The weather is heating up, and with it, so is the load on your electrical system. Don’t let the stress pile up. Protect your electrical system – and your wallet – from the stresses of summer with the help of these simple tips.

Is your electrical system bearing the burden of your poor appliances choices? Don’t become a victim of “operator error” by overlooking these seasonal adjustments to appliance use:

Heating and cooling comprises about 30-50 percent of your electric bill, making it one of the biggest stressors on your electrical system. However there are many ways to reduce that stress, including…

Your refrigerator is among the largest consumers of energy in your home. Keep a lid on energy consumption by…

The water heating is typically the third largest energy expense in your home. The hotter the temperature of the water, and the more it is used, the harder your electrical system is forced to keep up with the heating demands. Summer is hot enough! Cool your use by…

Hanging clothes on the line rather than running the dryer, the second largest energy-consuming appliance in your home, can keep your home and energy bills from becoming too hot to handle.

Using your stovetop or oven in summer’s heat can really put a strain on your air conditioner and electrical system. Save some dough and maintain comfort by firing up your grill instead.

Today’s homes use a multitude of gadgets and appliances that can cause a considerable amount of stress to your electrical system. Give your system the TLC it deserves:

Turning off items that are not in use rather than letting them run such as lights, laptop and mobile devices, TVs, radios, and more can take a lot of pressure off your electrical system. How much? Lighting in the average home accounts for 12 percent, and electronic devices another 10-15 percent. Whew!

Vampire power can really drain you, sucking up five percent of your power bill or more – all for nothing. Among the biggest offenders putting a strain on your electrical system (even when they’re turned off): TVs, computers, microwaves, cell phone chargers… anything with a power adaptor, indicator light, standby function, or clock. Unplug these items or plug them into a power strip, flipping them off when they’re not in use.

Your electrical system can suffer stress from issues outside of your home as well. Are you closing your eyes to these electrical stressors from your home’s great outdoors?

Outdoor lighting fixtures are heavily used and a great place to take a load off. Updating to more modern technology for outdoor lighting such as motion sensors, timers, and photocells for sensing daylight, in addition to CFL and LED bulb technology, can not only save a pretty penny in energy wasted on unnecessary illumination, but boost security as well.

Is the outdoors infringing on your indoors? Your home’s thermal envelope – the outer walls, windows, doors, floors, ceiling – may need support in the form of adequate insulation and air sealing to keep your home comfortable and help you avoid the stress of unnecessarily high energy bills. Ease the hardship on your wires and your wallet by putting this on the top of your priority list.

Electrical system all stressed out? Contact Mr. Electric today!

Holiday lighting products have evolved into a much safer product over the years.  With the development of properly sized wires and fuses and LED lighting to reduce the consumption load and the heat the lamps produce, holiday lighting has never been more safe.  In the past people would take the old C style lamps and hook one string of lights into the other.  Often overloading one the strings or the weakest link.  This overload would often melt wires, create sparks, and in some cases even cause a fire.  The manufactures and improved safety standards and testing, help reduce to the chance of an overload by installing a fuse at the starter end or male end of the light string.  This fuse would blow or trip when the load became greater than the fuse capacity, which would then project the wire from the overload.  It is always recommended to install lights that are interconnected (one light string plugged into the other) to manufacture specifications as listed by there instructions.

LED or light emitting diodes have not only made holiday lighting more efficient but even safer.  The old style C7 and C9 lamps could reach temperatures of up to 350 degrees.  The hot lamp if rested against wood or dry Christmas tree, has the potential to ignite the material from the heat the lamp produces and cause a fire.  With LED’s to replace the old style incandescent lamps the chance of fire from heat is almost non existing.  However, it is still possible to cause a fire from electrical spark or short.  These sparks or shorts produce heat much greater and can easily ignite flammable material.  Sparks or shorts are often caused by frayed or damaged insulation on the electrical wires and also loose connections.  It is important to inspect your holiday lighting for damaged or loose components and replace when needed.  Be sure not to use any damaged equipment and immediately discard them to eliminate the chance of future use.

A common mistake made people make with holiday lighting is to plug to many holiday lights into each other.  UL listed holiday lighting and cord splitters are tested to specific tolerances and should only be installed to manufactures specifications.  The easiest location to find the manufactures is specifications is to look at the tag on the cord most commonly found near the male end of the cord or light string.

If enough standard wall sockets are not present and you must plug in multiple cords, it is highly recommended to install a plug switch with a built in overload device to reduce the risk of overload.  The built in overload should not be mistaken for a surge protection device.  A surge protector reduces or eliminates the excess voltage going to the device plugged into itself.  Where an overload device will shut off power at the point of installation if to much power is being drawn through it.

On many new homes we will install plug ins located in the soffit or eve to reduce or eliminate drop cords for holiday lighting.  These soffit plugs are installed on a special heavier 20 amp circuit and often include a convenience switch located inside the home to shut the lights on / off as needed.  The special circuit makes sure your holiday lighting is not installed on regular interior circuits so the chance of variable loads and overloads are dramatically reduced.

Permanent holiday lighting can be installed by a licensed electrician.  The most common type of permanent holiday lighting is LED strip lighting.  These are can be installed on the under side of eves or soffits for a permanent installation.  Depending on the type of LED holiday lighting you choose you may even have the option to change the colors of the lights with a push of a button.  This allows the holiday lighting to be used for many occasions throughout the year.  You can call today or schedule online to have a lighting specialist come to your home or business and provide you with a written no obligation quote.

While you’re gathering information to find the right electrician in Burbank CA, pay attention to how the electrician acts and makes you feel. If you meet with the electrician, keep your eyes open, too.

Do you like the Burbank electrician?

Do you feel comfortable and not under pressure?

Does the electrician inspire your trust?

Do the electrician and company employees seem to know what they’re doing?

Do they seem to operate legally and behave ethically? Are they acting the way that you would want them to act towards you?

Do they return phone calls promptly?

Are they timely when meeting you for appointments?

Do they listen to your questions and concerns and answer them in a way that is forthcoming and that you can understand?

Does the electrician dress neatly and have a vehicle and tools that look well-maintained?

Electricians who are bidding jobs are on their best behavior. If you already notice that an electrician treats you or others in ways that concern you, better to find another with whom you feel more comfortable.

Check It Out

If you haven’t already, check customer reviews. The first section of this article gives details.

Enter the Contractor’s License Number into the Contractor’s License Board website for your state. See if there are any “black marks.”

Check the company’s rating at the Better Business Bureau. Ratings run from A+ to F based on customer complaints made to the Bureau. As a note, an “A” reflects the same level of customer satisfaction as an “A+.” The “A+” is earned by an “A” contractor becoming a paying member of the Better Business Bureau, which supports the Bureau in its work.

Call References

Don’t hesitate to call references. Customers are usually happy to give a good recommendation to help a deserving electrical contractor. You can return the favor later should a homeowner call you. Ask:

How did your job go?

Was your job done right the first time?

If a return visit was needed, was the electrician easy to work with and prompt?

Was company pricing competitive?

Was the electrician within budget and schedule?

Would you be happy to continue to use this electrical company?

Speak with at least three references. Listen carefully for enthusiasm or lack of enthusiasm about the electrician. Clients, past or present, may not feel comfortable saying anything negative. If they express little enthusiasm or say something negative, take this into consideration when making your decision.

A Final Tip: Don’t Automatically Choose the Low Bid

A bid may be too low. How can that be? An electrician may intentionally omit items that the job requires, only to come back later saying that additional work needs to be done. On the other hand, some electricians may unintentionally bid low through inexperience. Either way, the electrician may ask for more money to finish the job or may leave you with an incomplete project.

Price is important, but judge the entire picture an electrician is showing you — character, expertise, the ease of working with him or her, and overall value. A large part of an electrician’s value is that he/she gets the job done right and safely without taking too much of your time and inconveniencing you. A very competent electrician can save you money by suggesting more efficient ways to do a job or to save on electricity. When you enjoy a good relationship with your Burbank electrician, it can save you both time and money.