Finding a reliable electrician that you feel as though you can trust is hard enough, without having to go through the process again and again. Different types of electrical work take different skill sets. Those specializing in new construction have different skills than those that handle existing electrical systems or specialize in electrical troubleshooting. Far better to find a electrician Santa Monica CA contractor that has the experience and skill to handle a broad range of electrical projects, one that is able to handle your present needs as well as those that you’ll have in the future.

The Electric Connection is a full service electrical contracting company that has been doing a broad range of electrical projects throughout the area for three decades. They’ve built up quite a reputation for the high quality of their work. The Electric Connection handles electrical systems for new construction, maintains and repairs existing systems, does commercial electrical work, residential electrical projects, and is trusted with property management related electrical work. Through years of deliberate effort, they’ve built a solid Santa Monica electrician team, well rounded, with plenty of complementary skill sets. This strategy allows them to take on the wide variety of work that they do successfully.

Electrical services include whole house rewiring, electrical upgrades, and a wide assortment of other maintenance and repair tasks for existing electrical systems. The Electric Connection also does home and business remodeling and renovation electrical work, as well as electrical work for new additions and new construction. This Santa Monica electrician company also installs back up generators, surge protection, smoke detectors, and security lighting, as well as other types of exterior lighting, like landscape lighting. They do all sorts of indoor lighting installation and handle a wide variety of custom lighting and electrical system upgrades. The Electric Connection also have experienced electrical troubleshooting experts on staff.

They’ve built up an excellent reputation for customer care and satisfaction through the years, something they’ve been able to do because of the quality of people that they hire. An electrician in Santa Monica CA that is in the employ of the Electric Connection is expected to be highly skilled, with a professional demeanor, and to the minute prompt. In fact, if you arrange for an electrical service call with the Electric Connection, if your Santa Monica electrician is even just a single, short minute late, that electrical service call is free. That is is a fine example of the high standards they expect their electricians to meet.

They care about their customers, and demonstrate that in a wide variety of ways. On their web site, they feature a wealth of information relating to trouble shooting electrical problems and the proper care and maintenance of an electrical system. They offer free over the phone help to their customers, and are readily accessible and easy to contact. The Electric Connection web site features a variety of discount coupons for electrical services and they run regular specials. With every job that a Santa Monica electrician from the Electric Connection does come a free electrical safety assessment, that check such things as the main electric panel, the grounding, and other important safety related features.

The Electric Connection offers a lifetime guarantee on all of their work, and that’s a guarantee that holds some weight, because they’ve been working successfully in the area for 30 years. They have no plans to go anywhere, and no time to think about it. They are far too busy doing electrical work throughout the region, and making sure that each electrician in Santa Monica CA working for them provides the sort of high quality service the company is known for.

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Smart homeowners are always looking for ways to lower their electricity bills. Not only do you save money, but you reduce your environmental footprint as well by decreasing your reliance on fossil fuels. Lowering your electricity and other utility bills can increase the value of your house and even correspond with living a happier life. There are endless tips and tricks available to help you cut back on your electricity usage, but be prudent -- there are some persistent myths out there about home electric use that won't actually help you save energy, and could end up costing you. Read on to find some common claims about electricity that simply aren't true.

Energy efficient light bulbs are too expensive: Light bulbs cost more to buy in the store than they used to, it's true. Thanks to federal regulations, traditional, cheap, incandescent bulbs have all but disappeared from the market,  replaced with options like compact fluorescent bulbs, LEDs and halogen bulbs that all have a higher price tag. However, the modern bulb options use far less electricity and have longer life spans that the incandescents of yore, meaning you will actually save money in the long run. The average household should save about $75 each year by replacing old light bulbs with newer, more efficient versions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

You don't need to power off your computers and other electronics when you aren't using them: Most computers, televisions and other modern electronic devices go into sleep or hibernation mode when they haven't been used for a period of time. However, hibernating is not the same as fully powering down. Leaving a computer in sleep mode still draws electricity. Furthermore, even in sleep mode, electronics experience tiny but cumulative wear and tear. Save electricity and prolong the life of your devices by shutting them off and unplugging them when you don't need to use them for several hours.

Setting the AC to frigid will cool your house down fast: Wrong. Your air conditioner cools at the same rate regardless of how hard it has to work to meet your thermostat setting. So if you turn the dial to its lowest setting, you won't cool off any faster, but you will waste electricity once the machine passes your desired temperature and keeps on trucking to cool the house even further.

Solar panels aren't an option for me: While solar panels produce best in climates with a lot of clear, sunny days, homes in cloudy or rainy regions of the country can also benefit from them. Fog and clouds block some of the sun's energy, but not all of it, so residents of famously weather-obscured cities like Seattle and San Francisco can still get good value by installing a solar array on their roofs.

To separate what's real from what's false in the world of electricity efficiency, hire an expert to conduct a home energy audit. A trusted professional can evaluate your home and appliances, show you where you can make cost-efficient upgrades and steer you away from useless or counterproductive measures.

Understanding common household light bulb shapes, sizes, and styles is important whether you’re converting outdated incandescent fixtures into energy-efficient ones or using LED bulbs for new-construction applications. Every light bulb has identifying characteristics that are represented by a letter or series of letters and a number; these are known as light bulb codes. The letter or letters in a bulb code indicate either shape or special features such as reflector type. Numbers in a bulb code indicate size in millimeters or eighths of an inch. These codes will tell you if a bulb will fit in your fixture and if it’s the right shape.

For every light fixture or application, there’s going to be a specific bulb or light bulb shape that will fit best and provide the right type of light. If you understand bulb codes, it’s easy to look at a light fixture and know right away what kind of bulb you’ll need.

Let’s talk about light bulb groups, their bulb codes, and what applications those bulbs are typically used for.

Standard/arbitrary (A) bulbs are the most widely used and thought of when it comes to household lighting. These bulbs work well for a variety of applications, such as ceiling lights, lamps, vanity lights, kitchen lights, closet lights, porch light fixtures, and so many more.

Numbers in each code refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch.

A15 bulb: 15/8 = 1-7/8″ diameter

A19 bulb: 19/8 = 2-3/8″ diameter

A21 bulb: 21/8 = 2-5/8″ diameter

A25 bulb: 25/8 = 3-1/8″ diameter

Most common base types:

Globe (G) bulbs have a full, round shape and are available in various sizes. They can be used for many applications throughout the home, such as foyer lights, kitchen lights, chandeliers, and ornamental fixtures. The most common type is the large G30 bulb, which is used in bathroom and makeup vanities.

Depending on the bulb, numbers in each code can refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch or in millimeters.

G11 bulb: 11/8 = 1-3/8″ diameter

G14 bulb: 14/8 = 1-3/4″ diameter

G16/G50: 16/8 = 2″ diameter

G60: 60 millimeters = 2-3/8″ diameter

G25/G80: 80 millimeters = 3-9/64″ diameter

G30: 30/8 = 3-3/4″ diameter

Most common base types:

All of the bulbs in these groups resemble the shape of a candle flame and are often referred to as candle bulbs. Conical (C) bulbs are shaped like a cone. Conical angular (CA) bulbs are shaped like a cone but have a bent tip. Blunt-tip (B) bulbs are very similar to C-type bulbs but have more of a torpedo or bullet shape. These bulbs can be used in chandeliers, wall sconces, pendant lights, night lights, decorative light strands, holiday light strands, and other decorative home lighting applications.

Numbers in each code refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch.

B10 bulb: 10/8 = 1-1/4″ diameter

CA10 bulb: 10/8 = 1-1/4″ diameter

C7 bulb: 7/8 = 7/8″ diameter

C9 bulb: 9/8 = 1-1/8″ diameter

C15 bulb: 15/8 = 1-7/8″ diameter

Most common base types:

BR stands for bulged reflector. Traditionally, the inside surface of an incandescent BR bulb is covered in reflector material that is used to gather and cast a wide beam of light away from the bulb. LED BR bulbs don’t require the reflector material. These bulbs can have a frosted, clear, or patterned dome-shaped lens that diffuses light and provides a gradual fade into nonilluminated areas. BR bulbs also produce less shadows when compared to PAR bulbs. They’re a bit longer than PAR bulbs and tend to protrude from light housings but are used in similar applications, such as track lights, recessed lights, display lights, or can lights.

BR20 bulbs are often referred to as R20 but have the same characteristics of other BR bulb types. The R stands for reflector.

Numbers in each code refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch.

BR20/R20 bulb: 20/8 = 2-1/2″ diameter

BR30 bulb: 30/8 = 3-3/4″ diameter

BR40 bulb: 40/8 = 5″ diameter

Most common base type:

Multifaceted reflector (MR) bulbs are small in size with a reflective, faceted interior. The facets create a concentrated beam of light that can be displayed in a narrow spot or wide flood beam pattern. Because of the directional light they provide, MR LED bulbs don’t require the facets but often still have them. These bulbs are available in a variety of colors and can be used for many applications, including track lighting, recessed lighting, desk lights, and display case lighting. Many MR bulbs operate on low-voltage wiring systems, which makes them great for outdoor and landscape applications such as driveway lights, path lights, gazebo lights, paver lights, and malibu lights that have weatherproof housings.

Numbers in each code refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch.

MR11 bulb: 11/8 = 1-3/8″ diameter

MR16 bulb: 16/8 = 2″ diameter

Most common base types:

Tubular (T) bulbs come in a variety of lengths and widths. Depending on their size, these bulbs can be used in applications ranging from chandeliers, wall sconces, and pendant lights to basement and garage troffer light fixtures.

Numbers in each code refer to the bulb’s diameter in one-eighths of an inch.

T7 bulb: 7/8 = 7/8″ diameter

T8 bulb: 8/8 = 1″ diameter

T10 bulb: 10/8 = 1-1/4″ diameter

T14 bulb: 14/8 = 1-3/4″ diameter

Most common base types:

Smoke alarms are an important safety measure to protect your family and home from fire. You should have at least one installed on every floor. Unfortunately, a smoke detector beeping intermittently is a major irritant, disturbing your sleep and alarming your children and pets.

However, you should never permanently disconnect a smoke alarm to stop it from beeping. Instead, figure out the cause behind a beeping smoke detector and work to solve the problem. We can help!

If you just cleaned your fire alarm and replaced the battery yet the intermittent beeping continues, this could be a sign it’s time for a smoke detector replacement. These devices typically only last 8 to 10 years. If you’re not sure how old your smoke detector is, remove it from the wall or ceiling and check the manufacturing date on the reverse side to see if old age could be the cause of the malfunction.