In today’s project you can get your hands dirty and learn about circuits at the same time! Follow our step-by-step instructions to create your own dirt battery using just dirt, copper wire, galvanized steel screws, an ice tray, LED diodes, and….a lemon?
We’d love to see your completed projects! Email us ( admin@dunmanelectric.com) a photo of your dirt battery with your name and age to enter our monthly raffle for a Snap Circuits Explorer kit!
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Football season kicks off NEXT WEEK, and the countdown is on! Make sure your home entertainment setup is championship-ready before the big kick-off. Whether you’re hosting the big watch party or enjoying the games with family, Dunman Electric has the electrical solutions to transform your viewing experience so that you can cheer on your team (Even if it’s the Dallas Cowboys.)
Schedule ANY electrical service during the ENTIRE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER and get a flat $50 off TV mounting!
Plus, mention “KICKOFF” when you call to receive a FREE in-home assessment of your entertainment setup.
With the season starting next week, our schedule is filling up fast. Contact us TODAY to ensure your home is ready for every touchdown, field goal, and heart-stopping play!
(512) 280-8847 . becky@dunmanelectric.com . contact us
Dunman Electric is fully licensed, bonded, and insured. We serve Austin, Buda, Dripping Springs, Bastrop, Round Rock and surrounding areas.
We’re big fans of helping you beat the Texas heat. All month long, get $50 off any ceiling fan installation + with any service call in August, we’ll balance and check the direction of your existing fans for free!
It’s August in Texas, and the AC is doing most of the heavy lifting to keep your home livable. A ceiling fan can make the difference between feeling comfortable and sweating through the night, but only if it’s set up and running the right way.
In summer, ceiling fan blades should spin counterclockwise when viewed from below. This pushes air downward, creating a wind chill effect that makes you feel cooler, even though the actual room temperature hasn’t changed.
Quick check: stand under the fan. If you can feel a steady breeze hitting you, it’s turning the right way for summer. No breeze? Flip the direction switch on the motor housing.
A wobbling fan isn’t just noisy. It is slowly shaking itself apart. That vibration puts extra strain on the motor bearings, loosens blade screws, and can even cause wiring fatigue over time.
Common causes of imbalance include
• Dust buildup on one or more blades
• Loose blade or mounting screws
• Blade pitch slightly off between blades
Balancing the fan keeps it running smoothly, moves air more efficiently, and helps the motor last longer.
A fan motor should feel warm, not dangerously hot or give off a burnt smell. If it’s running hotter than normal, one or more of these may be happening:
• Overload: Worn bearings or unbalanced blades make the motor work harder, drawing more amps and generating more heat
• Poor ventilation: Dust inside the motor housing traps heat
• Voltage drop: Low voltage on an overloaded circuit forces the motor to work harder to maintain speed
• Insulation breakdown: For every ~18 °F the motor runs above its rated temperature, insulation life is roughly cut in half
If the motor housing is too hot to touch comfortably or you detect an electrical odor, that’s a sign of developing failure. Addressing it early can mean a quick fix instead of a full replacement.
Ceiling fans don’t reduce the ambient temperature of the air in a room. Instead, moving air speeds evaporation of sweat and increases heat loss from your skin, so you feel cooler.
That effect means you can raise your thermostat by around 4 °F while staying comfortable, which can reduce AC use by up to 30% during the cooling season. If nobody’s in the room, turn the fan off to conserve energy because it won’t have any cooling effect without someone there to feel it.
If your fan is more than 10 to 12 years old, still wobbles after balancing, or has a grinding motor noise, it’s often more cost effective to replace it than repair it. Newer fans often have better blade pitch, improved motor efficiency, and quieter operation.
Bottom line: In peak summer heat, a properly installed, balanced, and correctly set ceiling fan keeps you more comfortable, reduces strain on your AC, and prevents unnecessary wear on your equipment.
All through August:
• $50 off any ceiling fan installation
• Free balancing and blade direction check add on with any service call!
Whether you need a brand new fan installed or just want to make sure the ones you have are working at their best, we will make sure you’re set up for maximum comfort before the month is over.
Offer ends August 31. Book now to lock in your savings.
(512)280-8847 . becky@dunmanelectric.com . contact us
To stay up to date with our latest offers, check out our website at www.dunmanelectric.com
by Craig Dunman, Master Electrician
If your property includes a pool or spa, then by definition, it includes an electrical system. That system doesn’t just power the equipment—it supports safety, reliability, and performance. And while much of it is out of sight, it’s critical that it’s done right.
This isn’t optional work. It’s foundational.
These are two separate functions—and both are required for a compliant system.
Grounding directs stray electrical current safely into the earth. It’s a passive protection system that keeps components stable and helps faults clear properly.
Bonding connects all conductive components—metal ladders, pool railings, rebar, pump housings, even nearby fences—so they remain at the same electrical potential.
Without grounding, your system may fail to shut down during a fault.
Without bonding, minor differences in electrical potential can become noticeable at the user level—especially in and around water.
⚠️ Note: These are not interchangeable. LED systems require compatible fixtures, transformers, and housings. Retrofitting without checking compatibility is a common source of system issues.
Electrical code is what keeps everything operating safely—not just for now, but long-term. A code-compliant system ensures performance, protection, and peace of mind.
Here’s what every pool and spa setup should include:
We provide full-service electrical support for pools and spas, including:
We’re here to make sure your setup runs right—quietly, safely, and up to code. To schedule with us today, reach out through our contact form or give us a call.
by Craig Dunman, Master Electrician
Most people don’t think twice about their electrical system until something stops working—or worse, someone gets shocked or a fire starts. As a master electrician with decades of experience in the field, I can tell you this: the small safety devices in your home matter. And if you don’t understand how GFCIs and AFCIs work—or why they’re different, you’re not alone. Most homeowners don’t. That’s why I’m laying it out plainly. Here’s what you need to know to keep your home and, most importantly, your family safe.
GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. It’s a safety device designed to protect people from electric shock due to unintended current paths—specifically when electricity flows somewhere it shouldn’t, like through a conductive surface or a person.
Here’s what that means in practice:
The GFCI constantly monitors the flow of electrical current. Under normal conditions, the current flowing out through the hot (live) wire and back through the neutral wire should be equal. If there’s even a small difference—say, 5 milliamps—the GFCI cuts power in a fraction of a second. This prevents harm by stopping electricity from traveling through an unintended path, like through a wet countertop, a tool casing, or a person touching a grounded surface.
Modern code requires these in all wet or damp locations because moisture increases the risk of ground faults.
AFCI stands for Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter. This device is designed to prevent electrical fires caused by arcing—tiny, high-temperature sparks that can occur when wires are damaged, pinched, deteriorated, or loosely connected.
Arcs can form between two points of wiring that are not supposed to be touching, and they can happen behind walls, in cords, or anywhere connections are degraded. These arcs often generate intense heat without drawing enough current to trip a standard breaker. That’s why AFCIs were created.
The AFCI monitors the waveform of the current and detects irregularities characteristic of arc faults. When it senses this pattern, it cuts the power to stop the arc before it ignites surrounding materials like insulation or wood framing.
Some homes now use combination devices that offer both GFCI and AFCI protection—particularly in areas like laundry rooms, basements, and kitchens where both moisture and arcing risks exist.
| Function | GFCI | AFCI |
|---|---|---|
| Main Purpose | Protects people from shock | Prevents electrical fires |
| Detects | Ground faults (current leaking to ground) | Arc faults (damaged or sparking wires) |
| Typical Location | Near water (bathrooms, kitchens, outdoors) | In the breaker panel protecting bedroom/living area circuits |
| Visual Clue | Test and Reset buttons on outlet | Test button on breaker (in panel only) |
To keep it simple: GFCI protects people. AFCI protects buildings. You need both.
You should test every GFCI outlet in your home once a month. It takes less than 30 seconds, and it could save your life.
GFCIs can wear out over time. Just because the outlet still gives power doesn’t mean the safety function is still active. Test it to be sure.
This one requires a trip to your electrical panel. Here’s how to check it:
Some AFCI breakers run their own internal self-tests regularly. You might see the breaker flash or blink—this is normal. But if the breaker trips on its own during one of those checks, that means it detected a problem. Don’t just reset it. If an AFCI trips, especially more than once, it’s not a fluke—it’s catching something. You need a licensed electrician to evaluate the circuit.
Never ignore a breaker that won’t stay on. It’s trying to tell you something.
You don’t need us for every little thing, but here’s when you should pick up the phone:
A licensed electrician can run a quick test on your system and verify your protection. It’s fast, it’s not expensive, and it’s one of the best ways to reduce your risk of shock or fire.
If you’re not sure about your protection, we’re here to help. Give us a call or click here for our contact form, and we can come out and do an electrical inspection for you!
(512)280-8847 . becky@dunmanelectric.com . contact us
For more articles like this, check out our toolbox.
TEME #33973 | TECL #23045 | Licensed & Insured
Craig Dunman was 22 when he first stepped into the electrical trade—and he’s never looked back. What started as a steady paycheck quickly became a lifelong passion. By 28, he had earned his master electrician license and knew he’d found his calling. “I’ve never worked another day since,” he says. “Electrical is play. It’s like therapy.”
In 1997, Craig and his wife Becky opened Dunman Electric with a simple mission: do good work, be fair, and treat people right. Nearly three decades later, they’re still at the helm—Craig in the field, Becky in the office—running the business the way they always have: hands-on, grounded, and rooted in trust.
But Craig isn’t defined by the job. He’s a lifelong doer who stays in motion. He plays ice hockey year-round, snowboards in the mountains any chance he gets, and scuba dives for fun. On land, he spends time trail riding with his horse, Nitro, or bass fishing from his Dunman Electric-branded bass boat.
He’s outdoors whenever possible, usually doing something active, physical, and off the beaten path.
Craig’s the kind of person who gets up early, keeps his gear in order, and knows how to use his hands—whether it’s fixing a wiring issue or tightening the cinch on a saddle. He doesn’t sit still well, doesn’t talk himself up, and doesn’t take shortcuts. What he builds—on the job or off—is meant to last.
He and Becky have been married since 1994 and raised three kids together: Lo, Cody, and Abbie. Their life has always been full of tools, laughter, projects, and movement. Craig isn’t just the guy behind the name—he’s the real thing. A master electrician, yes—but also a rider, a dad, a teammate, and someone who genuinely loves the work he does.
To find out more about our team members, click here. To see what services we offer, click here. To schedule with us, give us a call at (512)280-8847 or go to our contact us page. We look forward to hearing from you, and hope you have a happy weekend!
To celebrate Independence Day, we’re offering a limited-time promotion:
Book your electrical service between July 1st and 4th and we’ll install your smart doorbell with no additional labor costs.
This means you can book your job now—even if the work is scheduled for later—and still claim the free install. As long as it’s booked between July 1st and 4th, the offer applies.
We install Ring, Eufy, Nest, and other major smart doorbell brands. Already have a device sitting in a box? We’ll get it installed the right way. Still shopping? We’ll help you choose the best fit for your setup.
At first glance, most video doorbells promise the same things—motion alerts, remote access, two-way audio. But the differences between brands really matter when it comes to privacy, compatibility, and cost over time.
Here’s what to know about the most common options:
Best for: Alexa households, or anyone who wants simplicity and a polished app
What to watch out for:
Best for: Households that value privacy and want to avoid subscriptions
What to watch out for:
Best for: Users already using Google Home or Nest devices
What to watch out for:
Even the best doorbell won’t do its job if it’s poorly installed. We’ve corrected installs with:
When we install it, we:
Here’s the key:
As long as you schedule an appointment for one of our standard services between July 1st and 4th, the labor for smart doorbell installation is free. Your service date can be later—what matters is that it’s on the books by July 4th at 11:59 p.m. Be sure to mention this deal!
📞 Call, email, or book online now to lock it in.
TEJE#477529
Wes S. grew up in Arlington, Tennessee, and now lives in the Austin area with his wife, their young daughter, and two rescue dogs, Katie and Raya. He brings a laid-back attitude and easygoing presence to everything he does, with family life at the center of it all.
Outside of work, Wes is usually chasing adventure or laughter. He’s a longtime snowboarder and an enthusiastic indoor rock climber- always up for a challenge if it means having fun along the way. His humor, curiosity, and steady energy make him a welcome presence wherever he goes.
Wes and his wife are active members of their church, Glad Tidings Church in Leander, and work as part of the sound and media team there. Whether he’s serving behind the scenes, playing with his daughter, or connecting with coworkers, Wes brings kindness, enthusiasm, and a genuine sense of connection to the people around him.
Loved your service with Wes? Leave us a Google review and mention Wes by name—technicians with standout reviews are eligible for bonuses!