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Electrical Advice for California Homes and Businesses
Costs, safety and planning guides written by working electricians.
Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost in California: What Drives the Price
What a 100 to 200 amp electrical panel upgrade costs in California, what is included, and how to tell whether you need a full service upgrade or a sub panel.
Why Does My Breaker Keep Tripping? 5 Causes and What to Do
A breaker that keeps tripping is protecting you from something. Here are the five most common causes, how to narrow them down safely, and when to call an electrician.
Knob and Tube Wiring in California Homes: Risks, Insurance and Replacement
How to recognize knob and tube wiring, why insurers object to it, what replacement involves and what a whole house rewire costs in California.
Home EV Charger Installation in California: A Plain-English Guide
Level 1 versus Level 2, hardwired versus NEMA 14-50, panel capacity, permits, costs and rebates for home EV charging in California.
Generator or Battery Backup? Choosing Backup Power for a California Home
Standby generators and home batteries compared on run time, cost, noise, maintenance and how they work with solar during California outages.
Flickering Lights: When It Is Harmless and When to Call an Electrician
Flickering lights can mean a loose bulb or a loose neutral. Learn the causes, the warning signs of a serious problem and what an electrician will check.
8 Signs You Need an Emergency Electrician Right Now
Burning smells, sparking outlets, hot panels and partial power loss should not wait. Here is how to tell an emergency from a nuisance and what to do first.
GFCI vs AFCI: What Each One Protects and Where You Need Them
GFCI protects people from shock; AFCI protects buildings from fire. Where each is required in California homes and how to add them to older wiring.
Is Whole House Surge Protection Worth It?
What a panel-mounted surge protector does, what it costs, when code requires one and why power strips alone are not enough.
Heat Pumps, Induction and EVs: Is Your Electrical Panel Ready?
Electrifying a California home adds large new loads. How to tell whether your panel has capacity, and the options short of a full service upgrade.
Recessed Lighting Layout: Spacing, Color and Common Mistakes
How many recessed lights a room needs, how far apart to place them, which color temperature to choose and the layout mistakes to avoid.
California's Fluorescent Lamp Phase-Out: What Businesses Should Do Now
Fluorescent lamps can no longer be sold in California. What that means for offices, shops and warehouses, and how to plan an LED retrofit.
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