Don't get caught in the dark if a storm or other disruption knocks out your power. You can protect your home and your family with a backup generator. Read on for tips on how to pick out the right one for your house.

Why Do I Need A Generator?

Blackouts are unpredictable. Of course, you can have family fun in a power outage, but if the lights stay off for an extended period of time it can mean trouble. If you rely on electric heat and the power doesn't come back on promptly in cold weather, your pipes could freeze and your home could even become too cold for human habitation. In the summer, you can end up sweltering with no air conditioning while all the food in your refrigerator spoils. Smart homeowners are prepared to keep their electrical systems up and running no matter how long it takes the utility company to restore power.

What Are My Options?

You can buy a small portable generator if you just need to keep a few appliances functioning. Plug your equipment into the portable generator directly, or a special connection to your circuit box can be installed to allow you to plug into your wall outlets as normal. Be careful not to overload the generator, or you can cause it to short out. 

A standby generator is the best option if you want to keep your whole house online. Standby generators run off your gas connection (or you can attach a propane tank) and they turn on automatically when the power goes out. Standby generators are simpler to use once they are installed because you don't need to worry about cords or even turning it on yourself. However, they can cost $10,000 or more.

You should choose the size and power of your generator based on how much electricity you will need in an emergency. Adding up the wattage of all the equipment and appliances you want to keep online will give you a baseline to use as a guide. Portable generators range in capacity from 1,000 watts to around 17,500 watts, while heavy duty standby generators can handle up to 30,000 watts and above.

Safety First

If you get a portable generator, never run it inside. Find a level surface at least ten feet from your house, and connect properly-rated extension cords to the appliances you want to run. Because most portable generators burn gasoline, placing one too close to your home can put you at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Don't forget to inspect the extension cords for any fraying or damage and ensure they are rated for outdoor use.

Never modify an extension cord or plug your portable generator directly into a wall outlet. This will send electricity back through your circuit box and onto the grid, creating a danger to utility workers fixing the wires.

Choosing the right generator, not to mention properly installing it, can be tricky. Call an expert electrician to help you purchase and set up your new generator so you know that the lights will stay on the next time the power goes down.

Call local Mister Sparky® for generator advice or assistance. We're always here to help!

Have you ever dreamed of generating your own electricity, right in your backyard? That dream could become reality with a residential wind turbine. Wind turbines won't work for everybody, but in the right conditions, they can provide part or all of the power you need to run your home electrical work. Read on to learn more about residential wind power and decide whether home generation is right for you.

Where the Turbines Turn

Wind turbines take up more space than solar panels, and they aren't as suitable for as many properties. For starters, wind turbines work best for homeowners who have at least an acre of property. The more open space you have between buildings and trees, the better. Additionally, they are usually a better option for people who live in rural areas and don't have stringent homeowners associations or local code issues to navigate.

Small, residential wind turbines can range anywhere from 30 to 140 feet tall, with the average being around 80 feet, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Generators usually have a capacity of between 2 and 10 kilowatts, depending on how much power the home needs and what the wind conditions are in the area. Turbines aren't cheap – costs can come in between $10,000 and $70,000 – but there are federal tax credits that help soften the blow, and you can usually recoup your investment in 6 to 30 years, depending on the specifics of your system.

The Power of Wind and Solar Combined

If you want to build in a layer of redundancy in your home power generation, you can combine a wind turbine with solar energy panels on your roof so you can create power in a larger variety of weather conditions. With a powerful storage battery, you'll be well on your way to eliminating electricity bills from your life.

For wind enthusiasts who are still on the grid, you can usually sell excess power that you generate back to your utility company, similar to how the process works for solar energy, helping to drive your electricity bills even lower. A solid turbine should last for at least 20 years, and hopefully much longer, although they do require yearly inspections to keep them running in peak condition.

The U.S. Government Has Your Back

The Department of Energy publishes a consumer guide for small wind electric systems packed full of even more information. If you are interested in learning more about home wind turbines, or need other electrical work performed, call up a trusted electrician today.

It is that time again—electric bills are on the rise. You can chalk this up to a number of different causes, but the fact is, electricity is getting more expensive. You can’t do much about controlling the rates, but you can do your part to reduce how much electricity you use and ultimately reduce your monthly electric bill. A Pasadena electrician wants to help you do just that and has some tips for you to implement in your home so you can save a few extra dollars. The team at The Electric Connection can answer any questions you may have about electric savings.

1-It is important you make a real effort to turn off lights and electronics whenever they are not in use. Turning off the appliances is not always enough. You need to unplug your electronics as well to reduce phantom power.

2-Take the time to replace any of your old incandescent light bulbs with the newer, much more energy-efficient CFLs. This can ultimately save you a quick $20 or thereabouts on your monthly electric bill. Don’t put off replacing those old bulbs.

3-Switch your dishwasher setting to air dry. Only wash full loads to conserve energy.

4-Air dry your clothes whenever possible to cut down on your electric bill. Only wash full loads of clothes and if you must use your dryer, only dry full loads.

5-Consider having a ceiling fan installed by an electrician. Pasadena homeowners can take advantage of the cost savings ceiling fans provide on both the heating and cooling bills of a home. Fans can be placed throughout the home to circulate air while keeping the home at a comfortable temperature.

This is just a very small sampling of the energy savings tips you can put to use for you. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your ceiling fan installation.

Did you know that proper surge protection could help avoid short circuits and fire hazards?  In fact, using up-to-date surge protectors (suppressors) for your appliances, or even your entire house, could save you thousands of dollars in property damage. These are just a few reasons why surge protection should be of the utmost importance for you and your home this holiday season.

What are power surges?

First, before diving deeper into the different advantages of protecting your home against power surges, it’s important to understand what electrical surges are, and why they’re such a concern. An electrical surge, also known as a “voltage surge”, is an electrical disturbance that can be caused by a variety of spikes in voltage. More specifically, these surges are usually caused by lightning strikes, power outages, short circuits, or tripped circuit breakers. Problems occur when these short spikes in electrical power overload circuits in home appliances and other electronics.

Why is it so important to protect your home against power surges?

For starters, power surges can be very dangerous for you, your family, and your house. Surges are one of the most common causes of house fires, usually resulting from a combination of faulty wiring and irresponsible electronics hook-up by homeowners. This is especially apparent around the holidays.

According to the Cheltenham Fire Department, “when putting up holiday lighting, surge protectors should be used instead of relying on extension cords.” Now, more than ever, people should be cautious about electrical disturbances and the possible danger they pose to their electronics—and even more importantly—their lives.

Even if a power surge doesn’t turn out to be dangerous, it can still be very costly.  As a matter of fact, power surges can pack enough of a punch to short the power supply in a desktop computer, television set, or even a microwave. Basically, anything with internal electronic circuits can be affected by a voltage surge.  That’s why it’s imperative that everyone use surge protectors for each and every appliance in their home.  At the very minimum, one should consider whole-house surge protection, or even just safeguarding higher-priced appliances such as LCD Televisions, microwaves, and desktop computers.

The Benefits of Power Conditioning and how controlled voltage delivery could save you money

Aside from protecting your home from voltage surges, you should also consider the amount of energy that is wasted from many of your appliances. And remember that with wasted energy comes wasted money.

One money-saving solution may be installing power conditioners in your home. Simply put, a power conditioner is a device that delivers clean (steady) power to your devices. It is designed to distribute a stabilized and continuous voltage level which eliminates dips and line static—important for all of you who own surround sound systems in your home theater.

As a consumer, it’s important to be informed about devices and services that can save you money, improve the longevity of your investments (e.g., Flat-panel television, etc.), and even protect your home.

If you have any more questions about power surging, or if you decide that you would like to look into protecting your home against electrical surges, contact our helpful team at ElectricMan Inc. We are here 24-hours a day, 7 days a week to serve you.