The Electric Connection’s Blog

Updating Your Kitchen with Electrician in Los Angeles

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Your kitchen is probably the most important room in your house. In most floor plans, it is also one of the most visible areas. Because of this, most people like to keep their kitchen modern and of course, gorgeous. If you are thinking of selling your home anytime soon, the kitchen is typically the place your realtor will advise you to invest in. Thankfully, you can hire an electrician in Los Angeles to help you with a kitchen makeover. The team at The Electric Connection has a staff of well-trained and professional electricians who will make your dream of an updated kitchen a reality.

A complete kitchen update would typically include new appliances. Depending on the age of your home, you may need some upgrades to your Los Angeles electrical system. While the electrician is there, it is a good time to have additional outlets installed. It seems like there are never enough outlets for all of the appliances we use to make our lives easier. Your electrician would also be able to update your old outlets with the much safer GFCIs. These outlets reduce the risk of electrical shock due to water coming into contact with electricity.

If you are not ready to do a complete makeover, you can opt to simply have your lighting fixtures updated. This is a much more economical option while still giving you dramatic results. You would be amazed at the difference new lighting can do for a room. You have plenty of choices when it comes to choosing a new light for your kitchen. Take a trip to your home improvement store or lighting store to see the variety of options available to you. When you find the lights for you, give the team at The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your kitchen update.

New Lighting, New Look by Santa Monica Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

It is a good time to consider updating the existing lighting in your home. It is one way to quickly update the look of a room without getting into a big project that involves remodeling, painting or even buying expensive furniture or new carpet. A new light fixture is a quick and fairly inexpensive fix to add new life to your home. A Santa Monica electrician will need to complete the installation of your new fixture. You can always count on the team at The Electric Connection to take care of your home lighting upgrade needs.

With the phasing out of incandescent bulbs in favor of CFLs, you may need to update your light fixture. There are some old lamps and ceiling lights that are not suitable for the CFL bulbs. And although you may need to spend a little money to get your home up to date, it will ultimately save you money in the long run on your electricity bills. There are plenty of different styles of light fixtures for you to choose from. You don’t have to worry about being stuck with the old standard, center of the ceiling light fixture that you will find in millions of houses. You will be amazed at how unique the designs of today truly are.

Because there is some wiring involved, it is best to leave the fixture change to your electrician. Santa Monica residents will want to make sure the fixture is installed up to code and by having an electrician complete the work you can feel confident knowing it is wired correctly. If you are ready to transform your dull lighting into something beautiful, head to your local home improvement store and pick up your new fixtures. Once you have your new lights, call The Electric Connection and schedule your installation.

Fighting Back Against Phantom Power by Pasadena Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

You have probably heard it time and again; we need to reduce the demand on our natural resources. We also know we should be saving a little more for our retirement, but it seems like there is no way around the basic monthly bills. No matter what you do, it may seem like you are still breaking even. You shut off lights and walk to work once a week, but the electric bill stays the same and your gas bill is the same. That is likely due to rising rates. Imagine if you didn’t make an effort to reduce your monthly bills? You would be paying more! Your Pasadena electrician is here to encourage you to learn about phantom power and to do your best to fight back against it. You can always call The Electric Connection if you have questions.

Phantom power is a very real thing! You can put a few extra dollars in your pocket every month by fighting back against this electricity sucking phenomena, but it will require your whole house to be on board. According to the Lawrence Berkley National Library, every home has about 40 appliances in the home that remain plugged in around the clock. The appliances may rarely be used, but we keep them plugged in because it is convenient. This is costing us money. In fact, it is estimated phantom power accounts for about 10 percent of an electricity bill. So, assuming your electric bill is $100 every month, $10 of that is all for naught. For the blinking light on the DVD player you haven’t used in a month or the cell phone charger that stays plugged in all day and night whether your phone is attached or not.

If you are not completely sure what phantom power is or have more questions about it, call your electrician. Pasadena residents can count on the team at The Electric Connection to provide the answers to your electric questions.

What’s the Fuss About CFLs? Los Angeles Electrician Explains

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

You have seen the news and have heard about the government’s move to make those cheap light bulbs a thing of the past. You are probably wondering why this is necessary and what is all the fuss about these CFLs you have seen in place of those other incandescent bulbs? Your Los Angeles electrician is here to explain why this is one trend you want to be a part of. The team at The Electric Connection can help you make the transition from the outdated bulbs to the new, more energy efficient CFLs.

One of the major complaints about the CFLs is the expense. Yes, they are more expensive. You can expect to pay anywhere from $3 to $5 for a single bulb. Before you let that deter you from jumping aboard the CFL bandwagon, read on. You have probably noticed the bulbs are sold in singles more often than the 4-pack we have become accustomed to buying. When you start using CFLs, you will understand why. The bulbs last 10 times longer than one of the incandescent bulbs. That means instead of changing a bulb every couple of months, you will go a year or more in between bulb changes.

The initial expense is also not so bad when you factor in the savings on your electric bill every month. Assuming $20 of every $100 of your electric bill is for lighting alone, you could save about $15 each month on lighting costs. CFLs use 75 percent electricity than the almost obsolete incandescent bulbs. This also translates to a reduction on energy, which is always a bonus for the environment. If you have an outdate fixture that does not work with CFLs, call an electrician. Los Angeles homeowners can update the lighting in their home and ultimately save money. Give The Electric Connection a call today and start saving money on your monthly electric bill.

Spring Home Electric Safety Inspections by Electrician in Santa Monica

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

We often use the time change as a way to remind ourselves to change the batteries in our smoke detectors. We do this because it is important our homes are protected as well as the people in our homes. In fact, there are plenty of things we do on a daily basis to ensure the safety of our home. One of the things that are often overlooked is the safety of the actual home. What is going on behind the walls? Is the electrical wiring safe? One way you can determine the electrical safety of your home is by calling an electrician in Santa Monica and scheduling an electric safety inspection. The team at The Electric Connection can take care of this for you and help set your mind at ease.

A home electric safety inspection can help identify potential problems before they become serious fire risks. The inspection will give you a better idea of what kinds of dangers are lurking behind the walls. If you live in a home that is more than 50 years old, you could be dealing with some outdated wiring issues. An electrician will be able to tell you if you are due for an upgrade or if your wiring is up to today’s codes.

The electrician will investigate your Santa Monica electrical system and notate any items that could use repair or replacement. You will always have the option of taking care of the repairs immediately or waiting until there is a better time. Some things that are often found on these inspections are the old style outlets in the kitchen and bathroom areas. Nowadays, the standard calls for GFCI outlets to be used in areas that are around water. If you would like to learn more about your home’s electrical system, give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your home electrical safety inspection.

Why Do Breakers Trip? Electrician in Pasadena Explains

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Why do breakers trip? Have you ever turned on the vacuum or started the microwave while the toaster was in operation and experienced a tripped breaker? If you have ever dealt with a breaker that trips, you are probably wondering why it happened and want to know what that means for the safety of your home. An electrician in Pasadena is here to explain. You can learn more by calling The Electric Connection.

First of all, it is important to explain what a tripped breaker really is. Your breaker panel is probably located outside or in a hallway or basement area. When a breaker trips, it cuts off all flow of electricity to the outlets and light fixtures that the particular breaker supplies electricity to. When looking at the breaker panel, the tripped breaker will be slightly in the middle instead of all the way left or right. An orange bar is usually used to indicate which breaker has tripped.

As far as why the breaker trips, there are 3 main reasons
• Ground Fault
• Overloaded Circuit
• Short Circuit

An overloaded circuit is probably one of the most common reasons. If your breaker isn’t powerful enough to run several appliances at once, like the microwave, vacuum and toaster, it becomes overloaded and shuts down. You can address this by distributing your electrical draw to different outlets that are run by different breakers or by having your Pasadena electrical system investigated. You may be in need of additional breakers.
A ground fault or short circuit are much more dangerous than an overloaded circuit. Breakers that have bare wires or a bad connection can cause fires. If you don’t see anything out of the ordinary, but are still having trouble with a tripping breaker, give the folks at The Electric Connection a call.

New Chandelier for Enhanced Rooms says Electrician in Glendale

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

There are certain changes you can make in your home that can give it an entirely new look and feel. Sometimes, the simplest thing like a light fixture can take a home from drab and dark to modern and brilliant. One common way of changing the look of a room is by installing a new chandelier. Chandeliers can add an elegant look to a dining room or entrance way. Despite how easy it may seem to simply change out one light fixture for another, the task involves some work with electricity. If you are not familiar with electric wiring, it is best to give the job to an electrician in Glendale. You can count on the team at The Electric Connection to take care of a chandelier installation efficiently and professionally.

One of the joys of owning your own home is being able to decorate it and embellish it to suit your tastes. Lighting plays a huge role in the way a room is presented. Take a trip to your local home improvement store and visit the lighting department. There are so many styles and designs to choose from, the process may take a bit as you envision each fixture hanging in your home. Once you have made your decision, it is time to take care of the Glendale electrical wiring.

An electrician will remove the existing fixture and check the wiring before installing the new chandelier. This is an excellent time to have the wiring evaluated for any signs it may need upgrading. Chandeliers are typically installed with dimmer switches. This gives you the freedom to change the mood in a room by making it very bright or dimming the lights. Your electrician will take care of this during the install process if you would like. If you would like to enhance your home with a new chandelier, give The Electric Connection a call today.

5 Electric Safety Tips by Electrician in Burbank

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

With the spring weather lifting out spirits and encouraging us to get outside and take care of some of the little projects around the house, there are a few things you should know about electricity. Working outside or even inside will likely involve some kind of electricity. It is a good time to remind ourselves of some things we should do to ensure not only our own safety, but the safety of those in our homes and around us. An electrician in Burbank has some tips for you to stay safe this spring. You can count on The Electric Connection to answer any questions you may have about electrical safety.

Tip 1-Never use an indoor extension cord outside. Only use cords that are designated for outdoor use. These are the heavy-duty cords that are round and thick. Indoor cords are typically flat and thin.

Tip 2-To cut down on the use of extension cords outside, hire an electrician. Burbank residents can opt to have additional outlets installed outside to make it easy to plug in various power tools.

Tip 3-Only use the recommended wattage of light bulbs in all of your lights—indoors and outdoors. Keep bulbs away from surfaces to avoid a surface overheating and igniting.

Tip 4-Do not overload an outlet. Large power tools or appliances will typically need to be the only item plugged into an outlet.

Tip 5-If a breaker continually pops or if an outlet feels warm to the touch, call an electrician. In the meantime, avoid using the outlet and the outlet connected to the breaker. These are signs of trouble that can lead to an electrical fire if not handled quickly.

If you have electrical concerns or would like an electrician to take care of some of the items on this list, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Twilight Hours Made Safer with Outdoor Lighting by Electrician in Los Angeles

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

With the beautiful spring weather upon us, it is only natural you would want to head outside and take advantage of the gorgeous weather before it becomes a little too warm to be truly comfortable. Evenings and early mornings are so peaceful. Unwinding after a long day or taking a few minutes in the morning before a busy day kicks off are made a little nicer and safer with the installation of outdoor lighting by an electrician in Los Angeles. You can count on the knowledgeable staff at The Electric Connection to install the lighting in your yard and landscaping.

While twilight or dusk can be rather calming, it isn’t always a good idea to be outdoors when it is so dark you cannot see your surroundings clearly. It isn’t always some predator you have to worry about, but your own clumsiness. Tripping over a stone or some other object in your yard could leave you with a twisted ankle or in some extreme cases, a broken bone. Proper lighting can prevent these kinds of accidents without interrupting the serenity of the scene.

There are two different kinds of outdoor lighting homeowners have to choose from. Solar lighting is fairly quick and simple to install, but does tend to be a little pricier. The other option is electric lighting installed by an electrician. Los Angeles homeowners who have a yard that gets plenty of shade or the area is regularly shadowed by their home during the daylight hours may want to consider the electric lights. Because they don’t need the sun’s powerful rays to recharge, they can be placed virtually anywhere. The wires will be buried to ensure they do not pose tripping hazards and will be protected from rain and snow. If you would like to make your early mornings and quiet evenings a little better, give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your outdoor lighting installation.

Smoke Detectors Installed by Pasadena Electrician for Safety

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

As you go through your home and do some spring cleaning, you are probably doing some needed updates to your home. While you are taking care of jobs that have been stacking up for months, you should also consider evaluating the safety of your home. Things like smoke detectors are often overlooked. We are so used to seeing them in the corner of the room, you rarely give them much thought, that is until you need them. An electrician in Pasadena can install hard-wired smoke detectors that really can be forgotten about, but will still work. That is important. You can rely on The Electric Connection to send out an experienced electrician to complete the installation for you.

Smoke detectors are typically out of sight, out of mind, until they start chirping to remind you the battery is low. If the chirping is ignored, the battery will die and the smoke detector will become nothing more than a fixture on the ceiling. With hard-wired smoke detectors, you don’t have to worry about the batteries going dead and your home left vulnerable. The smoke detectors are wired directly into your home’s main power. As long as your home has power, your smoke detectors will work. There is also a spot for backup batteries in case of a power outage.

When the Pasadena electrician installs the smoke detectors, you will get the added safety feature of all the smoke detectors being interlinked. When one detector goes off, every detector that is hard-wired will sound. This can add several seconds to your alert time. If you have ever seen a house fire or been involved in one, you know how fast it can go. Every second counts. If you are ready to add an additional layer of safety to your home, give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your installation.