Curtis Larson Electric has been handling electrical repair and installation for Ankeny, Iowa homeowners and businesses since 2002. We're locally owned and operated electricians who show up on time, do the work right, and stand behind every job. Whether you have a dead outlet that needs a quick fix or a panel that's long overdue for an upgrade, we're ready to help. Same-day and after-hours appointments are available when your situation can't wait. We power your home. We protect your circuits. We earn the call.
We've handled everything from a flickering light to a full rewire, and we know that most electrical problems start small before they get serious. A breaker that trips every few days, an outlet that stopped working, or a burning smell near a switch are all signs that something needs attention now, not next week.
Our process starts with a real diagnosis. We track the problem to its source rather than guessing and replacing parts. That means checking grounding and bonding, testing GFCI and AFCI protection where code requires it, and confirming that your wiring is up to the job. If the breaker panel is the issue, we'll tell you honestly whether a repair will hold or whether a replacement makes more sense for your home.
We treat your home and its wiring the way we would our own. Call today and we'll get the power back where it belongs.
Good electrical work isn't complicated, it's just done right, and the everyday jobs are often the ones that matter most to how your home functions. We install and replace standard outlets, GFCI outlets in kitchens and bathrooms, USB outlets, and 240V receptacles for larger appliances. We handle standard switches, dimmers, and smart switches that tie into home automation systems.
Ceiling fan installation is one of our most common calls, including rooms where no existing wiring or box is in place. We run the wiring, install the right ceiling box, and make sure the fan is properly supported and connected. Light fixture replacement, recessed lighting, and under-cabinet lighting all fall in the same category: work that improves how your home looks and functions every day.
Experienced electricians who respect your home make a real difference on jobs like these. We keep your home powered and safe.
Staying ahead of electrical problems keeps your home safe, and lighting is often where those problems first show up. Indoors, we install recessed can lights, LED retrofit kits for existing fixtures, and replacement fixtures throughout the home. Whether you're updating a kitchen, finishing a basement, or just replacing a dated fixture in the entryway, we handle the wiring and the installation cleanly.
Outside, we install security lights, motion sensor lights, flood lights, and landscape lighting that extends the usability and safety of your property after dark. For commercial customers, we handle parking lot lighting, exterior building lighting, and interior commercial lighting installation for offices, retail spaces, and warehouses.
Good lighting serves a practical purpose. It keeps people safe, deters problems, and makes a property more functional at any hour. Reach out and an electrician will follow up.
No matter what's going wrong with your wiring, the fix starts with understanding what you're working with. Older homes in Ankeny sometimes still carry knob-and-tube wiring or aluminum branch-circuit wiring, both of which create real risks and insurance headaches for owners. We handle full rewires and partial rewires, replacing outdated wiring with code-compliant materials throughout the home or in specific areas where the risk is concentrated.
Dedicated circuits are a regular part of what we do. Dryers, ranges, refrigerators, microwaves, washers, and dishwashers all perform better and run more safely on their own dedicated circuit rather than sharing capacity with other loads. We run load calculations before any new circuit work to make sure the panel can handle what we're adding.
For additions, basement builds, garage conversions, and shed wiring, we run the circuits from the panel and make sure everything is sized correctly for the space. Kitchen and bathroom remodel electrical is a natural fit for this kind of work. Honest recommendations on repairs, never an upsell, is how we approach every job. Call and we'll handle the lights, outlets, and panel.
Scheduling a service call is simple, and we work with all kinds of customers across the area. Homeowners make up a big part of our work, but we also serve landlords managing rental properties, property managers overseeing apartment complexes, and business owners who need a reliable commercial electrical contractor.
For rental properties, we handle electrical safety inspections that document the condition of the wiring, outlets, and panel. Landlords use these inspections before a new tenant moves in or as part of a pre-purchase evaluation. For commercial clients, we work in offices, retail spaces, restaurants, and warehouses, handling everything from outlet installation to full circuit builds.
We're a small local team, and every customer matters to us. Whether you're a homeowner with one problem or a property manager with a dozen units, you get the same attention and the same honest assessment. We keep your home powered and safe.
Iowa's four-season climate puts real demands on residential and commercial electrical systems. Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and ice storms are a regular part of life in Polk County, and the combination of hot summers and cold winters means electrical systems are working hard year-round. The three services below come up constantly in this area, and for good reason.
Older homes in Ankeny were often built with panels sized for a much lighter electrical load than what modern households demand. If your panel is still running on 100-amp service, or if it's filled with breakers that trip under normal use, it's time to look at an upgrade. We install 200-amp service upgrades as the standard residential solution, and we handle subpanel installation for garages, workshops, and home additions that need their own dedicated capacity. Service-entrance and meter base upgrades are part of this work when the incoming service needs to be brought up to current code. A properly sized panel is the foundation everything else depends on.
Iowa storm season is not abstract. Power outages from summer thunderstorms and winter ice storms can leave a home without heat or lights for hours or longer. We handle the electrical side of generator installation: the transfer switch, the dedicated circuit that feeds the generator, and the panel connections that allow the generator to carry your critical loads safely. We work with both portable generator hookups and permanent standby connections. The goal is a system that works when the grid goes down, without any guesswork or improvised wiring.
A single lightning strike or a grid fluctuation during a storm can push a damaging voltage spike through your home's wiring in an instant. Power strips with built-in surge protection handle only the devices plugged directly into them. A whole-home surge protector installed at the panel intercepts that spike before it reaches your appliances, electronics, and the circuits that power major equipment throughout the house. This is a natural complement to a panel upgrade, and it's one of the more cost-effective protective measures available to any Ankeny homeowner.
No matter what's going wrong with your wiring, the first step is a real conversation about what the job involves. Electrical pricing depends on the scope of the work, the complexity of the problem, and what materials are needed. We don't quote numbers that don't mean anything before we've seen the job. What we do is give you a clear, honest estimate before any work begins, so you know what to expect.
Same-day appointments are available when the situation calls for it. We also schedule evening and weekend visits for customers who can't take time away from work during the week. Seven days a week. Competitive rates. Power back fast.
Work performed by licensed electricians on every job, every time. Call (515) 789-3261 for a quote and we'll get you on the schedule.
We're based in Ankeny and do most of our work right here in Polk County, but our service area extends to the communities around us. We regularly work in Johnston, Urbandale, Clive, Grimes, Altoona, and Bondurant. If you're in the greater Des Moines metro or a nearby community and need a reliable electrician, there's a good chance we cover your area. Call us and we'll confirm coverage when you schedule.
We look at the condition of the breakers, the wiring connections inside the panel, the service entrance conductors, and whether the panel is properly grounded and bonded. We also check for signs of overheating, corrosion, or double-tapped breakers that indicate the panel is being used beyond its intended design. If we find something that needs attention, we explain it clearly before recommending any work.
A full rewire is typically the right call when a home still has knob-and-tube or aluminum branch-circuit wiring throughout, when the existing wiring cannot be safely extended or modified, or when an insurer requires it as a condition of coverage. A partial rewire addresses specific areas where the risk is concentrated, such as a kitchen or a heavily used circuit. We assess what is actually there before recommending one over the other.
Flickering or dimming lights can point to a loose connection at the fixture, a failing breaker, a circuit that is being overloaded, or a problem at the service entrance. Some causes are minor and easy to fix. Others, particularly issues at the panel or service entrance, need prompt attention because they can create a fire risk if left alone. We diagnose the source rather than guessing, so you know exactly what you are dealing with.
GFCI outlets are required by code in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, outdoor locations, and anywhere near a water source. AFCI protection is required on most bedroom circuits in homes built or renovated to current code. We install both types and can bring older homes up to current standards during a service visit or as part of a larger project.
If you smell burning or see sparking, turn off the circuit at the breaker panel if you can do so safely, and stay clear of the affected area. Do not try to reset a breaker that is hot to the touch or that trips immediately after you reset it. Leave the panel accessible and let us know what you observed when you called so we can come prepared.
For most jobs, yes, because we need to access the panel and discuss what we find with someone who can authorize the work. If your situation requires a different arrangement, call us and we will work through the details. We want the visit to go smoothly for you, and that starts with a clear plan before we arrive.
We start with what you describe, then use diagnostic tools to trace the circuit and test components along the way. That includes checking outlet wiring, testing breaker function, measuring voltage and continuity, and inspecting connections at junction boxes and fixtures. We follow the evidence rather than swapping parts and hoping for the best.
An inspection makes sense before buying a home, after a major storm, when an insurance company asks for documentation, or simply when a home has not had its electrical system looked at in many years. Landlords use inspections before tenant turnover to document the condition of the wiring and panel. We can schedule an inspection at your convenience and give you a written summary of what we find.
A Level 2 home charger requires a dedicated 240-volt circuit, wire sized correctly for the length of the run, and a panel that has the capacity to carry the additional load. We check all three before any work begins. The installation covers the circuit, the conduit run where needed, the outlet or hardwired connection, and any panel work required to make room for the new circuit.
That depends on your panel's current capacity and how much of it is already in use. We run a load calculation before quoting an EV charger installation to confirm whether your panel can absorb the additional circuit or whether a service upgrade needs to happen first. We will give you a straight answer on what the job actually requires before any work begins.
When we open up a wall or touch an existing circuit, we bring that section of the work up to current code as part of the job. If we find additional issues nearby that fall outside the original scope, we tell you what we found and what it would take to address it. We do not leave known hazards in place, but we also do not add work to your bill without your knowledge and approval.
The most common reasons are discovering wiring conditions that were not visible before the work started, such as damaged wire inside a wall, or a scope change that comes up once we are on site. We explain what we found and what the additional work involves before proceeding. Nothing gets added to the job without your approval first.
We work seven days a week from 7:30 AM to 11:00 PM. Call (515) 789-3261 when you schedule and we will give you clear pricing information for the timing of your visit. We do not believe in hiding fee structures until the end of the job.
Clear a path to your electrical panel and move any furniture or stored items away from the outlets, fixtures, or walls where work will be done. If the job is in a finished space, protecting flooring near the work area is also helpful. The more accessible the work area is, the more efficiently we can complete the job.
Curtis Larson Electric has been a trusted name in Ankeny since 2002. Twenty-four years of electrical work in this community means we know the homes, the wiring, and the problems that come up here. If you need a repair, an installation, a panel upgrade, or a generator hookup, we're ready to help.
Call (515) 789-3261 for a quote or to schedule service. Not the biggest crew in town. Just the most reliable. Always on time.
We handle the full range of residential and commercial electrical work in Ankeny and throughout Polk County. Whether the job is a quick repair or a major service upgrade, we show up on time, diagnose the problem honestly, and do the work to current code. The table below covers what each service includes, who it fits best, and what is useful to know before you call.
| Service | What's Included | Best For | Worth Knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breaker & Fuse Repair | breaker replacement, tripping breaker diagnosis, overloaded circuit identification, panel inspection | homes where a breaker keeps tripping or will not reset | A breaker that trips repeatedly usually signals a wiring fault or an overloaded circuit, not just a weak breaker. |
| Wiring for Additions & Remodels | kitchen and bathroom remodel wiring, basement finishing circuits, home addition electrical, circuit relocation and expansion | homeowners with an active remodel or addition project | Planning the electrical scope at the start of a remodel avoids costly changes once walls are closed. |
| Electrical Repairs & Troubleshooting | dead outlets and failed switches, flickering or dimming lights, circuit faults and wiring issues, GFCI and AFCI diagnosis | any homeowner or business with an unexplained electrical problem | We run a full circuit diagnostic on the visit so you get a clear answer, not a guess. |
| Backup Generator Installation | transfer switch installation, standby generator wiring, portable generator connection points, code-compliant isolation | Ankeny homeowners and businesses preparing for Iowa storm season | A proper transfer switch keeps the utility line and generator circuit isolated, which is a code requirement and a safety necessity. |
| Electrical Panel UpgradesMost Popular | 200-amp service upgrade, subpanel installation, breaker replacement and expansion, load calculation | homes running on 100-amp panels or adding EV chargers, AC, or major appliances | A load calculation before the upgrade confirms exactly what the service entrance and panel need to carry safely. |
| Wiring & Circuit Installation | new circuit runs, dedicated appliance circuits, whole-house rewiring, knob-and-tube and aluminum wiring remediation | older homes and any project that adds significant electrical load | Homes built before the 1970s often carry wiring that was never designed for modern electrical demands. |
| Whole-Home Surge Protection | panel-level surge device installation, protection for electronics and appliances, storm and lightning surge defense, HVAC control board protection | any home or business in a region with active thunderstorm seasons | Panel-level surge protection catches voltage spikes before they reach your circuits, something power strips cannot do. |
| Lighting Installation | recessed and LED lighting, under-cabinet and landscape lighting, exterior and security lighting, fixture replacement | remodels, new construction, and homeowners upgrading to LED | Outdoor fixtures in Iowa need to be rated for the temperature swings the climate brings. |
| Electrical Safety Inspections | panel and wiring condition review, grounding and bonding check, GFCI and AFCI coverage audit, pre-purchase inspection | home buyers, landlords, and owners of older properties | An inspection before closing gives you a clear picture of what the electrical system needs before it becomes your problem. |
| Ceiling Fan Installation | new fan installation, replacement fan wiring, existing wiring evaluation, switch and remote wiring | homeowners adding fans to rooms that did not have them before | Older boxes rated for light fixtures only may need to be swapped for fan-rated boxes before installation. |
| Outlet & Switch Installation | standard and GFCI outlet installation, USB and weatherproof outlets, dimmer and smart switch wiring, 240-volt outlet installation | homeowners adding outlets or upgrading kitchen, bath, and outdoor locations | GFCI protection is required by code in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoor areas. |
| EV Charger Installation | Level 2 charger installation, dedicated 240-volt circuit, conduit and wiring run, panel capacity check | homeowners adding an electric vehicle and wanting reliable home charging | We check panel capacity before any work begins so the charger does not create a load problem elsewhere in the home. |
| Older-Home Rewiring | knob-and-tube replacement, aluminum branch-circuit remediation, grounding and bonding upgrades, full or partial rewire | owners of pre-1970s homes with wiring that has not been updated | Older wiring was not sized for today's electrical loads and can create both safety and insurance concerns. |
| Dedicated Appliance Circuits | laundry and kitchen circuits, workshop and garage circuits, electric dryer and range outlets, sump pump circuits | homeowners whose appliances share circuits they should not be sharing | A dedicated circuit prevents nuisance trips and protects both the appliance and the wiring. |
How do I know if my home needs a panel or service upgrade?
Common signs include breakers that trip frequently, a panel that has no open slots for new circuits, lights that dim when large appliances kick on, and a service size of 100 amps or less. Homes adding EV chargers, central air conditioning, or electric appliances often find that the existing panel simply cannot carry the added load. We start with a load calculation to confirm what the service actually needs before we recommend an upgrade.
What causes a breaker to keep tripping?
A breaker that trips repeatedly is usually telling you one of two things: the circuit is being asked to carry more load than it was designed for, or there is a fault somewhere in the wiring. Resetting it without finding the cause does not fix the underlying problem and can create a safety risk over time. We diagnose the circuit on the visit and give you a straight answer on what is causing the trip and what the right fix looks like.
Is the electrical work permitted and inspected to code?
Yes. We pull the permits the job requires, and work performed by licensed electricians follows current electrical code, including proper grounding, bonding, and GFCI and AFCI protection placement. Code-compliant work matters for your safety, your homeowner's insurance, and the resale value of your property. We do not skip that step regardless of the size of the job.
Same-Day and Weekend Availability
We work seven days a week and offer same-day appointments when the schedule allows. If your electrical problem cannot wait until Monday, we will not make you wait until Monday.
Is the wiring in an older Ankeny home safe to leave alone?
It depends on what is there and what condition it is in. Knob-and-tube wiring and aluminum branch-circuit wiring were both used in homes built before the 1970s, and neither was designed to carry modern electrical loads. They are not automatically dangerous, but they deserve a closer look, especially if the home has been updated with new appliances or additional circuits over the years. An electrical safety inspection gives you a clear picture of what is there and what, if anything, needs attention.
What does EV charger installation involve?
Level 2 home charging requires a dedicated 240-volt circuit, the correct wire gauge for the distance of the run, and a panel that has the capacity to carry the additional load. We check all three before any work begins. The installation covers the circuit, the conduit run, the outlet or hardwired connection, and any panel work needed to make room. If the existing panel is already at capacity, we will tell you that up front and explain the options.
Do I need to be home when the electrician arrives?
We can work through the details when you call to schedule. In most cases, access to the panel and the work area is what the job requires. We will confirm the appointment window and reach out if anything changes on our end.
Upfront Quotes With No Surprise Fees
We give you a clear estimate before any work begins and talk to you first if the scope changes. Honest recommendations on repairs, never an upsell, is how we do business.
How does pricing work, and will the estimate change once work starts?
We give you a clear estimate before any work begins. If the scope changes once we are on site, we talk to you first. There are no surprise charges at the end of the job. Electrical pricing depends on what the work actually involves, so we do not quote a number before we understand the job, but we give you a straight answer as soon as we do.
What does whole-home surge protection actually protect against?
A panel-level surge protective device catches voltage spikes before they travel through your circuits. That includes surges from nearby lightning strikes, utility switching events, and large motors cycling on and off inside the home. Iowa's active storm season makes this a practical addition for most homes. Standard power strips offer some protection at the device level, but they were never designed to catch the kind of surge that comes in through the service entrance.
Experienced With Older and Newer Homes
We work on homes built in every decade, from older Ankeny properties with knob-and-tube wiring to new construction needing EV charger circuits. The work is done to current code either way.
Why would an outlet or switch stop working?
The most common reasons are a tripped GFCI outlet upstream on the same circuit, a loose connection at the device or in the box, a failed device, or a wiring fault in the circuit. GFCI outlets protect other outlets downstream, so a dead outlet in one room is sometimes caused by a tripped GFCI in a bathroom or kitchen. We trace the circuit on the visit and find the actual cause rather than swapping parts and hoping.
What does it mean if lights flicker or dim when appliances turn on?
Brief dimming when a large appliance starts up is common and usually points to a voltage drop on the circuit or a panel that is working close to its capacity. Persistent flickering without an obvious cause can indicate a loose connection, a failing fixture, or a wiring issue that deserves a closer look. If it is happening in multiple rooms or getting worse over time, that is a good reason to call us and have the circuit checked.
Are you available for same-day or weekend service in Ankeny?
Yes. We work seven days a week, and same-day appointments are available when the schedule allows. Electrical problems do not wait for the work week to start, and we do not make you wait either. Call us and we will tell you what the earliest available time looks like.
Every job is different, and the best way to get an accurate answer is to call us directly. Reach out to (515) 789-3261 and we will talk through what the work involves and get you on the schedule.
(515) 789-3261