Electrical Services in Melbourne, FL

Snyder Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electric handles panel inspections and upgrades, circuit breaker replacement, outlet and switch repairs, GFCI and AFCI installation, whole-home surge protection, generator transfer switch installation, and wiring repairs for Melbourne and Brevard County homes. The Space Coast’s active storm season and its history of direct hurricane impacts make electrical storm preparedness a practical priority for homes in this area.

Brevard County’s location on Florida’s east coast puts it in the path of Atlantic tropical systems, and summer thunderstorm activity is frequent and intense. Lightning strikes on or near utility lines send voltage spikes into homes that can damage HVAC control boards, water heaters with electronic ignition, refrigerators, and any electronics on unprotected circuits. A whole-home surge protector at the main panel intercepts these events before they travel through the home’s wiring. For Space Coast homes that have had repeated appliance losses from surge events, this is the most direct fix.

Older neighborhoods near downtown Melbourne and those developed in the 1960s and 1970s may have 100-amp service panels, ungrounded wiring in some circuits, and GFCI protection gaps in wet areas. Some homes from that era used aluminum branch circuit wiring, which requires compatible outlets and connections to remain safe as the wiring ages and the metal expands and contracts. An inspection of an older Melbourne home identifies which of these conditions are present and prioritizes them by safety impact.

A licensed electrician installs the transfer switch at the main panel and connects the generator’s power input through that switch. Before installation, the electrician confirms that the generator’s output rating matches the transfer switch and that the generator is properly positioned for safe exhaust venting. For a portable generator, a manual interlock or transfer switch requires the homeowner to start the generator and manually switch over. An automatic standby generator with an automatic transfer switch handles the entire process without manual intervention within seconds of detecting an outage.

After a storm, check the main panel for tripped breakers and reset them individually rather than at the main. Any breaker that will not reset or that trips immediately on reset indicates a fault on that circuit. Look for physical damage to the weatherhead, service entrance conduit, or meter base; these require utility involvement before power can be safely restored. GFCI outlets that were exposed to water intrusion should be replaced before use, since water in the device compromises its protection function even after drying.

Your home’s wiring is one of those things that often gets overlooked and taken for granted until issues start popping up. But just like any other component, that electrical conduit snaking through your walls does have a limited service life that you’ll need to be mindful of. Here’s a quick rundown:

Normal Lifespan

Most modern copper wiring installed to code can reasonably last 50-70 years before needing replacement. Older aluminum wiring, which was commonly used decades ago, has a much shorter expected lifespan of only 25-40 years or so.

Signs of Aging

As that electrical wiring insulation inevitably breaks down over time, you may start noticing issues like frequent circuit breaker trips, flickering lights, discolored or warm outlets/switch plates, or the occasional whiff of a burnt smell. These are typically signs that rewiring is likely overdue.

Safety Risks

Beyond just being an inconvenience, severely aged and deteriorated wiring can also pose legitimate fire and shock hazards if not addressed. Outdated knob-and-tube or aluminum branch wiring are considered obsolete safety hazards requiring complete removal.

Home Renovations

If you’ve done any major renovation work like additions, finishing a basement, etc., your existing wiring may no longer have the capacity to safely handle the increased electrical load. This is one of the most common drivers for full rewiring projects.

Code Compliance

Many older properties were originally wired following outdated building codes from decades past. When going to sell or refinance, you’ll likely need to bring the full electrical system up to modern code standards, which usually requires a total rewire.

While not a small undertaking, rewiring is a wise long-term investment to ensure your home’s electrical setup is safe, efficient, and equipped to meet today’s power needs. An electrician can inspect and advise if your wiring has reached the end of its reasonable lifespan.

Having to constantly go reset tripped circuit breakers is easily one of the most annoying electrical headaches around the house. While the occasional trip here and there is no huge cause for concern, if it’s becoming a frequent occurrence, that’s a surefire sign that something needs addressing.

Here are some of the common culprits behind all that breaker flipping:

Overloaded Circuits

This is probably the number one offender when it comes to nuisance breaker trips. As we keep piling on more gadgets, devices, and high-powered appliances onto a single circuit, it can easily get overwhelmed and overloaded. The breaker is just doing its job to prevent an overheated, dangerous situation.

Faulty Appliances

Older appliances with worn out power supplies or internal wiring issues can absolutely cause breakers to trip when they start drawing too much current erratically. Appliances on their last legs are frequent offenders here.

Aging Wiring

As your home’s electrical wiring ages over decades, that insulation inevitably starts breaking down. Even normally-loaded circuits may then start tripping breakers more regularly when that deteriorated wiring can’t handle the load anymore.

Short Circuits

If you’re getting breakers that trip immediately after resetting them, it likely points to a short circuit caused by damaged wiring, faulty outlets/switches, or an appliance issue. This requires an immediate professional inspection to resolve.

Ground Faults

Tripped GFCIs and circuit breakers can also stem from ground fault issues, where current is getting diverted from its intended path to ground instead. Moisture problems are a common culprit behind these types of faults.

While the occasional breaker trip is no big crisis, frequent events are definitely a warning sign that an underlying issue needs resolving before it potentially leads to an electrical fire or other safety hazards down the road. Don’t just keep mindlessly resetting and ignoring the problem!

With our thunderstorms and hurricane seasons, Floridians have to be extra vigilant about protecting our home’s electrical setup.

Whole-Home Surge Protection

A quality surge protector installed at your electrical panel acts like a shield for your entire home’s wiring, outlets, and connected devices/appliances. It diverts dangerous voltage spikes safely away during lightning strikes and utility fluctuations.

Backup Power Generator

When severe storms inevitably knock out power for extended periods, having a permanently installed standby generator means your essentials like AC, fridge, medical equipment, etc. can keep humming along automatically until the lights come back on.

Routine System Inspections

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Having an electrician routinely inspect and tighten connections, check grounding, and test components helps identify any potential weaknesses before storms can expose them.

Secure Outdoor Wiring

Take a walk around your property and ensure all exterior wiring, electrical boxes, and connections are properly secured and protected from exposure to wind, flying debris, and water intrusion during storms.

Unplug Unnecessary Devices

When you know severe weather is imminent, it’s wise to unplug unnecessary TVs, computers, gaming systems and the like from outlets to protect them from power surges and electrical spikes.

Tree Trimming

Keep trees and vegetation around your home’s electrical service lines and outdoor AC units neatly trimmed back to prevent potential damage from falling branches during high winds.

Flooding Preparedness

For coastal residents, it’s crucial to ensure all electrical panels, outlets, wiring, and equipment is properly elevated above your property’s flood zone levels to prevent water damage when storm surge hits.

If you haven’t made the switch to LED bulbs and fixtures yet, you’re truly missing out on some serious benefits over those old-school incandescent and fluorescent lights. Here are just a few reasons why LED lighting upgrades are a no-brainer:

Energy Efficiency

LED bulbs use only a fraction of the electricity compared to incandescent bulbs to produce the same amount of light output. We’re talking upwards of 80-90% less energy consumed, which really starts adding up on those utility bills.

Long Lifespan

While those old bulbs burned out every year or two at best, LED lights are rated to keep shining for a decade or two before needing replacement. You’ll basically never have to get back up on that ladder again!

Low Maintenance

With lifespans of 25,000-50,000 hours, LED fixtures require way less maintenance and replacement costs over their ultra-long lifetime compared to rapidly burning out bulbs every year.

Cooler Operation

LED technology gives off very little heat, unlike the scorching bulbs of yesteryear. This makes them safer to operate while also reducing cooling costs for your home’s AC system.

Environmentally Friendly

In addition to being energy misers, LEDs are also free of toxic materials and are 100% recyclable, making them an eco-friendly lighting solution that reduces your carbon footprint.

Versatile Lighting

From sleek modern fixtures to industrial-chic lamps and retro Edison bulb designs, LED technology allows for ultra-stylish and creative lighting options to suit any decor.

While LEDs do come with a higher initial price tag, their tremendous long-term energy and maintenance savings more than make up for it over the years. Making the upgrade is an investment that pays itself off in no time!