When you own a home, it’s easy for household expenses to spiral out of control. Every year, the average homeowner is in the unenviable position of spending thousands of dollars on owning and maintaining a home- and that’s just when everything is going well! If an emergency hits, many homeowners have to make sacrifices they can ill afford just to keep the home up and running. The best strategy to avoid disaster is to work on cutting down the everyday household expenses associated with owning a home.

So where does the money really go? On average, American homeowners spend about 34 percent of their income on home expenses. Paying for the house itself, of course, is the largest chunk of that expenditure, but does it surprise you to know that utilities make up the next largest amount? Most Americans spend about seven percent of their income on utilities; that’s more than what they spend on entertainment, clothing for the family and even health care! Obviously, that’s an area where it makes sense to find ways to scale back. If you live in Texas, it’s even more important than it is for people in other states as Texas electricity rates are 30 percent higher than rates elsewhere.

To save money on electricity, you need to understand it. Electric companies measure energy usage in kWh, which is a measurement of the hours you spend using 1000 watts. By lowering your kWh, you will, of course, lower your electricity cost, but where do all those kilowatt-hours go? Appliances can be huge energy hogs but so can game systems, televisions and computers. Older homes are often ill-equipped to handle the energy demands of a modern lifestyle, and this can be not only costly but dangerous, as faulty electrical systems can lead to house fires. Modernizing your home can save on more than just household expenses- it might also save your life.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to save on energy (and its associated costs). If your home is more than 20 years old, get your electrical system checked out by a professional to determine if you need any upgrades. Buy ENERGY STAR compliant appliances whenever possible, and turn off anything you’re not using, from lights and appliances to your Xbox 360.

Outdated or insufficient wiring is so much more than an inconvenience; it’s a safety hazard. There is a much higher consumption of electricity today than ever before, meaning that you need wiring that can meet these increasing demands.

Rewiring is a major job—and one that should only be handled by professional electricians—however it can be vital to keeping you and your family safe. But how do you know if it’s time to rewire your home? Be aware of the following 5 signs.

Old age is the enemy of most appliances and components in your home. The average age of a home in America is about 30 years old. If this is the case for your home, and it still has its original wiring, then chances are it’s outdated and needs an upgrade.

The 21st century has brought us a plethora of technological advancements and electronic devices and appliances. This includes smart phones, tablets, gaming systems, exercise equipment, and so much more. Electrical systems are simply not equipped to handle all of this, particularly if your home was built in the 80’s or prior. It just puts too much strain on your wiring.

Do you plan on eventually selling your home? If your wiring is outdated, then many buyers and even mortgage lenders may be discouraged. Wiring in older homes often doesn’t meet National Electrical Code standards, which a rewire can help solve.

Overloading electrical outlets—in a best case scenario—will cause your circuit breakers to trip. It also leads to overheating, fire, or electrical shocks. By investing in a rewire, you can add more outlets and switches, bringing your house up to date.

Other signs that it is time to rewire your house include visibly worn electric cables, electrical shocks from appliances, sockets, and switches, outlets and cords that get warm from use, fuses that blow regularly, frequent power outages, and the use of two-pronged outlets rather than three-pronged.

By Blake Daniel, Franchisee of Mr. Electric of West Fort Worth

Whether it’s due to thunderstorms in the spring, ice storms in the winter, or blazing heat and power distribution regulation in the summer, the electricity supplied to your home can be unstable at times. This makes your home vulnerable to power surges.

Preventing power surge damage has traditionally been left to the consumer to guess what to do. Do you buy numerous surge protectors and power strips? Do you spend time running around the house during a lightning storm unplugging everything in sight, while putting yourself at risk for electrical shock? Or, do you rely on your homeowner’s insurance policy to cover any power surge losses that may occur?

Now there is no need to worry, you can protect your investments by preventing power surge damage with a Whole House Panel Surge Protector, the heart of industrial protection for your home. There are features not seen in the marketplace until now, creating a main zone of protection and acts as your first line of defense while stopping power surges before they can enter the house through the transmission lines.

As the main line of defense, a Whole House Panel Surge Protector prevents high-energy power surges from ever entering into your home and protects your electrical panel, motor-driven, and other AC-powered appliances in your home against power surge damage.

While this is not a one-unit, full coverage surge protector, as there are many ways in which you can receive a surge, you can be confident that your electrical panel and most electrical items in your house are covered. If you would like more information on how to protect your house from power surges, ask your local Mr. Electric service professional.