As the temperatures get cooler, Californians are going to be turning on the heat. Cold nights means a lot more people are going to be relying on their furnaces and space heaters to take the chill off. These things are electricity hogs and can quickly tax the power grid. This combined with poor weather in general can lead to a power outage. The outage may last a couple of hours of be much longer and really wreak havoc on your daily schedule as well as basic duties like making a meal, cleaning the house or taking a hot shower. Your Beverly Hills electrician has some tips to help you prepare for a temporary power outage. The team at The Electric Connection knows how much of an inconvenience living without electricity can be and hopes to help you ride it out in relative comfort.

*Your best option is to have a standby generator installed by an electrician in Beverly Hills. This ensures you always have a back up source of power and never have to go without. The generators are enclosed in a box, which helps reduce noise. You won’t have to worry about your neighbors complaining about the noisy generator.

*Putting together a kit that includes essentials like spare batteries, flashlights, emergency candles, matches and a solar charger for your phone and other gadgets will save you a lot of frustration. The solar chargers are relatively inexpensive and ensure your phone, laptop and tablet will get charged.

*Put together a little box of goodies that you can eat without worrying about heating the food up. Things like crackers, energy bars and a couple cans of beans will give you something to munch on while you wait for the power to be restored. Don’t forget the manual can opener.

Power outages are rarely very long, but even an hour without electricity can throw you off a bit. Avoid dealing with it by talking with an electrician. Beverly Hills homeowners who invest in a standby generator will never have to worry about eating cold beans for dinner. Give The Electric Connection a call today to learn more about generators and preparing for power outages.

Today’s technology offers a great deal of convenience, but it's also capable of taking quite an environmental toll through increased electrical consumption, greenhouse gases, and electronic waste. How does one upgrade responsibly? Install long-lasting, easily recyclable, energy-efficient appliances capable of reducing your monthly utility bills. How much are my kitchen appliances really costing me? For the average homeowner, large appliances such as your refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, washer and dryer, account for around 13 percent of monthly utility costs. Add on your hot water heater, and you’re looking at another 15 percent of your bill. Plus, usage costs can vary drastically depending on the age of your appliances. Appliances older than 10 years old are simply screaming for retirement –nearly doubling energy usage. Energy efficiency: learning the lingo Advances in today’s appliance technology adds up to savings for you, but only if you understand what you’re looking at. What’s the big deal about ENERGY STAR? The program was established by the EPA as part of the Clean Air Act to preserve the environment, as well as help individuals save on energy expenses. EPA labs test and certify ENERGY STAR appliances to signify equipment that perform above and beyond standard models. Top-of-the-line ENERGY STAR equipment bears the newly introduced “Most Efficient” label. Kitchen appliances that give you the most bang for your buck:

STOP! Don't just toss that old appliance! Electronic waste, or e-waste, is quickly becoming a global crisis. As the fastest growing waste stream in many countries, e-waste results in the release of extremely toxic substances that are contaminating both the Earth and our bodies. At this time, only 11 to 14 percent of US electronic waste is properly recycled and reused. Please dispose of your old appliances responsibly, as safe e-waste disposal is essential to preserving not only the environment, but your health as well. How to do I responsibly dispose of my family’s e-waste? There are many safe and responsible e-waste disposal and recycling options. If your retailer does not provide a free pickup service with the upgrade of your new appliance, Mr. Electric®, in cooperation with the non-profit organization HirePatriots, offers e-waste disposal solutions as well, including responsible recycling, e-waste packaging, pickup, and removal, secure data destruction, accredited repair and refurbishment, and more. Improve your efficiency and responsibly manage your e-waste with the help of Mr. Electric. The professionals at Mr. Electric have what it takes to handle all of your appliance upgrade and e-waste recycling needs.

Electrical safety is of utmost importance to keep your family and loved ones safe at home. You can be assured of electrical safety through GFCI outlets. GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets have three holes: two of the holes are for neutral and hot wire and the third hole in the middle of the outlet serves as a ground wire. If it experiences any change in the electrical flow in the circuit, it will immediately cut off the flow of electricity.

GFCI outlets are important, especially when the electrical outlets are positioned close to water. Installing GFCI outlets in your kitchen, bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc., is a good idea. Apart from being an essential preventive measure, the law also requires you to have GFCI outlets installed throughout your home. According to National Electric Code (NEC), all homes must be equipped with GFCI protection. Initially, it was only required for you to install GFCI outlets near water only but this requirement has been extended to cover all single phase outlets of 125 volts in recent years.

Let us now understand why GFCI outlets are essential in every household.

3 Reasons to Install GFCI Outlets

Electrical shocks and electrocution are the major risks that you can be exposed to through electrical devices at your home. This becomes a bigger concern if you have kids who can unknowingly touch the appliances and get a shock. A GFCI outlet helps in preventing shocks and electrocutions as it has a built-in sensor that monitors the inflow and outflow of the electricity from any appliance. If a live wire inside the appliance comes in contact with the metallic surface of the appliance, you will get a shock when you touch it.