Electrical wiring and materials have improved significantly over the years, but if you live in a house in which the wiring was laid a long time ago, there may be some risks involved. It is worth checking to see whether everything is as it should be.

Electricity is normally out of sight and out of mind because the cables are hidden in the walls and in switches and sockets. As a result, we rarely check the condition of our electrical installations. Faulty and aging wiring can cause electrical fires, but you can avoid this by having your electrician check them for you.

There are clear indications that can make it easier to identify aging cables. Any cables that are coated in black rubber will be quite old as they were phased out in the 1960s; the same applies to fuse boxes with wooden backs and cast-iron switches. These were also phased out in the 1960s.

During your inspection, you may see wires that look old but are intact. These will likely be safe to use. You will need to check any connections wrapped in friction tape to ensure that the tape is not unraveling or frayed. If the tape is damaged, turn off the circuit and replace it with new tape.

The biggest disadvantage with most old wires is that they do not normally implement ground wires. This may result in a person becoming the path to the ground and being electrocuted if there happens to be a short in an appliance.

The widespread availability and application of electricity is one of the truly greatest accomplishments mankind has ever achieved, yet we take it almost entirely for granted. Many people endlessly utilize electricity with almost no idea of how it works. The fact of the matter is that electricity is an incredibly dangerous, and even deadly force, that would be nearly impossible to harness for any practical application without grounding. We’ve probably all heard of grounding, but few people understand just how crucial proper grounding truly is to their house’s wiring.

The importance of proper grounding is so vital that it truly cannot be understated, even summarizing the necessity of grounding is difficult without thorough understanding of how electrical currents work. Still, as a basic overview, grounding provides these few necessary things to any safe electrical application, including the power routed to and through your home:

A certified & bonded residential electrician can help you with any electrical issues that may arise in your home, due to poor grounding or otherwise. For any electrical installation services, work with Des Moines’ Top Rated Local® residential electricians for safe, reliable wiring that you can count on.

Around the world, every city offers something different. Though they all have hustle and bustle, lots of buildings, and usually traffic, when you’re on their streets you would never mistake San Francisco for Cairo, Toronto for Tokyo, or Berlin for Rio de Janeiro. But what about from space? During the day, these cities tend to blend in with their surrounding countryside. However, when lit up at night, it’s easy to see how varied these cities can be.

Is it possible to tell anything about the life and culture of our cities when viewing their lights from above? You might be surprised at how much.

Landmarks

Can you guess which cultural icon jumps out of this landscape?

Now, take a look at this photograph of Denver, a much newer city. The streets are mapped out in a much more orderly, grid-like way, aligned North-South and East-West.

The majority of urban areas in Tokyo use green mercury vapor lamps. Only the most newly built areas glow the standard orange.

Development

When examining a city’s lights from above, you can also learn about development, community growth, and infrastructure. Check out this unique photo of two cities from two countries side-by-side – the border towns Cuidad Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas.

With electricity becoming a prime suspect in the drain on your bank account, you are probably looking for ways to reduce your energy bill. It isn’t feasible or safe, to sit in a home that is hot and stuffy. Running the air conditioning unit constantly is extremely expensive and hard on the unit itself, which may result in costly repair bills. There are some things you can do to help keep your home cool, without running the expensive AC.

An attic fan is one way you could save money on your electric bill. An electrician in Glendale will be necessary to help you install a new fan or several fans depending on the size of your attic. The Electric Connection team is available for you and would love to help you cool your home and ultimately save money.

Attic fans work to pull out the hot, stagnant air that accumulates in finished attics. Most fans are controlled by a thermostat. This prevents the fan from running constantly and keeps you from having to remember to turn on the fan when the temperatures begin rising. There are some requirements that need to be met before you decide to have an attic fan installed. The attic must have soffit or gable vents. This allows the fan to bring in the cooler air to the attic space. The attic should also be sealed from the rest of your house. If these requirements are not met, you will end up wasting money by drawing your cool air from below, into the attic.

If you are not sure about your attic, you will need to contact an electrician. Glendale residents can rely on the experienced professionals at The Electric Connection. The staff will make notes about your attic and what kind of fan would work best.