Category: Panel Upgrades

Upgrading the Electric Panel with Santa Monica Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

If you live in a home that was built more than 40 years ago, you may have noticed your house isn’t quite keeping up with your needs. 40 years ago, we were not quite so fortunate to have all the gadgets and goodies we have today. Our lives have been streamlined and made much easier with all the technological advances that have been made in the last couple of decades. Unfortunately, older homes are typically not equipped to handle today’s modern devices. You need a Santa Monica electrician, like those at The Electric Connection.

It is possible to bring your home up to speed by updating your electric panel. An electrician will need to do an inspection to determine whether or not an upgrade is necessary. An electric panel is where the electric from the power company comes into your home. The various breakers direct the power to different areas of your home. If there is enough room in your existing electric panel, an electrician can go about adding a couple of outlets to meet your needs.

If the panel isn’t ready to have new breakers installed to support new outlets or high-powered appliances, you will need a panel upgraded by an electrician. Santa Monica residents who opt to have an upgrade will have the luxury of adding additional outlets and powering more electrical equipment. If you are not sure your electric panel is adequate, one of the signs is tripping breakers. If breakers regularly trip, it is likely due to them being weak or overloaded. Flickering lights are another sign of a strained electric panel. There is no time like the present to bring your home into the 21st century so you can take advantage of everything the technological world has to offer. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your electric panel inspection.

Is it the Electric Panel? Beverly Hills Electrician Explains

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

When you are not familiar with certain things, like the electrical in your home, you will have a hard time trying to identify what it is you need to make your home safe. If you have no electrical training, a light switch that doesn’t work or a breaker that pops frequently means nothing to you. You don’t know if it means you need to call an electrician or simply ignore the problem and chalk it up to a fluke. But then, it happens again and it becomes apparent something isn’t right. That means it is time call an electrician. Beverly Hills residents can count on The Electric Connection to provide prompt service when it comes to their electrical needs.

What you may not realize is the symptoms, like tripping breakers or outlets that are dead, are an indication there is something going on with the electric panel. This is something you probably wouldn’t be able to diagnose by yourself. You will need an experienced electrician in Beverly Hills to investigate the problem.

There are a couple of different reasons why you would need to upgrade your electric panel. The first is if it is too small for your electricity demands. If your home is older, this could be the case. 50 years ago, we didn’t have nearly as many appliances and techno gadgets that required electricity. The homes simply were not built for the demands we have today. Another reason you may need an electric panel upgrade is if the panel is old or still uses fuses. We have come a long way in the world of electrical equipment and there are much safer ways of powering your home than there were even 20 years ago. If you suspect your electric panel may be causing some of the electrical problems in your home, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Why You Need Solar Panels Explains Beverly Hills Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

If you have been debating whether or not to make the move to solar power, you probably have a few questions and concerns. There has been a lot of attention given to alternative energy as the world becomes more aware of the lack of natural resources. Governments are also promoting solar energy with some perks like tax breaks for those who decide to have solar panels installed. An electrician in Beverly Hills will need to install the solar panels. The electricians at The Electric Connection have experience in this field and can help you rely on the sun for electricity.

Energy costs are going to keep going up. That is a fact we have all accepted, but what if you could keep your hard-earned money in your pocket while doing something good for the environment? Solar panels that harness the sun’s energy are the perfect way to do just that. One of the many points of resistance for those who are considering solar power is the idea they will run out of electricity. You don’t have to worry about that if you are still connected to the power grid. The electric company’s power will be your backup plan for those times when your solar powered system can’t keep up with your home’s demands.

A Beverly Hills electrician will install the panels and the necessary conversion system to transform the sun’s rays into the electricity you need to watch television, take a hot shower or charge your cell phone. You will have the flexibility to choose just how much you want to rely on solar energy. You can have just a couple of panels installed to start out with. Once you get used to solar power, you can upgrade your system to include more panels. If you want to learn more about having solar panels installed, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Beneficial Electric Panel Upgrade by Electrician in Pasadena

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Whether your home is old or new, there are probably some things you would like to change about it. While the layout and existing construction is often the first thing you think of, wouldn’t it be nice to make your work for you a bit more? If you have been dealing with a breaker that trips frequently or have to turn off everything in order to use a certain tool or appliance that is a bit of an energy hog, you could probably benefit from an electric panel upgrade. An electrician in Pasadena, like those at The Electric Connection, can help bring your home up to your electrical standards.

If your home is older (more than 50 years) it wouldn’t hurt to have an electrical inspection. During the inspection, the condition of your wiring will be evaluated to determine if your electrical problems may be due to faulty or deteriorating wires. You have to imagine 50 years ago, the average home had a handful of items that needed electricity. Today, almost every outlet in the house is in use with various computer cords, cell phone chargers and a long list of gadgets that make our lives easier.

Because of this, your Pasadena electrical needs are a little different and an electric panel upgrade will support all the gadgets you need and want without having to share outlets or unplug everything so you can use one appliance. In some cases, the panel itself may be just fine and you will just need an additional breaker installed. All of this can be determined after the electrician does the inspection and talks with you about what your needs are. From there, you can make a decision about what will work best for you. When you are ready or if you would like to learn more about an electric panel upgrade, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Upgrade Your Electrical with Electrician in Burbank

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

There is no time like the present to take care of some of the little things around the house. While you can certainly grease a squeaky door hinge or take care of that leaking faucet, there are some upgrades that are best left to the professionals. Things like electrical work should only be dealt with by a certified electrician. The Electric Connection has a team of certified electricians who can take care of any Burbank electrical needs you may have.

Some things you can do to make you home safer as well as increase the appearance and overall value are rather simple and inexpensive. One item that should be on your electrical upgrade list is to replace outlets in the kitchen and bathroom with GCFI outlets. These outlets prevent against electric shock. Because bathroom and kitchen areas are prone to water accidents, new codes require they be used in these areas.

Another option you may want to consider is the upgrading of certain light fixtures. New light fixtures not only look better, but in many cases they are more energy efficient. Think of it as giving your home a facelift. You will have the freedom to choose which light fixture you want to have installed in a room in order to compliment the space and décor.

An electrician in Burbank can also take care of the installation of a ceiling fan. These are extremely handy to have and can also help reduce your electrical bill. They are aesthetically pleasing and can help keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter by circulating the warm air around.

If you have any other items on your electrical wish list, give The Electric Connection a call. We can certainly help you with all your electrical needs.

Kitchen Upgrades Require Electrician in Beverly Hills

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

There has probably been a time or ten that you have walked into your kitchen and thought how nice it would be to have it a little brighter. Or maybe you have lamented the lack of adequate outlets. In this day and age, we rely a great deal on our gadgets and appliances. It can be a real drag to have to unplug the coffeemaker you have set up on a timer to plug in your mixer. It is time to take the first step in getting a kitchen that is designed to suit your needs. You need an electrician in Beverly Hills. The Electric Connection can help you brighten up your kitchen without a lot of work.

You will get the freedom to choose what upgrades you would like to implement. Things like new lighting fixtures can go a long way to making a dark kitchen brighter. And a brighter kitchen just feels bigger and more inviting. You won’t have to worry about hiring contractors to complete an expensive remodel. Take a trip to the home improvement store and check out all the lighting aisles. Then call your electrician to complete the installation process.

Track lighting is very popular in kitchens and allows you to cover a lot of space with just one switch. The lights can be aimed at specific areas. Another option is recessed lights. These take up no space and are mounted directly into the ceiling. There are so many options to choose from. You will wonder why you didn’t take the plunge earlier.

As far as the lack of electrical outlets, this is an easy fix. If you are in need of some Beverly Hills electrical work like adding outlets, give The Electric Connection a call. An electrician can add outlets your current electrical panel allows. Your electrician will let you know how many outlets you can safely add.

New Hot Tub? Electrician in Beverly Hills Explains Electric Panel Upgrade Needs

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

When you plug something into an outlet in your home, you probably don’t really take the time to think about where the electricity to power your appliance comes from. You plug it in, it works. But, what do you do when it doesn’t work?

Homeowners are constantly making improvements to their home. This may include upgrading or installing a new air conditioning unit, replacing the old fridge with a newer, more family-friendly model or adding a hot tub to the backyard. If you have already made these investments or are considering making them, you should contact your electrician. Beverly Hills residents can rely on the professionals at The Electric Connection to provide fast, friendly and knowledgeable service.

An electrical inspection will be needed to determine whether or not your existing electrical panel can handle these much larger items. Hot tubs, AC units and larger power tools will need more power than the typical appliance. If you have a newer home, it is a fairly simple process for an electrician to install the outlet needed to power the new item.

Older homes may need an electrical panel upgrade to support the electricity demands. An additional breaker may need to be added. In fact, this is may apply to newer homes as well, depending on the service that was put in during construction of the home.

If you have already hooked up a new refrigerator or stove and notice you seem to be tripping breakers, it is likely you need an upgrade. This is a sign there is too much draw on a breaker or that a breaker is weak. An electrician in Beverly Hills will be able to determine what the problem is during the inspection. If you are ready to take care of those tripping breakers or have more questions about what it takes to get your new appliance properly wired, give The Electric Connection a call.

Upgrade and Add Electrical Outlets with an Electrician Glendale Families Depend On

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins | 1 Comment on Upgrade and Add Electrical Outlets with an Electrician Glendale Families Depend On

It can be extremely frustrating to rearrange your home based on where your outlets are. Trying to strategically place furniture so you don’t block outlets is futile. This applies to your kitchen as well. Maybe you have to unplug the toaster to plug in the coffee maker. There never seems to be enough outlets. It isn’t safe to run electrical cords all over your home and it is certainly not attractive. So what can you do?

Well, you can move, which is probably not really feasible nor is it a very good idea to put your home on the market because you don’t have anywhere to plug in your coffeemaker. Before you make any rash decisions, call an electrician. Glendale homeowners do not despair! Call The Electric Connection to help solve your outlet shortage.

You will likely need an electrical inspection to determine whether your home can support more outlets or if you will need a panel upgrade. Don’t worry about trying to determine this yourself. This is what your electrician is there for. If an upgrade is needed, this is a task a qualified professional can handle for you.

In some cases, you may want to upgrade your outlets. This is a really good option for people who own older homes and the wiring may be fraying or outdated. You can have an inspection to determine whether or not you need a whole-home upgrade completed by an electrician. Glendale homeowners will want to ensure their home is safe and this is one way to do that. During the assessment, you can talk with the electrician about adding outlets.

We all rely on power, and we want it where we can get to it safely and easily. Because of the safety hazards associated with electricity, you will want to leave this job to the professionals at The Electric Connection. We’re ready to serve you!

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 – Avoiding Breaker Panel Fires

Posted on | by K Hopkins | 1 Comment on Pasadena Electrician – Avoiding Breaker Panel Fires

It is estimated that each year around 3,500 Americans die in home fires and 20,000 are injured. A leading type of home fires is the electrical fire. This is especially true in regards to manufactured homes. When it comes to breaker panel fires, there are currently two different brands of panels that have known manufacturing flaws that puts anyone with one of these panels at risk for an electrical fire. Zinsco panels and Federal Pacific Electric panels are known for the dangers that they pose. In addition to these two brands, there are also many people who have panels older than 40 years old that may not provide the protection that is needed to protect their homes properly from electrical dangers. If your home has one of these panels, you should get in touch with an electrician in Pasadena right away to ensure that the proper steps are taken to safeguard you and your family.

Federal Pacific Electric Company (FPE) Panels

The FPE was one of the largest circuit breaker panel manufacturers in North American from the 1950s to the 1980s. As time went on, many electricians discovered the dangers that these panels posed to the families that they were supposed to protect. It is now known that FPE panels may appear to work for many years, but can overheat and become a fire hazard after only one short circuit or overcurrent.

If you have a breaker that fails to trip whenever it is supposed, it can allow an incredible amount of electricity to enter your home from your electrical utility company. Whenever this happens, it can lead to severe overheating and electrical fires. As a result, many panels such as these older FPE panels can eventually catch on fire, leading to a very serious issue for any homeowner.

Zinsco Panels

Zinsco panels were also very common at one point in time. Although there are not many of them remaining, they can be very dangerous in the modern setting. These panels are simply not designed to handle the amount of electricity that we use every day.

For more information on electrical panels, (Click Here), or to schedule an electrical panel upgrade, call our team at The Electric Connection today.