If you live in an area where power outages are, unfortunately, quite common, you know just what an annoyance they can be. Sometimes, homeowners have portable generators they can plug a few appliances into so that they can stay at home. But for some longer outages, families have to leave their homes.

An automatic standby generator can power your whole house automatically! We recommend this to anyone who’s ever had to put up with a days-long outage, or for those who worry they one day will.

Portable generators can be useful during a power outage, but not for long. Fuel capacity is limited and depends on how much you can store at your home. The number of lights and appliances a generator can power is very limited, especially for larger homes and households.

Automatic standby generators use a transfer switch to detect a loss of current flow and automatically restore power to your entire home. You won’t have to do a thing!

Yes, a generator can cost a lot of money upfront. But the good news is that you’ll have it in your home for many, many years. It pays for itself if you save on losing refrigerated items, spending money on fuel and battery-powered appliances, or even hotel costs from moving out of the home for a day or even weeks.

Your home is a lot safer when you have a whole-house generator to protect it from flooding, burst pipes, and other issues. Keep the heat on to protect your pipes, continue operating your sump pump, and know that your home is safe.

In many cases, being without power for too long can actually lead to major safety hazards. Going without lights can be dangerous, particularly if you have kids or elderly family members. And many people with health issues can’t get by for long without heating or air conditioning—or without lifesaving medical equipment.

As part of our series on pop culture from 15 years ago – a continuing celebration of our 15th anniversary as Pegasus Lighting – here are 15 moments from March 1999 you may remember. Monica Lewinsky’s book on her affair with Bill Clinton goes on sale; the Dow Jones average beats 1000 for the first time; and The Matrix is released. Ah, the sweet 90s. Where were you?

1. Jar Jar Annoys Basically Everyone

At the Golden Raspberry Awards, better known as the Razzies, the award for Worst Supporting Actor went to Ahmed Best, who voiced the character Jar Jar Binks in STAR WARS: EPISODE 1, THE PHANTOM MENACE. Poor Jar Jar, you-sa not much appreciated by STAR WARS fans.

2. The Worst Picture of the Year

The Roth 401(k) combined elements of the Roth IRA and the traditional 401(k). In a traditional 401(k), you contribute income without paying taxes on it. You then pay taxes on the funds when you withdraw them during retirement. With the Roth 401(k), however, you pay the taxes upfront so that you can withdrawal funds tax-free during retirement.

 5. The Melissa Worm Attacks the Internet

At the end of March 1999, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above the 10,000 mark at 10,006.78. This was unprecedented! People made “DOW 10,000” hats and celebrated. In hindsight, people wonder whether that day represented the peak of our economy’s health up to that point or the peak of market excess that was responsible for the economic instability of the 2000s.

7. You Are the One, Neo

Legendary film director Steven Spielberg was once again named Best Director at the Academy Awards for SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. In fact, the director of early 80s movies like E.T. was on a real tear, just coming off of the JURASSIC PARK series and SCHINDLER’S LIST. He continues to direct great movies today.

9. Roberto Begnigni Is Exuberant 

Roberto Benigni won Best Actor for his role in LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL at the 1999 Academy Awards. His reaction immediately became more popular that the movie itself. I’ll have a glass of whatever he’s drinking!

10. Gwyneth Wins Best Actress

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE was the most awarded film of the night of the Academy Awards. Perhaps the most touching award acceptance, though, was Gwyneth Paltrow’s. Try to watch her acceptance speech without getting teary. I dare you.

11. Lewinsky Tells All

In March, 1999, The Supreme Court of the United States upheld the murder convictions of Timothy McVeigh for the Oklahoma City bombing, which left too many dead and wounded to even go into detail here. It was a tragic and totally unnecessary crime, and the Supreme Court decision echoed the feelings of many Americans.

14. Stanley Leaves Us

On the day after we lost Stanley Kubrick, we lost another beloved American hero, the legendary baseball player Joe DiMaggio. His death was caused by lung cancer. He was 84 and sure saw America from an interesting point of view. The loss of this former star was felt all over the nation.

It’s fun to think back to these moments in the popular culture of 1999, even though not everything that happened was happy. Most of us lived through all these events and remember them well. Come back next month to see what we resurrect next.

As with any type of home repair service, the cost of a project or repair will vary depending on what type of work you need to have done. If you have an electrical repair, for example, the electrician will need to take out his tools and do some electrical troubleshooting in order to determine exactly what and where the problem is. If this is the case, it’s not possible to give an exact electrical estimate before starting, and the job will need to be done on a time an material basis. The electrician should give you an accurate quote of their hourly rates, and the cost of materials that they charge you for should be realistic. If the electrician is knowledgeable and competent and the repair is straight forward, they can usually fix the issue within a fairly short amount of time and at a reasonable cost.

If you need a panel upgrade, new lighting, smoke detectors or any other type of electrical installation, you’ll want to make sure that you know the exact price before the job is started. For your own protection, this is very important.

Electric Connection, a licensed Pasadena electrician, can give you a ballpark price over the phone for most types of electrical installations, and then schedule an appointment to go out to your house or business property to give you a detailed price in writing. Getting a price in writing for the work you need done means no surprises for you at the end of the job and less stress for you while the job is in progress, too.

If you need an electrical update or installation, you can call our office and let us know exactly what you’re looking for, and we’ll be able to give a ballpark figure and some free electrical advice. If you like the ballpark price, we can schedule an appointment to go out to your property and give you an exact electrical estimate in writing. We’re a licensed and bonded electrician Pasadena area residents can depend on. You can also visit our website at www.theelectricconnection.com/electrician-pasadena-ca to find out more.

If you’re in the market for a new generator, then you’re off to the great start. We offer unparalleled service and exceptional workmanship when it comes to finding our customers a whole house or portable generator for their homes. But there are several things to consider if you want to make an informed decision. Whether you’re on a tight budget or you’re shopping for a comprehensive backup for your large home, it’s critical that you get in touch with a professional electrician early on. Only a knowledgeable and skilled technician can advise you as to which make and model of generator would work best for you.