If your old electrical panel is no longer functioning properly, it can be endangering your home and everything inside it. Read on for the various warning signs you should be looking out for.

Even an old electrical panel is an improvement over fuse boxes (these can no longer keep up with the energy demands of today’s households), but if it’s getting to be a bit too old, you may need to look into replacing it. The panel is responsible for taking power from the main line outside and directing it through your electrical system.

The electrical panel also disconnects circuits when there is too much current flowing through — this is what protects you from hazards like electrical fires and damaged appliances. If you’re not sure you need to replace your existing setup, we’ve put together some of the warning signs that will indicate whether or not it’s time to move on to a new panel:

Halloween is less than one month away! If you’re thinking of decorating your home for the holiday, nothing can help turn your house into a festive sight like lighting. In minutes, you can turn your quaint cottage a ghoulish green, make your bungalow glow orange, or paint your front lawn an eerie yellow. Suddenly, your charming home becomes mysterious and thrilling to trick-or-treaters and passersby.

Science Daily just recently reported that kerosene lamps have been discovered as a large source of black carbon. Black Carbon is responsible for warming the earth by absorbing the heat in the atmosphere and reducing the earths ability to reflect sunlight. With the use of kerosene lamps in more than a billion homes today, even in well developed countries like the United States, the use is alarming and damaging to our planet.

If the electricity costs continue to rise as projected, that number may actually grow. The fact that more than a billion people are using kerosene has given rise to some serious concerns about green house gases because the black carbon from these kerosene lamps has been overlooked in greenhouse gas estimates and with such a widespread use, they are a real issue.

Field and lab testing that was recently conducted says that about 7 to 9 percent of the kerosene which are used in these lamps is being converted into carbon or black carbon. When compared to things such as wood, it is more than 7 percent higher since only about one percent of wood converts to black carbon.

The hazards of using kerosene for lighting your home or even a camp or cottage are many, when it is viewed in this way. One kg of black carbon can make as much of a change in warming as 700 kg can produce in 100 years. Kerosene offers a higher level of greenhouse gas than nearly any other kind of lighting fuel.

This and other information just now coming to light tells us that we may need to find a better way for those who live in developing countries or homes using kerosone to obtain light for their homes.

Black carbon is not only harmful to our health but to the health of the children who are living in the household.  According to Tami Bond, who is the associate professor for environmental engineering at the University of Illinois, “The orange glow in flames comes from black carbon, so the brighter the glow, the more black carbon is being made.”

This information comes directly from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and is an important warning to all of us. Using kerosene for lighting can not only cause health problems with breathing the black carbon, but can also be a causative factor in fires and now, is being viewed as an agent in global climate change. With so many other methods of lighting, the use of kerosene it not the healthiest or safest choice for your family or our climate.

Converting to cleaner methods of lighting the homes in still using kerosene would not only offer the climate a much needed rest, but may also provide for better health of those who live in homes that use the fuel for a light source or heat.

Wind power is electricity-generating technology that is very similar to hydroelectric power and burning fossil fuels. In all three cases, something is being used to spin a turbine, which then converts that energy into electricity. In the case of fossil fuels, the fuel is burned, which converts water to steam, which then spins the turbine. Hydroelectric power generators use the force of flowing or falling water to turn their turbines. Wind turbines are turned by the power of the wind, making them an ideal source of energy for places with high wind, such as the Great Plains. While the idea of wind power conjures up images of fields full of spinning turbines, it is not hard to find an electrician in Santa Monica who can help you to install one on your own land.

Wind Farms

The majority of all wind power is generated on huge wind farms. Each wind farm typically maintains and operates hundreds of wind turbines, which in turn connect to local electrical circuits that eventually funnel them into the main electricity pool. Your local utility company most often runs these energy operations as a secondary source of electricity. In fact, many companies give you the option to guarantee that some or all of the electricity that you use each month comes from their wind farm operations. In the event that you are unable to install your own wind turbine, this is a great way to contribute and further investment into wind power.

Residential Wind Turbines

As the call for more renewable electricity sources has grown more popular, so has the use of residential wind turbines. In conjunction with other small-scale energy sources such as geo-thermal and solar, wind turbines can be a great electrical upgrade to any home. One caveat is that you must have a small amount of land in order for it to be an ideal fit for you. Talk to a local electrician Santa Monica CA, The Electric Connection for example, to determine whether or not one will work for you.

Installing a Residential Wind Turbine

Although a wind turbine generates electricity for your home and community, its installation is not typically completed by a Santa Monica electrician alone. Because of the complexity of the installation, it is best to find a company that specializes in their application. In most cases, this company will complete the erection and initial setup of the turbine, and then turn it over to an electrician Santa Monica, such as The Electric Connection, to complete the tethering to your home and power grid. This ensures that both the turbine installation and the electrical work is done in the safest, most complete manner possible.

In addition to connecting your new turbine to your home, your electrician may also need to perform a panel upgrade, and small amount of home rewiring. While this is typically not extensive, it is slightly more involved than having electrical outlets replaced. For the best outcome, you should always have someone conduct his or her electrical estimates before the work is started so that you know what to expect.

In regards to small-scale renewable energy sources, wind and solar power are by far the most popular, approachable options. Although many see them as unsightly, most believe that the benefits outweigh the costs. After their initial installation, these electrical upgrades require very little maintenance, provide clean consistent energy and rely on a 100% renewable source. If you have any questions about whether or not you should look into wind power, or other alternative energy sources, don’t hesitate to call or visit our website at www.theelectricconnection.com.