Under normal circumstances, a circuit breaker lasts for years without ever needing repair or replacement. However, from time to time a circuit breaker will actually “break.” Diagnosing a circuit breaker problem is not a project that an amateur should attempt on his or her own. Only the most skilled do-it-yourselfers can handle this project. Unless you are skilled in electrical safety practices and the proper use of electrical test equipment, contacting an electrician in Los Angeles just makes sense.

If you have a breaker that is tripping regularly, more than likely the breaker is doing its job—the circuit is just overloaded. A skilled electrician Los Angeles can test this by using an ammeter—a tool that is used for testing the amount of electricity going through the circuit. Another problem that occurs regularly is that the breaker will not reset after tripping. In this case, the problem is more likely in the line of electricity rather than the breaker. In most cases the line has a fault and the breaker will (purposely) not reset until the fault is cleared.

When an electrician comes to test your breaker, he will likely first test the voltage at the breaker terminal. Generally, the reading should show 120 VAC. If this appears correctly, he will load the circuit and test again. If voltage drops at this point, there is a good chance the breaker is bad.

Since this is a job that is so in-depth and difficult, calling an electrician from The Electric Connection is highly recommended. These experts have years of experience and training, so they are able to review your problem and determine the best way to proceed. There is no use in taking risks when it comes to your safety and the safety of your home; an experienced electrician is just a phone call away.

How much electricity is your household using? Chances are, you skim over your electric bill each month and if the price doesn’t seem out of the ordinary, you move on. This is what most of us do. It’s become the norm. But have you ever thought about what electrical usage and energy bills are like in other states and countries?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that the national average is 909 kilowatt hours (kWh)/month, with monthly electric costs of $110.20. The EIA also breaks down the average electric usage by state. You can download the full spreadsheet with all state data here.

Keep in mind that the number of kilowatt hours (kWh) doesn’t necessarily dictate the costs, so the state paying the most may not be the state actually using the most electricity. Electric costs vary state-by-state. The average monthly price tag that emerges from your electrical usage depends on how hot/cold and urban/rural your home state is, as well as what the area costs are. For instance, even though Louisiana has the highest monthly consumption (1,273 kWh), Hawaii, (the state that uses the second-least amount of electricity) pays the most at $203 per month. Furthermore, Maine, the state that uses the least amount of electricity each month (531 kWh), still pays more on average for electric than New Mexico ($75 per month). However, Maine does pay a similar average price ($77.77), so their low energy conservation plays to their benefit.

Wondering where our home state of Texas fits in? Well, we are the 5th highest electric consumers in the country, using 1,174 kWh/month and paying around $133.33 on our monthly electric bills. Nationally, that puts Texas just above average in our electric use.

In terms of our country’s impact globally, overall the United States has the second highest household energy consumption in the world, with homes using over 11,698 kWh per year. This is two to three times more than European households and about twenty times more than Nigerian homes. Moreover, each American individually uses about 4,500 kWh each year, which is about five times the average for all people who have electricity in their homes around the world. But of course, these disparities are affected by differences in physical house size, local electricity prices, appliances, the amount of sunshine, and access to alternative fuels for heating and cooking.

This month, it could be an interesting experiment to compare your energy bill to the averages to see how you stack up! If you’re paying way above the average for your state/country, it might be a good idea to see how you can save more energy throughout the year. Luckily, our site is filled with blogs with tips and tricks for spending less on electric!

Sources:

U.S. Energy Information Administration

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