Koehn Electric

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Koehn Electric In Turlock, California

Koehn Electric is your premier electrical service provider in Turlock. If you are looking for electrician services in the residential, commercial, and agriculture fields, you have come to the right place. We have been serving customers for the last 16 years to full satisfaction, and our work today is only at its best. We bring expertise and experience to the table that can be matched by no other.
Every house and business has an electrical system. We use electricity every day and it is a necessity to keep our lives running smoothly and our businesses to remain successful. It is important to keep these electrical systems working and well maintained so you can receive the best power and keep your journey lighted. To get your electrical units wired properly, you need a certified and professional electrician to ensure you can use your electrical devices safely and efficiently. Koehn Electric is known as the best Turlock electrical contractor who can wire your place or business or house safely and help you maintain your electrical devices.

It is important to have a qualified electrician that is concerned for your personal, property and electronic safety. Every electronic that uses electricity can combust in the case of an electrical fault. This can cause fire or shock which could result in major property damage or worse, even injure the user. At Koehn Electric, we are very aware and mindful of your safety and want to establish that your personal safety and property is maintained.
Bad electrical wiring can result in your appliance burning out and your electronics to quit working. If done right when you have a surge in electricity, your breaker should trip and cut off the power to you outlets and appliance to ensure your personal and property safety. If you have a breaker that keeps tripping contact us today so we can looker deeper into underlying causes. An appliance can suddenly shut off for no apparent reason and sometimes the problem can lie with the wiring to the breaker or power source. Not only do we wire whole houses but we keep your system maintained and running smoothly.

Being aware of how your electricity system works is important way to stay safe and can help you learn to be efficient with your electricity, and avoid common safety mistakes. Keep your lights and fans turned off when not needed to keep energy bills low. Installing LED bulbs can also cut down your costs. If you have small children and you worry about their safety around open outlets you can purchase outlet covers to keep them from getting shocked. Keep Koehn Electric’s number nearby so we can help you with any of your electrical needs and questions! If you live in a new house and you are nervous that the wiring might be old and need to be updated, we help resolve your problem and find a safe solution. Old house sometime have low power sources and more electrical power needs to be brought in so you can run appliances and your computer and other electronic devices. We promise to bring you satisfaction and efficiency to any electrical situation.

We have been helping you stay lit for 16 years and bringing you electical service that you and your household can rely on. We want to continue to give the best customer friendly and satisfaction guaranteed service in Turlock and surrounding areas. We offer a broad array of services and if you have a question about a problem or idea that is not listed do not hesitate to call! Koehn Electric is here for all your electric needs.

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Saturday, May 6, 2017

Lighting Fixture Installation

Hire A Turlock Electrical Contractor Today!
Lighting is simply a necessity. That is if you wanna see where you are going. Let Koehn Electric help you light the way with our expertise at lighting fixture installation. Lighting fixtures come in all different shapes, color and size. They can add to the vibe of your home or business if chosen correctly! We can help you install the look that is right for you! Maybe you need a chandelier in your dining area or something spectacular for your entryway to give off that special glow.

Turlock Electrician
Chandeliers can bring a touch of class and elegance but there are certain rules that follow when hanging and placing a chandelier.. We are here to offer our light installation services to help you achieve that look you desire. If your hallway is dark and gloomy, sconces can provide a cozy glow. Light fixtures can include kitchen hood fans and lights or lighting for your bar or kitchen. Pendants are especially popular to hang over your kitchen bar to create light and a statement. They can range from a cozy cabin look to contemporary penthouse vibe. Some of our customers are leaning toward energy saving systems such as can light fixtures geared with LED bulbs or fluorescent lighting. When it comes to ceiling lights they is great range of options including can lights that are built into the ceiling for a more energy efficient system and sleek modern look. We are here to help you with all your light fixture needs.

Residential Lighting
For good bathroom lighting you can use tracking lights and built in lights and vents. Tracking lights are a good option if you want to show up that artwork on the wall. Some are made to swivel so you can adjust where you want your beam of light directed. If your lighting is looking outdated and you need a fresh look or something that flows and glows better with your style of home, then we are the guys to help you install what light is best for you! Not only do we want to help you with your in home installation but outdoor lighting is especially important! Making sure your outdoor environment is well lit and your outdoor light fixtures are installed properly is an important safety feature for your home. Let us help you light up your outside with safety lights so you can relax and get your rest at night knowing that your property is well lit.Not only do outdoor lights help provide security but it looks great for outdoor gatherings. We can help you with light fixtures for around your pool or pergola. To keep your business running you gotta stay lit. We can install commercial types of lighting fixtures and bring you the best energy efficient lighting techniques to your commercial business.

Koehn Electric in Turlock
Koehn Electric is excited to be a part of helping you save on energy bill costs so you can be a part of something bigger. Shed some light in your home today with some savvy light fixtures. Call us now for professional installation!

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Monday, May 1, 2017

Koehn Electric Links

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Sunday, April 30, 2017

Circuit Breakers/Boxes

You can’t have electricity to your Turlock home or business without a circuit breaker box. Breaker boxes are the grey steel boxes located in a central location of your house that holds multiple circuit breakers that distribute power to whole house. This is one of the most important features when it comes to wiring your home or business.
Circuit breakers are important safety feature that turn power to your facility on or off by tripping to ensure there is no damage when an electrical short or an over current occurs. It is extremely important you have an experienced and qualified electrician to wire and install the correct breaker box. Getting a new breaker box does not mean that you will suddenly have more power. You will need an electrician to properly wire and install other devices such as new cables and a new meter. Electricity comes into your by wires that attach to your breaker box. It is important when installing a circuit breaker or box that you get one that meets your local requirements and codes. Koehn Electric is more than certified to ensure that you get the right breaker box suited for your local requirements. Circuit breakers is the main hub or controller of where your juice flows. There are several different types of circuit breakers all in different amounts of volts. Receptacles and lighting need to run on circuit breaker called a single pole that is available in 3 types. Your appliances and hot water heaters run on more amps and will need a higher powered circuit breaker that provides more amps called a double pole. Arc fault circuit interrupters is a type of circuit breaker that shuts off your power when it senses an arc of electricity due to damaged wires. They are used to protect circuits in common rooms in your house such as your bedroom. Ground fault circuit interrupters is another type of breaker that trips a circuit as soon as short is sensed. Ground fault circuit interrupters are used in wetter areas of your facility or home such as a bathroom, garage, kitchen,etc. Not only is this an important part to wiring a new home but this is also something that can need to be replaced or maybe you need to add a sub panel so you can run more power to your home. If your breaker box has circuits that keep breaking or “tripping” call Koehn Electric to check to see what the main problem is. Circuits don’t tend to trip for know reason and it could lead to serious wiring damage if not fixed. Koehn Electric makes sure to install breakers that ensure your can use your appliances and light fixtures safely without worry of overworking your circuits and causing damage to your home. If you are confused as to the difference between circuit breakers and the main breaker, a circuit breaker is stacked in a panel that has an on and off switch that controls the flow of power. A main breaker is a large double pole circuit breaker that limits the amount of power coming in from the outside to protect the circuit it feeds.

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Saturday, April 29, 2017

Koehn Electric | Electrical Installation

Every home needs an awesome ceiling fan. Whether your style is modern, contemporary, country, or southwest, you can find a ceiling fan design that when incorporated into your design and scheme can not only help cool your home but add to the interior design and help get that rad atmosphere you so desire.

Ok, so I know keeping with your flow of design is important to keep you feeling chill, but let’s talk about airflow. This is super duper important to keeping those chill vibes flowing and allows your wallet to relax. Ceiling fans allow you to set the thermostat several degrees higher and still keep the house feeling just as cool. To keep your house or specific rooms cooler you need to get a ceiling fan that can keep up with the work load so you can get the best results. Ceiling fans if used in the right manner can keep your energy bill low, especially in the summer when you need to cool down you house.

Whether you are building your dream home or your remodeling or maybe you simply need a ceiling fan, call us at Koehn Electric. We offer safe and affordable ceiling fan installation. And we are here to help you make smart energy saving decisions that can allow you to put your money toward the important things in life. (summer vacation anyone?) You pick the fan that fits your own unique and personal style and we will do the installing! It is an important that you get a professional and qualified electrician to install your ceiling fan properly.Your electrician should know the importance of where exactly to mount your ceiling fan in your house or room. If not placed properly or installed to high or low, ceiling fans will not give you the result that you want and need.

Ask Koehn Electric about the right ceiling fan for your home! We want to keep you as our customer completely satisfied with your home. Do you know which way do your ceiling fan blades turn? It is important to have your blades going the right blades way. If it is hot summertime and you need to cool down and relax, you will want your ceiling fan blades to be spinning counterclockwise. This pushes the cool air from the ceiling down to the floor and keep the air around your feeling much cooler since it is being evenly distributed. . If is winter you will need your fan blades to being spinning clockwise. Spinning the blades clockwise causes the warm air to be pulled up and keeps your heat evenly spread so you can stay warm and cozy.

So you might have the right look of ceiling fan that suits your house but maybe your ceiling fan isn’t working probably or it’s making that dreadfully annoying clunking sound that causes you to stay up at night. Call Koehn Electric and we will fix your ceiling fan problem so you can can get your rest and wake up refreshed!

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Friday, April 7, 2017

5 Stages of Residential Electrical Construction

The Basic process of constructing a new house, in America, from an Electrician's viewpoint. (120/240 volt)

As a Residential Electrician, it is helpful to understand how a house is built and the timing of when you are expected to begin installing the electrical system. The more you understand about the practices of other trades the better you will be as an Electrician. For example, if you know that the furnace duct work runs straight up into the attic, then you will learn not to run your wires through space above a furnace that is not yet installed.

Observe a new house under construction and you will see different construction trades arrive, complete their task and leave. Each trade is a separate "contractor" or company, hired by the builder to perform a specific task. As an electrician, you work for an electrical contractor. The builder manages the whole construction process and is the one responsible for hiring or firing the electrical contractor (company) that you work for. Some contractors, like a garage door installer, work on the house for one day. Others, like framing carpenters, might be there for months.

There are times when nobody is working on the house and other days when 4 different contracting companies all show up at the same time. You might go to work one day and have the whole house to yourself, just you and your fellow electricians. The next day you might find yourself working with plumbers, carpet layers, security installers and the heat and aircrew. Each trade trying to get their job complete without getting in the way of each other.

Builders divide the construction process into 2 phases;

1) The wet phase and 2) The dry phase

The wet phase is when the interior of the house gets wet because it is not yet protected from rain or snow.

The dry phase is when the interior is protected from rain and snow although not from temperatures. Most electrical work is done during the dry phase.

Electricians, plumbers, HVAC, media, security and central vacuum trades have a different division of 2 phases based on when the walls are finished,

1) The Rough In and 2) The Finish

They install items in the walls before sheetrock (an electrical box with wiring) and finish the installation after the walls are finished (a switch and switch plate)

Here is a general timeline that builders follow when constructing a house. Notice the times, highlighted in bold print, when the electricians arrive to do their job.

The Wet Phase

Excavation. The ground is dug out to prepare for concrete.

Footing. A wide slab of concrete is poured to lay below the load bearing walls and posts.

It is below the ground and not a good place to drive a ground rod.

Underground Plumbing, is laid in the ground where ever a concrete floor will be poured.

✔ Temporary and underground electric (Electrical Stage 1) Provide the construction site with a temporary electrical power pole. Electrical conduit for floor receptacles (and plumbing for drains) is laid in the ground before any concrete floor slab is poured. In northern winter climates, the slab is poured after the house is dried in and heated.

Foundation walls and floor are poured.

Framing carpentry The wood and metal skeleton frame of the house is built including rough floors, roof sheets, and exterior framing.

After the framing is Roofing shingles Windows & exterior doors Garage doors

Wells Swimming pools Septic Systems

The Dry Phase

HVAC or Heating, ventilation & air conditioning. Metal and flexible duct work is installed.

Plumbing rough in The plumbing pipes is run throughout the house. One piece tub/shower units are set in place before electrical wiring is in the walls because some wall studs may have to be temporarily removed in order to get the large tub units into place.

✔ Electrical "Rough In" (Electrical Stage 2) Can light, exhaust fans, panels, and outlet boxes are nailed up. Holes are drilled, circuit wiring is run through the wall studs and into boxes where electrical connections are made.

Exterior soffits The finished surface of the roof's overhang is installed. If you have lights in the soffit you will have to get them up fast

Exterior siding brick, stucco is applied. It is best that any nailing of exterior siding is completed before the electrical wiring is installed to avoid any damage to the wires.

Fireplace inserts Prefabricated metal fireplace inserts, the flue, and any control wiring are installed.

Systems Entertainment system wiring, security system wiring and central vacuum pipes and wiring are installed.

Insulation

Sheet Rock

After the sheetrock is installed our electrical installation process now changes. Adding electrical wiring or moving electrical items becomes more difficult because the sheet rock is blocking access to the framing where the wiring is routed and electrical items are mounted.

✔ More Temporary Electrical (Electrical Stage 3) New furnaces are connected for heat and AC, some temporary receptacles, lighting, and switches are installed. "Temporary" because they will be damaged by paint and sheet rock mud.

Cabinets

Carpentry-finish Trim, interior doors, locks, stairs, railings.

Paint

Wallpaper A missing outlet might be behind some wallpaper

Countertops

Tile/granite Floors, showers, counter tops, and backsplashes are covered with tile or granite.

✔ Electrical Finish (Electrical Stage 4) Time to install items like switches, receptacles, lights and ceiling fans. This might take 1 to 4 days on a small house and 1 to 4 weeks in a large mansion.

Plumbing finish. Sinks, toilets, water heaters, dishwashers, and disposals are installed.

HVAC finish. Vent covers and thermostats are installed.

Flooring Wood floors and the carpet is installed. >Misc; shelving, mirrors, towel bars, gutters

Landscaping Gardens, grass, fences, patios, sprinkler systems

Driveway

Cleaning

Move in day

Builder's Warranty Work

✔ Electrical Modifications and Warranty Work (Electrical Stage 5) Fix switches that are miswired, add a receptacle up high for a wall mount TV.

So the builders are thinking wet/dry and electricians are thinking rough/finish

Notice how electrical installation methods change after sheetrock is installed.

For example, a box that is easily nailed in place before sheetrock will have to be cut into the sheetrock using a retrofit style box after sheetrock is installed.

Also, notice that there are ✔5 different stages when the electricians are scheduled to arrive.

Residential Electricians spend most of their time on just 2 of these;

"The Rough In" Stage 2, when the house is "dried in" but before sheet rock and

"The Finish" Stage 4, after sheet rock and some time after the paint is finished.

The 5 Stages of Residential Electrical Construction

Stage 1 Temporary electric and underground conduit

Stage 2 The Rough-in

Stage 3 More temporary needs

Stage 4 The Finish

Stage 5 Modifications and Warranty

Electrical construction on a new house comes in 5 stages. When a stage is complete, the electricians leave the job site and do not return until the house is ready for the next stage. The larger the house is, the greater the time it will take for your electrical team to complete the stage and the greater the time between stages when you and your fellow electricians are away on other projects.

The "Rough In" Stage 2 and the "Finish" Stage 4 take a long time to complete and are explained in more detail below. The other stages are completed quickly and may not even exist in your local area.

Stages 1 and 3 deal mostly with temporary electrical needs. Some builders would rather save the cost of your services and provide their own temporary electrical needs. They might use an extension cord from the house next door or generators, portable heaters, and flood lights.

Other builders will order allot of temporary electrical needs. They will have your company set up a temporary power pole before construction begins. Later on, after the sheetrock is installed, they will have you energized the house panel and install several temporary lights and receptacles. They might also want the furnace and air conditioner to be connected.

The Warranty work in Stage 5 is often done after the owners have moved in which will require an appointment time so you are not locked out. It might be as simple as showing the owners how to reset a GFI receptacle or installing a switch and light in the attic that was forgotten.

Here is a summary of the 5 Stages of Residential Electrical Construction;

Stage 1 Temporary electric and underground conduit

Provide the job site with a temporary electrical power pole.

Start time; After the concrete footing and base, gravel is set and before the concrete floor is poured and the framing carpenters arrive.

Total time; 1-8 hours

Normally, this power pole is constructed with an outdoor weatherproof panel and breakers, GFI protected receptacles and a meter box mounted on a 6-foot post. The temporary pole comes in an overhead style or an underground style. Both styles are normally set in a 2-foot hole and held upright by attaching 3 2x4 braces like a tripod that is staked to the ground. Some electrical supply stores sell the pole already assembled. Visit a local construction site and notice their temporary power pole. Some companies require the use of portable generators that eliminate the need for a temporary power pole.

Install conduit under the concrete slab if required. If a house has receptacles on a concrete floor, the electrical conduit has to be laid on the ground before the concrete slab is poured. Typically 3/4 inch PVC conduit is glued together and buried in the gravel from a concrete style floor box to a nearby framed wall. The box and the other end of the 3/4 conduit, have to be set above the finished floor and covered to prevent concrete from entering the conduit.

Some electrical contractors install the underground service conduit during this Stage 1, although it is best to wait until the meter is mounted on Stage 2. PVC electrical conduit is buried from the underground utility transformer (or junction box) to the area where the meter will be. The conduit is left sticking out of the ground close to the foundation until the house is framed and a meter can be mounted and connected to the conduit.

In cold winter climates, under slab conduit is delayed until stage 2 when the house has roof windows, doors, and temporary heat.

Stage 2 The Rough-in

Install all the electrical wiring, housings, boxes and panels before the walls and ceiling are covered with sheetrock.

Start time; After the house, framing is "Dried in" with windows, doors, exterior sheathing and shingles on the roof.

Average Total time; On a small 1500 square foot house 2-8 days, on a large 15,000 square foot mansion 2-8 months.

The Electrical "Rough In" Article

Stage 3 More temporary needs

Start time; After sheetrock is installed. Total time; 1 day or less.

Depending on the needs of the builder, this stage might be as simple as installing 1 circuit breaker in the house panel and a receptacle in the garage.

In a large mansion the builder might require far more temporary needs;

Temporary lights.

Installing light bulbs hanging down from recessed can light and the switches to control them. Connect wiring at receptacles to feed power through to the switch. Use a keyless or temporary light socket in rooms without can lights. All of this to make it easier for the painters, and others, to complete their work.

Temporary receptacles.

Install receptacles on 20 amp circuits spread out around the house to help eliminate excessive extension cords and tripping breakers. A receptacle is installed and energized at the garage door motor so the house can be locked and entered using the garage door security code.

Furnace and Air Conditioning connections.

Normally installed at stage 4, permanent connections are made to the furnace and air conditioner to remove moisture from the unfinished woodwork and sheet rock mud. Builders request permanent heat and AC connections early, long before the house is finished so they can save the cost of renting temporary portable units.

Stage 4 The Finish

Start time; After paint and wallpaper. Average Total time; On a small 1500 square foot house 1-8 days. On a large 15,000 square foot mansion 1-8 months.

More on the "Finish Stage" http://electricalfinish.blogspot.com

The Electrical "Finish" Article

Stage 5 Modifications and Warranty

Start time; After the house is occupied and when called upon by the builder or owner.

Total time; 1 hour to 1 week depending on the situation.

Modifications.

Often a customer will only agree to buy a house if certain changes or additions are made.

They might want several switches changed to dimmers or a new circuit added for a hot tub out back.

Warranty.

Warranty work means you have to go back to a finished house, days or weeks after the customer has moved in, to fix something that you or your company installed. Sometimes it is your fault; maybe you miswired a 4way switch and now the hall lights don't come on when the 4way is in a certain position. Other times it is the fault of a manufacturer who's ceiling fan is throwing sparks. The 4way can be rewired, the fan can be taken down and exchanged for a new one. Other problems include; stuck doorbell button damages the chime, an attic light needs a light bulb, an arc fault breaker keeps tripping because someone interconnected neutrals from 2 separate circuits inside a 2 gang switch box.

One difficulty about warranty work is that you just can't show up any time that you would like.

You have to arrange for an appointment so that the homeowner will be home to unlock the door.

I remember a time when I arrived at a house to make some electrical repairs and noticed a "Home Window Repairs" truck parked in the driveway with 2 guys sitting in cab smoking. I pulled up next to them, rolled down my window and said "Good Morning" "Well it could be better" they complained. I said, "Oh, what's wrong?" They told me that they have been waiting for almost an hour for the owner to get home. Before I could get a word in they continued complaining, "The boss said someone would be here but we rang the bell several times and no one is answering. He told us to keep waiting. He thinks they went to the store and will be back soon, but we have other jobs to go to and we can't wait here much longer. These people might never come home." Finally, they asked me, "Do you need to get in there too?" "Yes," I said, "I'm here to fix the doorbell " There was a moment of silence and then we all busted out laughing. Sure enough, when we knocked on the door, the owners came to open it.

A safety note;

► Electrical work is dangerous to both the installer and the customer, it should be done under the supervision of licensed professional. Something as simple as plugging a space heater into a rolled up extension cord that is tucked under a couch can burn a house down. It can be easy to wire up a heater circuit. The question is can you wire the heater or anything else, safely. What you don't know might hurt someone. Work with a professional.

Source: 5 Stages of Residential Electrical Construction