Electric cars are the wave of the future as gas prices continue to skyrocket. More and more people are realizing the benefits to owning an electric car and trading in their gas guzzlers in favor of one of these cars that requires charging before it will result in any real savings. Charging stations are becoming more popular, but for the most part, people will need to charge their cars at home. Which brings up another issue—can you plug an electric car charger into your existing outlets?

While the immediate answer is yes, there are a couple of things you need to take into consideration before you unplug the radio in your garage and plug in your car charger. Depending on how you answer the following questions, you may need an electrician in Pasadena.

1-Is the outlet capable of handling a charger? This will depend on the kind of charger you have purchased for your car. The chargers commonly used at home will require a 240-volt outlet. This is probably not something you currently have in your garage. You will likely need the services of an electrician. Pasadena residents can rely on The Electric Connection to install a new outlet dedicated to charging your car.

2-Is the outlet reliable and in good working condition? This is typically not something you can verify simply by looking at the outlet. If the breaker trips when your charger is operating, it is a good indicator you need the help of a professional. Considering how much the charging stations cost, and not to mention the cost of your home, it is best to have an electrician come out and do an electrical inspection to ensure the outlet can handle the charging station. You do not want to risk an electrical fire due to a faulty outlet.

The lives of 21st Century Americans are filled with endless electronic gadgets and appliances. A modern home filled with computers, entertainment systems and portable devices can quickly run short of convenient electric outlets to provide power to the media extravaganza. That makes power strips a must. In addition to providing ample plug space, power strips can also protect your devices, help keep them organized, give a boost to your energy efficiency and provide a flash of style while they're at it. Check out a sampling of models that show off some of the best that power strips have to offer:

If you need advice on powering and protecting your devices, or have any other electrical work that needs to be addressed, contact a qualified electrician without delay.

It is true that most of the electrical problems you have in your home will need to be taken care of by a licensed electrician. However, there are various smaller problems that you can easily and safely troubleshoot. Here are just a few:

This can be quite bothersome and yet pretty easy to troubleshoot. Begin by checking that the bulb has been screwed in correctly. It needs to be in all the way. If that is in order, check to see that the wattage is correct for the fixture in which it has been fixed. If the wattage is not right, that can be causing overheating and it can even lead to a fire. In the event that the wattage is correct, just replace the old bulb with a new one. If the light is still flickering, then it is possible that the electrical outlet or the cord has a problem.

To answer the question “Should I worry about electrical repairs in a new home?” we need to specify what new means. Was the house built recently? Or is it “new” because it is new to you, regardless of its age? In either case, there is a simple rule to follow: if you think you need electrical repairs, you probably do—no matter how old the house is. Always worry about electrical repairs if there are signs that you need them.

When you move into any home built more than 10 years ago, you should hire an electrician to check the system for problems. Despite surface appearances, a home may have wiring troubles from DIY repair attempts from a previous owner; you want to make sure there are no serious problems that need immediate repair to prevent safety hazards.

With a home built pre-1970, you may encounter difficulties from an electrical system that cannot support modern demands. Check on the outlets and the circuit breaker panel. If the home has two-prong outlets and a fuse box instead of a circuit breaker panel, you should have new installations done to upgrade the system. Otherwise you may end up with some major repair worries in the near future. Older circuit breaker panels are often not up to the task of contemporary power needs. If you experience frequent blown fuses or tripped breakers, have a repair technician investigate right away.

With a recently-built house, you shouldn’t have many concerns about your power needs: the home should have sufficient wiring, updated GFCI outlets, and a new circuit breaker panel. However, you can’t simply go lax about small signs of difficulties or indications of improper electrical installation. Look for flickering lights that indicate small power surges. Although these rarely trip circuit breakers, they can cause damage to appliances over time. Call for a repair technician to see if your new home will benefit from a whole-house surge protector.

Check around your ceiling fixtures on occasion to see if they are growing hot. This indicates poor electrical insulation and sometimes occurs in new homes due to poor installation. If you detect poor electrical installation problems in one place in your home, they probably exist elsewhere; call for an electrician to examine your home’s electrical system thoroughly for faults.