Dutton Electric

10/01/2026

Why do Murfreesboro homes lose power?

Usually nothing dramatic. A storm-damaged line. A limb across a distribution line. Ice on a branch in January. Occasionally something upstream at a TVA substation.

In 2021, damage to one TVA transmission structure took out power for more than 10,000 area accounts for several hours.

We are not a hurricane zone. But a few hours is an inconvenience, and a full day in August heat or a January cold snap is something else entirely.

That gap is where a backup plan actually earns its keep.

09/25/2026

We are giving away a free EV charger installation.

One Rutherford County homeowner will have a Level 2 charger installed at their home by Dutton Electric, a $399 value, at no cost to them.

Here is what that covers. We come out and evaluate your garage and panel, then handle the wiring and the install, done to code by a licensed electrician. The prize is the installation. The winner supplies their own charging unit.

Entry is free, takes about a minute, and there is nothing to buy from us.
Open to homeowners 18 and older in Rutherford County. One entry per household. Entries close October 15, and we will announce the winner here.

The entry link is in the first comment.

No purchase from Dutton Electric is necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Full official rules, including eligibility and prize details, at duttonelectrictn.com/giveaway-full-official-rules. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Meta.

Dutton Electric. Locally owned, personally committed.
(615) 416-5954

Licensed and Insured. TN License #82842. Murfreesboro License #1576.

09/25/2026

Generator or battery backup?

It is the question we get most after a storm rolls through, and the honest answer is that it depends on your home.

A generator handles the long outages and does not run out of stored charge. A battery is silent, needs no fuel, and switches over almost instantly. Neither one is universally better, and anybody who tells you otherwise is probably selling one of them.

So we put together the full comparison for Rutherford County homeowners. Real cost ranges, what actually drives the price, the safety piece nobody mentions, and the five questions that usually settle it.

Read it here:

Anyone who has lived in Murfreesboro through a storm season knows the routine. The wind picks up, the rain comes sideways, and somewhere across Rutherford County a tree limb finds a power line. Middle Tennessee Electric, which serves Murfreesboro and most of the surrounding county, usually has crews...

09/24/2026

Every storm season, this one comes up, and it matters more than any cost comparison.

Never run a portable generator in a garage, basement, crawlspace, or anywhere near an open window. Carbon monoxide from the exhaust has no smell, and it builds up fast.

Outside. Away from the house. Away from windows and doors. Every time.

Stay safe out there, Rutherford County.

09/19/2026

Please don’t backfeed your panel.

Plugging a generator into a dryer outlet to power your house is called backfeeding, and it can push electricity back onto the lines that utility crews are working on.

Those crews are treating those lines as dead. That is how people get hurt.

If you own a portable generator, you need a manual transfer switch. It typically runs $400 to $1,300 installed, and it is not a DIY job.

Questions? Call us at 615-416-5954.

09/17/2026

We are giving away a free EV charger installation.

One Rutherford County homeowner will have a Level 2 charger installed at their home by Dutton Electric, a $399 value, at no cost to them.

Here is what that covers. We come out and evaluate your garage and panel, then handle the wiring and the install, done to code by a licensed electrician. The prize is the installation. The winner supplies their own charging unit.

Entry is free, takes about a minute, and there is nothing to buy from us.

Open to homeowners 18 and older in Rutherford County. One entry per household. Entries close October 15, and we will announce the winner here.

The entry link is in the first comment.

No purchase from Dutton Electric is necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Full official rules, including eligibility and prize details, at duttonelectrictn.com/giveaway-full-official-rules. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Meta.

Dutton Electric. Locally owned, personally committed.
(615) 416-5954
Licensed and Insured. TN License #82842. Murfreesboro License #1576.

Reliable Residential Electrical Services Serving Rutherford County and Surrounding Middle Tennessee Areas Testimonials Schedule Service Latest from Our Blog Electrical Questions to Ask Before You Buy a House in Rutherford County Jul 21, 2026 | ResidentialBuying a home is the largest purchase most pe...

09/01/2026

Every room in your home has its own electrical needs, and its own set of code requirements built around how that room is actually used. Your kitchen has very different demands than your bedroom. Your bathroom has stricter safety rules than your living room. And your garage has requirements that surprise most homeowners.

In our latest blog, we walk through the home room by room. What the electrical should look like in each space, what is commonly wrong, and what modern code expects. Whether you are planning a remodel, buying a house, or just curious about what is behind your walls, it is a practical guide to understanding your own home better.

Read the full room-by-room walkthrough on our website. And if anything in your home does not match what it should be, we are always happy to take a look.

Read it at https://duttonelectrictn.com/2026/08/25/room-by-room-electrical-a-murfreesboro-homeowners-walkthrough/

08/28/2026

Home electrical has come a long way. If your house has not kept up, it may be running on systems that were standard decades ago and are not built for how we live today.

Then: Fuse boxes. When a circuit overloaded, a fuse blew and had to be physically replaced before power came back.
Now: Circuit breakers. When a circuit overloads, a breaker trips and you simply reset it. Safer, easier, and far more convenient.

Then: 60-amp service. Plenty for a home with a few lights, a radio, and a refrigerator.
Now: 200-amp service is the modern standard. Today's homes run AC, multiple TVs, computers, kitchen appliances, EV chargers, and more, all at once.

Then: Two-prong, ungrounded outlets. No safe path for stray electrical current.
Now: Grounded three-prong outlets and GFCI protection in wet areas, dramatically reducing shock and fire risk.

Then: Aluminum branch wiring in some 1960s and 1970s homes, prone to loosening connections over time.
Now: Copper wiring as the standard, with modern connectors and methods.

If your Murfreesboro home is still running on any of the “then” column, it does not necessarily mean there is an emergency. But it does mean an upgrade could make your home safer, more capable, and better suited to the way you actually live. We are happy to take a look and walk you through your options.

Dutton Electric | (615) 416-5954 | duttonelectrictn.com
Tennessee Licensed Electrician #82842 | Murfreesboro License #1576

08/21/2026

We appreciate every customer who takes the time to share their experience.

“Alerted me of his ETA. Arrived on time. Very personable, knowledgeable, and dependable. Have used his services twice. Would recommend.” — T. Green
Thank you, T. Green. Repeat customers mean the world to us.

The little things T. Green mentioned are the things we work hardest at. Letting you know when we are on the way. Showing up when we said we would. Being someone you feel comfortable having in your home. Those habits are why so many of our customers call us back the next time they need electrical work, and why they feel good referring us to their neighbors.

If you are looking for an electrician in Murfreesboro or anywhere in Rutherford County who will show up on time and treat your home with respect, we would love to earn your trust.

Dutton Electric | (615) 416-5954 | duttonelectrictn.com
Tennessee Licensed Electrician #82842 | Murfreesboro License #1576

08/13/2026

Just bought your first home in Murfreesboro or Rutherford County? Congratulations. Once the boxes are unpacked, here are a few electrical basics every new homeowner should take care of in the first week.

Find your electrical panel and label it. Most panels are in the garage, a utility room, or on an exterior wall. Take fifteen minutes to figure out which breaker controls what, and label them clearly. When something trips at the worst possible moment, you will be glad you did.

Test every GFCI outlet. These are the outlets with test and reset buttons, found in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoors. Press test, confirm the power cuts, then press reset. If one does not work, it needs attention.

Locate your main shutoff. In an emergency, you need to know how to cut power to the whole house fast. Find it now, not during a crisis.

Check the age and brand of your panel. If your home was built between the 1950s and 1980s, it is worth confirming you do not have one of the older panel brands with known safety concerns. When in doubt, have it looked at.

Note anything that seems off. Outlets that do not work, switches that do nothing, warm outlet covers, flickering lights. Make a list as you settle in, and knock them out before they become bigger problems.

Buying an older home or just want peace of mind about what you inherited? A pre-move-in or new-homeowner electrical inspection is one of the smartest things you can do. We would love to help you start off right.

Dutton Electric | (615) 416-5954
Tennessee Licensed Electrician #82842 | Murfreesboro License #1576