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One of the many responsibilities associated with homeownership involves maintaining an HVAC system. It can be easy to tell when you need to swap a part or perform a simple tune-up, but diagnosing a more serious problem is tricky. How do you know when you need to throw out your current HVAC system and get a new one? What signs do you need to look for as you go through your daily routine?

Strange Smells

Do you ever walk into a room and smell something unfamiliar? If you can’t place what a particular scent is, the culprit may be your HVAC system. The problem may be minor in nature, but it could be something serious. Don’t ignore the smell or allow your family to get used to it. Don’t try to cover up the smell with air fresheners or perfumes. If you don’t take action, the problem may get worse. This leads to expensive repairs or a complete overhaul that could send your household budget over the edge.

The System Is More Than 10 Years Old

Some homeowners don’t think about how old some parts of their home are – they’re too busy raising a family. But it’s still an excellent idea to know the age of the system that keeps your home hot or cold throughout the year. Is your HVAC system nearing the 10-year mark? If so, you may need to get rid of it. It all comes down to how well you’ve cared for it. Waiting too long may bring problems. Avoid making guesses or assuming that everything will work out in the end. You need to be diligent in noting when something in your home needs a replacement.

Your HVAC system is one of the most important parts of your home. It keeps your family happy and comfortable, and you need to do what you can to keep it functional. That includes paying attention to the signs that it may be time to replace the system. You may detect strange smells in your basement or another room in your home. Your system may be approaching or surpassing the 10-year mark. No matter what, don’t ignore the problem or hope it goes away. The information above may help you.

Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Los Molinos, Red Bluff , Corning and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Well-Pump Services, Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Well-Pump Services to Electrical Repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way. We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from well-pump services, electrical and lighting, and more! Give us a call at 530-521-7553

HVAC systems are one of those things that most of us with them take for granted. If you’ve ever spent a summer in Orland or Chico, CA than you know that there are some things people should never have to experience. Once of those things is the absence of an air conditioning unit. Don’t believe us? Here are 10 signs that you should invest in air conditioning.

1. Your fan (or other mode of “cooling”) is inefficient at keeping you cool. Let’s be honest, a fan will help but in Chico and surrounding area it doesn’t help enough.

2. If you’ve had a heat stroke. Seriously. If this isn’t a sign that you need AC, we’re not really sure what is. And we’re the experts.

3. If staying outside in 102 degree weather is cooler than inside your home

4. Your house is properly insulated just waiting for you to take advantage of this with some air conditioning

5. Because now you have kids and they shouldn’t have to suffer because of you

6. You use your freezer to keep you cool

7. If you do this.

8. AC helps keep our toys cool too. If you have a lot of toys you should have air conditioning

9. If you sleep on the floor to keep cool

10. If this is your idea of an air conditioner

If you don’t think these 10 signs are a sure sign that you need a air conditioning unit, well, you’re wrong! You do! Give us a call and let us see how we can keep you cool during this hot summer.

Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Paradise, Oroville/Yankee Hill and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Generator sales and repairs to HVAC sales and repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way.  We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from generators, heating and air, electrical and lighting, and more! 

• Chico:                    (530) 345-5003
• Paradise:             (530) 872-3922
• Oroville/Yankee Hill        (530) 538-9350

It’s hot out. When we say it’s hot, we mean it’s hot. With temperatures going as high as 102 it’s unbelievable that some people don’t have AC. Alas they don’t so many people try to create DIY air conditioning to help keep things cool. Whether you think these are epic wins are epic fails can be left up to interpretation, but we thought  we’d show you a few of our favorite Do it yourself air conditioning. You decide – did they go wrong or did they go oh-so right!

NO AC, No problem! Keep Cool

What would you do if someone told you that you weren’t able to use the AC in your office? No problem. You would obviously dig through office supplies to find a fan. You would than rig it to pump cold water in an ice chest through copper tubing positioned in front of a fan blade, thereby blowing out cool air. Pretty genius isn’t it?

Redneck Air Conditioning

Similar to our first suggestion, this one works the same but it takes a little less effort. For those of us who like to get things done with a little less effort. Go ahead. Try it this way. See what happens

Portable Air Conditioner

What do you get when you’re in need of some cheap ole AC? Check this baby out. It pumps ice water through an evaporator core, which has fans that blow air through it.

homemade air conditioner DIY – the 5 gallen bucket air cooler

We don’t have any words for this. Just sit back and watch.

These are just a few of our favorite, or less than favorite, DIY air conditioning. What do you think AC done right or AC done wrong? Why risk it? Let the professionals help get you the AC you deserve.

Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Paradise, Oroville/Yankee Hill and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Generator sales and repairs to HVAC sales and repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way.  We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from generators, heating and air, electrical and lighting, and more! 

• Chico:                    (530) 345-5003
• Paradise:             (530) 872-3922
• Oroville/Yankee Hill        (530) 538-9350

We know what it’s like to be you. It’s 98 degrees out and you’re stuck in a place without AC. It’s painful, it’s miserable, it probably even feels like you’re going to die. If you’re local to our Northern California area of Chico then we’ve got a few suggestions for you on how to keep cool during the heat. These can be applied universally, just substitute our local watering holes for yours.

Alligator Hole (Upper Bidwell)

As you can see alligator hole is nice and relaxing! This is an area of the river sheltered by trees with slight rapids that lead downstream of the site. You can wade in up to your knees, but this isn’t where you’re going to want to go for the big dunk. Don’t worry though, that will be coming up.

Bear Hole (Upper Bidwell) 

The walk down to the swimming hole is short, but steeper than the trail to Alligator Hole. The trail is lined with weathered Lovejoy basalt—the primary type of rock found in the swimming holes of Upper Bidwell—that is surprisingly slippery and smooth. A much easier method of approach is from the direction of Alligator Hole on the Yahi Trail, which borders every swimming hole in the park. The water is deep enough in the central pool to jump off the lower rocks with a three to five-foot drop. It’s a perfect place to take a dip and relax with friends or family. Not to mention it’s a beautiful spot to sit back and relax.

Salmon Hole (Upper Bidwell)

Salmon Hole is the favorite Upper Bidwell swimming hole of many people but requires a steep hike down. You’ll probably find yourself surrounded by college kids but the reward and cool water will be well worth it.

Sacramento River

There’s so many different watering spots in Chico to cool down, we even left out some epic ones in Upper Bidwell, but we had to give a shoutout to the Sacramento River because it’s one of the best ways to keep cool. You can float down on a tube, fish on a boat, speed on a sea-doo  and more. Why sit around at home with no AC or electricity when you can be out and about in the nature of our community.

Get a handheld or battery operated fan

If you think we’re joking about this one, we’re not! Having a fan like this has saved us in over 100 degree weather from California to the Middle East. If you live in a hot climate it’s always a good idea to have one of these around, you never know when you might need it.

Turn off your lights

Turning off your lights can help save energy and keep the heat at bay. The little things can and DO make a difference.

These are just a few ways you can keep cool w/out air conditioning. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog about how you can keep your home cool with little tips and tricks.

Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Paradise, Oroville/Yankee Hill and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Generator sales and repairs to HVAC sales and repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way.  We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from generators, heating and air, electrical and lighting, and more! 

• Chico:                    (530) 345-5003
• Paradise:             (530) 872-3922
• Oroville/Yankee Hill        (530) 538-9350

There’s nothing quite like the first big storm of the year, heck there’s nothing quite like a big storm any time of year. Whenever it hits, however it hits, it’s always a good idea to stay prepared.  The first step is making sure your home is set up with a portable or standby generator. Generators are the best way to ensure that you don’t lose power during a power outage.  When a storm hits though you need more than just a generator to get you through it, that’s why we developed this guide and checklist for you.

Plan Ahead

• Develop an emergency plan that gives you security, access to a vehicle and provides a plan for safety for your entire family, including your pets. It’s important to keep in mind items that might need to be secured or bolted down. Also, during an emergency it’s always a good idea to have evacuation routes mapped out in every direction too.
• If your emergency evacuation plan involves you staying at home consider whether or not you have (at any given time) materials required to survive i.e.: extra blankets, batteries, flashlights, candles, non-perishable foods, clothes, water,  etc. etc.  If an emergency hits would you be able to take care of you, your loved ones and even your home for up to 14 days without running water or electricity? If not, time to start re-thinking your evaluation plan.
• An emergency plan is only as good as every member so it’s important to share your emergency plan, evacuation routes and food sources with your family. Choosing a “safe spot” to meet during an emergency i.e. a basement, is a good way to kick-off storm preparation.

Before the storm hits

•  Property  maintenance such as trimming your tree, preventing leaks etc. etc. can help make a natural disaster or storm go from bad to unmanageable.  Preparing your home 365 days a year for potential storms will help protect you when the unexpected hits.
• Keep your important family documents such as insurance policies, health cards, medications, birth certificates, passports etc. and lock them up in a something that can handle a little (or a lot) of water and/or potential disaster. Consider a heavy duty safe.
• As mentioned earlier, prepare enough food, water and supplies to be self-sufficient for at least 14 days or two weeks. You never know what might hit, when it will hit or how long the hit will last. A few suggested ways to prepare are: purchasing bottle water, non-perishable foods, non-electric can opener, disposable dinnerware/utensils, necessary medications, personal hygiene supplies, blanket, tent, radio flashlight, cash, travelers checks, a canister of gas to fill up your car w/ gas (maybe two) etc.
• Secure and prepare your home
• If you have a portable generator make sure that you have it located and stored in a nearby place.
• If you don’t have a portable generator, and you’re able to, go out and buy one.

After the storm hits

• Evaluate your surrounding areas before sending the whole family out in the home or attempting to travel back home; the safety of your family should be your top priority.
• Report any hazardous or dangerous conditions such as power lines, road damage etc.
• Check your home for potential roof or window leaks. Turn off your circuit breakers, turn off wall switches and disconnect all electrical appliances that are still plugged in if you have found water leaks.

These are just a few suggestions about how to prepare for an upcoming storm in Northern California. It’s always our recommendation that homes have either a standby generator or portable generator to give them a piece of mind and restore power when they might need it most.  If you’d like to talk with us more about our residential and commercial generators, please let us know. We’d love to talk with you.

Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Paradise, Oroville/Yankee Hill and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Generator sales and repairs to HVAC sales and repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way.  We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from generators, heating and air, electrical and lighting, and more! 

• Chico:                    (530) 345-5003
• Paradise:             (530) 872-3922
• Oroville/Yankee Hill        (530) 538-9350

Did you know that a generator can help restore more than just your power, it can restore your peace of mind too. When you invest in a generator, whether it’s a standby or a portable, you’re investing in your piece of mind. Clients often wonder if a generator will just be more than a hassle than what it’s worth, we’re here to tell you, it’s not. A standby generator is so easy, that you don’t have to do anything after the installation to get it to work when the power is out. Are you wondering how a standby generator works? Wonder no more. We’re here to walk you through, step-by-step, of what happens when your power is out. This is how a standby generator works:

1. Utility power is lost. Oh no, the power is gone. Whether it’s your residential or commercial property no one wants to hear “the power is out”. Whether it’s bad weather, PGE working nearby or equipment failure the bad news is, you’re out of commission.
2. Your generator senses a problem. You’re in luck. You were smart enough to invest in a generator. Your standby generator senses a problem, it can tell that you’re power is gone.  Now what?
3. The generator turns on automatically. Sit back and try to relax, let the generator do all the hard part. Within seconds of losing power, your standby generator will automatically restore your homes power. You heard us, you don’t need to do anything because your generator will do all the work for you.
4. Your electricity is restored. The automatic transfer switch sends generator power to your home and will continue to do it until the utility power returns to your home.  There’s nothing left to do but relax with the knowledge that you are taken care of.

Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Paradise, Oroville/Yankee Hill and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Generator sales and repairs to HVAC sales and repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way.  We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from generators, heating and air, electrical and lighting, and more! 

• Chico:                    (530) 345-5003
• Paradise:             (530) 872-3922
• Oroville/Yankee Hill        (530) 538-9350

Generator maintenance is one of the most imperative things to do in order to get the most from your generator. We recently wrote a blog about the importance of generator maintenance with a few tips about how and why you should maintain your portable or standby generator. Now we’d like to share our own checklist to help you maintain you generator.  When you do these things it will help the longevity of your generator.  When Norcal Electric & Pump Work walks a customer through generator issues, we use the following list to help troubleshoot potential problems:

1. Start by checking the overall condition of the generator. It might seem silly, but really, you should start by checking the overall condition of your generator. By taking a brief overview you can get a general idea for loose links, faulty wiring and other potentially corroded elements. It’s a good idea to check around the generator also to double check and make sure it’s clean. You wouldn’t want any debris getting into your generator. Did you know that debris in an alternator is one of the most common ways to damage your generator? Checking the condition of the overall generator is the first step to discovering what may or may not be wrong with your generator. It’s a great way to ensure you’ll have a lower service repair and maintenance bill.

2. Fix anything loose, stuck or fraying (wearing out).  Now that you’ve taken a good look at the overall condition it’s time to fix anything that you noticed. If there’s wiring issues or anything that looks more advanced then “basic” fixes, let us (or someone in your area) help repair your generator. When in doubt, leave it to the professionals.

3. Check the distilled water in the battery.  You don’t want to be running low here so it’s best to regularly check and make sure that you have enough distilled water for your battery.  It’s also important to check your battery, as they should be replaced every 2-3 years.

4. Change the lubricant oil and filters. Just like your car, your HVAC unit and other technologies, your generator requires regular maintenance and changing of all oils and filters. This should be done about once a year. The manufacturer’s instructions should help inform you of what the appropriate top-off levels are.

5. Clean the spark plugs. Clean your spark plugs. Enough said. Except that you should also replace them once a year too.

6. Check the bolts. Like any other piece of equipment, the bolts on your generator will gradually loosen over time due to vibrations.  Usual wear and tear is bound to happen; as long as you regularly check and maintain it you can avoid serious issues down the line.

7. Check the fuel. This is especially important if it’s been a while since you’ve used your generator.  When your gas has been sitting unused for a long period of time (6 months or longer) it becomes less efficient.

8. Check to make sure the following pieces of equipment are properly calibrated. Realistically, this should probably be done annually, if not biannually. These things should also be checked by a seasoned professional, not you. Depending on how often you utilize your tools will tell you how often to check on it. Think about it this way though, better safe than sorry. Here are the tools you want to check are adjusted correctly:

• Automatic voltage regulator
• Injectors
• Turbocharger
• Fuel pump

These are just a few of the things that we do before doing generator repairs and maintenance. If you need help with regular maintenance services or repairs, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We’d love to help you out if we can.
Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Paradise, Oroville/Yankee Hill and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Generator sales and repairs to HVAC sales and repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way.  We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from generators, heating and air, electrical and lighting, and more! 

• Chico:                    (530) 345-5003
• Paradise:             (530) 872-3922
• Oroville/Yankee Hill        (530) 538-9350

Generators are one of the most essential tools any business or home should have. When the power goes out a generator keeps you warm, it keeps you sane and most importantly it keeps things running like you didn’t lose anything.  Investing in a generator is a smart decision but we don’t need to tell you that, you already know! In fact you’re now wondering how to make the most out of your money, the answer is easy. Just like any other piece of equipment or part of your house it’s important to maintain your generator so we’re going to give you a few tips on how to regularly maintain your generator and keep it in tip-top shape!

1. Whether it’s a portable generator or a standby generator your generator should be serviced twice a year, no matter what. Whether you’ve had an occasion to use it or you use it every day it’s necessary to get it serviced. This will help on wear and tear due to weather so try to make sure to do it during mild-temperature times, ideally in spring time.
2. Record all maintenance and issues. If everyone of us organized our lives we would be in a much better place, but seeing as how that’s not likely, let’s start little: create a generator maintenance record book. This will allow you to keep up with the dates of services, any issues, when it needs to be fixed etc. etc.
3. Regularly check your generator!  It could get dirty, could spring a leak – you never know what you might find between your bi-yearly service. We’ll write an upcoming blog with what to look for when checking your generator, so stay tuned for that!
4. Proper storage and placement of your generator will help prevent minor wears and tears from occurring, thereby prolonging the life of your generator. If you have a standby generator you should be wary about how easy it might be to get “injured” i.e. how close is it to the gutters or that big tree? Clearing it from potentially dangerous things will help prolong the life!

These are just a few of our tips for maintain your generator, if you are unsure about an issue we always recommend calling a professional generator repairs or sales company such as ourselves.  If you have any questions or concerns about anything please give us a call anytime, day or night! We’d love to help you.

Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Paradise, Oroville/Yankee Hill and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Generator sales and repairs to HVAC sales and repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way.  We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from generators, heating and air, electrical and lighting, and more! 

• Chico:                    (530) 345-5003
• Paradise:             (530) 872-3922
• Oroville/Yankee Hill        (530) 538-9350

Often times we meet clients who are also business owners and one of the most frequently asked questions we get is what’s a commercial generator and how can I use it for my business? To put it simply a standby commercial generator, is a heavy duty generator that’s dedicated to ensuring that your commercial property never loses power during a blackout or power outage ever again.

Typically a commercial generator will come in two different options – instead of a residential standby or portable generator a commercial property would have either a towable generator or a commercial generator.

A towable generator is just what it sounds like – a generator that is designed to be “towed”. When you have multiple buildings on one property or multiple properties in general, this is a great option to restore power for remote locations.

A commercial generator is hardwired into your power, its ideal for backing up your business during a blackout or power outage. It automatically helps restore the power –it’s as if there was never an outage in the first place.

When the power goes out, keep the lights on with a commercial or towable generator.

Interested in learning more about our commercial generators? We’d love to help answer any questions you might have in regards to your needs!

Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Paradise, Oroville/Yankee Hill and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Generator sales and repairs to HVAC sales and repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way.  We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from generators, heating and air, electrical and lighting, and more! 

• Chico:                    (530) 345-5003
• Paradise:             (530) 872-3922
• Oroville/Yankee Hill        (530) 538-9350