FAQS
Mirsky Electric, Inc. is a registered contractor in the State of Washington (Lic# MIRSKEI964D2). Contractor registration may be verified by calling the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries at 1-800-647-0982.
Mirsky Electric is bonded in accordance with Washington State contractor requirements. Our insurance includes $2 million business coverage, with General Liability and Worker’s Compensation policies.
The Secretary of State is responsible for registering and licensing private corporations, limited partnerships and trademarks. Mirsky Electric is registered to conduct business in the State of Washington. Registration may be verified on the Secretary of State’s website.
If an electrician representing him or her self as a business causes damage to property or persons while at your address, you need to know you are covered by their General Liability insurance Policy. Otherwise, you may be left held holding a sizable repair or medical bill. If the electrician is uninsured, you cannot collect on damages without incurring the additional expense of court costs. If an electrician is injured on your property, you are protected by his or her Worker’s Compensation insurance. Worker’s Compensation may not be carried by all electrical contractors. Individuals operating as an electrical contractor may legally elect not to be covered. Vehicle and Liability Insurance is required in all cases. Ensure you are covered by asking if they are… and most importantly – ask for proof!
Mirsky Electric’s Worker’s Comp Premium Status account is current. Our firm has voluntarily reported and paid our premiums. You may verify this on the Washington State dept. of Labor & Industries’ website.
Yes, please visit our reviews page for our customer references by service. Additional references are available upon request.
Depending on the scope of your job you will almost always need a permit. Labor & Industries performs most inspections throughout the state, but some cities do their own electrical inspections. Please be aware that electrical contractors must purchase their own electrical permits for work they do on your property. If your contractor is resistant to or unable to pull a work permit this should send a red flag to you. It will usually be that they are not insured or licensed to work in your area. Mirsky Electric will pull a permit for most of the work that we do.
In order to reset a breaker in your electrical panel, you must move (push) the breaker handle firmly to the off position, and then push it back to the on position. Most people fail to push the breaker firmly past the off (tripped) position and assume it is reset. If you perform the correct reset procedure and still have no power, call us today. Breakers can wear out over time if they are tripped too frequently.
The most likely scenario is that the GFCI outlet has tripped. To remedy this, locate the GFCI outlet that controls the circuit and press the “Reset” button. Keep in mind that the GFCI outlet may be located in a cabinet. Also check the circuit breaker in the electrical panel to ensure it is not tripped.
A slight dimming of lights is normal and cannot be completely eliminated from a home. For example, you may have noticed that your lights dim for a second when your air conditioner kicks on, or you turn on a large appliance like your vacuum cleaner. This is normal, and is simply a result of the inrush current that is required upon startup of different appliances - inrush current of a motor is typically about five to six times its steady-state current.
Also it should be noted that incandescent lighting is very sensitive to voltage variations. Your voltage may only be dropping a few volts when the motor is starting. This is hardly enough to cause a performance, safety or reliability problem. But a few volts will cause a significant change in lighting from an incandescent bulb.
No. The circuit breaker is designed to trip when it senses an overload or is beginning to wear out. This breaker needs to be replaced with the exact same size and type breaker as the existing. Replacing the breaker with a larger breaker defeats this purpose and will increase the chance of overheating. The best fix is to limit the number of electrical appliances that you use on that circuit, or have an additional circuit installed by a licensed electrician. If a breaker continuously trips and you feel you are not overloading the circuit, contact us today to further assess the condition of the breaker and circuit.
The arc-fault circuit breaker or “AFCI” are newly-developed electrical devices designed to protect against fires caused by arcing faults in your homes electrical wiring. Annually, over 40,000 fires are attributed to home electrical wiring. These fires result in over 350 deaths and over 1,400 injuries each year. Arcing faults are one of the major causes of these fires. When unwanted arcing occurs, it generates high temperatures that can ignite nearby combustibles such as wood, paper, and carpets. Arcing faults often occur in damaged or deteriorated wires and cords. Some causes of damaged and deteriorated wiring include puncturing of wire insulation from picture hanging or cable staples, poorly installed outlets or switches, cords caught in doors or under furniture, furniture pushed against plugs in an outlet, natural aging, and cord exposure to heat vents and sunlight.
The AFCI circuit breaker serves a dual purpose – not only will it shut off electricity in the event of an “arcing fault”, but it will also trip when a short circuit or an overload occurs. The AFCI circuit breaker provides protection for the branch circuit wiring and limited protection for power cords and extension cords. Single-pole, 15- and 20- ampere AFCI circuit breakers are presently available.
Green Tip #1
LED bulbs offer similar light quality to traditional incandescents, last 25 times as long, and use even less energy than CFLs. Choose ENERGY STAR-qualified LEDs for
the highest quality and energy savings.
Green Tip #5
Unplug electronics, battery chargers and other equipment when not in use. If all Washingtonians unplugged electronics when not in use, it would be like taking 120,000 cars off road.
Green Tip #9
On hot days, close the blinds on south and west facing windows. On cold days, keep them open.
Green Tip #10
Install new, high-performance windows to improve your home’s energy performance.
Green Tip #6
You can increase the comfort of your home while reducing your heating and cooling needs by up to 10% by investing in proper insulation and sealing air leaks.
Green Tip #2
Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible.
Green Tip #4
Raise your thermostat 5 degrees in the summer and lower it 3-5 degrees in the winter to save up to 20% annually. Upgrade to a 90% efficient heater and a 13 SEER or higher A/C system.
Green Tip #8
Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when fully loaded. Fewer loads reduce energy and water use. Use the air-dry option instead of the heat-dry. Check and clean the dishwasher drain.
Green Tip #3
Turn your water heater down to 120 degrees and upgrade it to a more efficient system.
Green Tip #7
Dimmers save electricity when used to lower light levels. Be sure to select products that are compatible with the energy-efficient bulbs you want to use.
Green Tip #8
Raise your thermostat 5 degrees in the
summer and lower it 3-5 degrees in the
winter to save up to 20% annually.
Upgrade to a 90% efficient heater and a
13 SEER or higher A/C system..


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