The Electric Connection’s Blog

Remodeling is the Answer Says Electrician in Santa Monica

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Your home is constantly evolving. The people who live in it grow up. You may expand the family at some point or your family may shrink as the kids move on. With your ever-changing family, your home will need to grow and evolve with your needs. Remodeling your family home makes a lot more sense than pulling up stakes and buying a new home that will fit your needs for a short time. You can make your home fit your family by remodeling with the help of an electrician in Santa Monica. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help you realize your dreams.

A remodeling job is an exciting adventure as you work with a contractor to transform your home into one that you are proud of and completely comfortable in. Unless you are a skilled tradesman, you won’t want to try and take on this big job yourself. Your fun adventure will quickly turn into a nightmare that could not only put your safety at risk, but the safety of your home. It is imperative you leave all of the Santa Monica electrical work to a professional.

Prior to starting the remodeling process, you will want to have a conversation with your electrician and other contractors about what your goals are. Some points to discuss with your electrician are as follows;

• Replacement of existing light fixtures
• Adding and/or updating existing outlets
• Installing data lines

While the electrician is in the house, it doesn’t hurt to have an electric safety inspection completed as well. This will help you identify any areas that should be upgraded or replaced during the remodel. This will make your home safer and give you peace of mind. If you are ready to take the first step in remodeling your home, give The Electric Connection a c all today.

LEDs Save Money and Look Great Says Electrician in Glendale

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Summer is the perfect time to complete partial kitchen remodels. You don’t have to do a lot to give your kitchen a facelift. Little things like updating the paint, hardware on the cupboards and drawers and lighting can make your kitchen look fresh and new again without a lot of time, energy or expense. Many of the little fix-it jobs you can handle yourself like repainting or adding fresh hardware. Other jobs that involve electricity should be left to an electrician in Glendale. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help you make your kitchen new again with the installation of under-cabinet LED lighting.

LEDs are the latest and greatest lighting revolution. They are extremely bright and require very little juice or electricity in this case, to run. Less electricity is always a welcome benefit and will end up saving you money on your monthly electric bill. There are a couple of different options available to you when it comes to having LEDs installed under your cabinets. You can go with a fixture that contains a few super-bright LEDs or you can opt for a light strip. The flexible light strips are often more convenient because you can choose just how much light you want illuminating your counter space. Sometimes you need a little and sometimes you need a lot.

After you have chosen your LED fixture, you will want to hire an electrician licensed to work on Glendale electrical projects to complete the installation of the light strips if that is your choice. The electrician will go about installing the lights by wiring the strips to a plug that you can plug and unplug as necessary. These light strips can be placed anywhere in your home, really. Your bathroom, hallway and closet spaces are all ideal places to add a little more light. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your LED installation.

5 Tips to Prepping for a Power Outage by Electrician in Burbank

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Sometimes, nature gets a little wild and shakes things up for us. We get so used to our normal routines and typically daily lives, that when we are faced with a wild thunderstorm packed with high winds, large hail and lightning, we forget what the aftermath of one of these storms is like. It isn’t until we are forced with things like wind damage and power outages that we are suddenly forced to deal with a major interruption in our seemingly normal lives. An electrician in Burbank wants to help you prepare to deal with one of these events so it is not quite as big of an interruption. You can count on the team at The Electric Connection to provide you with valuable tips about dealing with power outages.

1-Take the time today to gather flashlights and batteries. Don’t wait until a power outage happens. Keep the flashlights in a safe place that every member of the household can easily access.

2-Post the emergency outage number in a conspicuous spot i.e. on the refrigerator, next to the phone or on a corkboard. You will want to call the hotline to get an idea of how long you can expect the outage to last.

3-Show each member of the household which electronics should be unplugged from the wall in the event of a power outage. This will prevent sensitive electrical equipment from being damaged when the power surges back on.

4-Educate your family about why it is important to keep the refrigerator doors closed when the power goes out to ensure the fridge and freezer maintain their temperatures for as long as possible without power.

5-Consider having a standby generator installed by an electrician familiar with Burbank electrical standards.

Being prepared can make all the difference when a power outage strikes. If you would like to learn more about what you can do today to prepare for an outage, give The Electric Connection a call today.

5 Quick Tips to Save on Electric Bill by Pasadena Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

It is that time again—electric bills are on the rise. You can chalk this up to a number of different causes, but the fact is, electricity is getting more expensive. You can’t do much about controlling the rates, but you can do your part to reduce how much electricity you use and ultimately reduce your monthly electric bill. A Pasadena electrician wants to help you do just that and has some tips for you to implement in your home so you can save a few extra dollars. The team at The Electric Connection can answer any questions you may have about electric savings.

1-It is important you make a real effort to turn off lights and electronics whenever they are not in use. Turning off the appliances is not always enough. You need to unplug your electronics as well to reduce phantom power.

2-Take the time to replace any of your old incandescent light bulbs with the newer, much more energy-efficient CFLs. This can ultimately save you a quick $20 or thereabouts on your monthly electric bill. Don’t put off replacing those old bulbs.

3-Switch your dishwasher setting to air dry. Only wash full loads to conserve energy.

4-Air dry your clothes whenever possible to cut down on your electric bill. Only wash full loads of clothes and if you must use your dryer, only dry full loads.

5-Consider having a ceiling fan installed by an electrician. Pasadena homeowners can take advantage of the cost savings ceiling fans provide on both the heating and cooling bills of a home. Fans can be placed throughout the home to circulate air while keeping the home at a comfortable temperature.

This is just a very small sampling of the energy savings tips you can put to use for you. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your ceiling fan installation.

Landscape Lighting Addressed by Glendale Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Doing your own yard work is a rewarding experience. While there is always the option of hiring a landscape company to take care of your lawn needs, it is often a job many homeowners would like to take on themselves. It is an excellent way to get some exercise while working with your hands. One of the biggest motivators to taking care of your own yard work is the cost savings. The money you save by taking care of your own landscaping needs gives you more money to put back into the landscaping. Landscaping is not complete without adequate lighting. Although you may want to do all the work yourself, landscape lighting is one job you will want to hire a Glendale electrician to take care of. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help you.

Many homeowners who tackle their landscaping needs on their own will usually opt to install solar lights. These lights are quick and easy to install and require very little effort. They can be placed anywhere in the landscaping, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will work effectively. Solar lights need at least 8 hours of sunlight to recharge. If the lights are placed under trees or thick shrubs that get very little sun, the solar lights will not recharge and will not light up when darkness falls.

Electric landscape lights require a little more effort to install, but they will remain lit throughout the night whether the sun shone on the lights or not. Because the lights will require electrical wire, you will want to hire an electrician. Glendale residents will appreciate the reliability of electric landscaping lights. Your electrician will wire the lights into the home’s electric panel. You can opt to have a timer installed for the lights or a manual switch for you to control when the lights are turned off and on. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your landscape lighting installation.

What Your Beverly Hills Electrician Should Look Like

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

When you need electrical work done in your home or business, there are some key qualities to look for before making any hiring decisions. It is never a good idea to open a phone book and randomly pick a company or choose the first name that pops up on an internet search. You need to do a little research before you hire a Beverly Hills electrician to come into your home or business. At The Electric Connection, we work hard to live up to each of the following standards so our customers can feel confident giving us a call.

Licensed and Bonded

This is probably one of the most important elements. It is absolutely crucial you only hire an electrician who has been licensed through the state to do any electrical work. Failing to do so could end up costing you quite a bit of money down the road. If by some tragic chain of events the electrical work is faulty and causes a home fire, you could be risking your homeowner’s insurance coverage. Bonded electricians also protect you from incurring any additional costs that may arise from poor work that needs to be fixed.

Professional

When somebody comes into your home or business, you expect them to act and look like the professional you are paying for. Clean uniforms add to that professional look. Courteous and polite are other traits you will want to have in an electrician. Beverly Hills home and business owners will want to be able to converse with somebody who is respectful and will respect somebody else’s property.

Prompt

You need an electrician who will show up on time and get the job done in a timely fashion. You don’t have time to waste waiting around for an electrician to show up. Nor do you want to wait weeks to get a job completed.

Give The Electric Connection a call today and you can rest assured you will be getting an electrician who meets all these needs.

3 Ways to Make Your Home Safer with an Electrician in Santa Monica

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

It is only natural you would want to make your home as safe as possible. You are protecting your investment as well as the people who dwell in your home. There are plenty of little, fairly inexpensive things you can do around your house that ensure there are safety measures in place. An electrician in Santa Monica can help you make your home safer. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help.

Safety Inspection

Your first layer of safety is to have an electrical safety inspection completed by an electrician. This will help identify any problems that are lurking behind the walls of your home. An electrician will go through your home’s electrical system checking for any warning signs. If the home has cloth wiring, it will be recommended the wiring is replaced and upgraded to today’s standards.

Hard-Wired Smoke Alarms

Hard-wired smoke alarms are an excellent addition to any home. The smoke detectors are wired directly into your Santa Monica electrical system. You won’t have to worry about your home being left vulnerable to fire because a battery was dead. If your home is multilevel or spread out, the hard-wired smoke detectors are especially ideal. When one detector is alerted, all of the smoke alarms will go off. This gives every person a few additional seconds to escape, which can mean the difference between life and death.

GFCI Outlets

GFCI outlets are an additional safety measure you can add to your kitchen and bathroom areas. The outlets prevent against electric shock if water happens to somehow come in contact with an appliance that is in use. The second the circuit is interrupted, the outlet will trip the breaker and cut off the electricity flow and prevent electric shock.
If you would like to make your home a little safer this spring, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Dream Home a Reality with Electrician in Pasadena

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

It is a buyer’s market in the real estate world and there has never been a better time to take the plunge into home ownership. If you can’t find the dream home you have been waiting for, you can choose to build from the ground up. This is an ideal option for anybody who wants to choose a floor plan that suits the needs of their family. New home construction can be an exciting and rewarding experience. To ensure it all goes smoothly, you will want to choose your contractor and sub-contractor’s carefully. There is a great deal of Pasadena electrical work that will need to be done on your new home. You can count on The Electric Connection to provide you with knowledgeable electricians who will help you achieve your dream.

You will want to be part of the building process from the very beginning. As part of the new construction process, you will be choosing new appliances and fixtures. One detail that many people may not realize is the fact they have the option to request additional outlets to suit their needs. If your family is heavy into the techno gadgets, you may need extra outlets for chargers. If you are a master chef in the kitchen, you will likely have lots of appliances that you will want to pull out when you are preparing the perfect meal. You can instruct your electrician in Pasadena to install additional outlets in the kitchen area for you.

These are just some of the perks to building your dream from scratch. It is important you choose contractors who will listen to your concerns and follow your wishes. You can count on The Electric Connection to provide you with a professional and knowledgeable electrician who will work with you to complete your dream home.

Taking Care of Faulty Outlets with Electrician in Burbank

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Without electricity, we would have an extremely difficult time getting through our day. We rely on it for everything from making our first cup of coffee in the morning to charging our cell phones as we sleep at night. All of the appliances we use on a daily basis must be plugged into an outlet. When those outlets are not working properly or pose a threat to the safety of your home, you need to call an electrician in Burbank. You can count on the team at The Electric Connection to send out a knowledgeable electrician to take care of the problem.

There are a number of different reasons why an outlet may be giving you problems. You may not even realize an outlet is faulty and assume an appliance is on the fritz or an incident was just a fluke. The following signs indicate there is a problem that needs attention.

• Sporadically working
• Black streaks shooting up the wall above the outlet
• You feel a shock when plugging things in
• The breaker that runs the outlet trips frequently
• A crackling noise or smell of burning wires

Any of these symptoms can suggest a serious problem is lurking behind the walls that you cannot see. Electrical fires are one of the leading causes of home fires. It is imperative you hire somebody who has the proper training take care of your Burbank electrical needs.

While the electrician is investigating the problem, the wiring will be inspected to determine if it is outdated or unsafe. If the outlet that is causing the problem is in the kitchen or a bathroom, it would be a good time to have the outlets in those areas upgraded to GFCI outlets. If you would like to make your appointment to have your outlets inspected, replaced or upgraded, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Serenity Space Aided with Electrician in Beverly Hills

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

If you are looking for a spring project that will get you outside, look no further. A fun, rewarding project you can take on with just a little effort and creativity is an outdoor sitting space. The area will be a private retreat in your own backyard.
Imagine a stone bench surrounded by lush greens, pretty flowers and a few hand-picked lawn ornaments. Your retreat will be the perfect place to rest after a long day or first thing in the morning. Because there is a good chance you will be enjoying your space in the twilight hours, you will want to make it safe. An electrician in Beverly Hills, like those at The Electric Connection, can help you add light to your place of serenity.

A common feature that will add beauty to your little haven is a fountain. The sound of water falling is very relaxing and will make the space even more appealing. Fountains require electricity to operate the pumps that keep the water flowing. You will need to have an outlet available to plug the fountain pump into. Any Beverly Hills electrical work should always be completed by a certified electrician who is familiar with current codes.

Along with an outside outlet, you will want to have proper lighting installed so the space is safe as well as beautiful. Your corner of the yard will likely be shaded so it is cool enough for you to enjoy. Solar lights will not do well in a heavily shaded area. Electric lights are a better option and more reliable. Your electrician will go about installing the lights and the wiring needed to operate them. If you would like to schedule an appointment to add the finishing electrical touches to your corner of serenity, give The Electric Connection a call today.