General Electrical

Spring is right around the corner. Time to take a broom to the dirt and the dated – and, while you’re at it, don’t forget to make a clean sweep of your ...

In honor of the first day of spring, Mister Sparky is pleased to present the Authority Brands Spring Cleaning Guide. We recognize now, more than ever, "cleaning ...

Mister Sparky loves St. Patrick’s Day but despises marlarky ! A mess of wires, light switches that don’t work, faulty outlets –that’s nonsense or, what we call, ...

Water, water, everywhere…please don’t touch a thing! Although there is no official “flood season” in the U.S., most flooding occurs in the early spring and ...

Beware of Crafty Cords! For electrical cords, tangled and trampled is no way to go. As consumers, we take for granted that most cables and cords are safe. And ...

Find yourself in the dark? Check out these important electrical Safety Tips from Mister Sparky!

Flowers and candy…the staples of romance. This year, why not “light” up your love life? Forget the grocery store florist, try something different – and more ...

On February 11, 1847, the modern world was blessed with one of our favorite inventors and New Jerseyans (sort of): Thomas Alva Edison. Known as one of the three ...

In honor of Black History Month, Mister Sparky celebrates African American inventor Lewis Howard Latimer, a major (but lesser known) influence on electricity as ...

The best teams, your favorite players, the biggest game of the year – sparks are bound to fly! But, hopefully – the right sparks! With approximately 100 million ...

What do you do when the whole world switches off? The Northeast Blackout of 65’ lasted almost 13 hours and affected Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, ...

No doubt, you received some great gifts during the holiday season – you may have also received some gift items that you already have? Another toaster? A new ...

Whether 10-below temperatures have you fighting off the flu or the office AC has got you shivering in your ergonomic chair, electric space heaters are an easy ...

Maybe you scored a new gadget or two on Black Friday, or maybe you’ll have some handy devices in your stocking over the holidays. But no matter how you acquire ...

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is good advice… sometimes. And when it comes to your home’s electrical system, you can leave well enough alone more often than ...

When you have an electrical problem in your home, you can’t go wrong by calling a licensed electrician. But if you’re thinking about taking more of a DIY ...

What should I do when my lights go out? Patience is a virtue – utility companies generally know when outages occur and promptly begin the restoration process. ...

Suspect There Are Ants or Other Bugs in Your Electrical Outlets? It may seem like a scene out of a horror movie, but it’s not uncommon: bugs crawling out of an ...

Dealing with a Low Electrical Humming Noise Buzzing Around the House? If you’ve ever experienced an electrical humming noise somewhere in your home, you know ...

You’ve probably seen it plenty of times -- a small blue spark when you plug in an appliance. Most of the time, this is a normal and harmless event. But it’s ...

When one of your appliances starts showing signs of disrepair, you might think the trouble is confined to that appliance only. But that’s not necessarily true ...

Do Light Bulbs Keep Blowing Out at Home? Here’s What It May Mean. More and more homeowners are making the switch to LED light bulbs as prices continue to drop. ...

Are you worried about potential trespassing or break-ins at your home? It may be cheaper and easier than you think to add layers of protection and deterrence ...

The flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana has damaged hundreds of thousands of homes, and the recovery ahead will continue for months. ...

Many modern vehicles are designed to deliver the comforts of home -- entertainment systems, heated seats, charging ports and more -- but even the most ...

Light switches are easy to take for granted. Most will last for decades, and other than an occasional cleaning, they’re essentially maintenance-free. But time ...

The first day of summer is nearly here, and the calendar is already dotted with stormy days from all over North America. The next lightning storm that passes ...

What’s better than free? With the right gadgets and devices, you can do more under the hot summer sun without spending a dime on batteries or utilities. As much ...

Electronic devices like your television, computers and smartphones are probably among the most expensive and heavily-used items in your home. So to maximize the ...

If you have valuables in your home, you may have considered investing in a safe. But while a safe can keep precious possessions locked uptight, it can also draw ...

The beauty of having electrical outlets all over your home is that you can power what you need where you need it. But while homebuilders are pretty good at ...

Among the more obvious pieces of electrical safety advice you may have encountered is to never saw the third prong off of an electrical plug in order to fit it ...

In this high-tech age, our gadgets can be essential lifelines. Smartphones, tablets, laptops and other devices are what help us connect with colleagues, avoid ...

Since electrical work isn’t for amateurs, many homeowners don’t know much about the electrical systems in their homes. With all the wiring hidden behind the ...

What You Should Do About Electrical Outlets That Feel Warm or Even Hot We're all accustomed to modern conveniences. Most homes are packed with all manner of ...

Snow and ice are major concerns for homeowners throughout much of North America, and that usually means pulling out the snow shovel a few times each winter. ...

You’ve probably heard that it’s important to unplug your cell phone charger when your phone isn’t connected, because the charger will continue to drain power. ...

Welcoming a new baby into your home means lots of joy and lots of work. There’s more to preparing your home than decorating the nursery, especially when it ...

Have you ever tripped a circuit breaker? If you have, you probably made your way to your home’s main electrical panel to restore power to the circuit. You may ...

Did you know that your clothes dryer is one of the biggest energy hogs in the typical home? According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR ...

Are you harboring unwanted guests in your home? Rats, mice, squirrels and even raccoons are notorious for taking up residence in people's homes without asking. ...

Water and electricity make a dangerous combination. That's especially true in your bathroom, where you use water from the sink and shower to clean yourself, but ...

What if everything you knew about your home electrical work got turned on its head in the not-too-distant future? That could be reality, not science fiction, ...

When it comes to residential electrical work, most people just call up an electrician without a second thought. And for good reason – working with electricity ...

Ever wonder why the plugs for our electrical devices are shaped the way they are? In North America, nearly every piece of electrical work relies on the standard ...

If you live in an older home, you might find that your electrical work can’t deliver all the power you need for your modern equipment and devices. Newer homes ...

It's a problem that many a DIY electrician has run into a time or two: You want to move an outlet or add a new light to a room, but the wires on your current ...

Electric blankets can provide some much needed warmth and comfort during the long winter months. Nothing beats a personal heat source on your bed, staving off ...

There are plenty of reasons to install new indoor light fixtures in your home. Perhaps you want to update your interior aesthetic, or save energy by upgrading ...

Most homes today have the capacity to handle 220 volts in their electrical systems. Modern dryers, stoves, hot water heaters and other appliances all use the ...

There's nothing more important than protecting your home and its contents – including, of course, your family. That's why it's crucial to take steps to guard ...

Have you ever dreamed of generating your own electricity, right in your backyard? That dream could become reality with a residential wind turbine. Wind turbines ...

Have you ever received a nasty shock when your electric bill arrived? Maybe the amount you owed skyrocketed when you turned on the air conditioning for the ...

One of the biggest hazards of your home electrical system is the possibility of an electric shock. Whether there is an accident during an electrician’s work or ...

Tired of a spotty wireless network impeding your home Internet use? Walls, ceilings and distance all conspire to degrade the strength of wireless signals, which ...

Energy deregulation gives consumers choices when it comes to the companies that provide their home electricity. Suppliers can compete for your electricity ...

Location, location, location. Many factors in your quality of life are affected by where you choose to live, including your energy costs. Wallet Hub recently ...

You can't see the electrical wiring in your home, but it’s integral to your day-to-day life. The electrical work behind your walls is responsible for lighting ...

Revamping your home's electrical work can be a big headache. You need to find a qualified electrician and write what could be a hefty check for work that might ...

Nothing is more important than your family's safety. That's why you need to make every effort to identify and eliminate fire risks in and around your home, ...

Are you still using incandescent light bulbs? Your electrician would recommend a different course. Efficient lighting technology has blown up in the last few ...

Instructions for Installing a 220 Outlet to Plug in Your Electric Stove When it comes to electricity usage, an electric stove is a powerhouse. Consequently, you ...

When you're in the market for a new house, every little detail counts. If you overlook an important flaw, you could be in for major repair or overhaul bills in ...