We’ve had a longer cold spell here in Southern California than we often get. Of course, it’s nothing compared to the awful deep freeze that recently struck the Midwest. But it’s still cold to us, and if you use an electric-powered heating system like a heat pump or an electric furnace, you can expect to see an uptick on your electrical bills. That’s normal: just check electrical usage with previous bills to see that the rise in costs corresponds to more use.
This post is about dealing with abnormally and inexplicably high electric bills. What might be causing these spikes? We can help you investigate this, although for real repair work and other jobs, always call on a professional electrician in Burbank, CA.
If you are shopping for a new home or are planning to sell your current one, you may have heard about how important it is for the house to be “up to code” or “code compliant.” What does this actually mean, and how do you find out if the house meets the code? 
This is a question homeowners often ask when they either have electrical wiring repairs that need to be done or when they’re contemplating a new installation, such as new lighting, a ceiling fan installation, or when wiring for an add-on room. It’s smart to look for places to save money in home improvement projects. But it’s much smarter to know when doing the work as a “do-it-yourself” project poses potential safety hazards.
The circuit breaker panel (a.k.a. the electrical panel) is the central “switching station” for electricity in your house. Its breakers are designed to trip and cut off electrical flow to individual circuits in situations where there is excessive voltage. This protects the electrical system from damage, and in turn helps keep your home safer.
Dead outlets. They happen, and they’re annoying. Of course, you don’t just want to curse your bad luck, yell at the failed outlet a bit, and then pull out extension cords so you can use a different plug. You want that outlet fixed. And in many cases, it’s best to have that outlet updated if it’s an older one. We don’t just mean upgrading from old two-prong outlets to three-prong grounded outlets—we hope your home already has three-pronged outlets throughout it. 
