As a California homeowner, you know that this is not the best time to put your house on the market, which may be why so many people are opting to upgrade their existing homes instead of seeking a replacement. One of the improvements you should consider is an electrical make over.

Electrical wiring can suffer wear and tear, and older homes were simply not built to meet today’s electrical needs, but these deficiencies can be overcome by hiring an experienced electrician. Santa Monica, CA building codes have changed over the years as well, and companies like The Electric Connection that specialize in rewiring older homes can bring your house into compliance with the latest regulations.

If your home was built during the 1960s and 1970s, you may be living in a fire trap. During that time approximately 2 million homes were built or remodeled using aluminum wiring before it was discovered that this type of wiring poses a significant fire hazard. The problem occurs at the electrical connection points where the wiring is spliced to connect to a switch, outlet or circuit breaker. Aluminum expands and shrinks in response to temperature changes, a process which can cause breaks and frays over time. The US Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC) has expressed grave concern over this issue stating that homes with aluminum wiring are up to 50 times more likely to have a fire than homes with copper wiring.

How will you know if you need to have all of the electrical wiring in your house replaced? Fortunately, you may not necessary need a complete rewire in your home or business. A licensed electrician in Santa Monica can evaluate this for you, and tell you to what extent you’ll need to go in order to make your home safe. The Electric Connection, which specializes in house rewires explains that depending on the situation, there might be a fairly inexpensive solution. For example, you may simply need to replace the connection points in your home or business with copper electrical connectors. Not every Santa Monica electrician is trained in this type of retrofit, so you when you’re searching for electrician Santa Monica, it’s important to find a highly trained and fully licensed electrician to perform aluminum-to-copper retrofits.

Older homes, those built prior to 1950, may have a different electrical safety issue. During this time many homes used cloth insulated wiring, something which can appear similar to the insulated wiring used today. The danger builds over time; as the cloth ages it dries and can begin to flake off. Once portions of the wire are exposed, they pose a serious shock and fire danger.

Another challenge presented in older homes or buildings with cloth insulated wiring is that this wiring was frequently not grounded. At the time there were a limited number of electrical appliances and no home computers, so grounding was not considered a serious issue. Today all new homes are grounded so that excess electrical charges caused by electric surges are routed out of the house and into the ground, protecting electronic devices, computers and appliances. An electrician from Santa Monica can replace cloth insulated wiring with a grounded system, making your home and belongings safe from electrical fire and damage caused by power surges.

Another problem with older homes is the lack of three-prong outlets, something that is necessary for most modern appliances. Many homeowners mistakenly think they can simply purchase the three-prong version at the hardware store and swap out their existing two-prong outlets, but doing so can create additional fire risks. Properly swapping out these outlets requires some rewiring so that the three-prong version is grounded. Your Santa Monica electrician can do these quickly and inexpensively for you, and can make certain that any existing three-prong versions have been installed properly.

So how do you determine what type of electrical wiring is in your Santa Monica CA home? The first step is to check the build date. If your home was built before 1950, you can call the Electric Connection for a free electrical estimate by a licensed Santa Monica Electrician. They will be able to quickly evaluate any electrical safety issues that you might have in your home or business electrical system.

Large foyer chandeliers and pendants make a true design statement, while providing plentiful illumination for the perfect introduction to your home or commercial space.

Your Guide to Finding the Perfect Foyer Chandelier

Whether you live in a cozy cottage or expansive mansion, fine lighting shines through more than any other home accessory or decorative piece.  A well-chosen foyer fixture creates a welcoming atmosphere, lending ambient illumination and decorative appeal to your home entryway.

1.  To achieve the desired effect, you need to size and install your foyer fixture properly.  A large foyer chandelier or decorative pendant fixture is especially enchanting if your home contains a defined foyer area with a raised ceiling or a glass picture window over the front door.

2.  To determine whether to use a semi-flush fixture, hanging pendant light or multi-tiered large foyer chandelier, you must know your ceiling height. The overall height of a foyer fixture should allow for a clearance of at least 7 feet from the floor.

3.  In a two-story foyer, if there is a window above the front door, center a larger foyer chandelier so that it may be seen from outside.

4.  If the foyer is extra-large, the addition of complementary wall sconces will supply additional illumination. Sconces should be installed 60 inches from the floor and at least 6 feet apart.

5.  Create a seamless flow by coordinating your large foyer chandelier with matching flush or semi-flush fixtures in hallways and powder rooms, or carry a unique design theme throughout by pairing an expansive foyer chandelier with a mini-chandelier in the powder room or extended archway.

The newest Corbett model, “Inertia” is a one-of-a-kind fixture, complete with polished stainless steel prisms and crystal.

This illuminating work of art by Jeff Andrews is prominently featured in the Kardashian’s “Dash” store in Los Angeles, California.   The “Inertia” fixture is provocative and stunning; with a 48-inch frame and eight lamps, this large foyer chandelier embodies a striking and sophisticated design.

The Kardashian family chose to feature the spectacular “Inertia” from Corbett Lighting to enhance the chic feel of the store and provide an eye-catching illumination for their clientele.

Maybe you’d like to put a little star power in your home entryway with a large foyer chandelier? Luxury lights and the latest decorative foyer chandeliers await customers at Capitol Lighting.   Receive one-on-one guidance with professional lighting experts who will help you find the perfect foyer fixture for your home or commercial space.

Find the exquisite “Inertia” series at Capitol Lighting stores or visit 1800lighting.com.  At Capitol, Corbett Lighting is a top-seller, and now with celebrity recognition.

Los Angeles is undertaking a quiet revolution, a switchover to electric cars. This is a revolution that promises bluer skies and greater freedom from foreign oil. At this writing, the Middle East is involved with its own, noisier revolutions, and the stock market is tumbling thanks to perennial shakes over skyrocketing oil prices. Everybody who wants to be independent of foreign oil right now, raise your hands!

Getting back to the other revolution, the quiet one, going on in Los Angeles… car makers and dealers, drivers, and electrical contractors are all involved in a switchover to electric vehicles (EVs). The government is backing it with tax credits and rebates. More on that in later posts.

In December 2010, Nissan started selling an electric car in L.A., the Nissan Leaf. Early this year, G.M. will start selling the electric Chevy Volt. This revolution isn’t confined to L.A. – all along the West Coast and some of the East Coast, deliveries of EVs to new owners are starting. But L.A. is out ahead of a lot of the rest of the country. The Leaf and Volt won’t go on sale, for example, in South Carolina until next December. Pike Research, a transportation analysis firm, has projected that only New York City will beat us out in electric vehicle sales. Pike Research projects 96,000 EVs will be sold in L.A. by 2017. Of course, EV sales could move faster if the price of gas shoots past projected levels.

Both the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt will be priced for middle income families. As electrical contractors in Los Angeles, we’ve already started installing chargers, including in home garages, apartment buildings, and commercial venues.

The Leaf is all-electric with an average range of 100 miles before its battery needs to be recharged. The Volt is a hybrid. With a fully charged battery, it can drive about 35 miles and then, it starts burning gas. Drivers can recharge their Leaf or Volt batteries by pulling out their special cord called a “Level 1 Charger” and plugging it into an outlet that carries regular house current.

The advantage of Level 1 charging is that it’s simple and inexpensive to set up. Hire an electrician to install a circuit in your garage or carport. It will need to be a dedicated circuit, meaning that no other appliances, like a washer, for example, will use it. The outlet will need to be the safety version usual in garages and outdoors (a GFI outlet). Also, your electrician will need to check whether your electrical panel should be upgraded in size to handle the increased power demand. Once the outlet is installed, the EV driver pulls out the Level 1 charging cord that comes with the car, starts charging, and lets the car sit … for a long time.

Level 1 charging is… well, slow. A Chevy Volt battery takes 10 hours from empty to full; a Nissan Leaf takes 20 hours. But help is on the way – Level 2 charging. More on that in my next post or click here for our article which talks about Level 2 Charging.

And did I mention that The Electric Connection website offers $25 off your first electrical job? Plus coupons for Whole House Surge Protectors and other services? Check it out.