The Electric Connection’s Blog

Extension Cord Safety Tips by Burbank Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

This is the time of year we tend to pull out the extension cords in order to get ready for all of our holiday lighting needs. It is fun to decorate and to compete with the neighbors for the brightest house on the block, but it can be risky if you are not careful. These are a few tips provided by an electrician in Burbank that can help keep your home safe this holiday season as you light it up. If you have concerns, you can always call the team at The Electric Connection to ask for an electric inspection.

1. Do not run extension cords across your driveway where it will be ran over.
2. Only use the round outdoor cords outside. The flat cords are not properly insulated and cannot handle the outdoor weather.
3. If you find you are having to leave windows open a crack to plug in the cords, consider have new outdoor electrical outlets installed by an electrician. Burbank homeowners will appreciate how much easier it is to decorate with outlets readily available.
4. Always unplug the extension cords when they are not in use. Do not leave them plugged in and “live” with nothing plugged in to the cord.
5. Do not string more than one extension cord together. If one isn’t long enough, buy one that is.
6. Do not overload an extension cord by plugging in more than three strands of lights connected together.
7. For indoor cords, make sure the cords are not in a busy walk area. Never run them under rugs explains a Burbank electrician.
8. Do not use a cord that has visible signs of damage. Electrical tape around a frayed cord is not safe. Discard the cord and buy a new one.

Have fun and be safe decorating your home this season. Give The Electric Connection a call if you need more outlets or have electric safety concerns.

Home Fire Prevention Tips by Los Angeles Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

We know we should change the batteries in our smoke detectors when we ‘fall back’ in early November, but there are other things you can do to make your home a little safer by preventing a fire in your home. Some of those things require the help of an electrician in Los Angeles while others can be done on your own. The team at The Electric Connection has some tips for you to make your home a little safer.

1. A working smoke alarm in each room is an excellent idea. The bare minimum should be a smoke alarm on each floor. Consider having a Los Angeles electrician install hard-wired smoke detectors that rely on your home’s power instead of a battery.
2. Keep a working fire extinguisher in the house, preferably near the kitchen where a fire is more likely to occur.
3. Do not leave any pots or pans unattended on the stove.
4. Wipe up any grease spills and keep your stove and oven clean to keep a fire from starting while you are cooking.
5. Pay attention to the outlets in your home. If you notice any black marks, smoking or a burning smell call an electrician. Los Angeles homeowners can prevent electrical fires by being aware.
6. Keep the dryer lint vent clean. Clean behind the dryer as well. Lint is extremely flammable and can quickly ignite with a little heat and a minimal spark.
7. Do not use a space heater if there is not adequate space. A good three feet away from furniture and the wall is ideal.
8. Do not overload the circuits in your home by plugging in multiple devices and appliances.

If you have concerns about the electrical in your home, call The Electric Connection today and ask to have a safety inspection to identify any potential problems.

Bad Outlets by Pasadena Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Electrical outlets are so common in a house, they can be easy to overlook. Because we all know how important electricity is to our daily lives, it makes sense you would want to make sure it is there when you need it. You also want to make sure it is safe. Electricity is a necessity, but it is risky when not used properly or when the wiring moving the electricity through the house is damaged or faulty. It isn’t all that uncommon to come across a bad outlet in a home explains an electrician. Pasadena homeowners can rely on the professional team at The Electric Connection to take care of any bad outlets around the house.

There are a few key signs you need to know so you can identify a faulty outlet before it becomes a serious problem.

1. Black streaks that shoot up the wall or down are a bad sign. If possible, turn off the breaker to the outlet and call an electrician in Pasadena to replace the outlet right away. An outlet that has these streaks can cause a fire whether there is anything plugged in or not.
2. If you smell burning wires, which tends to have a metallic, rubber smell, cut power to the outlet and call for service.
3. If an outlet doesn’t work at all, it is likely because the wires have either become disconnected or have no electricity running to them. Both are bad signs and need attention.
4. Snapping, crackling or other sounds coming from within the wall where the outlet is placed could be a sign of slow burning. Cut the power and get a Pasadena electrician to take a look at the wiring.
5. Outlets that are loose and wiggle need to be securely fastened to keep the wires from jiggling loose and possibly sparking a fire.

If you have noticed any of these signs, give The Electric Connection a call to take care of the problem for you.

Home Remodels with Santa Monica Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Have you recently purchased a fixer upper? With all of the home renovations shows on television these days, you may be inspired to invest in a house that needs a little help. Transforming something old and damaged into something new and lovely is exciting. It can be very fulfilling to get your hands dirty and apply your creativeness to a home renovation. It doesn’t matter if you are planning on flipping the home or making it yours to love. Part of any home renovation is going to include some electrical work, which will require the services of a professional electrician. Santa Monica new property owners can rely on The Electric Connection to take care of the electrical portion of the renovation.

Redoing walls and floors is only half the project. Sometimes you may need to bring an old home into the 21st century with new, safer electrical wiring explains an electrician in Santa Monica. Once you know the wiring is safe and ready to handle the demands on the electric panel, you can move on to the good stuff. Choosing floor material, wall colors and cabinetry is exciting, but the electrical is the first big step.

In some cases, you may be removing walls, which are likely to have wiring behind the sheetrock. This will need to be moved or disconnected by a Santa Monica electrician. Part of your planning will include installing new light fixtures and having outlets installed. With the current trend of having large, flat-screen televisions mounted to the wall, it is a good idea to have an outlet placed high up on the wall. It is the little details like these that can take a home renovation from good to great. It’s all in the details. If you are ready to get started on your home renovation project, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Replacing Dangerous Wiring by Glendale Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

One of the biggest fears a homeowner can have is the thought of losing their house to a fire. Home fires are far too common. All it takes is a small mistake or a little accident to create a horribly devastating fire that destroys all of the world possessions a family owns. One of the leading causes of a home fire can be blamed on faulty wiring. This is generally through no fault of the homeowner. There are nearly 375,000 house fires each year. There are a few things you can do to reduce the risk of your home catching fire explains an electrician in Glendale. You can count on The Electric Connection team to provide you with more information related to electrical fires.

1. More than half of the fires in homes is caused by cooking. Be extra careful when using grease and always ensure the stove and oven are off when you go to bed or leave the house. Be attentive anytime you are cooking.
2. Heating is the second leading cause. If using a woodstove or fireplace, ensure it is properly cleaned and maintained.
3. Electric wiring that is old should be inspected by a Glendale electrician. Cloth-insulated wiring is outdated and unsafe and should be replaced.
4. Have a whole home electrical safety inspection completed by an electrician. Glendale homeowners will get a detailed report of potential hazards as well as things that absolutely should be addressed right away to prevent an accident.
5. Have working smoke detectors in every room. Consider hard-wired smoke detectors as well that are more effective at alerting the entire home to a fire.

Due diligence and being a little more attentive can help prevent fires in the home. If you would like an inspection of your wiring or need a quote for electrical repairs needed to make your home safer, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Bold Lighting Schemes by Burbank Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

We all have a unique style. Some people loathe being part of the mold. They want to be different and step outside of the box. This applies to the way they dress and the way they decorate their personal spaces. When you own your own home, it is all about expressing yourself with your favorite color pallets, artwork and even furnishings. Another way you can help bring your personality and style into your home is by choosing some bold, innovative lighting schemes with the help of your Burbank electrician. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help you make your personal style stand out.

You are no longer relegated to the standard light fixture in the center of a room or forced to rely on colored bulbs or quirky lamps to express your style. An electrician in Burbank can help bring out your personal style with a variety of installed light fixtures that are functional and bold or classic and elegant. It is all up to you. You can have several lights or a single one. That’s part of the joy of designing your space—you have all the power. You can choose how bright, how dark and how funky your lighting scheme is.

Once you have come up with what you want, you need to call your electrician. Burbank homeowners will need to trust the expert when it comes to the wiring and installation of each of the fixtures. You can ask for dimmer switches to be installed or a wallplate with several light switches that give you the freedom to control the lights from one place in the room. The possibilities are endless. Do some shopping around and find the fixtures that call to you. Then, give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your new lighting installation.

Water Heater Install by Beverly Hills Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Do you have an old water heater that sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies when it is time for it to get to work? Maybe it isn’t heating the water as fast as you would like or as hot as you would like. A water heater is one of the most valuable appliances in your home and is used every day. It is important you keep it in good working condition so you can avoid the horrible blowouts that tend to happen when you are gone. When a water heater is old and rusted, the bottoms will fall out or leak and create a flood in your home that can cause extensive damage. It is better to be proactive and replace a water heater before it gets to that point. An electrician in Beverly Hills, like those at The Electric Connection can take care of the job for you.

There has been a lot of advancement in the field of water heaters over the past couple of decades. They are built to last as well as to be more energy efficient. While it may seem like a cost you can do without initially, think of the cost savings you are gaining by purchasing a new water heater that won’t have to constantly run to keep up with your hot water demands. Your Beverly Hills electrician can tell you the water heater in your home is one of the biggest users of electricity.

You can also prevent damage to the floors, carpet and walls of your home should the tank leak because it is giving out. The replacement is a relatively simple task when left in the capable hands of an electrician. Beverly Hills homeowners will appreciate the job being handled by a professional who will ensure the installation is clean and the tank is working. You can count on the crew at The Electric Connection to install your new water heater.

Electric Safety Enhancements with Glendale Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Keeping your home safe is a top priority. Locking your doors, taking care of tripping hazards and making sure there are no obvious areas that could be a danger to you and the people visiting your home is real concern. Sometimes, you can’t find every single, little hazard. This is why it is always a good idea to have an electrical safety inspection by a qualified electrician. Glendale homeowners can count on the team at The Electric Connection to complete the inspection and give them a detailed list of things that could be a problem.

Some of the biggest hazards are not always obvious. In many cases, an alert homeowner can identify electrical problems and call an electrician in Glendale to take care of it before it becomes a much bigger concern.

1. Electrical outlets that have black marks or don’t always work are telltale signs. Check the outlets in the bathroom and kitchen area. If they are not the GFCI outlets, you can help prevent electric shock by having the old outlets upgraded to the GFCI outlets.
2. Having an electrical inspection completed can identify problems within the breaker panel. This give a Glendale electrician the chance to peek inside and see what kind of wiring there may be throughout the house. It also reveals how much room is in the electric panel in case you need to add additional breakers to accommodate for those that may be overloaded.
3. Breakers that are constantly tripping should absolutely be checked out by a professional. As mentioned in number two, adding another breaker or two to the panel can help alleviate overloading a breaker.

These are some of the most common signs of electrical hazards that you can easily take care of. Give The Electric Connection a call today and have your home inspected to make those safety upgrades.

Managing Your Electricity by Burbank Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

When something is readily available and seems like it will never run out, we tend to overuse. This is the case with the electricity in our homes. We feel confident knowing we can flip a light switch and have light or turn on the coffee maker and it will work. Rarely is their a need to give a second thought to what we have plugged in in our homes. Electricity is endless—for the most part. However, every little bit we use, whether we need it or not, is costing us. What if you could be a little more mindful and manage your electricity a little better with these tips from an electrician in Burbank, like those at The Electric Connection.

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to reduce the amount of electricity you use on a daily basis explains an electrician. Burbank residents can save a few dollars up to much more by following these quick and easy suggestions.

1. Unplug your cell phone, laptop and tablet chargers when they are not in use. If you can, unplug the toaster and other appliances when they are not in use. Anything that is plugged in will draw a small current of electricity. When you look around your home, you will see that adds up fast.
2. Do what you can to take shorter showers. Even cutting your average shower by a couple of minutes every day adds up to an average of fifteen minutes for the week. Again, the less hot water you use, the less your hot water heater has to work to replace the hot water.
3. Switch out those old bulbs in each of your light fixtures with LED bulbs says a Burbank electrician. This is a quick and easy bill to cut the amount of electricity you use to light your home in half—maybe more.
4. Only run your dryer when it is full. This also goes for the washing machine and dishwasher. Wait another day and do one full load versus two half loads. Quick easy and huge energy saver.

If you would like to learn more about energy efficiency and how an electrician can help you make those changes in your home, call The Electric Connection.

Rental Property Remodels by Los Angeles Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Owning rental properties can be a lucrative investment. For some, they have the ability to rent out a portion of their large home, a small house in the back of their property or even a basement over an area over a garage. This is an excellent way to pay the mortgage payment on your own home or to supplement your income. In order to attract your ideal tenant, you will need to have a space that is beautiful as well as functional. Looks matter and your electrician in Los Angeles can help you transform that dated space into one that is gorgeous and appealing to potential renters. The team at The Electric Connection can help you make that happen.

Adding a little paint and replacing the flooring in a room or apartment is one way to revamp the place. You can also make it look more modern as well as inviting by updating the lighting in the space. This is especially helpful if the apartment you are creating is on the small side or in a basement with low ceilings explains an electrician. Los Angeles property owners will want to look into some of the trendy styles, like recessed lighting for low ceilings and track lighting for spaces that can work with a single fixture that spreads over an entire space.

Along with lighting, ensuring there is enough power in the apartment is key. Most people will need numerous outlets in the kitchen for the various appliances and outlets in the living area for entertainment systems with many components. Your Los Angeles electrician can add additional outlets to ensure a tenant isn’t forced to use extension cords that can be a bit of a hazard when not used properly. Give The Electric Connection a call today and have your rental property revamped.