It is completely understandable you would want to try and save a few dollars by completing some of your home repairs on your own. This is a very noble idea and in many cases, it is an absolutely fabulous way of staying within your family’s budget. It can actually be very rewarding to fix the little things around the house like a leaky faucet or a squeaky door.

However, there are times when it is better to be safe than sorry. When dealing with serious electrical problems in your home, you should never attempt to handle the situation on your own. Your electrician in Santa Monica is there to take care of these potentially dangerous problems. Electricity is not something anybody who is not trained should ever handle.

Some times when you will need to call an electrician include;

*Installing or replacing light fixtures is a job that seems easy enough, but is actually quite technical. Not only will you be dealing with electricity, you may also have to do a bit of construction. Fixtures that will require a new electrical outlet can be extremely tricky to handle.

*Upgrading or adding a thermostat to your furnace or air conditioner is another job that requires electricity knowledge.

*Installing ceiling, bath or attic fans requires wiring the fan into an existing power supply. However, there are many times an additional outlet will need to be added, which is definitely a job that should be left to an electrician. Santa Monica residents can call the experienced and professional crew at The Electric Connection to handle those small jobs that require a certified electrician.

It does not make sense to try and save a few dollars when your safety and the safety of your home are put at risk. Please take the time to call

By Clarissa Allison | June 24th, 2016

Energy is the crux of many social, economic, and climate problems.  Renewable energy sources offer a brighter, more sustainable future.  International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that almost 1 billion people will still be without access to electricity in 2030, in part owing to rapid population growth, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. The number of people without access to clean cooking stoves and fuels is similarly projected to drop only slightly, from 2.6 billion to 2.5 billion.

stimulating sensors in the eye that then send signals to our internal clock. It also Nobel Prize in Physics. So how can someone suffering from insomnia enjoy the technology that this marvelous invention forged?

“If you can block blue light, you can actually create something called circadian darkness or virtual darkness” says Researcher Dan Pardi in an Studies have shown that by wearing these amber-tinted glasses, you can produce almost as much melatonin as if it were pitch black, even in a fully lit room or while looking at a bright screen on your tv, phone or tablet.

It’s incredible the way lighting can change outdoor spaces. As is the case with indoor spaces, spending comparatively little on lighting can produce dramatic results. A DIY outdoor lighting project might be just the thing to make you fall in love with your home all over again. But before you begin an outdoor lighting project, it’s important to think about your options. Here are 10 tips for 10 approaches to outdoor lighting.

1. Using Outdoor String Lights

Outdoor string lights are just great. But there are so many different kinds! Some have bare bulbs; some have lanterns. Some are LED; some incandescent. Some are white; some are colored. Make sure you research your options and choose the ones that are right for YOU!

2. Taking DIY Outdoor Lighting to the Next Level

Sure, you can install a standard low voltage lighting fixture and be justified when you say you Did It Yourself, but have you ever considered making your own DIY outdoor lighting fixtures? Mason jars seem to be the ingredient of choice when constructing your own outdoor lights. The internet is full of instructions for making DIY outdoor lighting fixtures, so do your homework and find the perfect project to make your outdoor area more luminous.

3 . Making it Modern

Let’s get weird! Isn’t that what modern outdoor lighting seems to say? I guess it depends on whom you ask. Modern outdoor lighting usually consists of interesting light fixtures with unusual, playful designs, and they can really make your outdoor vibe more interesting and thought-provoking.

4. Showing Off Textures

Sometimes you start with a particular light source in mind. These days, that light source is often LED. If you’re sure you want to use outdoor LED lights, you have a wide variety of outdoor LED light fixture types, from LED rope to LED tape to LED path lights, step lights, puck lights, recessed lights, and string lights. LED outdoor lights are highly efficient and look great. And some, like the one above, run on solar power! That means free!

8. Decking Out the Deck

If you are focused specifically on outdoor deck lighting, make sure you think about caution. Outdoor deck lighting should entail step lights if there are steps and should include lights around the perimeter of the deck. LED tape or rope, colored or white, are often great for running on the underside of deck railings.

9. Using Timers

What would our lives be like without electricity? Electricity is a necessary utility in today’s world, required for a variety of work and entertainment tasks and to power the appliances used throughout the home. However, if your wiring is not set up properly, you may be facing an electrical hazard that could cause a family member to become injured or start an electrical fire.

In general, you should follow standard safety procedures around the home to prevent problems, like shutting off the power from the service panel before attempting any electrical repairs and making sure not to overload electrical outlets. Furthermore, any unusual power surge or unusual behavior from your lights and appliances indicates a problem that requires immediate attention from an electrician. The following guide contains just a few indications that your home may be at risk for a major electrical issue.

The GFCI outlet helps protect you and your family members from electrical shocks. You may recognize this type of outlet—equipped with both a “test” and “reset” button—from the inside of many kitchens. These are located in the kitchen because, as we all know, water and electricity do not mix. Water interrupts the regular flow of electrical current so that it may flow through you instead. When the GFCI outlet senses that the electrical current is not flowing as it should, it immediately shuts off. If this type of outlet is missing from your bathroom or kitchen, you should call an electrician as soon as possible.

Another cause for immediate electrical repair is excessively hot dimmer switches. If you have dimmer switches in your home and one or more feels very hot to the touch, this is not normal. It most likely means that the dimmer switch is overloaded, exceeding the maximum allowable wattage.

If the circuit breaker seems to frequently trip for no reason, it could indicate an overloaded circuit or a short circuit. This can be caused by something plugged into an outlet or by the wiring itself.