Stone City Electric LLC
Breaker Box
We have upgraded electrical breaker panels to handle more amperage when customers have needed to add more circuits to their home and their existing panels didn’t have any more space for breakers or have reached maximum rated amperage and are in need of a higher load rated panel. We have replaced some old panels when arching has caused unrepairable damage.
Meter bases
Meter bases are the socket box where utility companies install their meters to bill for consumed electricity, and our upgrades have been done when their rating are not sufficient for new loads, we have also done repairs due to tampering, vandalism or cover missing and have replaced some due to arching as well.
Electrical Panels
Fuse panels was the old way of protecting insulation on residential wiring decades ago, these have been replaced by breaker type panels that can protect not only the insulation of the wiring but also the people in a home with GFCI, arch fault and regular type resettable breakers.
Floor Outlet & Cover
These are common in large living rooms where lamps or large tables are in need of a convenient electrical receptacle without having to use an extension cord and eliminating a tripping hazard. We have worked repaired and installed them as well.
Wire Hazard Repairs
We have several electricians throughout the City on service vans available to help with any hazards encountered by our customers for make safe service calls.
Outdoor Security & Garden Lighting
We have both installed and troubleshooted landscape lighting and outdoor security lighting in the many years we have been in business. We have also met with customers to give them estimates as well as suggestions to meet their lighting needs.
Lighting:
Upgrade/Replacement/
Repairs/Installation
Lighting repairs and installations are one of our most common tasks in our service department and we have the latest in scaffolds, scissor lifts, special ladders and bucket trucks to help us accomplish our customer needs when it comes to lighting repair and installations.
Code Corrections
We have numerous calls from customers asking us to check wiring or electrical installations they are not sure of their code compliance and we have helped with getting them peace of mind on the safety of their electrical system.
Remodeling Project
We have done numerous electrical work to help our customers with additions and remodeling jobs throughout the region. We are very conscious of the importance of being there when needed as well as accomplishing the task right and to code in a timely manner to help with the stress and inconveniences of a remodel or addition in a customer’s home.
Home Safety Checks
It is often when we get a call from a concerned customer asking us to check their electrical system due to noises in electrical panels, lighting, and receptacles or strange burnt smells in their home. We get right to work to bring peace of mind to their concerns and explain the reason for such hazards and how we solved the problem.
Code Compliance Issues
We often get home inspections through emails after a home inspector has done an inspection for the buyer or seller of a home and it comes with several code deficiencies in need of repair, we often are able to give estimates with only a report, but sometimes we have to do a visit to get a better estimate of repairs.
Electrical Inspections
We have been hired by property owners to inspect electrical systems instead of general home inspectors because they want a more thorough and focused electrical inspection done by a license electrician.
Consulting on an Electrical System
We have helped several customers when another electrical contractor’s conclusion or price lead them to seek a second opinion. We use our 21 years of experience in the business to give them our perspective on the matter.
New Construction
We have done plenty of new construction on new homes, our specialty is on custom type large new residential projects but have done all sizes in our many years as an electrical contractor.
Inspections and Testing
We are equipped to do any type of electrical inspections or electrical testing for any residential needs.
New Design Fixtures for the Kitchen and Bath
We have installed numerous types of lighting for baths and kitchens and can help design with a customer to help them make their lighting vision for their projects into reality.
Exhaust Fans
These are usually placed in restrooms, some may come with a heater and light and are powered by a 110v circuit, with a control switch by entry. We have also placed them in attics to cool the temperature in attics and may be controlled by a temperature-activated switch automatically.
Basement Finish Wiring
We have accomplished this type of wiring in some of the older areas of our city for some of our customers in the past and will continue to do so for anyone that has this particular need.
Insurance Claims
There are several contractors who have used us for insurance claims such as fire or water damage and even vehicle accidents in a home. There have also been private homeowners who have used as for their insurance claim repairs.
Kitchen and Bathroom Remodels
Often during the course of a normal month, we get calls from contractors or homeowners in need of an electrician to help them with electrical to a bathroom remodel, which may include dedicated circuits for exhaust fans, Jacuzzis, Heaters, receptacles, and all types of lighting.
Appliance Circuits
These types of circuits are dedicated from breaker box to location where the appliance is located, they vary from 110-volt to 220-volt single phase. The amperage varies from 15amp to 60amp depending on the appliance. We have done all types of circuits for appliances.
Hot Tubs/Spas
We have done numerous circuits for Hot Tubs and Spas, they have been located indoor and outdoor and we have done both. Usually, they are 220volt and 50amp and need to have GFI protection on the circuit. Sometimes these fixtures come with GFI protection on their internal control boxes other times we provide protection with a GFI breaker.
Underground Wiring
We usually do trenching by hand in a residence, but when needed we own lots of equipment to trench for underground wiring, trenchers, bobcat steer tractors and attachments as well as a 310 John Deer backhoe for all underground needs.
220 Range & Dryer Outlets
The Dryers are usually 30amp 220-volt and need a dedicated circuit from the breaker box. The wiring and insulation for these are thicker than your normal 110v outlets located in a home. The Range outlets are usually 40 amps and these also need a dedicated circuit from the breaker box, the higher the amperage the thicker the wire and insulation.
Aluminum Wiring Repairs
Aluminum wiring is rare in San Antonio, but there are some residences that do have it. It is not to code these days to use aluminum wiring for branch circuits because it expands and contracts with high and low temperatures more than copper does. It creates loose connections in splices and connections to devices causing arching and heating after some years. With the proper maintenance for aluminum wiring, this arching can be prevented. One of the ways to maintain Aluminum wiring is by using a compound called Nolox. We apply this solution to all the aluminum connections and terminations to help prevent arching. If this maintenance procedure is done to aluminum wiring when required there should be no arching or heating in the connections for several years even decades until it needs the process done again.
Troubleshooting
This is one of the most, if not the most common type of service calls we get called on when things stop working in someone’s home, we do this on a time and material basis. We charge by the hour and will add materials to the invoice if we need to for solving the problem. These types of jobs usually take one to one and a half hours with minimal or sometimes no materials, but sometimes depending on the house and type of wiring, it can take longer. We carry the essentials and commonly used materials needed for troubleshooting. But If we don’t have the materials in our service truck we would have to go and buy them. Our time will be added & included if we need to travel to the supplier and buy materials. This is uncommon and only done if the commonly used materials we carry in our trucks won’t meet the need. There have been times when the failure is caused by a bigger problem and if so, we would give the customer an estimate to make larger repairs if it’s not something that can be solved quickly.
Lighting Controls & Design
There are all types and kinds of controls for lighting, there is the photocell control, which acts as a switch to turn the circuit on when dark and turn it off when light shines on Photocell. There is a motion sensor type of switch that can also be installed in rooms when it senses movement it turns on the circuit and leaves it on for a certain or programmed time and after sensing no movement, it turns the circuit back off. There is also a time clock type of switch that will open and close circuits as programed or set to control electricity to all types of lighting. With technology quickly growing we now offer installation of switches that can be controlled wirelessly and through your smartphone, we can also walk the customer through step by step on how these special switches work and function.
Simple Green-Build Electrical Enhancement
The latest energy savings enhancements for a home are to replace incandescent and fluorescent lighting for LED type Lighting, another one is replacing regular switches for occupancy sensor type switches as well as the older ways of conserving electricity by adding photocells or timer controlled lighting to reduce energy.
Generator Installations
We have installed several generators as backup for residential customers when they want the option to bring electricity to important circuits during electrical outages in their homes. We have installed diesel, gas, and natural gas generators. With a generator install, there must be a transfer switch installed as well. This switch is located after the Meter can and will direct electricity to the home from either the generator or the utility company and these can be manual or automatic.
Ceiling and Attic Fans
People have called us to install fans in specific areas of their homes where they intend to cool by some degrees more without having to keep the entire home at the same temperature. We have installed fans in the outdoor porches, bedrooms, Kitchens, and attics. they can be controlled with the usual chain switch they come with or with simple single or remote type switches on a wall, some have different speeds in them as well and for attic fan control, switches can come with temperature settings.
Switch Outlets
We have done troubleshooting on lighting and other apparatus controlled by switches. There is a variety of ways to control lighting in a home, we have installed 3way, 4 way switches (are switches used for controlling a light or several lights from switches located in several locations), dimmers, sensor type switches, time clock and remote type switches . There is a variety of receptacles used for different amperages and voltage, we have worked with all types of 220 volt and 110 volt and amperages from 15amp to 50amp. These are the most common in a home.
Computer/Phone/Cable TV Wiring
We also do low voltage wiring and terminations for our customers to make it beneficial and easier to get one contractor to do both types of wiring, low voltage and high 120-240volt wiring.
