Question: A contractor wants me to sign a Partial Release form on a job he hasn’t paid me for yet. Doesn’t that put me at risk of not collecting the money if I’m not really paid after I sign the release form? – Greg Storn

Answer: The good news here is that there is an easy solution to this issue. There are four different legal documents that apply to contracted work: 4. Unconditional Release Upon Final Payment

The only “condition” of a Conditional Release is that the release is valid only if the money specified on the release is paid to the contractor. In other words, if you are 50% complete with a $10,000 job, you can safely sign a Conditional Release Upon Progress Payment for $5,000. If you aren’t paid the $5,000, the release is not valid and you have not given up any of your lien rights to this money.

On the other hand, if you sign and Unconditional Release, you have just given up your rights to whatever amount of money that was on the Unconditional Release from. So the rule is, don’t sigh an Unconditional Release from until the money you are releasing is in your bank account. I’m not talking about a check in your hand, either. I’m saying that you should never sign an unconditional release until that check has cleared and the funds are literally in your bank account.

Some or my company’s corporate clients always ask for a release before they will pay an invoice. No problem, we just send them a Conditional Release Upon Progress Payment or a Conditional Release Upon Final Payment. Later, after their check has cleared into our bank account, we will (if they ask) follow up with an Unconditional Release.

By the way, Conditional Release forms protect both the client and the contractor. If a client gets a Conditional Release form a contractor, they know that they are protected from getting a lien from that contractor, but only if they actually pay the contractor the money specified on the lien.

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Have you ever walked outside the house where your electric meter is mounted and heard a strange whirring noise? Was it the sound of the little hands on your frantically spinning around and around? If so, you were probably instantly alarmed. Every turn on that meter is costing you money. Your electric bill is going up right before your very eyes. How can you stop the wheels from spinning quite so fast? An electrician in Los Angeles is going to tell you how. At The Electric Connection we understand that every dollar counts and if you can keep a few more in your pocket things will be much better for you.

The following items are some of the biggest energy hogs in your home that are causing that meter to spin like crazy. Some you can control and others are just a part of life explains a Los Angeles electrician.

1-The refrigerator is costing you money. If you have invested in an energy efficient refrigerator, you are ahead of the game, but even those use a lot of electricity. The key is to make it use less by making sure the filter on the bottom and behind the refrigerator is clean.

2-A hot water heater is also going to cost you. You can limit how often it runs by shortening your hot showers and only washing full loads of dishes. Using the cold or warm setting on the washer is another way to cut back on hot water usage.

3-The air conditioning unit is probably one of the biggest culprits causing your meter to spin explains an electrician. Los Angeles residents definitely need to stay cool in the summer, but keeping the thermostat turned down too low isn’t really necessary. You can save some money on your electric bill by having a ceiling fan installed. The fan will circulate the cool air and create a slight breeze that makes you feel cooler.

Give The Electric Connection a call if you have any questions or would like to have a ceiling fan installed in your home.

Water heaters are one of the greatest inventions we have in the modern home. There is nothing like a nice warm shower or bath. But to improve this invention even more, you can switch to an electric water heater. Electricity is much safer than traditional gas water heaters. It also offers a longer life and greater efficiency.

Whenever you are removing gas from your home you are always making it safer. With a natural gas or propane water heater you have a chance of explosion or fire. Either of these situations can leave you with significant damage to your home.

Electrical water heaters last longer than gas water heaters. This is because electrical water heaters have less parts, meaning they do not need to be replaced as often and do not come into contact with direct heat as much as gas water heaters do. Having your water heater last 4 years longer is a great benefit for anyone’s wallet.

When it comes to electrical, it usually means it is more efficient. While the cost of running an electrical heater may be the same as a gas water heater, the costs are recovered over the life of the heater because of the lower repair and installation costs as well the longer life span. Electrical water heaters also have an energy factor of 0.95. This means that there is less energy wasted when heating your water, making it much better for the environment. And, because it is electric you can put it on a timer and stop it from running when it is not needed.

If your water heater at home is reaching the end of its life span, start thinking about going electric. With the help of a licensed plumber you can purchase and install the right electric water heater and the piping to the heater. Then one of our Expert Electricians can take care of all the necessary wiring. Since the heater is electrical there is no need for an exhaust vent being drilled through your home! Contact your local Expert Electrician and he will help you realize the full benefits of electrical water heaters.

Most problems with the electrical wiring in a house take a professional to handle. A certified Electrician (electrical contractor) needs to be consulted, so the problem is repaired correctly and to local codes. The city, county, and/or state where you live set the codes to make sure your house is safe to live in without electrical fires or other serious issues happening. Below are five simple tips to how to pick the right professional for the job.

If you’d like to speak more with a team member at Bryant Electric Service about having electrical work done, call our offices at: 512-402-8587.