Common Electrical Problems During Winter Months

There’s no denying the fact that the average electricity consumption of a home significantly increases over the frigid winter months of the year. Due to this increased use, it is easy for people to let their guard down when it comes to electrical safety which may result in injuries and damage to property. It is crucial to remain extra vigilant during winter to avoid such mishaps. With winter there can be other problems that may arise due to snowfall, freeze/thaw cycles, strong winds, and heavy rains. Accidents related to electricity more often than not have fatal consequences along with heavy financial repercussions. This is exactly why we suggest that you prevent any such incidents by taking a few precautions that will ensure you and your family remain safe.

As winter sets in, you must be super alert while operating heavy appliances and anything related to electricity. We advise you to perform simple tasks like checking the overhead electrical lines for clearance to make sure that the electrical panels are covered adequately. This will help you protect your home from any power surges and other hazards caused due to electrical accidents. In this article, we have compiled a list of few tips to ensure a safe and secure winter as far as any electricity related accidents are concerned. These can range from fluctuations, short circuits to power outages caused due to rain or snow. With winter being the most popular holiday of the year, make the best of it by following these tips.

Top 8 Tips for Outdoor Electrical for Homes in Winter

  1. Crimped extension cords and flickering of lamps are a tell-tale sign that there is a huge risk of fire hazard.
  2. All plugs, panels, and boxes must be appropriately covered and made weather resistant. If water seeps into them, it can cause unnecessary complications.
  3. It is good practice to identify, mark and label all the circuits to be able to immediately cut power from them if a need arises. Time is of the essence in such situations as the situation can escalate quickly. By labeling all the circuits, you might be able to save critical time that may mean life or death.
  4. Never overload any power outlets with multiple extension cords. This can cause unwanted stress on that particular outlet causing them to heat up and disintegrate. It may even become a fire hazard and cause immense damage to properties.
  5. For those of you who have extension cords running under the carpet, it is essential to have them covered with childproof caps.
  6. If you have pipes that are prone to freezing during winter, keep them from freezing this winter by using heat tape. This tape will make sure that your pipe remains warm and does not freeze.
  7. Have a professional take a look at the wiring in your house to identify if it needs any replacements or repairs.
  8. To protect all your appliances from the frequent power surge during the winter, have a certified electrician install a surge suppressor. This will ensure that your appliances keep running well.

For all your electrical needs, you can count on Westphal & Co. Contact us to receive a free quote for your renovation project and any other electrical system needs you may have.

Can switching to LED light bulbs help you increase energy savings?

The simple answer is yes. LED light bulbs can help you save money on energy and in this article we will present simple calculations that with explain just about how much can be saved.

But let’s start from the beginning to understand the difference between LED and incandescent bulbs.  LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs, use a semiconductor to convert electricity into light. LED lights produce light more efficiently as they emit light in one direction, compared to standard incandescent light bulbs or compact fluorescent lamp (CFLs), making them less expensive to use.

LED lights gained huge popularity since year 2000 when the initial technology faced many issues like short lifespans, harsh lights, flickering and high price tags. Since then, the quality of the LED products increased significantly and the light bulb prices have dropped by 85% in recent years.  But yet not everyone has switched to LED lights and we are hoping this article will help you better understand the benefits of replacing your incandescent bulbs with LEDs. 

LED
CFL
Incandescent
Cost per bulb
$5
$2
$1
Average lifespan
25,000 hours
10,000 hours
1,200 hours
Bulbs needed for 25,000 hours of use
1
2.5
21
KWh of electricity used over 25,000 hours
212.5
350
1500
Cost of electricity (@ 0.137 per KWh)
$29.11
$47.95
$205.5
Total cost for 25,000 hours
$34.11
$52.95
$226.50

Besides the energy savings, here are some other benefits of LED light bulbs:

LED Light Bulbs Last Longer.

High-efficiency LED bulbs last at least about 10 years while incandescent and halogen bulbs last on average one year. This provides savings in not only purchasing a lot less bulbs, but what’s more important – replacing them.  The task is not always easy when your house has vaulted ceilings or hard to reach light fixtures. 

Many Color Options.

While incandescent bulbs use gels or filters to create different shades of light, LED lights provide a range of colors and temperatures using the actual diode or its phosphorus coating. This allows you to enjoy many different colors that LED bulbs can offer. 

LED lights do not cause heat build-up.

LED lights do not cause heat build-up as only 20% of a LED light’s energy is used to emit heat.  They are generally cool to touch and you don’t have to worry about them being a fire hazard in case they tip over and touch the shade. 

If you have any questions regarding LED light bulb installation or replacement, please contact our experts at Westphal. 

5-Year Work Anniversary with Nate Frisch

HIGHLIGHTS

Job Title: Foreman

Work Anniversary: 11/15/2016

Time at Westphal: 5 years

Q&A WITH NATE

Can you tell us more about your role at Westphal & Company? Did you start in this role?

I am currently a Foreman transitioning to a Project Manager position.

What do you like the most about working at Westphal & Company?

What I like most about working at Westphal are the opportunities to grow and the camaraderie within the company makes it a fun and rewarding place to work.

What do you do for fun?

I enjoy weekends at the lake, boating and hanging out with friends and family. I also coach Football, which takes up most of my free time in the fall. It is fun working with the guys to learn and understand the game better.

Hooper Office and Prefab Buildings

Data Center PORTFOLIO

Hooper Office and Prefab Buildings

DeForest, Wisconsin

SPECIFICATIONS

LOCATION

DeForest, Wisconsin

CLIENT

Hooper

CONTRACT AMOUNT

Hooper Security – $403,172
Hooper Data - $360,289

The overall project includes a 68,860 sf office building with 43,730 sf of underground parking, plus a 207,226 sf fabrication facility located on 50 acres in DeForest, Wisconsin. Both buildings are designed to highlight the expertise and professional capabilities of Hooper/GHAC, with features such as a 60-well geothermal bore field, water-cooled modular chiller, in-floor radiant heat, an in-ground snow melt system and much more.

Highlights of the office building include zones for private offices, open workstations, and collaboration spaces over two floors. The first floor has an impressive two-story lobby with an open stair that encourages movement and accessibility to offices, conference and training rooms and a second floor fitness center. Opposite the main entry on the first floor, the café area features a lounge with fireplace, staff kitchen, and access to an outdoor terrace with views of the wooded site. Interiors maximize daylighting with large windows, exposed timber decking, painted steel and glulam beam ceilings.

The fabrication facility is designed from the inside-out to maximize efficient operations and to manage the flow of raw materials and finished goods. Constructed of insulated precast concrete wall panels, the fabrication facility also features ample daylighting through windows and skylights, an outdoor patio and other design elements similar to the Hooper/GHAC corporate office. Best of all, a unified location for plumbing, fire protection, piping, custom metals, and sheet metal production will not only improve access and centralize receiving, but also increase efficiencies across all disciplines.

The data scope of work includes installation of 150,000′ of Commscope CAT6 plenum cable and connectivity throughout the facility. Installation of new single mode and 50mm multimode fiber with 25pr copper backbone cabling throughout the campus to the new MDF and IDF closets.

The security scope of work includes adding the new campus to their existing unified access control, camera, and burglar alarm systems that is used nationwide. On this project we added 68 doors of access control and 62 cameras.

Mt. Carmel Bluffs – Phase 2

Healthcare PORTFOLIO

Mt. Carmel Bluffs - Phase 2

Dubuque, Iowa

SPECIFICATIONS

LOCATION

Dubuque, Iowa

CLIENT

Senior Housing Partners

CONTRACT AMOUNT

$369,187

This project comprises the construction of a 248,000 square foot new Senior living facility containing 116 independant living apartment units. The scope of work includes installation of 140,000′ of Commscope CAT5E cable and Leviton connectivity throughout the facility, installation of new 50um OM3 and singlemode fiber optic cable, along with 100pr copper backbone cabling from the MDF to (2) new IDF closets. Additional scope includes installing new security cabling to new CCTV and access control locations throughout the project.

UW Veterans Medical Center

Healthcare PORTFOLIO

UW Veterans Medical Center

Madison, WI

SPECIFICATIONS

LOCATION

Madison, WI

CLIENT

JCI

ARCHITECT

Flad Architects

CONTRACT AMOUNT

$1,010,670

FEATURED

Controls Technology

The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) is home to one of the leading schools of veterinary medicine in the country. The SVM project includes a new three-story building as well as an existing building remodel. The new facility will provide space for the small animal clinic, new offices, conference rooms, and shared collaboration/interaction spaces to support the teaching hospital. The clinical space will be expanded to increase access to the small and large animal isolation suites that are required to meet accreditation standards, increase the quantity of specialized surgery environments, provide imaging space, and separate patient access to medical oncology services. The existing building remodel will renovate portions of the animal hospital and raze three buildings. Westphal & Co. is responsible for the installation of the Johnson Controls building automation system.

CEVA Biomune Lab Buildouts

Bioscience PORTFOLIO

CEVA Biomune Lab Buildouts

Verona, WI

SPECIFICATIONS

LOCATION

Verona, WI

CLIENT

Vogel Brothers Building Co.

ARCHITECT

GBA

CONTRACT AMOUNT

$585,300

This multi-phased project consist of new labs with clean rooms and process for the use in developing vaccines for animals of the fowl, swine and cattle families in this 55,000 square foot facility in Verona, WI. This phased project is being completed to allow the facility to continue to produce these vaccines insuring the power to freezers and test equipment stayed active during construction. There are plans to expand this facility in to green space adjacent to the current facility. The initial design was completed by GBA Architects of Lenexa, KS and Westphal assisted in making available power and control for the equipment coming from other plants.


Anticipated completion of the renovated area is December 2021.

 

Resurrection Elementary School

K12 Education PORTFOLIO

Resurrection Elementary School

Dubuque Iowa

SPECIFICATIONS

LOCATION

Dubuque Iowa

CLIENT

Portzen Construction

ARCHITECT

Origin Design

CONTRACT AMOUNT

$865,000.00
This is a new 2 section 3 story pre k through 5th grade elementary school. The building is about 44,000 square feet and includes a media room, warming kitchen, art and faith formation rooms along with a lunch room and the classrooms. The electrical scope includes a new 1600-amp 208/120 volt 3 phase service that will also feed an existing gym and other campus buildings.

How To Choose The Best Commercial Electrical Contractor

Finding the best commercial electrical contractor for your company’s needs hinges on asking the right questions and doing the right research. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. The following 6 essential questions will help you get the information you need to hire the right one for your needs.

Understand What You Need First

It’s important to clearly define your business’ needs before delving into which is the right commercial electrical contractor to fill them. Do you need some minor renovation or major remodeling? Do you need help with just the lighting or all of the electrical systems? Also, what is your timeframe for needing everything completed? Scheduling is important for both your business and the electrical contractor, so try to allow plenty of time to complete the desired work.

The Right Commercial Electrical Contractor is Licensed and Insured

Never hire an commercial electrical contractor that isn’t fully licensed and insured for the work they are doing. This is essential because it demonstrates that the electricians working on your project have gone to the effort of receiving and maintaining their electrical certifications, are up-to-speed on the latest electrical codes and are competent to perform the work you need them to do. The insurance is also critical in case accidents occur. These are absolute baseline requirements that your electrical contractor must meet for safety and quality reasons.

How Long has Your Electrical Contractor Been in the Business

This is another indicator of whether or not you’re getting the best commercial electrical contractor available. The longer an electrical contractor has been in business the better, for two very important reasons:

They will have amassed a great deal of experience working in a wide range of environments and… Any company that has been in the business for a long time has kept their customers happy and done a considerable amount of repeat business, or they would have gone out of business long ago. Westphal & Co. has been serving customers across Wisconsin and Iowa for more than nine decades, and we have generations of happy customers because we’ve put safety, high-quality work and our customers’ needs first on every job.

Always Get References

The best commercial electrical contractors will not hesitate to provide references for you to check so you can ask other clients about the quality of their work and their customer service. Steer clear of any contractor that doesn’t want to provide references. When you receive references, make sure to call and ask questions about the contractor’s quality of work, professionalism, attention to detail and any other specifics that are similar to the job that you need to have done.

How Detailed is the Quote?

When you receive the quotes, make sure to look carefully at how detailed they are and how well they explain what each expense is. The right commercial electrical contractor will provide a highly-detailed, very specific quote that outlines exactly what each expense is after having examined your needs in person. Ask all the questions you need to!

Check Online Resources

During this process, make sure to double check all the online references you can: the company’s website testimonials, industry affiliations, and online review sources like Better Business Bureau and Google Reviews. Find out if the contractor has won any industry awards or special mentions for impressive design or new construction projects.

For all your electrical needs, you can count on Westphal & Co. Contact us to receive a free quote for your renovation project and any other electrical system needs you may have.

Celebrating 20th Anniversary with Deanna Hoff

HIGHLIGHTS

Job Title: Assistant Controller

Work Anniversary: 9/30

Time at Westphal: 20 years

Q&A WITH DEANNA

Can you tell us more about your role at Westphal & Company? Did you start in this role?

Yes, I started in this role after working in public accounting for 14 yrs previously. I live in Janesville and our headquarters were located there when I started. In 2006, I relocated with the headquarters to our current Madison location. At the start of the pandemic, I relocated to our new Janesville office, but do work in our other offices occasionally.

My basic role is to assist the CFO and Controller – hence my Assistant Controller job title😊, but I feel my role is to assist or support everyone on Team Purple in any way I can. I’m involved in the day to day accounting operations as well as many HR functions for our office staff. I process office payroll & expense reimbursements biweekly, sales & use tax returns monthly, payroll tax returns quarterly, and W2’s/1099’s annually. I assist with monthly account reconciliations associated with the preparation of our financial reports. I handle various required statistical reporting as well as audits of our union reporting. I also support other members of our accounting staff and assist PM’s with accounting-related functions and questions. I’m involved with implementation, upgrades, training and documentation for various software we utilize. As you can imagine, I’ve worn many hats over the past 20 years and have learned SO much!

What do you like the most about working at Westphal & Company?

My work has a lot of variety and challenges and I enjoy being part of the Westphal Team where the philosophy and culture are a really good fit for me.

If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be?

TIME. I think the one thing I appreciated about the pandemic year was a less hurried pace and the time to do/enjoy things you didn’t feel like you had time for before. 

What do you do for fun?

Spend time with family and friends camping, motorcycle riding, ATVing, biking, golfing, grilling out, etc.

10 Signs It’s Time To Rewire Your Home

Just like other parts of your home, electrical systems wear out over time. An aging electrical system is a hazard not only to your home, but to the safety of you and your family. You shouldn’t let an electrical fire be your wake-up call that it’s time to rewire your home. There are many signs an electrical system gives off when it’s worn out or damaged, and you should be paying attention to these signs.

So how can you tell if your home needs rewiring?

  • Contact an electrician. Our electricians can diagnose your electrical system’s health and let you know if it’s time to rewire your home.
  • Watch for the following warning signs:

If any of the following is true about your electrical system, it’s time to get your home rewired!

  1. Your home has frequently blown fuses or tripped breakers – This may be a sign your electrical system is worn out or can’t handle the amount of electricity you need in your home.
  2. Your home’s lights frequently dim or flicker – This is a sign of faulty wiring and frequently seen more often in older homes.
  3. You hear buzzing or sizzling sounds in your wiring or outlets – If you hear any sounds coming from your outlets, you should call an electrician immediately.
  4. Your home’s outlets are loose – If plugs wiggle and fall out of electrical outlets, you need to get new outlets.
  5. You’ve made a major renovation or added additional large appliances – Additional large appliances like microwaves or washer/dryers use so much electricity they might need their own dedicated circuitry.
  6. Your home is more than 40 years old – If you have an older home, the existing electrical system may be wearing out, made of aluminum wires instead of copper, and straining to meet your home’s demand. Houses built in the 1960s, 70s, and even 80s may not be able to handle the amount of power you need for modern devices.
  7. Your home has ungrounded, two-pronged outlets – All of your outlets should be grounded to reduce the threat of electrocution.
  8. Your home has aluminum instead of copper wiring – According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, failing aluminum wire connections can cause overheating that can start a fire. You can tell if you have aluminum wiring if “AL” is written on the jacket.
  9. You’ve experienced an electrical shock when plugging in or unplugging an appliance – Even the smallest tingle may be a warning sign, so don’t dismiss it!
  10. Your outlets give off a burning smell – Burned or overheated wires often give off a noticeable burning odor.

Rewiring a home requires understanding and expertise for a smooth and safe installation. Call our team now for a free in–home assessment. Our licensed residential electrical professional will guide you through the process and discuss your electrical needs, and answer any questions or concerns you may have. Contact us at (608) 222-0105 or learn more about our other residential services at www.westphalec.com.

The Importance of Electrical Surge Protection for Your Home

The average home today is filled with valuable electronic devices. This will typically include televisions, multiple computers, tablets, mobile phones, sound systems, gaming systems, and more. If any (or all) of these devices were damaged, it would not only cost you a lot of money to replace, but it would also be extremely inconvenient. In most situations, the biggest threat to electronics in your home is going to be a power surge.

Power surges can be caused by many different things including a problem at the electric company, damage to a local power line, or most commonly during a Wisconsin summer, lightening from a bad storm. Most people will purchase a surge protector that can be used on individual outlets in order to keep their television and entertainment center protected, but this leaves all your other electronics exposed. Fortunately, there is a much more convenient (and affordable) option to consider.

Whole Home Surge Protection

Rather than picking and choosing which devices you want to protect, why not have a whole home surge protection device installed right at your home’s electrical panel. This option will have all of the electricity that enters your home pass through it so if any surges in electricity occurs, it will never cause any type of damage.

Benefits of Whole Home Surge Protection

There are many benefits to going with a whole home surge protector rather than options that only work on one outlet. Take a look at just a few of the most common advantages that you will enjoy once you have this device installed in your home:

  • Total Protection – You will not have to worry about what you are plugging into which outlet again since they are all protected from electrical surges.
  • Much More Affordable – If you purchased a surge protector for every outlet that you use, it would be much more expensive than simply having one device installed for the whole home. This is true even with the cost of professional installation included!
  • Keeping Your Home Safer – In addition to keeping your electronics safe, a whole home surge protector can also help to prevent fires and electric shocks from occurring.
  • Potential Savings on Insurance – Some insurance companies offer discounts on their policy when you install home protection equipment like this.

Remember, all of these benefits (and many others) have always been essential, but with so many people working from home, it is more important than ever. If you work from home, what would you do if your laptop, tablet, or other critical devices were damaged? With this type of protection throughout your house, the risk of this happening is minimal.

How to Install a Whole Home Surge Protector

If you want to take advantage of the benefits of a whole home surge protector, it is recommended to have a professional take care of the installation. It is necessary to disconnect your main power lines that go into your circuit box and then run them through the surge protector. This means working with very high voltage equipment that requires a trained professional to be done safely. If you are interested in learning more or scheduling a time for someone to come install this type of device in your home, please contact Westphal & Company. We will be there for you every step of the way.