The weather front dropped temperatures by 20 degrees and brought with it storms–thunder, lightning, wind, and plenty of rain in the area. This activity can stress trees and limbs. If one of them takes out the power line to your house, the A Plus Electric team is ready to help.

Consumers Energy is responsible for the line up to the point it reaches your house. If the mast or any part connected to it is damaged, you will need an electrician to make the repair.

If a power line is down, the first concern is your safety and those around you. Consumers Energy says “stay at least 25 feet away from a downed wire.” They add “steer clear of water, trees, debris and fences” nearby and contact them as soon as possible (800-477-5050). Carl Evanson, A Plus Electric’s master electrician, adds another note of caution “a downed wire can electrify areas much farther away than you’d guess as electricity disburses in surprising ways. The results can be tragic.”

Consumers Energy has an outage center. You can go there to find where power is out, and the expected time of restoration. You can also set up notifications through your smart phone.

You can reach A Plus Electric at (517) 529-0000.

Across the country in big cities to small towns, Memorial Day has always been a timeout to honor our fallen heroes–those who died in service to our country. Events included parades, speeches and prayers. Memorial Day 2020 was different. Gone were events that attracted a lot of people. But remembering those who died for their country was not forgotten at Clark Lake.

Each year the local Lions Club sponsors the Biggest Little Parade You’ll Find Anywhere. (click to see last year’s event). The parade was cancelled this year. The Columbia Central Marching Band was silent. No classic cars and riders on horseback were to be seen. No kids walked the parade route. But some Lions Club members were unwilling to forget the original intent of Memorial Day. At Clark Lake’s cemetery, they held a small ceremony this morning to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, as you’ll see in this 60 second video.

A Plus Electric serves an area extending 50 miles from our home base at Clark Lake.

A Plus Electric is back and powered up. But what happened during the down time? Carl Evanson tells the story of what’s happening now and a couple things that took place during the down time.

The governor has lifted restrictions on some activities.  As of Thursday, A Plus Electric is ready to go to work for you.  If you set aside electrical problems, maintenance or improvements because of the crisis, call us now. A Plus Electric will stay safe as outlined in the governor’s order.  

During the down time, A Plus Electric was always available for emergencies.  We were happy to rise to the occasion several times.  And we weren’t idle during the down time.  It was a good opportunity to review ways of building upon the service you deserve.

Also during the crisis, A Plus Electric stepped up to thank healthcare workers at Henry Ford Allegiance Hospital.  Carl Evanson and his team sent 100 free lunches to the hospital via the Brass Rail Restaurant, on Monday, April 20th.  Carl commented, “The Jackson community has been wonderful to A Plus Electric, and health care is an important part of it. Staff members who provide this essential service have been under unusual stress.  This free lunch is one small way we can thank those who put their own interests aside to bring us great health care under today’s very difficult circumstances.”

Acknowledging the tough times restaurants are facing, Carl noted, “we’re were happy to support the Brass Rail and want to see them and other local businesses remain strong during this crisis.” 

To read the governor’s 2020-70 order, please click here.

A Plus Electric is reaching out to the hard working staff of Henry Ford Allegiance Hospital.  “These dedicated pros deserve our thanks,” says A Plus Electric’s Carl Evanson.  He and his team are sending 100 free lunches to the hospital via the Brass Rail Restaurant, on Monday, April 20th.  “The Jackson community has been wonderful to A Plus Electric, and health care is an important part of where we live. Staff members who provide this essential service are currently under unusual stress.  This free lunch is one small way we can thank those who put their own interests aside to bring us great health care under today’s very difficult circumstances.”

Acknowledging the tough times restaurants face, Carl notes, “we’re happy to support the Brass Rail and want to see them and other local businesses remain strong during this crisis.” 

Under the governor’s orders, A Plus Electric is open for emergency service.  It covers a 50-mile radius from its Clark Lake location on US 127 near Jefferson Road.  During April, A Plus Electric celebrates 14- years serving the local community.      

Consumers Energy is preparing for a wind storm expected to sweep across Michigan Monday. They believe gusts of over 50 mph could produce downed wires and power outages.

Consumers Energy reminds the public to stay at least 25 feet away from a downed wire and anything it is touching. Report downed wires by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. Always assume a downed wire, even if not sparking, is energized. CE crews are ready to respond as quickly as possible, to make situations safe and restore power.

Consumers Energy is responsible to repair a downed wire up to the point where it touches your house. If any part of the lead-in to your house is damaged, you will need to call an electrician. That includes the mast.

A Plus Electric is ready to help in your emergency situation. Using your smart phone, press the emergency button at the top of the page on this website or call (517) 529-0000.

You can always get an updated forecast from the main page of this website.

Consumers Energy adds this note of caution to “never use a generator in an attached garage, basement, enclosed patio or near any air intakes. Doing so could cause a generator to produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Portable generators should be operated 25 feet outside of any building, away from windows, doors and vents.”

If you lose power, Consumers Energy has an outage page that will show where power is out and restoration times at this link: www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. You can also sign up for free outage alerts.

Because of the COVID-19 situation, Consumers Energy forwards this message. “Consumers Energy is committed to the health and safety of our co-workers, customers and communities as we perform the essential work of restoring our customers’ power. Response crews will be taking COVID-19 precautions such as practicing social distancing in their vehicles and other work locations, completing medical screening prior to their shift and regularly cleaning vehicles and other work surfaces. Residents are asked to stay at least 6 feet from crews and their equipment. During this COVID-19 situation, crews would appreciate if customers would give them a wave from the front door instead of greeting them outside.”

As you can see in this slide show, ice is melting on Clark Lake. To the relief of those looking forward to spring, temperatures exceeded 50 and the sun shone brightly (Sunday, March 8).

Spring officially starts March 19th. With that in mind, know that A Plus Electric is standing by when you have electrical needs. The phone number is the easiest ever: (517) 529-0000.

Enjoy the sun!

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning that includes Jackson, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. As pf 9 am Friday, the warning is in effect from 7 am Saturday to 10 am Sunday. Consumers Energy is calling this storm potentially “devastating.” (see note at bottom).

* WHAT...Heavy mixed precipitation expected. Total sleet
  accumulations of up to one inch and ice accumulations of one
  quarter to one half of an inch are expected. Northeast winds
  may gust as high as 40 mph.

* WHERE...Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun and Jackson counties.

* WHEN...From 7 AM Saturday to 10 AM EST Sunday.

* IMPACTS...Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the
  ice. Travel will be difficult due to icing on roadways.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The greatest icing is expected across
  northern parts of the warned areas.

As noted, power outages and tree damage are possible. If you experience an outage, you can keep tabs by going to the Consumers Energy outage page from your smart phone. You can also sign up to have text messages sent to you regarding your situation. Click here to find it.

A Plus Electric is standing by if you need help, (517) 529-0000.

The first concern is your safety and those around you. Consumers Energy says “stay at least 25 feet away from a downed wire.” They add “steer clear of water, trees, debris and fences” nearby and contact them as soon as possible (800-477-5050). Carl Evanson, A Plus Electric’s master electrician, adds another note of caution “a downed wire can electrify areas much farther away than you’d guess, as electricity disburses in surprising ways. The results can be tragic.”

Consumers Energy says “Always assume a downed wire, even if not arching and sparking, is energized.” They add, “with rough weather expected, our crews are ready to respond quickly, make situations safe and restore power.”

Consumers Energy is responsible to repair a downed wire up to the point where it touches your house. If any part of the lead-in to your house is damaged, you will need to call an electrician. That includes the mast.

Here is a specific update from Consumers Energy at 10:15 am Friday:

Consumers Energy is prepared for what is expected to be a devastating winter storm beginning early Saturday. Freezing rain is expected to begin across much of south central Michigan Saturday morning and continue for several hours. Forecasts are still being updated but as much as one-half to one inch of ice accumulation is possible in a general area from I-94 north to U.S. 10. A half inch of ice can add as much as 500 pounds to a span of power lines. Also accompanying the ice will be gusty winds and heavy snow in Northern Michigan.

This storm will likely lead to downed wires and power outages that could last several days. Hazardous road conditions during and immediately after the storm may delay restoration and damage assessment work as we keep safety our top priority.

Most people set goals or make resolutions at the beginning of a new year. So it’s no surprise that electricians do the same. But what would they sound like? Here are some of A Plus Electric’s finest telling their stories.

When it comes to partying, the A Plus Electric crew knows how to do it. Electricians and office staff gathered at one of Jackson’s new venues, Axe Play. The occasion was the company Christmas party. After feasting on some awesome pizzas, the competition began.

The idea was to hit the bullseye. And unlike a hole-in-one on the golf course, it happened several times. These guys know how to take aim.

All throws were recorded electronically with scores posted on a flat screen monitor.

The crew assembled for the annual Christmas photo.

Merry Christmas from A Plus Electric!

When you cruise 127, this new landmark on the A Plus Electric building jumps out at you. A Plus Electric does not just put up a sign. It makes looking at it a worthwhile experience.

During the day the burnished metal reflects the sun and catches your eye. At night it’s a different story. You still see the 3-D logo, but the illumination takes it into a new place. Glowing lines of color follow the design. Then the colors change hues. Cascades, move over.

A Plus Electric’s Carl Evanson has been working on getting the perfect look that matches the building and projects the impressive image of the business’ character.

Travis Lampman, an A Plus Electric tech, explains the colors can be changed via an iPhone app. “What you’re seeing now are a whole range of colors that merge one to the next. We’re not done yet. We intend to build on what we started.”

A Plus Electric is a strong member of the communities it serves. The company’s history is a good indicator of how it got to be where it is today. Click here to check out the 13th anniversary story from spring 2019.

On this Veterans Day, A Plus Electric is proud to offer our salute.

Two of our electricians have served in the military. Robert Peterson is one of them. He served in the Marine Corps and spent considerable time in various locations in Asia.

Jordan Andrews is the other veteran of our military. He served in the U.S. Army.

For your service to the United States of American, thanks to both Robert and Jordan…and to all our veterans.