If you have inherited or recently purchased an older home, you are probably concerned about the condition of the electrical wiring. Wiring from decades past was considered safe then, but nowadays, with advancements and experience, we know that there are better ways. Home fires started by faulty electrical wiring are preventable. All it takes is an experienced electrician in Los Angeles to complete a home wiring inspection.

Homeowners can rely on The Electric Connection to perform a thorough inspection and identify any problem areas. Although it is rare, there are times when a home will need to be rewired to meet newer building codes. This may include replace the existing wiring, especially if it is cloth, or simply changing out the outlets. A rewire also gives you the chance to have more outlets installed or moved to more convenient places. Technology today tends to demand homes have more available outlets.

Electrical panels may also need to be changed out and upgraded to the newer and safer kind. This is beneficial to you and can actually provide the home with the power you need. If you have noticed breakers popping or tripping, it is highly likely you need an electrical panel upgrade. Another indication is the appearance of melted wires, which can cause sparks and ultimately, fires.

If you are unsure what qualifies as an older home, it typically encompasses homes built before 1950. It is important to point out many homes have been renovated and may have already gone through an upgrade. It is always a good idea to be safe than sorry. If you have any concerns about the wiring in your home, please call an electrician. Los Angeles residents can call the staff at The Electric Connection who are reliable and well-trained. Give us a call today and we can set up an appointment to give you the peace of mind you deserve.

Most often, homeowners choose to have their flat screen TV mounted on a wall. Doing this requires finding studs, deciding on mount brackets, and in most cases adding new electrical outlets. That being said, this is not a job for an amateur or a DIY-enthusiast. Rather, it’s a job for a professional electrician. Keep reading to learn why.

Tilting mounts hold the TV flat against the wall and allows for downward tilting. This is ideal if the TV is going to be mounted up high—perhaps over a fireplace. For other homes, an articulating mount might be the better choice. This places the TV on a retractable arm that allows you to pull the TV out and swivel it.

What will be connected to the TV? You may have a cable box, or some other digital receiving device. Maybe you also have a gaming console. Many of these wires come with relative cables that will need a place.

As we just mentioned, you’ll have a lot of components that go along with your TV. Where will your cable box go? Will you need to have shelving installed as well? These questions will help determine where and how you’ll have the TV installed, and whether or not you’ll need specialized electrical services.

Your professional installer can help you decide this, however it’s a good idea to go into the installation with some sort of idea of where you’ll be most comfortable watching the TV.

Whether you have dry wall, stone, or brick, this will need to be taken into consideration when installing a flat screen TV.

High voltage cords, such as the plug for your TV, are not allowed to go behind walls, according to fire safety codes. This means that your installer may need to add an electrical outlet on the wall where you’re mounting the TV if one does not exist already.

Do you have a specific way you place food in your refrigerator or do you just put food wherever you can find an empty spot? If you use the latter method, you probably see more food spoilage. In fact, you may have to occasionally go hunting through the fridge to find that rotten smell we have all been familiar with.

Decluttering your refrigerator is probably one of the easiest ways to prevent food from spoiling quickly. It’s an easy process once you develop a system for it. The main goal is to keep your food easily accessible and highlight the foods that need to be eaten as soon as possible (like strawberries).

The best way to start this process is to clear out all of the expired food in your refrigerator. This includes bags of leftovers you promised yourself you were going to eat and it also includes all of those jars you’ve had on the side of your door for the past few years.

Once you have only edible food left in your refrigerator, think about how you want to use it:

Dedicate space for frequent meal preparation. If you have a certain breakfast, lunch or dinner meal prep routine, dedicate a shelf or two for just those ingredients so you can easily grab them first thing.

Showcase the foods that will spoil soon. Have foods that are likely going to expire sooner than the rest displayed front and center. This will encourage you to use them in meal preparation. Clear containers also make it easy to see what’s inside.

Control the environment. Check the temperature to make sure foods are properly stored. Putting liners in the bins also helps absorb any moisture that could make your fruits or vegetables too cold.

Develop a rotation system. When you buy new food, make sure you put it behind your older food.  This keeps your food waste low and your budget on track.

Don’t forget the freezer. If it is older than 6 months, it is probably freezer burned by now and can be tossed.  Store your foods in airtight containers or bags and label them (include the date).  No more “mystery meat” for dinner, and no more wasted food.

The freezer is often underutilized. Bread, scrambled egg mix, leftover coffee, tea, and broths can all be frozen for later use. Your homemade soup, cooked rice and other dinner entrees can also be frozen if you don’t have a chance to eat the leftovers in time.

Try using an ice cube try to store single serving pieces of purees, sauces and beverages. Freeze leftover coffee for an iced coffee drink, or a cube of frozen veggie broth to whip up some gravy later in the week. Make smoothies down the road by freezing mashed or chopped fruit. Almost anything can be frozen except for canned foods in the can (although they can usually be removed and frozen) and eggs in the shell.

To keep your refrigerator decluttered, go through it once a week to identify foods that need to be eaten soon and toss what is no longer edible. Once your refrigerator is decluttered, you’ll save money by having less food spoilage and eat better because all of your food is easy to find.

Keep Your Refrigerator Running at its Best Quality

Making sure your refrigerator is well maintained can also prolong the life of the food inside. If your refrigerator isn’t working correctly, food is more likely to spoil. Consider these tips for proper maintenance of your refrigerator: