Purchasing a new home can be both an exciting and stressful experience. While you may like what you see on the outside, we all know that there can be problems hidden behind the walls. When it comes to electrical, not only can improper work cost you lots of money, but it can also be dangerous. If you are browsing for a new home, make sure you are cautious of possible issues that can arise.

As we have written about in the past, the main service panel is a critical part of the home electrical system. This is what controls the electricity in the entire home. Over the years these panels can become old and worn. Sometimes additions may have been made to the panel, but not done correctly. When looking at a service panel it is important to look for any loose or wires and connections into the panel. The wires should be tight to avoid electrical outages and flickering. Loose wires can also cause sparking and lead to fires. An expert electrician can also identify the amount of wires going into each circuit breaker and the organization, which can help with safety and efficiency.

One concern many people have is what kind of wiring is behind the walls. Many of us have heard of aluminum wiring and that we should avoid it. The problem with aluminum wire is that the wires can become loose more easily and also heat up, becoming more prone to electrical fires. Old knob-and-tube wiring can also become weak, break easily, and cannot function at today’s standards. It is a good idea to have an expert electrician inspect the wires in your prospective home to make sure they are safe or whether they need to be upgraded.

Outlets in the home should also be easily tested. Check to make sure that none of the electrical outlets look burnt, dirty, or are loose. Outlet testers can be test to make sure that they are properly grounded and being fed electricity properly. It may appear that the outlets function properly and can continue to do so without being properly grounded. But in the event of a power surge, especially in a major appliance, the electricity will not escape through the grounded wire and can cause electrocution.

These are just some of the potential electrical problems that a home can have. In order to protect yourself and your investment, have a home inspector visit the home. If you have just purchased a home, have an electrician inspect it for any possible issues and for a more thorough analysis.

Anyone here in little old Burbank like great customer service? If you raised your hand, that probably means you like being appreciated and understood. There has been a lot to read lately about large companies forking out huge amounts of money to improve there customer relations. And yet, I just read another article that reported the results of a recent survey, revealing that overall most of us are unhappy with a general decline in customer service.

One power company on the East Coast had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars supposedly improving its customer service, only to be criticized heavily when a major storm caused more outages then ever before and they were unable to get electricity back to many customer in reasonable time. It makes me wonder what it means when a company announces spending a lot to remodel its customer service.

I have my own criteria, a shortened version of the 10 commandments for good customer service. I look for a business that:

When I needed an electrician in Burbank a while back, I started with your basic internet search for Electrician Burbank CA – or something like that. I did my research, read all about various electricians in Burbank, their companies and a lot of testimonials. I chose an established company called The Electric Connection. Sometimes you just have to dive in and keep your fingers crossed.

The next day, I was pleased to greet a professional looking Burbank electrician, equipped with his electrical tools, at my front door, right on time. That is always a good sign. He presented me a bit later with a very reasonable electrical bid that included a whole house surge protector, an electrical panel upgrade, some new outlets, an attic fan installation and new custom lighting in my kitchen. I could tell through our interaction he was my kind of electrical service person, the kind that uses common sense. Check off #3.

All the electrical work was done by the end of the day. I love my new kitchen lights and I now have the peace of mind that comes with having a total power surge protection, not to mention all of other great electrical installations he did for me. Next month I will have my sensible Burbank electrician return to have some of our electrical outlets replaced and a ceiling fan installed. I can truly say they deliver more than they promise. You can check off # 1 and 2.

Oh, and yes you can check off #4. The day following the work being completed, I received a call from the office to make sure I was pleased with the work, and to tell me how much my business was appreciated. Give another check for # 3 as well. Sometimes I think really big electrical contracting companies would benefit by observing those common sense activities performed by smaller dedicated electrical services businesses in order to witness just how simple good customer service is. Something tells me they are making it way too complex. No more looking for “electrician, Burbank” at my house now that I’ve found The Electric Connection. Four or five well deserved check marks makes me loyal for life!

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