Tag: electrical safety

Reviewing Your New Home with a Pasadena Electrician

Posted on | by K Hopkins

When you buy a new house, you spend a lot of time looking at things like space, decorating options and the yard. However, there is something else you need to give a bit more attention to—the electrical system. No matter if you are buying a brand new house, or one that is one hundred years old, there are issues that can occur with the electrical system. If you pay attention to these potential problems, and contact an electrician in Pasadena to help fix them, you can reduce the chance that you will be impacted by them in the future. Consider these common issues that you need to keep an eye open for in your new, or new to you, home.

  • Make certain the circuit breakers and breaker boxes are powerful enough to handle the level of electricity you plan to use. Installing another box may be important.
  • Do the bathrooms and kitchen have safety devices on the outlets? This is one of the easiest ways to protect your family.
  • Are there adequate outlets in the places you need them? Nothing is more annoying than moving in and getting ready to watch your TV and finding out there is not a nearby outlet.
  • If you have young children, or young children will visit, have you secured the outlets near the floor?
  • Is the wiring up to date and up to code? Calling a Pasadena electrician to do a walk through and check this out can be very important.
  • If you have a pool, spa or other outdoor equipment, are the outdoor outlets safe and up to date? This is another issue where having an electrician come out to the home can be very beneficial.

It is easier to stay safe if you are willing to work with an electrician. Call The Electric Connection today and schedule a technician to come to your home and help you stay safe!

Electrician Santa Monica – A Listing of Common Electrical Terms

Posted on | by K Hopkins

Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer who feels confident in most household chores, or you are clueless about most household tasks, it makes sense to learn the basics when it comes to electricity. While you will want to contact an electrician in Santa Monica (Click Here), such as one from The Electric Connection, for any direct electrical work, you can at least have a better idea about the basics and be able to have a conversation when the electrician Santa Monica comes out to take care of your electrical repairs or installation. Learning these basic electrican terms is a great way to broaden your understanding of electricity.

  • Alternating Current – Electric current that changes direction when a change in voltage occurs.
  • Ampere – A unit of electrical current.
  • Arcing – Current that passes through the air, using air like a wire.
  • Circuit Breaker – An automatic switch that safeguards the electrical circuit from damage.
  • Conductor – Anything that carries an electrical current.
  • Current – An electrical charge carried by flowing electrons over a conductor.
  • Direct Current – Electrical charge that flows in a constant direction.
  • Fuse – A protection devise that interrupts current to a circuit.
  • Ground – A safe way to run current between a device to the earth.
  • GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) – A device that detects excess current and stops the flow of electricity.
  • Insulation – A material that shields wires and cables due to the fact it is not good at conducting.
  • Junction Box – A plastic or metal container that houses electrical connections.
  • NEC (National Electric Code) – U.S. standard for installing wires and equipment in a safe manner.
  • Outlet – A point where an appliance gets its connection to the circuit.
  • Power – Electricity measured in watts or kilowatts.
  • Transformer – an  electronic device that converts electric voltage to another voltage or current
  • UL (Underwriters Laboratories) – A non-profit organization that tests electronic devices for safety.
  • Voltage – A way of measuring how much energy is behind electricity.

Grounding Precautions from an Electrician in Beverly Hills

Posted on | by K Hopkins

We almost all work with electricity on a day to day basis, but do you really think about the precautions that are in place to assure your safety? One of these precautionary measures is electrical grounding. Years ago, grounding was discovered as a way to protect individuals from becoming electrocuted in using normal electrical appliance. For instance, think about your refrigerator. If something went wrong and you happened to touch it, the electricity would flow through you, and you would be electrocuted.

Grounding wires the electrical item to the ground itself. So if something went wrong, the electricity is pulled away from the machine (and you) and into the ground. In the past, this had to be done individually for each item. However, technology has advanced now where grounding precautions are built into electronic devices around the home. When you plug in the device it is already essentially grounded and you are protected.

If you use any older electric products around your home, or you suspect the grounding is not working properly, you may wish to get in touch with an electrician in Beverly Hills from The Electric Connection and let him or her help you make certain the object is properly grounded and not a danger. Taking these safety precautions can make a big difference and protect you and your family from an accident involving electricity.

Spend some time looking over your electric items and make sure you are properly protected. Then call The Electric Connection an electrician Beverly Hills residents trust (Website). Not only can one of these experts help you with grounding and other safety concerns but with installation, repairs and whole-house electrical renovation too. Safety is always important when dealing with electrical implements, so choose a company that is willing to go the extra mile to protect the important people in your life. Not only can one of these experts help you with grounding and other safety concerns but with installation, repairs and whole-house electrical renovation too. Safety is always important when dealing with electrical implements, so choose a company that is willing to go the extra mile to protect the important people in your life.

Santa Monica Electrician – Considerations when You Lose Power

Posted on | by K Hopkins

Whether it is from storms or a fault in your home’s wiring, when the power goes out life gets difficult. Hopefully, you are able to talk to your Santa Monica electrical company and power is restored quickly. However, it is important to prepare yourself for the worst. Consider the following tips to make your next power outage more bearable. In the meantime, contact a Santa Monica electrician, such as The Electric Connection, to see if there are improvements you can make to your home’s wiring system to reduce the chances of a power outage.

Power Outage Tips

  • Avoid using candles during a power outage; a flashlight is much safer.
  • Keeping a battery-powered radio handy and listen to local programming. This can allow you to track the weather and prepare safety measures.
  • Turn off all electrical equipment that you were using when the power fails. This prevents a power surge when the power returns.
  • Try to avoid opening your freezer or refrigerator. This keeps the food within at a lower temperature.
  • Do leave one light turned on, so that you know when the power comes back.
  • Do not run a stand-alone generator in your home or garage—only use a properly installed outdoor generator.

Prepare Ahead by Keeping the Following Items on Hand

  • Flashlights
  • A portable radio
  • Batteries for flashlights and radio
  • A supply of fresh, bottled water
  • A small amount of food that does not require refrigeration or electricity to prepare—canned goods are an excellent choice.

If you are ready to make changes to your home’s electrical system, call the expert electrician in Santa Monica—The Electric Connection. You can also reach the company by searching for “electrician Santa Monica” and visit the website at ElectricConnection.com .  One of our experts will be happy to discuss your power options.

Los Angeles Electrician – Federal Pacific Panels

Posted on | by K Hopkins

Do you or does someone that you know have a Federal Pacific Electrical panel in their business or home? There are a number of reasons that these panels are unsafe, which means that they should be replaced as quickly as possible. One of the first reasons is simply because they are so old. Federal Pacific panels have not been installed in many years. The main reason that they should be replaced by your electrician in Los Angeles is because the circuit breakers in the panel may not always trip whenever they should. This can lead to some very serious issues with your home’s electrical system.

An Example

A couple years ago, one of our technicians were called out to inspect a circuit wire that appeared to have bubbled up. Whenever he arrived at the location, he discovered that this particular circuit had been overloaded so far that the sheath covering on the cable started to boil. Upon further inspection, he found out that the power for this particular cable came from a Federal Pacific electrical panel. What happened, was that the homeowner’s air conditioning unit was experiencing issues that caused it to seize up, continuously pulling more and more power from the panel. Rather than tripping like it should have, the circuit breaker remained on, leading to the boiling cable sheathe.

Although we were able to correct this problem relatively quickly, it could very easily have turned out much worse. This overloaded wire could have caught fire, or remained unnoticed and poorly insulated until it came into contact with a person or with another item that led to serious electrical shock or other injury.

The moral of the story is to have your home regularly inspected by a Los Angeles electrician for proper safety. For more safety tips or information about unsafe electrical panels, visit The Electric Connection at www.theelectricconnection.com.

Pasadena Electrician – Home Wiring Inspections

Posted on | by K Hopkins

Because of the rich history of home ownership that we have in the United States, the country is still the home to any number of homes that were built before most Americans were even born. Through preservation and careful maintenance, there are even homes that were built in the Victorian Era and prior. Although these homes are often prized for their historical significance, the electrical systems within can be very dangerous if they have not been brought up to date with current standards. Testing electrical outlets for proper operation and flicking light switches on and off is typically not a sufficient level of testing for an electrical system, especially when the electrical system is potentially very old.

Most homes built prior to the 1940s were constructed with knob and tube wiring, that has not been used for many years. Whenever you move into a home, you should not take it for granted that the previous owner took the time and care to have all of the electrical components upgraded to safer, more current technologies. This is one of the reasons why you should have your own electrician in Pasadena come out to do a full home safety inspection.

A full home electrical safety inspection can end up saving you and your family extensive time and money in the long run, especially if it is able to identify any key problems with your current electrical system. During an electrical safety assessment, a technician from The Electric Connection will come out and do a full check on your electrical system. During this time, we will discover whether or not you have any outdated wiring systems, an ungrounded electrical system, or an undersized electrical panel. If we discover any issues, we will put together an action plan to address these issues.

For more information on getting in touch with our team, or to learn more about the potential issues you could be facing, read through the resources at The Electric Connection website at ww.theelectricconnection.com.

Beverly Hills Electrician – Why Not Hiring a Licensed Electrician Can Be Dangerous

Posted on | by K Hopkins

Despite the fact that our electrical systems are one of the most important and most dangerous components of our homes and businesses, most homeowners avoid calling an electrician, especially if they think that they can tackle an issue themselves. Furthermore, there are many handymen and other non-licensed workers who will readily take on many electrical tasks although they do not have the proper licensure. Though in some cases, this can work out fine, choosing to go the least expensive route when it comes to your electrical system can result in some serious issues and reduced home electrical safety.

Here are some of the things that can occur if your electrical work is done by anyone other than a licensed electrician in Beverly Hills:

  1. Electrical Fire – Even though your newly installed fixtures, light switches or electrical outlets may look completely safe and normal on the outside, serious issues could be lurking underneath the surface. Components installed by an inexperienced installer can result in electrical shorts and fires that could lead to some very extensive damage on your home.
  2. Legal Action – Licensed and insured electricians carry insurance in order to protect themselves from any work-related injuries that may occur during the course of a job. By choosing a non-licensed installer, you place all of that liability on yourself.
  3. Lost Money – One of the easiest negative outcomes to handle is the simple loss of money. Either the person that you hire is unable to do the job completely, or they end up doing a job that needs fixed by a professional later on down the line.

Whatever the outcome, hiring a non-professional to perform electrical work on your home can result in some very dangerous situations. Though it may cost more up front, working with The Electric Connection (Click Here) will save you the time and cost required to fix any improper work or damaged caused by an unlicensed electrician.

Electrician Pasadena – How to Know When You Need an Electrician

Posted on | by K Hopkins | 1 Comment on Electrician Pasadena – How to Know When You Need an Electrician

Though there are a variety of different electrical tasks that a handy homeowner can tackle on their own, taking on a job that is too complex or difficult for you can be deadly. If you do not know exactly what you are doing, or if you have to work with the electrical wiring in your home, we highly recommend that you have a professional electrician in Pasadena do the job. If you familiarize yourself with some of the most common signs and symptoms of wiring problems and other electrical problems, you will know when it is time to give us a call.

The following are some of the most common signs of more serious electrical problems:

  • Breakers Trip Frequently – If your breakers trip or fuses blow often, it could be a signal to you that something is not working properly. You are either dealing with an overloaded circuit, or even more serious wiring issues. Either way, you should have your electrical system looked at as soon as possible to ensure its safety.
  • Hot Electrical Outlets – If you have an outlet that feels hot to the touch, unplug anything that is connected to it and do not use it anymore. This is a clear sign of overheating, which can be caused from wiring problems or an overloaded circuit. Call The Electric Connection immediately.
  • Exposed Wiring – Although you may think that this is common sense, it is typical to procrastinate even when it comes to exposed wiring. This should be treated very seriously, as it could result in electrical shocks, electrical fire or even death.

You should never procrastinate in having your electrical system inspected by a professional electrician Pasadena. This is because even small problems can result in huge dangers. Keep your home and family safe by knowing, recognizing and responding to these signs of wiring issues.

Click here to visit our website.

 

Electrician in Glendale – Why Fuse and Circuit Breaker Size is Important

Posted on | by K Hopkins | 1 Comment on Electrician in Glendale – Why Fuse and Circuit Breaker Size is Important

The frequency of accidents caused by the incorrect usage of electricity has increased as our dependency on electronic devices has increased over the last several years. Every year, accidental electrical fires cause millions of dollars in property damages. Because of this, you should always practice as much electrical safety as possible whenever you use your electrical appliances and devices. To make sure that your home is as safe as it can be from electrical accidents, you should also consider talking to an electrician in Glendale about performing an electrical safety assessment, updating service panels and ensuring that your home is properly grounded.

Can you use any size fuse or circuit breaker in your electrical panel?

Many older homes still utilize an outdated fuse box inside the service panel, instead of a safer and more modern breaker panel. If you still have a fuse box, then it is very likely that your electrical system is not prepared to take the amount of electricity that you use every day. This results in fuses blowing very frequently for many homeowners. Rather than replacing blown fuses with the appropriately sized replacements, some homeowners choose to oversize the fuse in order to reduce the frequency of blown fuses. This can be very dangerous, though not nearly as dangerous as replacing the fuse with something that cannot blow, such as a coin. Doing either of these should be avoided. Fuses are protective devices that are designed to stop electricity from flowing into a circuit whenever it reaches a level that is dangerous. Whenever you oversize or bypass a fuse, your circuit can overload. This can lead to overheating, fire and electrical shock.

One of the best ways to deal with an older fuse box is to have your electrical service upgraded by one of the technicians at The Electric Connection. We can send someone out to upgrade your service, and install the appropriately sized circuit breakers in your new electrical service panel. If you are experiencing any issues with your electrical panel, please don’t hesitate to give us a call today.

Click here to visit our website.

Electrician in Pasadena – How to Use Your Electrical Panel

Posted on | by K Hopkins | 2 Comments on Electrician in Pasadena – How to Use Your Electrical Panel

Your electrical panel serves as the entry point for the electricity being provided to your home from your electrical utility. It also functions as an electrical safety device that will turn off an electrical circuit if there is too much current. Excess levels of electricity can lead to fire or electrical shock. Although you can often tell which circuit is malfunctioning by looking at your breaker box, it can make things much easier if you take the time to label all of your circuits or fuses. This way, you know which switch goes to which area of your home, regardless of whether or not that particular breaker has visibly tripped.

Most newer homes use circuit breakers in order to protect the different areas of the house. Some older homes, however, may still have fuses. If your home still has a fusebox, consider calling a local Pasadena electrician to inspect your electrical system. This is often the sign of an undersized electrical service. If you have a breaker panel, just follow the below steps to restore power to the area of your home that has been affected.

Excess electrical current passing through a circuit will cause your circuit breaker to trip, effectively stopping the current from flowing anymore. When this happens, the switch will move to a neutral position, which is between the ON and the OFF position. To return power to this circuit, all that you have to do is flip the switch all the way to the OFF position and then back to the ON position. Before doing this, it is good practice to turn off or unplug all appliances in the circuit.

Now that the power is back on, you can continue to use your circuit as usual. If you have continuous issues, however, you should call our technicians at The Electric Connection for assistance. We are always more than happy to lend a helping hand. You can also get more information through our website at www.theelectricconnection.com.