If you have recently purchased a home or are in the home-buying process, you know there are a series of inspections that are required or recommended. One of those inspections may be an electrical inspection by a certified electrician in Glendale. The inspection is designed to give you an inside peek at what lies behind the walls of a home. If you have lived in your home for some time and have never had an electrical inspection, it may be a good idea to have one done. The team at The Electric Connection can help you get that scheduled.

If you have never seen an electrical inspection or are unsure as to what they encompass, this information will help you understand a bit more.

A Glendale electrician will inspect the electric panel, the breakers and look at the wiring that is visible in the panel. The electrician may also remove a light switch cover plate and have a look to see what the wiring looks like. If you have any exposed wiring in the attic or basement, make sure you point it out for the electrician. Glendale homeowners who have exposed wiring will want to have it taken care.

Once the inspection is complete, the electrician will write up a report about the findings. If there are things that are hazardous, they will be outlined and explained. Electric hazards should be resolved as soon as possible. Your electrician will also note things that are not necessarily hazardous yet, but should be taken care of at your earliest convenience. Any code violations will be pointed out. In some cases, failure to have a house brought up to code leaves you vulnerable should there be a fire or injury caused by wiring that is not up to code.

Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your electrical inspection whether you are buying, selling or plan on staying in your house for years to come.

Sometimes the smallest residential electrical issue can be a  big headache. When outlets trip, for example, there are generally several electrical devices or appliances being used in one electrical zone. Then POP! No more power.

GFCIs May Be to Blame

Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) are outlets that trip themselves when they detect certain problems. They are designed to prevent electrical shock and other potential dangerous accidents, which is why they are required in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, outdoor areas, and unfinished areas .

Many homes have GFCIs in the required areas but not all over the house. So it’s common that electrical circuits will start at the GFCI and flow “downstream” to other outlets that are required to be GFCI’s. While this provides a level of protection for the entire circuit, a GFCI trip in the bathroom, for example, may take down an outlet in  another bathroom.  You would need  to identify the GFCI outlet where the trip happened and reset it. .  This can be a frustrating and time consuming process.

Faulty Outlet Solutions

Are lights on your dorm room checklist? They should be.

College dorm rooms are not known for their style and charm. They serve but one purpose for the budding student – a place to study and (occasionally) sleep. Equipped with little more than a bed and a desk, an empty dorm room requires some essential supplies. I’ve put together a list of several different types of lights — some fun and some functional — that need to make it on your back-to-school checklist.

The ever-popular rear bike light from REI that will at least make you more visible when cycling across campus at night, just not nearly as awesome as synchronized LED bike tires.

Shop for Dorm Room Lights

The third prong on a typical electrical appliance plug provides an extra measure of safety against electrical shock. Two-prong outlets, often found in older homes, may not be grounded adequately and should be upgraded.

The National Electric Code requires that GFCI outlets – with Test and Reset buttons – are installed in areas of the home where water may be present, such as your kitchen, baths, utility room, garage and outside locations.

If the wiring for your light switches or outlets is wrapped in cloth sheathing or bits of black rubber, you need to upgrade your home wiring to keep your family safe.

Appliances such as air conditioners, clothes dryers, refrigerators and furnaces use extra electricity when they start. This may be more than just a nuisance. An overloaded system can damage sensitive equipment.

Too much electrical current causes breakers to trip or fuses to melt. Don’t ignore this warning. Have your electrical system inspected and upgraded.

If you need to use extension cords on a regular basis, you probably need more outlets in your home. When you use extension cords to make up for a lack of outlets, you run the risk of placing too much demand on your electrical system. Extension cords placed under rugs or furniture may also be a safety hazard.

Rust on your main electrical service panel indicates a moisture problem, which can lead to further problems.

This may be an indication of a loose or deteriorating electrical connection, which could lead to shock or fire.

If your home is more than 25 years old, you should have your system inspected and if necessary, brought up to electrical code standards.