Because you don’t think of building a relationship with a Santa Monica electrician until you actually need one, most people have to do a little searching to find one that is exactly what they are looking for. Chances are, you have seen their trucks driving around town and/or advertisements on billboards and radio. Aside from their more obvious branding, however, most people know next to nothing about each electrical company. Because of the nature of the electrical business, there are many differences between each electrical contractor. Many electric contractors, for example, specialize in either commercial or residential electrical work. This is an important fact to consider. You wouldn’t want to hire a residential contractor for a commercial job, or a commercial contractor for a residential job. With a little looking, however, you are sure to find exactly the right electrician in Santa Monica for your needs.

Word of Mouth

As with most service-based professions, word of mouth is very powerful for electricians. In addition to providing top-notch electrical work, high quality electricians such as The Electric Connection also strive to provide the highest level of customer service. It is this customer service that will eventually gain them the referrals that drive their business. When you are looking to have electrical work done, such as having outlets replaced, ceiling fans installed or even a whole house rewire, start by asking your friends and family first. Many of them will have had first hand experience with at least one electrical contractor. Whether their experience with a particular electrician Santa Monica CA has to offer was good or bad, they will most likely be more than happy to share their story.

The Phone Book

The most traditional place to search for an electrician is in the phone book. Because the commercial section is conveniently divided into sections, you can very quickly obtain a huge list of electricians in your area. This is both good and bad. It is good, because you now have a pool of possible electrical contractors. It is bad, because there are so many to choose from. Start by narrowing down your search for a Santa Monica electrician by choosing only those within a certain distance. You can then do more research to find those that offer the type of services that you require.

The Internet

Another great place to find an electrical service company is the Internet. Because most electrical contracting companies have their own websites now, you can very quickly and easily do a large amount of your research quickly and efficiently just by starting with Santa Monica Electrician.” Your search results will typically bring you a list of the top contractors, such as The Electric Connection, in your area. You can then browse their website to learn more about their company.

What to Look For

Remember, there are a few things that you should look for. For example, make sure the contractor offers the types of electrical services that you are looking for. Any electrician that you hire to perform work on your property should also be properly certified, licensed and insured, as is The Electric Connection. This will ensure that the work done is safe and up to current regulations. You should also choose an electrician with a proven track record, references and examples of their work. A good electrician will be proud of their reputation, their previous jobs and the fact that they provide some of the best service in town. These technicians will be working on one of the most important components of your home or business, so don’t be afraid to expect the best from your Santa Monica electrician, The Electric Connection.

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Compact Fluorescent Lights: Think of a normal florescent light tube, but curled up to fit the shape of a standard light bulb. The best CFLs last 10 times as long and use a quarter of the energy of old incandescent bulbs, according to the federal Department of Energy. The drawbacks of CFLs are that they can be damaged if they are turned on and off too frequently, and they don't work well in the cold so their outdoor utility is limited.

Light Emitting Diodes: Traditionally, LEDs were for power lights on appliances and other limited uses, but advances in technology have greatly expanded their utility, and there are now numerous options for LED light bulbs available to consumers. LEDs are a fantastic value: they use only about 25 percent of the energy of standard light bulbs and can last up to 25 times as long.

Halogen Incandescents: Halogen bulbs are a twist on the old-fashioned incandescent bulbs. They function in essentially the same manner, except the glass globe is filled with halogen gas, which amplifies the light and therefore decreases the amount of electricity needed, hiking its efficiency rating. They aren't as stingy with energy as CFL or LED lights, but work well for outdoor spotlighting.

While modern bulbs cost more to buy than the incandescents you were accustomed to, their increased longevity and efficiency actually lead to big savings in the long run.

Have you ever received a nasty shock when your electric bill arrived? Maybe the amount you owed skyrocketed when you turned on the air conditioning for the summer, or the refrigerator started breaking down and consumed an excess of electricity. No matter what the cause of your sky-high electric bill, once you use the electricity, you have to pay for it. One way you can get a heads-up on any unusually high consumption is to keep an eye on your electric meter. Read on to learn how to read the meter so you are prepared when the bill shows up at your door.

Is Your Meter Digital or Dialed?

If you're lucky, you have a newer electric meter with a digital display, making it a cinch to see how much current is coming in. Simply compare your consumption from one month to another and you'll quickly be able to figure out if you're using up more energy than normal.

Traditional electric meters are a bit trickier to read, but you don't have to be an electrician to decipher them. These older meters have dials instead of a digital display, and they don't all spin in the same direction. With a little practice, however, you can figure out how much power you are using and get a ballpark idea about what the bill will be.

Spinning Clockwise, Spinning Counterclockwise

On a traditional electric meter, there are five dials that go between 0 and 9. To read the meter, follow these steps:

There's one more twist -- if the dial is pointing exactly to a number, and the next dial to the right points to a nine, you should subtract one from the dial that points to the exact number.

Now you've got your reading, and you can simply track how much it changes from month to month to get a handle on your energy use.

Getting Smart About Your Meter

If your utility has already implemented smart electric meters, it's even easier to follow your consumption. Not only is the display in easy-to-read digital form, but the meter can provide updates on how much you're using as often as every fifteen minutes. That way, you can get an alert in real-time if your usage spikes so you can track down the culprit before you have to shell out a fortune in bills.

In addition to monitoring your own consumption, it's a good idea to watch the meter so you will know if the utility company accidentally overcharges you. If you need any help figuring out how to read your meter, contact a trusted electrician today.

You Can Be Liable for Unlicensed Electrical Work

07/30/15

Revamping your home's electrical work can be a big headache. You need to find a qualified electrician and write what could be a hefty check for work that might require opening holes in your walls and temporarily making a mess of your home. The last thing you want after a big electrical project is to have to tear it all out and redo the job all over again. That could be the scenario you face, however, if you cut corners and don't hire a licensed electrician to take on the task. Fly-by-night contractors might be cheaper at the outset, but they can cost you big time in the end if they don't follow the local building code, leaving you liable for the faults in your home wiring.

Fanning the Building Code Fires

Some contractors might complain about having to follow local code, but it's in place for a reason – it helps ensure that any work done on your home is performed safely and effectively. Local code standards are particularly important when it comes to electrical work, because faulty wiring and connections can lead to short circuits or even an electrical fire, putting your family at risk.

That's why technicians who do electrical work are required to maintain a license, secure permits and schedule inspections for many home projects. Unfortunately, there are electricians who are tempted to skip the code requirements in order to avoid the time and expense of compliance. They might quote you a lower price, but shoddy workmanship can leave you on the hook for a lot more money overall.

Limit Your Exposure to Liability

If your local government figures out that you are working on an electrical project, they can send an inspector to check it out. If the work isn't up to code, you'll have to remedy the problem before you pass inspection. And if your electrician isn't licensed, you have little recourse to correct the faulty electrical work besides paying out of pocket for someone else to redo the entire thing. Worse, if your electrical system does cause a fire that leads to injury or death, you could be civilly liable for huge sums.

Licensed electricians, on the other hand, have more incentive to follow the rules to begin with, since they could lose their certification if they don't. Furthermore, you may have an easier time recouping your investment in the event of unsafe or incomplete work if you can prove that you did your due diligence and hired a licensed electrician.

Good Work Done Right

To avoid code and permitting issues, hire only licensed technicians for your electrical work and ask them to show you all the relevant permits. Protect yourself and your home by holding out for competent contractors so you know the work is done right the first time.