1-An extension cord is a temporary fix. It isn’t meant to become a permanent outlet. If you need more outlets, call an electrician. Santa Monica homeowners can request to have additional outlets installed around the home, inside and out.

2-Do not run the cords across main pathways in or out of the house. Not only do they pose tripping hazards, but they will also wear down. An exposed wire is an electrocution or electric short and fire waiting to happen. Run the cords along a wall. If it must cross a pathway, use a cord protector to keep it from being directly stepped on.

3-Do not plug several extension cords in together to reach an area. Buy the right cord for your needs from the very start.

4-Your Santa Monica electrician reiterates the need to use outdoor extension cords for outdoor use. Don’t use a flat cord that is designed for indoor use in the outdoors. They are simply not built to withstand the elements and you risk an electric shock or the device shorting out and potentially starting a fire.

Extension cords are handy to have around in a pinch, but make sure you use them correctly and follow these safety tips. Give The Electric Connection a call if you would like a more permanent fix to your electrical needs.

Are you thinking about redesigning your home? When you look at the 2012 top home trends, you will realize that you’re not alone. This year everyone seems to be jumping on the home renovation and remodel bandwagon. While some 2012 top home trends involve pure aesthetic components, this year’s trends are all about accessibility, functionality, and efficiency. From home renovation to home color trends, this year has something for everyone.

Take a look at this year’s home trends to choose which ones fit in with your plans for home renovation.

The best Allen electrician can tell you that chances are, your air conditioning unit is probably going to be the most frequently used electrical appliance in your home this summer.  Making sure that the a/c unit is running efficiently and safely is the best way to save money and prevent costly and dangerous electrical problems. Still, as the best Allen electrician will also tell you, preventing electrical issues can be difficult for someone who doesn’t recognize electrical problems immediately. After all, most of us who are not professionals probably don’t.

Surprise! It’s NOT Your Unit

As the temperatures rise this summer, keeping up with the maintenance of your air conditioning unit is one of the most important things you should do. However, when customers hear about maintaining their a/c unit, they often think in terms of Freon and condensers. The truth is that, although those are clearly important, one aspect that is often overlooked is the electrical part.

It may surprise you to know that calling an air conditioning guy when your unit is on the fritz isn’t always the right thing to do. In fact, any Allen electrician will confirm that, indeed, half the time the problems aren’t with the a/c unit but with the electrical system. If the problems are electrical, they can result in dangerous blowouts and burnouts that could cost you a fortune—or even your home, if a fire were to start. So, with so many things that could go wrong, how can you be sure that the problem calls for an Allen electrician and not an air conditioning repairman?

Air Conditioning Electrical Safety Tips

For instance, did you know that a lot of electrical problems arise when swapping air conditioning units? Something as deceptively simple as trading your current unit for another one, especially if the new unit is larger, can wreak havoc on your electrical system. The amount of wattage required to power the new unit can result in overloading, overheating and damage to the unit as well as to your home’s electrical system. You can burn the lines quickly. Some who think that they have found the solution in splicing their lines to accommodate a newer unit may also be in for a dangerous wake-up call. Splicing lines is never a good idea. When in doubt, call your local electrician. He understands what should be done.

Another thing that your electrician understands that you may not be aware of is that you need him to come out and inspect your circuit breakers regularly to make sure that no wires are melting, no circuits are going bad, and there are no potential fire hazards looming. Because a/c units consume so much power, many times they are wired directly into a circuit breaker. Loose connections in the circuit breaker can cause many problems, including irreparable damage to the electrical system. Be sure to always have an electrician come check your breaker and wiring to be on the safe side.

The electrical work is not limited to the obvious parts of the unit that may need help. The Forced Air Unit (FAU) part of your air conditioning unit is one of the most prone to electrical failures, and yet it is the one part that is often overlooked because it’s located somewhere in a closet, a spare room, or a utility space inside the home. The blower fan inside the FAU often blows out, causing issues with the overall functioning of the unit. Here’s the best way to prevent this: Make sure your electrician does routine maintenance on every part of your air conditioning unit, including the FAU, to prevent blowouts.

Electric Man: Best Allen Electrician

The best Allen electrician makes no bones about the importance of checking your electrical systems when turning on your air conditioning for the sizzling Texas summer, and how much you can save on your summer electricity bill, repair costs and a/c maintenance and repair. As summer heats up, let the team at Electric Man take a look at your unit and help you save money, time and repairs. For more helpful tips, read ElectricMan’s blog or connect with us on any of our social communities. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 972-792-7270, or use the Contact form on our website!

Having a generator is a great way in which to put your mind at ease. Even when the power goes out for a substantial amount of time, a good whole-house generator will be able to keep your home up and running until the utility straightens the problem out. Of course, the only way in which you can truly rely on your generator to be there for you when you need it most is to keep it in exceptional working condition. This is something that the pros here on our staff are happy to help you out with. Be sure to schedule your routine generator maintenance in Needham Heights, MA with one of our fine technicians.

You may think that your generator, because it is not up and running every day like your HVAC system is, does not require much in the way of maintenance services. This could not be further from the truth. Your generator should be inspected on an annual basis to ensure that it is functioning properly, and that all of its components are in great shape. Even if this is the case, though, there are a couple of items that must be addressed. Your generator will need a new air filter, and an oil change.

Your generator lives outdoors, and that provides ample opportunity for pollutants to build up in the system, even when it is not used very regularly. By cleaning out your air box and locking a new air filter securely into place, we’ll ensure that your generator’s condition and operation won’t be impeded by a clogged filter or pollutants within the system.

We will also run your generator for a few minutes in order to get everything warmed up, and then drain and completely replace the oil in the system. We’ll also check the oil filter for you. Once these basic maintenance services are complete, along with the other, more complex electrical checks and inspection points, you’ll be able to rest assured in knowing that your generator is ready for action.