Now that my wife has married an electrician, she insists that I take every possible measure to ensure that the electrical system of our Los Angeles home is safe. One important step was to ensure that it’s properly grounded.

What is electrical grounding, anyway? Grounding adds a safety factor for your family and your electronics. Here’s how it works. Electricity travels the path of least resistance. If an appliance like a toaster breaks, electricity can flow on the metal outside of the toaster. Touching it could result in a serious shock, causing injury or even death. But if the electrical system is grounded and the toaster is plugged in with three prongs, the electricity won’t flow to the outside of the toaster. Instead it will flow through the third prong back into the wires and harmlessly into Mother Earth. Thus, the term “grounding.”

An electrical system can be grounded with various types of devices. A “ground wire” is simply a wire attached to your electrical system that’s been pushed securely into the ground. Metal pipes (electricians call them “conduit”) that hold and protect your electrical wires can also act as a grounding device. Sometimes, grounding is provided by running a wire from your electrical system and attaching it to metal plumbing pipes that run into the earth.

Grounding protects not only people but also sensitive electronics. Without grounding, electrical charges build up in wiring and create slight but continuous damage to delicate electronics. This damage can shorten the lives of computers, phones, and any electrical appliance that has “smart” (computer) components — possibly your fridge or dryer.

How can I tell if my electrical system is grounded? Homes built before 1950 were sometimes grounded. Homes built after 1950 were usually grounded. Even if your system was originally grounded, wiring mistakes may have rendered the grounding ineffective. The only way to know for sure is to have a qualified electrician check out your electrical system with a special tester. My electrical company, The Electric Connection, offers this check as a complementary service. It’s part of our Free Home Safety Inspection when we do an electrical job for an L.A. resident or business. If you’re outside Los Angeles County, you may find an electrical contractor who offers testing as a free service or as a service call.

My electrical outlets have three prongs — are they grounded? If your home has electrical outlets which accept three prongs, it MAY have a grounded system. The third prong allows an appliance to be grounded IF it’s plugged into an electrical system that has a grounding device.

Sometimes three-pronged outlets have been installed in electrical systems that aren’t grounded. This can make it look like the system is grounded when it’s not. Do-it-yourselfers or handymen may install three-pronged outlets in an ungrounded system not realizing the hazard or that such a set-up violates the National Electrical Code.

Sleep sounder with a grounded electrical system If you’ll sleep sounder knowing that your family and electronics are safe, give your electrician a call. If you’re in L.A. County, we at The Electric Connection will be happy to provide you with a full safety check of your electrical system, including grounding. Give us a call at (800) 990-9490 between 8 and 5. If you have other electrical work that you want us to do, use this coupon for a Home Electrical Safety Check and we’ll add your safety check for free.

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What is an electrical transformer? Well, chances are you’ve seen one before, possibly without knowing it. They come in all shapes and sizes and there’s likely one in your neighbourhood or possibly even in your toy train set. And no, we’re not referring to any type of extraterrestrial robot. Larger ones are usually grouped together and can often be found enclosed in isolated, fenced-off areas or power plants. Although at some point in time, you’ve probably been told not to get too close to one, their function might still be unclear. We get more in depth about their overall purpose below:

Electrical transformers are electrical devices used to transfer electricity from high voltages to low voltages and vice versa. Most electrical transformers are built for the latter. Without getting too technical, the process used to transform this energy is known as electromagnetic induction which utilizes magnetic fields throughout the process.

There are many different types of electrical transformers that serve different purposes depending on the size of the task. Everyday uses around the household may include powering appliances, equipment and even children’s toys. The power that stems from large power plants is usually too powerful for its intended use; therefore, an electrical transformer is used to downsize the electricity into an appropriate voltage that is then transferred through coils.

Aside from powering our home appliances and equipment, electrical transformers have an enormous impact on our everyday lives. Many homes and businesses aren’t located within a close enough proximity to a power plant. So how do these homes and business’s get enough energy to operate? That’s where electrical transformers come in handy. The technology behind these transformers allows them to transfer energy from far away at an impressive speed. The next time you heat up a meal in the microwave or flick on the lights in your house, you’ll know exactly where that energy came from!

For more information on electrical transformers and professional electrical services, contact a licensed electrician at Expert Electric today or call us at 604-681-8338.

The Better Business Bureau, which is known to many as the BBB, is in existence to maintain trust between consumers and businesses. Since 1912, the Better Business Bureau has been providing consumers with reviews on businesses in the United States and Canada. In addition, the BBB works to reconcile issues that a consumer has with a business. Businesses that are trustworthy will receive high ratings. Businesses that do not do well, have many complaints, and have substandard business practices will receive low ratings.

Suppose that a homeowner or a business is seeking an electrical subcontractor.  There are plenty of businesses and individuals who specialize in this trade. However, talk is cheap, and references can be forged. The Better Business Bureau has put hours of research into determining which companies are  trustworthy, and provided each of these companies an exemplary rating.  This means that the BBB has officially looked into the credentials and claims of electrical subcontractors. Some have received a high BBB rating while others have not. A benefit of the BBB is that it has already done the homework for what company or companies will do the work correctly. This information can provide peace of mind and reassurance to someone who is looking to hire a Denver electrical subcontractor.

Having a non-profit organization do research to find what businesses are trustworthy makes a big difference in saving money, providing quality work and hiring with confidence.   The Denver Better Business Bureau is a fine example. When in need of a trustworthy business, go to the BBB.