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Strada Services
Common Questions
I have an old 150-amp panel and want to add a Level 2 EV charger. Is my 1986 home's system safe for this upgrade?
A 150-amp service can often support a Level 2 EV charger, but the critical factor is your panel's brand and condition. Many Auburndale homes from the 80s have Federal Pacific panels, which are a known fire hazard and should be replaced before adding any major load. We must first verify your panel type, perform a load calculation for your existing circuits and the new 240-volt charger, and ensure the bus bars and breakers are fully reliable.
My smart TV and modem keep resetting during storms. Is this a problem with Duke Energy or my house wiring?
This is likely a combination of both. The Duke Energy grid in our area experiences high surge risk from frequent lightning, which can send damaging spikes through your lines. Your home's internal wiring and surge protection also play a role. Whole-house surge protection installed at your main panel is a standard recommendation to defend sensitive electronics from these external and internally-generated transients.
My house in Lake Ariana Estates was built in 1986 and the lights dim when the AC kicks on. Is the original wiring to blame?
Your home's electrical system is 40 years old. Original NM-B Romex wiring from 1986 was designed for a different era of appliance loads. Modern kitchens, home offices, and entertainment systems demand far more current, which can overload those original 15-amp and 20-amp circuits, causing voltage drops you notice as dimming lights. A panel and circuit evaluation is the first step to safely distributing today's power demands.
I need a panel upgrade. What permits are required from the City of Auburndale, and does the work have to follow new code?
All panel replacements or major service upgrades in Auburndale require a permit from the City Building Division. The work must be performed by a licensed electrician and will be inspected to ensure it complies with the current Florida-adopted NEC 2023 code, which includes updates for AFCI and GFCI protection. As your contractor, we handle the permit paperwork and scheduling with the city, ensuring full compliance with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation licensing rules.
How should I prepare my home's electrical system for a summer brownout or a rare winter ice storm in Auburndale?
For summer peak loads, ensure your AC system is on a dedicated, properly-sized circuit and consider a hard-wired surge protector. For extended outages from any cause, a permanently installed generator with an automatic transfer switch is the safest, most reliable backup. Portable generators require extreme caution; they must never be connected to your home's wiring without a proper transfer device to prevent backfeed, which is lethal to utility workers.
We have very sandy soil here near the park. Could that affect my home's electrical grounding?
Yes, the flat, sandy coastal plain soil common around Lake Ariana Estates has high resistivity, meaning it doesn't conduct electricity as well as clay or loam. This can compromise the effectiveness of your grounding electrode system, which is critical for safety and surge dissipation. We often recommend testing ground resistance and may need to install additional grounding rods or a concrete-encased electrode to achieve a low-resistance path to earth as required by code.
The power just went out and I smell something burning near an outlet. How fast can an electrician get to my house near Auburndale City Park?
For a burning smell, treat it as an urgent safety issue and call immediately. From our dispatch near Auburndale City Park, we can typically reach a home in Lake Ariana Estates within 5 to 8 minutes using US-92. Please turn off the breaker for that circuit if it's safe to do so and avoid using the outlet until it's inspected.
I see the power lines come to my house on a mast from the pole. What does that mean for my service?
An overhead mast service is standard for your neighborhood. It means your electrical service enters from above, and the masthead and weatherhead on your roof are critical points of inspection. These components must be sealed and secure to prevent water intrusion, which is a common failure point. We also check that the mast is properly anchored and that the service drop conductors from the pole have adequate clearance from roofs, trees, and walkways.