Making Your Fridge Energy Efficient with Electrician in Beverly Hills

Posted on January 14, 2015 | by Kim Hopkins

Cutting your electrical bill by a few dollars here and there gives you a sense of satisfaction that you are making a difference in your monthly budget as well as doing a little something good for the environment. There are some things in our homes that are major energy users, Your furnace, air conditioner, water heater and refrigerator are all things that you need, but are costing you money. You have probably seen plenty of information about how to make your furnace, AC and water heater a little more energy efficient, but do you know how to make your fridge a little easier on the budget? An electrician in Beverly Hills has a few quick tips to help you save money on your electric bill by making your refrigerator less of an energy hog. You can can always count on the team at The Electric Connection to answer any questions you may have about saving electricity.

*Your refrigerator should not be near heat sources. Put your microwave, coffee pot and toaster oven on a counter away from the fridge. If your fridge is currently next to your stove, consider doing a minor remodel to move it.

*It may seem like a no-brainer, but do what you can to limit the amount of times and length of time you open the fridge. Tell the kids to pick what they want and shut the door!

*Do regular maintenance on the coils behind your refrigerator. Use air or a broom to dust off the grime from the coil behind your refrigerator. The build up can effect the efficiency. If you are not sure what you are doing, give an electrician familiar with Beverly Hills electrical work a call.

*A full refrigerator will be more energy efficient. Do what you can to keep your fridge full and you will save money. .

These quick tricks can help you save electricity while prolonging the life of your refrigerator. Give The Electric Connection a call if you have any more questions.

Remodels In Time for Holidays with Electrician in Beverly Hills

Posted on November 16, 2014 | by Kim Hopkins

Are you planning on having lots of family and friends over this holiday season? Maybe you are hosting a lavish party or a quaint dinner party. Whatever the case may be, wouldn’t it be nice if you had a little more space or if your kitchen was setup a little differently to make cooking for a large party easier? There is no better time to remodel your home. Consider it an early gift for yourself. A gift that will add value to your home while making it a little more enjoyable for you to live in. If you are ready to make that basement remodel or kitchen remodel happen, now is the time. Your electrician in Beverly Hills, like the team at The Electric Connection, is here to help.

You will likely need to hire a contractor to do the remodel. It makes it easier and you can keep up with your busy life. A remodel will involve some Beverly Hills electrical work. Whether you are tearing down walls, adding on a room or moving appliances around, you will need an experienced electrician to complete the wiring portion of the remodel. Meet with the electrician and discuss what it is you need. If you need extra outlets on one side of the room or would like data lines in a certain place, communicate that to your electrician.

It is important you choose an electrician who will work well with your contractor. Being licensed to perform the work is also an important factor. Remodels will require permits from your county building department. You want to make sure the wiring passes inspection the first time. By hiring a qualified electrician you can ensure the process will go smoothly and your remodel is finished in time for the holidays. Give The Electric Connection a call today and get started transforming your home.

Holiday Lighting Issues Addressed by Burbank Electrician

Posted on October 21, 2014 | by Kim Hopkins

heat_related2 (14) Although the holiday lighting season is still at least a month away, you are probably already digging around and planning your decorations for the season. Maybe you have already pulled out some of your Halloween decorations that require electricity and realized you are going to need some work done before it is time to pull out the twinkling lights. A Burbank electrician has some tips for you before you start plugging in your lights this year. If you have any questions, you can call The Electric Connection for help.

One of the most important rules of stringing lights together is not to connect more than three strands of lights. Doing so could overload the circuit and cause the breaker to trip. If you have a shortage of outlets, consider hiring an electrician. Burbank residents can have outdoor outlets installed that are designed to withstand the weather. The additional outlets outside are handy to have all year round. You won’t have to worry about running extension cords.

Speaking of extension cords; only use cords that are approved for outdoor use. Do not use cords that are damaged or have some of the protective insulation covering missing in areas. Wrapping the area with tape to compensate is never a good idea. Invest in the proper extension cord. A cord with several outlets is helpful. However, do not get carried away with hooking up numerous strands of lights are large yard ornaments. If the breaker trips, it is a sign the outlet is overloaded. Move some of your lights to a different outlet.

Outlet power stakes are a great option and many of them are equipped with timers and remote controls that allow you to turn on your lights without ever stepping foot outside. The power stakes are designed to protect the outlets from wet weather.

If you are ready to get your home ready for another holiday season filled with pretty lights, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Home Safety Addressed by Beverly Hills Electrician

Posted on October 21, 2014 | by Kim Hopkins

bigstockphoto_Trimming_Electric_Wire_1913494 You will be spending a lot more time indoors over the next few months as we ride out yet another winter. You will want to do what you can to ensure your family is as safe as possible inside your home. There are a few things you can do today to provide an extra layer of safety. Your Beverly Hills electrician is here to help you. You can count on the team at The Electric Connection to provide you with a knowledgeable, experienced electrician to take care of the following safety features for your home.

• Replace your old, standard outlets in the kitchen and bathroom areas with GFCI outlets. These are designed to cut the electricity the second the circuit is interrupted. These outlets are especially handy in areas where water is present, like the kitchen and bathroom. If an appliance is accidentally dropped in water, the breaker will trip, cutting off the electricity and reducing the risk of electric shock.

• Have hard-wired smoke detectors installed. These smoke detectors rely on your home’s main power rather than a battery. Dead or missing batteries in smoke detectors are often to blame for late warnings in the event of a house fire. The detectors are all interconnected so when one goes off, the rest of the alarms are sounded. You will need the installation completed by a professional electrician. Beverly Hills homeowners will feel better knowing the wiring was handled by somebody trained to work with electrical wiring.

• Carbon monoxide detectors are also handy devices that every home should have. If you use natural gas for your heat or have a woodstove, a carbon monoxide detector can warn you to unsafe levels of carbon monoxide in the home.

Your home is somewhere you should feel safe. These rather easy and inexpensive safety features can eliminate some of the risks in your home. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your safety enhancements.

Fall Preparations Need Electrician in Beverly Hills

Posted on September 9, 2014 | by Kim Hopkins

bigstockphoto_Autumn_Background_150400 With summer coming to an end, it is an excellent time to take advantage of the cooler weather to get some things down around the house. It is time to prepare for winter and the weather that accompanies the season. While you are taking care of putting away the outdoor furniture and blowing out the sprinklers, it is a good time to call an electrician in Beverly Hills to have an electric safety inspection completed. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help you discover any electric safety problems you may not be aware of. We tend to use more electricity during the winter plugging in Holiday lights, space heaters and spending more time indoors in general. It is important you make sure your home’s electric system is in good, working condition.

During the inspection, the electrician will evaluate your outlets, light switches and the electric panel to see if there are any issues. If you have been experiencing problems with flickering lights, an outlet that doesn’t work all the time or a tripping breaker, you need to let your electrician know. These are subtle warning signs of a bigger problem. You will want to get any Beverly Hills electrical repair work completed sooner rather than later.

You will rest easy knowing your home’s electrical system is up to code and doesn’t pose a serious risk to your family. During the inspection, the electrician will give you recommendations of things you can do yourself or have done by a professional to add another layer of safety to your home. These are optional and you will have the ability to decide if you want to go ahead and have it all taken care of or wait until it is a better time. Don’t delay, call The Electric Connection and schedule your electric inspection today.

Whole Home Surge Protection by Pasadena Electrician

Posted on July 28, 2014 | by Kim Hopkins

tool (7) Weather is so unpredictable, even trained weather people struggle to accurately predict storms and the strengths of those storms. It just makes sense to prepare for anything in order to keep your life as normal as possible. Power outages and power surges are very common during high winds, heavy rainfall and of course thunderstorms. A Pasadena electrician can help you protect your appliances, computers and televisions with the installation of a whole home surge protector. If you have never heard of one of these devices, give The Electric Connection a call to discover how they can save you hundreds of dollars by preventing damage to your electronics.

Every single day, there are power fluctuations in your home. This may be caused by large appliances like a refrigerator or air conditioner kicking off and on or things that are happening around the area. These minor power surges are not always noticeable, but they are damaging the sensitive electrical components in each of your devices. This can shrink the life expectancy of certain high-dollar appliances like your refrigerator, well pump, freezer and even the stove. More sensitive devices like computers, smart TVs, and gaming systems are easily damaged by these minor power surges.

Large surges can wipe out a computer board in an instant. Every electrical device has a board. When this happens, the appliance or gadget is ruined and will likely cost hundreds of dollars to repair. All of this can be avoided with a surge protector installed at the electric panel by an electrician. Pasadena homeowners can purchase a whole home surge protector for a couple hundred dollars. The investment could save hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars in damaged electronics. Lightning and power surges are part of our world. It makes sense to spend a little money now to prevent a lot of damage and hassle in the future. Give The Electric Connection a call today to schedule your installation.

New Home Construction with Beverly Hills Electrician

Posted on July 27, 2014 | by Kim Hopkins

bigstockphoto_Casual_Construction_Worker_1683157 Building a home is a great way to ensure you are getting exactly what you want out of your house. It really makes you feel as if you have been a part of the process from the ground up. It gives you the chance to create a home that suits your needs and reflects your personality. Many homeowners have discovered it is often much more economical to build a home than buy a home that needs various remodels and adjustments. It also makes it possible to buy the perfect home in the neighborhood you have had your eye on. To build your new home, you will need a Beverly Hills electrician like those at The Electric Connection.

When you build your own home, you will get to decide the number of rooms you have as well as bathrooms. Another major benefit to building your home is the thrill of designing your kitchen to work from you. Every person will have different desires and needs when they are in the kitchen. Some people need numerous outlets to run several appliances. Large families may need more than one microwave to keep the family going. All of these things require the expertise of an electrician. Beverly Hills homeowners who want to add more outlets than the standard 4 or 5 in the kitchen, can discuss their needs with the electrician. The electrician will go about wiring the outlets and ensuring the breaker can run all of the outlets without becoming overloaded.

Your electrician will also take care of installing ceiling fans, installing light fixtures and running any data and phone lines for you during the building phase. This can save you a lot of time by getting it done during the building process instead of waiting until after the walls are up. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your new home construction consultation.

Electric Safety Tips for Children by Los Angeles Electrician

Posted on July 27, 2014 | by Kim Hopkins

bigstockphoto_Happy_Baby_Under_Clouds_153604 Summer days are the time to be outside enjoying the sun and warmth. Kids love to play outside and take advantage of their days being free. However, in our very technological world, kids tend to be “plugged in” a lot. All those electronic toys can be great fun, but as adults know, electronics and water don’t mix. Water play is a big part of summer. It is important to teach kids some important lessons about enjoying summer days outside around electricity. A Los Angeles electrician has a few tips to help you keep your kids safe this summer. You can rely on The Electric Connection to provide you with more information should you need it.

*Trees that are near power lines should never be climbed. Parents should point out the power lines near trees and explain how a falling branch could catch a live line and cause serious injury.

*Avoid building tree houses or raised play houses around power lines.

*If you have a backyard pool, make sure the electrical outlets are far enough away from the pool that there is not an electrocution hazard. Educate the kids about bringing in the gadgets that may be plugged in. This applies to the hot tub as well.

*Ensure there are enough outlets outside for any appliances to avoid running extension cords across the patio or yard. If you need more outlets, contact an electrician. Los Angles homeowners can have additional outlets installed outside to accommodate your electrical needs.

*Discourage children from throwing anything at power lines or utility poles.

*Remind children kites should only be flown in areas that are free of power lines.

*Children should never attempt to climb utility poles.

These tips can help save lives. Always set a good example when working around electricity. If you have any questions or would like to have outdoor outlets installed, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Hardwired Smoke Detectors a Bonus says Electrician in Santa Monica

Posted on July 10, 2014 | by Kim Hopkins

If you are tired of replacing the batteries in your smoke detector every few months, you need to learn more about hard-wired smoke detectors installed by an electrician in Santa Monica. Although we are often reminded to change those batteries every six months, things happen, life gets busy, and we forget. We forget until about 2 in the morning when the device chirps to let you know it needs a new battery. Wouldn’t it be nice to avoid all of that and still keep your home and family protected? The Electric Connection can help you add a layer of safety to your home by installing new hard-wired smoke detectors.

Hard-wired smoke detectors are not just more convenient. They are actually a little more reliable than the kinds that are solely battery powered. It isn’t often you lose power, which means your smoke detectors will always be functioning. If you do lose power, the battery back up in each detector will keep your home protected. Another benefit to this particular kind of smoke detector is the fact all the detectors in the home are interconnected. When the first sign of smoke sets off an alarm anywhere in the house, all of the detectors will start beeping.

This is extremely beneficial to the residents in the home. It adds several, precious seconds to call the fire department or escape the house. Because the detectors are wired directly into a home’s Santa Monica electrical system, you will need a licensed electrician to complete the job. This ensures your smoke detectors are being installed correctly and are not creating a hazard caused by faulty wiring. Your homeowner’s insurance may offer a discount for homes, especially two-story homes that have hard-wired smoke detectors installed. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your installation.

Pool Installation Requires Electrician in Pasadena

Posted on July 10, 2014 | by Kim Hopkins

If you are thinking about beating the heat this summer with a new pool in your backyard, you will need to hire an electrician in Pasadena to complete the wiring. A new pool is an exciting toy that will lead to hours of fun for the whole family and of course, family friends. There are plenty of tools needed to keep your pool clean and safe to use. Tools like filters, pumps and heaters if desired, all require electricity. Water and electricity do not mix so it is important an experienced electrician, like those at The Electric Connection, complete the wiring for the pool to ensure it is safe. Even if you are choosing to go with an above ground pool, there is still some electrical that will be needed to operate the filter and pump.

The following are some of the things that will need to be addressed when bringing your pool up to Pasadena electrical codes.

*Depth of the wiring must be buried at least 18 inches for PVC conduit or 6 inches deep for EMT conduit. Your electrician can discuss this in more detail with you.

*Your pool will need a dedicated breaker and outlets to run on. The outlet needs to be no closer than 6 foot from the pool’s edge and no farther than 20 feet from the pool. This is the receptacle that will be used to power your filtration system, pump, heater and an automatic pool cover if you choose.

*Lighting inside the pool and around the pool area will also need to be installed by an electrician.

If you home’s electric panel is already maxed out, you may need to have a sub-panel installed to run the various equipment needed to keep your pool in tip-top condition. Give The Electric Connection a call and schedule an appointment to discuss your pool installation needs.