If you’re ever a contestant on Jeopardy and you’re asked what a GFCI is, you can respond by saying, “What is a ground fault circuit interrupter.” But knowing what GFCI stands for doesn’t mean you understand what it is. You’re not alone—the average homeowner is unaware of what a ground fault circuit interrupter does, but when your house’s ground fault is compromised, it can put the entire property, and your family, in danger.

A ground fault is an electrical path between a power source and a grounded surface. While all electrical devices and appliances are “grounded” to ensure they can be safely operated, devices can still lose their grounding and divert electrical currents to the nearest channel that provides a path to the ground: you. That’s why you need ground fault circuit interrupters in your home.

You’ve probably seen GFCI and never given them a second thought. They’re a common safety feature found on your electrical outlets that can be identified as two small buttons located in between the two sockets, the GFCI’s function is to constantly monitor the power current flowing through a circuit. At the first sign of a discrepancy between the current flowing into the outlet and the return current, it intervenes by shutting off the power to the outlet.

To commemorate our fifteenth year, we are taking a look back at what life was like 15 years ago. Do you remember May 1999? It was a month of ups and downs. We gained Star Wars: The Phantom Menace but lost Shel Silverstein. Natural disasters of epic proportions and new leadership in world powers made the month one that would change the course of history. Legal precedents were established and technologies that we all utilize now were just being announced. Here are fifteen moments in history from fifteen years ago. Next stop: May 1999.

1. Bluetooth Is Announced

Early in the month, for about six days, 152 tornadoes ravaged the mid-west and eastern U.S. It was the worst in Oklahoma, with one F5 tornado – the second strongest recorded in U.S. history – that caused $1 billion in damage.

3. Goodbye, Shel Silverstein

In Milan, Italy, after 22 years of restoration work, Leonardo da Vinci’s newly-restored masterpiece The Last Supper was put back on display. This is an unforgettable moment in art history.

5. The Ancient Operating System

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The Mummy, a horror adventure starring Brendan Frasier, was released in the U.S. in May 1999. Although the film was originally meant to be a low-budget horror series, it turned into a blockbuster hit.

7. Not So Entertaining Anymore

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was released in theaters, and millions of children began having nightmares about red-eyed guys with horns chasing them with two-sided light sabers. And we thought Darth Vader was intimidating…

9. Italian Stallion of Politics

Teenie boppers lost their minds as they excitedly tore open the packaging on their copies of The Backstreet Boys’ newest release, Millennium.

11. Here’s SpongeBob!

Kansas City, Missouri, wrestler Owen Hart (Blue Blazer) fell 78 feet to his death while being lowered into a World Wrestling Federation ring during WWF Over the Edge.

13. So Long, Home Improvement

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 11,000 for the first time in its history at 11,014.70. Many speculate in hindsight that this bump was actually artificially created by overlending and that in retrospect this was a warning sign for the future recession. It was a cause for celebration then: Now, it’s something from which we have hopefully learned a lesson. 

Alternative energy was once one of those things reserved for “tree huggers” and those who lived too far off the power grid and couldn’t bring electricity to their property. Those days are long gone. Nowadays, alternative energy is the way to go and it has become very trendy and popular, even in residential areas. You may have already seen this trend in your own neighborhood. Solar powered homes don’t exactly stick out like a sore thumb, but if you look closely enough, you can see the panels mounted flush on the roof of a home. If you are interested in learning more about solar power, talk with your electrician in Los Angeles. At The Electric Connection, we are very familiar with solar panel installation and can answer any questions you may have.

Solar panels are not quite as expensive as you may have thought. In fact, they are very affordable and many companies offer lease programs that make it easy for every homeowner to take advantage of the free electricity from the sun. You don’t have to totally rely on solar power for your home if you don’t want to. You could use simply as a supplemental power source during the day to help save on your monthly electric bill.

If you do choose to go with a large system that will run your entire house, night and day, you may have times when excess electricity is produced. You can actually sell it back to the power company if you are still connected to the grid. How cool is it to have the electric company send you a check every month. It is crucial you hire an electrician familiar with the Los Angeles electrical codes to ensure your solar panels are installed correctly and safely. Give The Electric Connection a call today to learn more or to schedule your installation.

I’ve been an electrician in the Los Angeles area since 1979. In that time, I’ve worked on many older homes in Pasadena CA with wiring systems that were insulated with cloth that’s been varnished. Surprisingly, prior to 1950, many electrical systems relied on cloth insulation. Who would think to put flimsy cloth around a live electrical wire?! However, cloth doesn’t conduct electricity well, so it’s a good insulator. Before the age of plastics, cloth was the insulator of choice for electrical wiring.

Unfortunately, cloth insulation has a liability. As it ages, the cloth can disintegrate and expose bare wires. Cloth insulation can pose shock and fire hazards that modern insulation isn’t subject to.

Does Your House Have Cloth Wiring?

Some cloth-insulated wiring systems can look like modern wiring. Was your house built prior to 1950? If so, it may well have cloth-insulated wiring. A qualified electrician in Pasadena CA can tell you with certainty.

Cloth Insulation Falls Off Wires

Cloth insulation can become brittle over time and fall off the wires, sometimes in chunks. Bare wires pose the danger of shocking anyone who accidentally touches them or of causing fires if two bare wires touch or come too close.

Cloth-Insulated Electrical Systems May Be Ungrounded

Cloth-insulated wiring systems may not have been grounded. Grounding provides additional assurance that excess electrical charges will be routed out of your house and into the ground.

One benefit of grounding that many people are unaware of is that without grounding, low-level electrical charges can build up in your wires and can shorten the lives of computers, entertainment systems, refrigerators, microwaves — any device which includes electronic components like sensors and timers.

Even more importantly, grounding protects people and animals from shocks should an appliance or an electrical system malfunction.

Upgrade for Safety

Upgrading cloth-insulated wiring systems is recommended for fire safety, protection of modern electronics, and for the safety of your family against electrical shocks. If your electrical wiring was installed prior to 1950 and you think that it might have cloth insulation, call The Electric Connection, a licensed Pasadena electrician, to take a look. Many electricians will do an inspection for free and give you a free estimate for any upgrading that might be needed.

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