Sometimes, an electrical emergency can’t wait; sometimes, you need a 24-hour electrician to stop in as soon as possible. Here’s a look at some electrical emergencies that require immediate attention.

Before you call a certified electrician, check to see if the breaker is tripped. If the breaker is tripped, go to the thermostat and turn off the heating and cooling unit. After you have turned off the thermostat, go back to the breaker and turn the breaker all the way off before resetting it to the ‘on’ position. If the breaker trips again, call a 24-hour electrician. If it doesn’t trip, turn the thermostat back on. If the breaker trips once the AC is on, you will need to contact an AC repairman.

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If you’re experiencing an electrical emergency, please contact ElectricMan today. ElectricMan is a trusted, local 24-hour electrician with almost three decades of experience. For more information visit the ElectricMan website, and don’t forget to ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also find us on YouTube and Pinterest.

NAHB), 9 out of 10 people who are looking for a new home are more likely to choose an energy-efficient home. And, they are often willing to pay a little more for it.

cheat sheet to help you choose the right one.

Exterior lighting made the top 5 on the list of most wanted new home features. Make that lighting energy-efficient, and you’ve got a winning combination for attracting buyers. Contrary to popular belief, a low voltage outdoor lighting system doesn’t necessarily save you in energy costs. However, when you add LEDs into the mix, it’s a whole different story. Energy star rated LEDs use about 75% less energy than incandescent lights and last 25 times longer. Installing an walk into an empty room that still has every light on? Lighting controls like occupancy sensors save energy by detecting body heat and dim your lights, it reduces energy use and extends the life of your bulb. According to Lutron’s bathroom, bedroom or Earth Day Energy Center.

Like upgrades in the cell phone industry, the electrical industry has developed great new ways to serve and protect home owners. One of the best inventions of the past few decades is the GFI outlet.

What is a GFI outlet?

GFI stands for fault circuit interrupter. In layman’s terms it is the little button that sits between the two outlets in a double wall outlet. Some of these have a red test button and white set button and others have two white buttons.

What this means for those who have these new breakers is that instead of blowing a fuse or tripping a circuit breaker during an overload, the button will pop out and there will be no electricity in that outlet. It also will react if an electrical device comes in contact with water eliminating the possibility of shock.

You will find these safety devices around areas that may be subjected to damp areas like bathrooms, kitchens, hot tubs, swimming pools and outside plugs.GFIs are installed on electrical outlets to regulate power and direct currents. In most areas they are required by code to be placed in strategic areas.

What could be wrong?

There could be several different issues. However, we need to inspect a unit. It is not an answer we can readily answer over the phone. It could be the actual receptacle and it could be wiring leading to the receptacle. It is not a DIY job. This is a job for someone who knows how to cut the current so there are no live wires and investigate wall deep.

Underwriter’s Laboratories, LLC says, “By installing GFCIs in every home in the United States, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that more than two-thirds of the approximately 300 electrocutions occurring each year could be prevented.”

A working unit could save your life or the life of one of your family members. You want a license, bonded professional to handle this repair.

Things to tell your electrician

There are things you can check prior to the arrival of your service professional which may give him a head start on repairs. Are all other outlets in the area active or not? Have you checked your circuit breaker to see if it has not shut down the zone?

There is another thing to keep in mind. If you have an older home or condo you can have new GFI’s installed where you need them – in the bathroom, kitchen or wherever. It is an investment in the value of your home and your peace of mind.

One of the most integral parts of our daily lives is the electrical system that powers our home. We use it every day to provide power to our televisions, appliances, heating and cooling systems, lights and all other electrical devices that we have become accustomed to. For this reason, it is very important that our electrical systems remain both safe and in proper working order. Any damage, big or small, to your electrical system could pose potentially serious safety hazards, resulting in electrical shock, fire or even death. If you have an older home, or have been having doubts about your electrical system for one reason or another, it may be time to have an electrical safety inspection.

When should you have an inspection?

Older Homes

One of the biggest electrical issues with older homes is that they just were not built with today’s electrical usage in mind. Because of this, they have undersized electrical systems that can result in frequently tripped breakers or blown fuses. Although tripped breakers are sometimes easy to ignore, it can represent a serious problem if it happens frequently. If you are having this issue, then you will want to get in touch with The Electric Connection right away. We can send an electrician in Los Angeles out to your home to perform an electrical safety assessment and determine whether or not any electrical upgrades are necessary. In some cases, older homes can even have outdated equipment or ungrounded outlets that can result in unsafe situations. In this type of situation, you may require a whole house rewire.

If you are experiencing any regular electrical problems, whether your home is old or new, don’t wait to call your Los Angeles electrician. Leaving these issues unchecked will often only make them worse, ultimately resulting in more extensive repairs than if you had addressed the issue quickly. For more information about inspections and other electrical services, browse our website at theelectricconnection.com.