrician.

Apprentice Electrician Wages

The starting wage of an apprentice is usually 40% of a fully trained electrician’s wage. Your pay should increase along with your skills and value to your employer. Electricians in manufacturing, and power generation and transmission, usually have higher wages than those in construction.

Most electricians work full-time, which may include evenings and weekends. Of course, work schedules can change during bad weather or unpredictable delays. On the other hand, during scheduled maintenance or on construction sites with a looming deadline, you can expect to work overtime.

Consider the Electrician Job Description

It can be challenging deciding on a vocation. Without a clear picture of what you’re getting yourself into, you might feel unsettled or indecisive. The first step in learning how to become an electrician is to make sure you understand what the job entails. With this in mind, take an in-depth look into the electrician job description. It will reveal whether or not a career in the electrical career is a good fit for you.

 

Your guide on how to become an electrician

There will always be a need for tradespeople who work with wiring, machines, and other electrical equipment. Electricians keep us powered up, and they possess specialized skills to do work that could be dangerous in the hands of an amateur. If you are considering joining the ranks of these essential professionals, there are several things you need to know about becoming an electrician

What do electricians do?

This seems like a no-brainer: electricians work with electrical equipment. That job description is both accurate and completely inadequate because the term “electrical equipment” includes so much and the work is so varied. Electricians perform repairs, installations, and maintenance. We are probably most used to having electricians visit our homes to install new outlets or repair faulty wiring, but they also perform their work in factories, construction sites, shops, and businesses. They work indoors and out, and the equipment on which they work stretches well beyond household appliances and wiring. Electricians may also decide to specialize in wiring airplanes, ships, cable and data systems.

As for the less-specialized electrician, there are four common types:

Residential wiremen, who install and repair household wiring.

Inside wiremen, who install and repair wiring in non-residential structures, such as factories, arenas, airports, schools, and office buildings.

Outside linemen, who lay the cables that connect power plants to residences and buildings.

Telecommunications electricians, who install television, telephone, and Internet cables.

What skills do electricians have?

Electricians do a lot more than connecting cables from one power source to another. They possess a large quantity of skills, both general and specific to their particular areas of specialization.

General skills include:

Understanding the National Electric Code, which is the regional standard for electrical safety requirements

Problem solving

Electrical safety

Working with tools such as amp meters, digital multimeters, pliers, measuring devices, drills, saws, etc.

Reading blueprints

Plotting the installation of wiring throughout buildings

Locating and replacing faulty wires

Working with circuit breakers and fuses

Locating the energy flow to transformers and circuit breakers

Assessing the work of other electricians

Ensuring that electrical work is up to safety standards

Managing electrical crews

Mentoring apprentices

 

How to hire guide: electricians

All electricians need to be suitably qualified for the work they undertake. Much domestic installation work falls under Part P building regulations, which means it must be certified by your local authority building control. The simplest way to do that, is to ensure the work is carried out by someone who is a Part P registered ‘competent-person’, as that way all the relevant notifications and paperwork will be completed for you.

Part P-registered firms are vetted to ensure their work is up to standard. They have specialist equipment and know the standards required to pass an electrical safety check. If you use an uncertified electrician, you may have to pay your Local Authority building control a fee to inspect the work.

Which? Trusted Traders endorses electricians in your area, checking their business practices, terms and conditions and taking references from previous clients to help take the worry out of choosing a trader. All Which? Trusted Traders endorsed electricians have the necessary qualifications to carry out electrical work in your home.

It’s worth checking whether the electricians on your shortlist are registered with one of the government-approved schemes run by bodies such as National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contractors (NICEIC), ELECSA, NAPIT or others. Contact the scheme directly to check that the electrician is registered. In the event of something going wrong, you’ll receive support from the scheme operator.

The Electrical Safety Council says it is seeing a growing problem with tradespeople such as builders or kitchen fitters subcontracting electrical work to unqualified individuals. Rather than assuming a tradesperson will check an electrician’s background, qualification and registrations, the Electrical Safety Council recommends that you ask to see proof of the electrical contractor’s ability yourself. Any electrician who is reluctant to do so should be avoided.

 

Electrical Installation

The study of a proposed electrical installation requires an adequate understanding of all governing rules and regulations. A list of most common IEC standards is provided. The total power demand can be calculated based on the location and power of each load, together with the knowledge of the operating modes (steady state demand, starting conditions, non simultaneous operation, etc.).

The power and number of sources required to supply the electrical installation is readily obtained, also taking into account local tariff structures, to allow the best choice of connection arrangement to the power-supply network, e.g. at medium voltage or low voltage level.

Standard voltages between 100 V and 1000 V (IEC 60038 Edition 7.0 2009-06)

Note:

* the lower values in the first and second columns are voltages to neutral and the higher values are voltages between phases. When one value only is indicated, it refers to three-wire systems and specifies the voltage between phases. The lower value in the third column is the voltage to neutral and the higher value is the voltage between lines.

* voltages in excess of 230/400 V are intended for heavy industrial applications and large commercial premises.

* concerning supply voltage range, under normal operating conditions, the supply voltage should not differ from the nominal voltage of the system by more than ±10 %.

Note 1: It is recommended that in any one country the ratio between two adjacent nominal voltages should be not less than two.

Note 2: In a normal system of Series I, the highest voltage and the lowest voltage do not differ by more than approximately ±10 % from the nominal voltage of the system. In a normal system of Series II, the highest voltage does not differ by more then +5 % and the lowest voltage by more than -10 % from the nominal voltage of the system.

Regulations

In most countries, electrical installations shall comply with more than one set of regulations, issued by National Authorities or by recognized private bodies. It is essential to take into account these local constraints before starting the design. These regulations may be based on national standards derived from the IEC 60364: Low-voltage electrical installations.

Professional Home Inspection Checklist

You’ve made an offer on a home, your offer was accepted, and now you’re in escrow waiting for inspection day. How will you succeed? By crossing items off our thorough home inspection checklist.  With a home inspection checklist by your side, you’ll move into the home of your dreams in no time.

Buying your first home is accompanied by a myriad of emotions. You’re excited because you finally have a place to call your own. You’re nervous to look at your savings account after paying a down payment. You’re exhausted after spending months working with an agent to find the perfect home.

Don’t worry, this rollercoaster of feelings is completely natural and will come to an end soon. The hardest steps are out of the way when all that’s left is an inspection and final walkthrough. And because the inspection process can be demanding, we’ve created an ultimate home inspection checklist to ease your fears and help transition you into the home of your dreams.

What Is A Home Inspection

A home inspection is an examination of a newly purchased property for any potential issues. The process is typically conducted by a professional inspector, who will then provide a full status report on the home. The purpose of a home inspection is to reveal any problem areas before the end of the closing process. This provides both buyer and seller a chance to renegotiate or even walk away from the transaction if necessary.

While it may sound scary, a home inspection is actually one of the best safeguards put in place for homebuyers. In many cases, home inspections do not reveal any surprises at all. But, when they do buyers can communicate with the sellers about a potential fix. Any fixes that are made can be checked over in the final walkthrough. It is absolutely crucial to get a home inspection, even if you have a great feeling about the property. The home inspection process can protect you, and your wallet, from a number of unexpected surprises in the future.

 

Home Inspection: What to Expect and What to Inspect

Inspection day is often one of the most exciting moments of home buying because it’s likely the first chance you have to go inside the home since you made your offer. It’s also usually the last chance you’ll have until a final walkthrough. But more importantly, it’s your opportunity to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into when it comes to the condition of the home.

Home inspections don’t just provide you with a list of problems you want to negotiate with the seller to fix or something catastrophic that makes you back out of the deal altogether. It will provide you a detailed report that is something of a “new owner’s manual” for the home. It will include maintenance tips and schedules you should follow.

Finding an inspector

You should hire a licensed, professional inspector to conduct a thorough inspection. How do you choose one? Along with agents, lenders and other home pros, Zillow has lists of inspectors with reviews. You can use the Agent Finder tool to find all kinds of real estate pros, including inspectors. Get recommendations, check their online reviews and study their websites. Get a sample report to make sure what they will produce is thorough. Your agent probably has suggestions but you don’t need to use them.

You will want to be clear on exactly what is and isn’t included in the inspection price. Will they test for lead paint? How about asbestos in the ceiling tiles? Is that part of the basic inspection or will it cost more? The price, though you will pay it, is probably the least of your concerns. Most inspectors are in a similar range of $300-$500 anyway and any fluctuation is a small price to pay for what you will get. Early in the home buying process start researching inspectors and have at least a couple in mind, especially if the market is busy. You’ll need to be sure you can get an inspection scheduled within your contract timeline, so if your first choice isn’t available, you need someone waiting in the wings.

Inspection day

You should plan on being there and your agent should be right there with you the entire time. Chances are the seller’s agent will be there, too to help get any quick answers the inspector might need. Block off the entire morning or afternoon. Home inspections take time and you don’t want to rush through it. During this time, follow along as much as you can. You don’t have to follow the inspector into the crawlspace – they bring protective clothing just for that – but anyplace reasonably accessible, you should go too.

 

A BUYER’S GUIDE TO HOME INSPECTION

homebuyers should skip. Foregoing the home inspection could cost buyers lots of money later. You wouldn’t want to buy a $300,000 house and later discover a huge defect that will cost thousands of dollars to repair. A home inspection is like the doctor’s checkup you get covering major systems and diagnosing problems. Many states require sellers to provide buyers with property condition disclosure forms, but it’s a good idea to hire an independent home inspector.

HOME INSPECTION BASICS

A home inspection is a detailed report prepared by a home inspector about the condition of home systems, deterioration, and recommendations. The inspection could take between 2 and 5 hours and may cost between $250 and $500. Many buyers attend home inspections so they can better understand the issues, ask questions, and learn more about the house and its major systems.

THE WHY OF HOME INSPECTIONS

Buyers often order home inspections to ensure the major systems are in good condition and that there are no serious, expensive defects. Sellers might order a pre-listing inspection to identify major problems that need to be fixed before the house is put on the market. Common in most sales contracts, a home inspection contingency makes a sales conditional upon the outcome of the home inspection report. A home inspection is also a good way to identify repairs to request and to learn about the elements and systems of a house.

ELEMENTS OF A HOME INSPECTION

The home inspector will examine major elements of a house, ensuring proper operation of systems, observing the condition, and noting damage. A typical home inspection report will cover:

The exterior: Roof, driveway, walkways, steps, doors, decks, and siding among other elements.

The structure: Foundation and framing. The inspector determines whether the foundation and framing are sound and the building skeleton can withstand the elements.

The interior: Windows and doors; ceilings, walls, and floors; attic and basement.

Plumbing and electrical systems:

Water supply, heating, and drainage

Service entrance wires, breakers and fuses, and control panels

Heating, cooling, and ventilation/insulation

The inspector may also look for signs that one system has damaged another system such as walls or ceilings. Home inspectors are not specialists, but they may recommend corrective actions. Other types of inspections may be necessary as well, such as a termite inspection and a radon inspection.

 

A Buyer’s Home Inspection Checklist

Make a more confident offer and be better prepared for the home inspection by looking at these parts of your future house during the initial walk-through.

Touring homes can be quite a rush. But while you’re ogling the features you love — like that breakfast nook and those built-in bookshelves — it’s also important to keep an eye out for potential shortcomings.

Buyer home inspection checklist

See something odd while touring your would-be home? It may not be the time to say something, but you’ll want to make a note so you can bring it up during the home inspection. (One easy way to do it: Snap a photo with your phone.)

Pay attention to these common trouble spots:

Exterior: Are the gutters and downspouts properly attached, and do they drain away from the house? What kind of siding is on the home? Is it in good repair?

Roof: Do you see stains, dark spots or even moss? Any missing shingles or tiles? Ask when the roof was last replaced.

Foundation: Do you see any big cracks? Are there trees close to the foundation? Does any part of the ground near the foundation seem soggy, squishy, or sunken?

Windows and doors: Do they open and close easily? Do any seem misaligned? Do you see any signs of moisture around the frames or between the panes?

Smells: Do you notice any unusual scents? (The real estate agent’s cookies baking in the oven don’t count — think odors that might indicate the presence of mold or mildew.)

Attic and basement: Can you see any signs of moisture or water intrusion? If the attic or basement is unfinished, what kind of insulation do you see? Is it in good condition?

Heating and cooling: What systems are in place and are they functional? Look for a serial number or manufacturing date to get a sense of the system’s age. If there’s been a replacement, is the old system still in place? (For example, if the home was converted from oil to propane, is there still an oil tank on the property? An improperly decommissioned fuel tank can be hazardous.)

Plumbing: How’s the water pressure? Do the fixtures work? Any signs of leaks in under-sink cabinets? How old is the hot water heater?

Electrical: Do all light switches work? Are all the outlets grounded? (If you spot any that are two-prong, those are definitely not grounded.) Does the house have an older electrical panel with fuses or a newer one with circuit breakers, or both? Outdated wiring can be a hazard in itself and a hassle to upgrade.

Major appliances: If appliances like the oven, refrigerator, washer or dryer are included with the sale, what’s their condition?

 

Home Inspection Tips to Get Through the ‘Deal Killer’ Phase of Selling Your House

Home inspections have a reputation for being deal killers. In fact, one out of every 20 real estate transactions hits a fatal snag along the way, and nearly a third of the ones that don’t make it to closing fall apart because of issues that turned up during the inspection, according to data from the National Association of Realtors.

Although real estate is an appreciating asset, a property’s physical structure naturally deteriorates over time and requires significant upkeep. Although some problems that arise will be apparent—like a burst pipe or deep crack in the driveway—not all of the wear and tear on a home’s inner workings are visible to the naked eye

That’s why when the time comes to sell your house, the inspection could yield surprises even if you’ve kept to a routine home maintenance schedule. It’s a nerve-wracking position to be in as a homeowner, so we’ve asked experts in the field for their top home inspection tips to help sellers prepare mentally and logistically for this step on the road to closing.

Trust your real estate agent to help you navigate home inspection preparations and negotiations.

After you’ve accepted an offer on your house, the buyers of the home will schedule the home inspection within about a 10-day time frame. Depending on how many times you’ve sold a house before, you may have little to no experience preparing for the home inspection and the negotiations that will follow.

Your real estate agent should help you:

Understand the types of home maintenance issues that are common in your area, whether it’s signs of water leakage in a region where every home has a basement, improper electrical wiring in a neighborhood of historic homes, or pest issues in warm climates.

Craft a game plan for any repair requests—to think about whether you have time to hire contractors to fix issues yourself or offer repair credits in the event that problems do arise.

Take the pulse of your real estate market to determine how much leverage you have as the homeowner depending on if you’re in a buyer’s market or seller’s market, and how eager prospective buyers will be to snatch up your house.

Differentiate between minor and major home inspection findings and what constitutes grounds for negotiations (cosmetic repairs versus issues that pose a health or safety threat).