I have mentioned that there are small things to shrink your electrical service bill from an electrician. Other blogs have referenced checking your circuit breaker and making at-home diagnostics. Here is another way to save a large lump of money from your next big electrical service:

If you are living in an older home, it is possible that you do not have a garage. If you do, it is also likely that the garage does not have electricity. Installing or bringing electricity from the house to the garage is one of the more popular large services that Randy’s Electric can provide.

Depending on the type of electrical outlets needed, and what your long-term goal is, bringing electricity to a garage can cost anywhere from $800 – $1500. Sometimes homeowners are looking for just a light switch, or a couple sockets, these differences account for the discrepancy in cost.

The biggest way to save money, no matter the extent of the electrical service, is by digging your own trench from the house to the garage. This can save you anywhere from $200 – $400 on the total bill which is saving a lot of money. Although digging a trench is not always very difficult, it does take time that an electrician could be spending on technical installation or attending to the needs of other customers. For this reason, many companies will take a large sum off of the bill for a pre-dug trench. Saving money in this economy is everyone’s concern, so do this and save a few bucks!

A trench for electrical installation purposes should be a full two feet deep in the ground. Before you break your back digging a large hole, please know that these trenches can be dug with a spade and be quite thin. I would recommend digging on the same day as the appointment or at the very least check the forecast in between the time the trench is dug and the appointment. Nothing is more frustrating than digging a trench and then having it fall in due to rain or soil moisture.

With that said, good luck and happy digging. Also, it is important to note that if you have any back issues or you would prefer the electrician to dig the trench, then by all means, we are more than happy to provide the service from start to finish. PLEASE call with any questions or concerns. We are always happy to help!

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About Randy Smith: Randy Smith is a Master Electrician and has been servicing the Minneapolis metro area since 2000.  With an A+ rating with both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and Angie’s List. Randy has a rock solid reputation as a licensed and insured electrician.  Randy focuses on residential electric repair and installation. Our trucks can be found in the following neighborhoods:

Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Plymouth, New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Crystal,Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Brooklyn Park,  St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Crystal, New Hope, Golden Valley,Frindley, Medina

At Randy’s we try to ensure promptness and thorough service. This means that we need a little bit of wiggle room between appointments. If we are at a client’s home and they ask for an additional service since they have one of our electricians already present, we try to accommodate in order to better the experience for the customer. So we give a time frame in which we will arrive for each appointment in-case one takes longer than expected.

For this reason that I strongly recommend that one has a confirmed appointment before requesting any time off from work. This does not just apply to electricians or Randy’s Electric, but to any service that requires the presence of the homeowner or resident. So we will give you a a time frame when we will arrive. This is the common for all home service’s. If we cant make our time frame due to another job, we will send another one of our electricians in the area to meet your needs. 

For some readers, this may seem like an obvious bit of advice. But in reality, with busy schedules and hectic lifestyles, it is easy to do things out of order and cause you unnecessary stress. In addition, we have encountered this frustration often enough that it is worth bringing up. Hey, we want our service to be stress-free for everyone!

We work hard for your satisfaction, here are some customer testimonials

Call Randy’s Electric at 763-560-5600

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About Randy Smith: Randy Smith is a Master Electrician and has been servicing the Minneapolis metro area since 2000.  With an A+ rating by both the BBB(Better Business Bureau) and Angie’s List. Randy’s Electric has a rock solid reputation as a licensed and insured electrician.  Randy focuses on residential electric repair and installation and his trucks can be found in the following neighborhoods:
Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Plymouth, New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Crystal,Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Brooklyn Park,  St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Crystal, New Hope, Golden Valley,Frindley, Medina

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763.560.5600

We are available 24 hours a day for emergencies.

We want to make scheduling your services as easy as possible. For scheduling an appointment please call us during the hours of 8:00AM – 5:30PM at 763-560-5600 or 952-474-1002. If this is inconvenient please email us at info@randyselectric or fill out our service request form on our website and hit the submit button.   Your request will be reviewed shortly and we will call or email you to confirm our visit or for more information.

At Randy’s Electric we offer a service called Whole House Energy Management that helps our customers to save money by eliminating wasted electrical consumption. Wasted electrical consumption sky rockets electrical bills and prevents electrical appliances from operating at their best.

Most motorized home appliances work most efficiently at full capacity. When they are not working at full capacity they are often pulling in more energy than they are actually using. This is represented through a decimal number. For example, most homes operate at a 0.77 power factor. This means that 23% of the electricity being provided to the home is being wasted on motorized electrical appliances.

Here we use a Power woRx e3 which operates in a dual-mode surge protection. It also helps have your motorized appliances work at .98, or 0.97, drastically increasing the efficiency of your electricity use. If you are out of our service area in Minnesota, try asking your local electrician what services they provide to optimize your motorized appliance electrical efficiency.

Another way to “go green” when it comes to electrical appliances is by using energy efficient light bulbs and government approved energy-efficient appliances. Although these appliances may seem more expensive (the light bulbs are much more expensive) they will save you hundreds of dollars in the long run. Energy efficient light bulbs can also have up to five times the life of regular bulbs.

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About Randy Smith: Randy Smith is a Master Electrician who has been servicing the Minneapolis metro area since 2000.  With an A+ rating with both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and Angie’s List, Randy has a rock solid reputation as a licensed and insured electrician.  Randy focuses on residential electric repair and installation. His trucks can be found in the following neighborhoods:
Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Plymouth, New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Crystal,Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Brooklyn Park,  St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Crystal, New Hope, Golden Valley,Frindley, Medina

Start Teaching Them At A Young Age

It’s never too soon to start teaching your kids the need to be cautious with electricity.  Of course, when you first start baby-proofing your home you will make sure outlets are covered and the baby can’t access electrical devices that are plugged in, but from the time your child is able to understand, explaining to them the potential dangers in terms they can understand is important.  Teach children that electrical outlets are not toys, and to use caution around any item that is plugged in.

Use Available Resources

Your local electric company probably has plenty of tools and resources available to help you teach your children about safe electrical use.  Check their website or call them and ask what type of child-friendly materials they have that you can use to help teach your children about safe and proper use of electricity.  These materials can help you to explain electrical safety to your kids in terms they can understand.

The internet is also a great source of fun, and educational tools that you can use to teach your children how to play it safe around electricity.  There are plenty of interactive games and videos you can use to make it easy and fun.

Make Your Home Kid-Safe

Electrical safety in a home with children goes beyond just having outlet covers in place.  There are plenty of other potential dangers you should consider.  Make a sweep through your home and look for the sort of things that might not be a danger to an adult but could hurt a child.  Make sure that everything you have plugged in is secure – remember that babies and toddlers will be curious about outlets and want to try unplugging items.  You can purchase covers that prevent access.

You should also be careful to always unplug any electrical devices in the bathroom.  While you may know not to place the hair dryer in water, a child does not.  Simple curiosity could lead to a serious injury.  Teach your child that water and electricity are a bad combination, but be careful to keep temptations to a minimum.

Electrical Safety is Outdoors Too!

Although most people think about the electrical dangers inside the home, there are dangers outside as well.  Teach your kids to stay away from power lines, and remind them never to try to get anything down from a power line or fly a kite near one.  You should also be sure your children know that a downed power line is a serious danger.  While odds are good they will never encounter one, they should still know to stay away and let an adult know right away.

Keeping your kids safe around electricity is simple; it requires some planning and preparation on your part, as well as time taken to teach them all about treating the power that keeps our lives going with respect. Don’t be afraid to contact us with questions!

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About Randy Smith: Randy Smith is a Master Electrician and has been servicing the Minneapolis metro area since 2000.  With an A+ rating with both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and Angie’s List. Randy has a rock solid reputation as a licensed and insured electrician.  Randy’s Electric focuses on residential electric repair and installation and his trucks can be found in the following neighborhoods:

Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Plymouth, New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Crystal,Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Brooklyn Park,  St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Crystal, New Hope, Golden Valley,Fridley, Medina

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1. Are you licensed and insured?                                                                                                               

This may seem obvious but a surprising number of people do electrical work without a license or the proper insurance.  You should be able to see proof of the license, and be provided with the license number and the electrician should have no problem with you confirming his or her status in the industry.  This protects you and ensures you are getting an experienced expert to do the job right.

2. What is your area of expertise?

While there are many general electricians out there, most of them have done the majority of their work in a particular area.  Some work mostly with residential while others do commercial work.  Some electricians work with new construction while others are experts in updating and making changes to existing systems.  The right electrician is the one who has experience with the particular type of job you need completed.

3. What guarantee do you put on your work?

Any good contractor will stand behind their work and offer a guarantee that they have done the job well.  You should see some form of guarantee in the contract as well as getting it in person from the electrician you choose.  While there are always limits on this type of warranty, any electrician who doesn’t stand behind their work is not the one you want doing your job.

4. How do you charge and what is included in your estimate?

While many electricians charge by the hour, some may charge by the job depending on the type of project.   A good electrician will give you a clear idea of how they will bill you.  You should also be certain they explain what is included in the estimate and where any variation in the quoted price is likely to occur.  Every estimate is just that – an estimate – but a good electrician will do their best to stick to the quoted price and explain if they have to deviate.

Of course, many of the questions you will ask will be specifically suited to the job at hand, and you will need to prepare a list of these before you interview a potential electrician.  But there are a few things that should always be covered to make certain you know you are hiring an expert who can handle the task at hand.  On top of asking questions of the electrician, you should obtain some references and verify that they are a trustworthy and well respected contractor.   Don’t be shy about asking your questions and doing your research.  Any good electrician won’t mind at all – and you will have peace of mind that your important electrical job was done right.

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Randy’s Electric:

About Randy Smith: Randy Smith is a Master Electrician and has been servicing the Minneapolis metro area since 2000.  With an A+ rating by both the BBB (the better business bureau) and Angie’s List. Randy has a rock solid reputation as a licensed and insured electrician.  Randy’s Electric focuses on residential electric repair and installation, our trucks can be found in the following neighborhoods:

Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Plymouth, New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Crystal,Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Brooklyn Park,  St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Crystal, New Hope, Golden Valley, Fridley, Medina

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Practicing energy consumption does not need extensive knowledge, just some effort. As long as you adopt some basic practices and follow these simple rules, you will be conserving energy, and saving money.

In the Kitchen

• Use pans that fit correctly on the burner of the electric stoves, to save energy.

• Shorten the cooking time taken, by covering the dish with a lid to retain heat, helping food cook faster, thereby conserving energy.

• A running tap wastes a lot of water. You can easily save a lot of water by using a sink stopper when washing dishes.

• The condensers of your refrigerator should be cleaned at least three times every year to keep them free of dust and grease. Clogged condensers are inefficient and will waste energy.

Temperature maintenance

• Regulate temperatures during the different seasons. 68º F in winter and 78º F in summer are ideal temperature settings for the thermostat. With these settings; you can reduce the cost of heating and cooling, by as much as 3 percent.

• Practice natural insulation at home, by leaving drapes of windows open facing the sun during the winter to absorb heat while doing just the opposite during the summer months.

• Seams can be applied to gaps between windows and door frames where a lot of heat loss happens.

Bath and laundry

• Do not run the washing machine with few clothes, instead full loads of clothes should be used during each wash to conserve water and energy. Washing with warm water and rinsing with cold water is also a good practice in to conserve energy.

• Lint collectors and filters in the washing machine should be cleaned after every wash since inefficient airflow due to clogged filters can increase power consumption.

• Showers are preferable to baths when we speak of energy conservation tips.  Install volume reduction washers in shower head to prevent wastage of excess water during showers.

• Every drop makes an ocean, so make sure there are no leaky faucets in your home, they waste water so get them fixed as soon as possible.

Lighting

• Implementing latest technologies in lighting, including fluorescent lamps (CFL) in place of the older technologies makes sure that we are more energy efficient in our homes and offices.

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About Randy Smith: Randy Smith is a Master Electrician and has been servicing the Minneapolis metro area since 2000.  With an A+ rating with both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and Angie’s List. Randy has a rock solid reputation as a licensed and insured electrician.  Randy’s Electric focuses on residential electric repair and installation. Our trucks can be found in the following neighborhoods:

Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Plymouth, New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Crystal,Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Brooklyn Park,  St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Crystal, New Hope, Golden Valley, Fridley, Medina

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Just like all emergency situations, an emergency with your home’s electrical system can come out of nowhere and leave you in a tough situation. An electrical emergency is unlikely to happen during a convenient time of the day or of the year! Calling in an electrician can cost you an extra after-hours emergency fee; however, the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your home and your family’s safety have been restored is priceless.  

When It Turns Into An Electrical Emergency
Knowing when to call in the pros can sometimes be very obvious, but there are some situations that you may simply not know if it’s an emergency. To be safe, call in the professionals when one of the following electrical problems arises inside of your home:
- A strong electrical burning smell is definitely reason to call in the pros.

-If you hear a crackling sound when you flip on a light switch or plus something into an outlet.

-Noticing burned, or scorched, areas around any of your electrical outlets is definitely a cause for concern.

-Flickering lights in just one room, or in your whole house, are certainly indicative of a problem.

-If your home’s circuit breaker needs to be reset every few hours – this is a problem that should be addressed as soon as is possible.

-If the circuit breaker is failing to reset, despite all of your best efforts you should stop trying to fix it yourself and call in the professionals to take over.

-If there is water coming through any of your outlets or ceiling light fixtures then you should immediately leave the home and have both the water and electricity disconnected in your home as fast as is possible.

Certainly the situations above are problems enough on their own; but, they can be the result of a much more serious situation that needs to be handled by a well-trained and experienced professional electrician.

Back-Up Generators
Consider discussing the installation of a back-up generator with your professional electrician; not only will he be able to advise you as to the best product to meet your needs but he will also be able to help ensure that installation of your new generator goes smoothly.

If you, or a member of your family, have medical problems that require the use of specialized equipment then you should consider a generator to be a vital part of your household in the event that you lose power during rolling black-outs or a severe weather situation.

An emergency that involves electricity is an emergency that cannot wait to be addressed; be sure to keep your electrician’s emergency contact information in an easy-to-locate position – like on your fridge or family message board. Scrambling around in the dark to find the phone number is sure to be a source of frustration! Keep in mind that a power outage that affects your whole home is likely to be the result of a situation that your utility company should be handling. If a quick glance outside determines that your neighbors are also without power then you should first contact your utility provider in an effort to have them resolve the situation.

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About Randy Smith: Randy Smith is a Master Electrician who has been servicing the Minneapolis metro area since 2000.  With an A+ rating with both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and Angie’s List. Randy has a rock solid reputation as a licensed and insured electrician.  Randy’s Electric focuses on residential electric repair and installation, our trucks can be found in the following neighborhoods:

Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Plymouth, New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Crystal,Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Brooklyn Park,  St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Crystal, New Hope, Golden Valley, Fridley, Medina

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Pathway Lights
A popular choice for homeowners is the addition of pathway lights lining the path up to their front door; there are many solar powered options that can help homeowners keep their energy costs low. However, its a good idea to consider the installation of pathway lights that are both connected to a power outlet and have the ability to store a small solar powered charge.

A professional electrician will be able to help you to select the best pathway lights for your needs, as well as help to guide you towards the best installation methods.

Driveway Flood Lights
If you are at all concerned about security outside of your home, or you simply wish to add more light outside of your home, consider flood lights. Flood lights that are on a motion sensor can help to startle potential home intruders; however, in order to ensure that your motion-activated lights don’t blink on and off all night, you should be certain that you keep tree branches and shrubs in the area trimmed.

Flood lights can prove to be very useful, especially if you find yourself with the need to work in your driveway after dark; cleaning a boat, working on your car, or enjoying the company of friends – flood lights can make the world of difference.

Backyard Lights
Adding attractive lights to your backyard can allow you the ability to host fantastic backyard parties with your friends and family members. Whether you are interested in adding new light fixtures to a covered deck or you’re looking to install waterproof hanging lights, a professional electrician will be able to guide you in the right direction.

It can be all too tempting for “do it yourself” homeowners to consider simply running extension cords throughout their property in an effort to ensure that they have a reliable electrical source for their outdoor lights. Extension cords are certainly a safe option for many purposes in and around your home; but NOT when it comes to a source of power for outdoors. Seek out a more permanent option that is safe. Many homeowners have accidently run over an extension cord with their lawnmower, causing a dangerous situation.

If you have any questions or require additional guidance about the types of outdoor lights that will suit your needs, discuss it with your professional electrician. Not only will a professional electrician be able to help you to select the best light fixtures for your outdoor needs, but he will also be able to ensure that the installation is done in the most efficient and safest manner possible.

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