Although there are many options out there for heating your home, electric heating options have become one of the most popular solutions in many areas of the country. It is generally clean, low-maintenance heating that gives off no soot or fumes associated with combustible heat sources. It is also much less expensive to install in both existing homes and new construction. Once installed, however, electrical heating can be more expensive than gas or other heat sources.

Often in addition to a central heating system, electrical heat sources are placed in homes to provide additional heat to areas that need it. This can by done by any homeowner, and generally requires no help from an electrician unless there’s the need to have additional electrical outlets installed. While this type of heating can be somewhat efficient if used properly, unchecked small heaters can lead to excessive energy usage. To prevent this, you should only use portable heaters if they have a built-in thermostat. You can also find heaters that will turn themselves on and off according to a schedule. These advanced features are more expensive, but can be very convenient.

The various types of electric heaters include:

Storage heaters are fairly large heating units, which are mounted to a wall and must typically be installed by an electrician. These heaters are unique, in that they generate heat during off-peak times so that your electrical bills remain low. They will then release that stored heat during the day. In order for this type of heater to work efficiently, special off-peak meters must be installed and agreements with your utility company must be made. This is one of the cheapest types of electrical heating to have installed, but it can be more expensive than other central heating options.

You can find a variety of fan heaters in nearly every store that you visit during the winter. This relatively cheap, portable solution can provide fast, portable heat to a small area. This makes them ideal for providing additional heat to areas that need it. Convector heaters are bigger than fan heaters, but provide more long lasting, even heat. While they take longer to heat up, they make little to no noise, which makes them much more appealing than heaters with noisy fans. There are many options available, most of which do not require the assistance of a licensed electrician.

Under floor heating is an excellent solution in many ways. If you are building a new home, this may be an especially great option for you. Because it can be very invasive, however, under floor heating is not recommended for pre-existing structures. Heat is generated and distributed through a network of electrical heating cables that are placed under your floors.

Another home or office heating methods that’s gaining popularity today is the electric fireplace. Because they require less maintenance than traditional wood or gas fireplaces, many people are choosing this aesthetically pleasing heating option. These fires provide various levels of heat, as well as a visually pleasing fire effect. Regardless of the electrical heating solution that you choose, make sure that you look into the different options and choose the one that is best suited for your needs. If you have any doubts or questions about the use and installation of an electrical heat source, get in touch with an electrician in Los Angeles, such as The Electric Connection. We are a licensed, bonded and insured Los Angeles electrician. We will be more than happy to discuss the different types of electrical heat sources that are available, as well as what the installation requirements would be.

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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.

It seems like everything you buy today requires an electrical outlet. If you find yourself living in an older home or one with out-dated wiring, you could also end up at a loss for power. With electrical outlets spread sparsely around your home, it can be difficult to find enough outlets to plug in a lamp at the location you want or plug in all your electronics in the same spot. Fortunately, you do have some options for expanding your electrical accessibility and capacity.

The most common fix for this problem is to use extension cords. Extension cords can go extend as far as 150 feet, but are not always an ideal permanent solution. If you were running a significant amount of power through a long running extension cord on a regular basis, it would be a better idea to install an outlet at that location. With a heavy loaded extension cord you run a greater risk of fires and overloading the circuit. Undersized extension cords can overheat and cause a fire. If you will be running several electronics of the same outlet (television, computer, entertainment system) you should invest in a power bar with a surge protector. A power bar will be able to handle the larger electrical load and protect your valuable electronics from surges.

Another option would be to use an adapter to split two standard electrical sockets into four. This can be helpful when you need to plug in an additional lamp or phone charger in your room. If you find that you are tripping your breaker when you are plugging in more devices or appliances onto an adapter, power bar, or extension cord, you are probably overloading your circuit. The best course of action would be to have an electrician install a new outlet on a separate circuit.

While having new outlets installed by a professional electrician is the safest idea, it is not always possible in every situation. If you are a renter you may not be able to or want to upgrade the current electrical system. Or it is possible that your current breaker or electrical panel may not be able to handle additional electrical outlets. If that is the case, have a licenced electrician inspect your home electrical system to ensure that you are able to safely add on additional outlets. While planning for new outlets, identify areas that would be optimal for having power and covering the room appropriately. This way you can avoid problems down the road and installing an excessive amount of outlets in one room.

It is important to use undamaged extension cords and not run one extension cord off of another. For the best peace of mind, have one of our electricians install an additional circuit and outlets in your home. This will keep your home up to code and reduce the risk of fires significantly.