An electrical panel upgrade is an excellent project that can improve the safety and functionality of your home. We'll cover the signs you may need to upgrade the electrical panel, the benefits of doing so, & what you can expect during the upgrade process.  Whether you're a homeowner, a homebuyer, or a real estate professional, this post will provide valuable information on your home's electrical panel upgrade. Electric Panel Upgrade Does Upgrading Your Electrical Panel Increase House Value? Should I...

We're now in the early days of winter, and the cold weather becomes more noticeable with each passing day. Colder weather means it's time to crank up the heat and keep your living space cozy, but that also means a dreadfully high electric bill. How to save on your electric bills in winter? Winterize your home! We've collected 16 ways to winterize your home and how to save on electric bill in winter! Follow our checklist below. 16 Tips to...

The Better Business Bureau recognizes Mister Sparky Electrician Houston as the recipient of the 2022 Better Business Bureau Awards for Excellence: Winner of Distinction. The Better Business Bureau recognizes non-profits and businesses for their achievements and continued commitment to providing a quality workplace. Mister Sparky Electrician Houston is proud to be one of the 264 companies recognized at the November 2022 BBB Awards for Excellence. Mister Sparky Electrician Houston received the Award for Excellence for the second year in a...

Do you own an electric vehicle? And, if you do, are you always searching for someplace to charge it? Well, with a home EV charger installation, you'd never lack car power again. With that in mind, let's consider nine common questions about EV chargers and the EV charger installation process.  Contents What Are EV Chargers? What Wiring Is Needed for EV Chargers? Can a Normal Electrician Handle an EV Charging Station Installation? Do I Need an Electrician for an EV...

Moving into a new home or apartment can be an exhausting process. Moving can take a lot out of you and your wallet. One of the simplest ways to save money is via your electric bill. Lighting is a huge part of your energy usage. Different types of lighting use various amounts of energy. The energy usage is notably different for incandescent vs LED lights. If you're moving into an older home or apartment, it may be full of traditional...

National Fire Prevention Week 2022 is the week of October 9-15! Since 1922, the National Fire Prevention Agency has celebrated this special week.  For the one-hundredth anniversary of National Fire Prevention Week, the 2022 NFPA slogan is, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape,” to remind you about the simple but important things you can do to keep yourself and those around you safe in the event of a home fire.  A home escape plan is perhaps the best fire safety...

Knowing if it is time for an electrical panel replacement is not as easy as it seems, but there can be a few indicators that it might be time to check it out. But first, let's cover the basics of electrical panels. An electrical panel, also known as a circuit breaker box or an electrical box, is a metal box that contains your home's circuit breaker switches. The switches can turn off or "trip" when a power surge is detected,...

Ground fault circuit interrupters, or GFCIs, can cut power to the entire outlet in certain circumstances. They are most often in locations like hallways, bedrooms, and kitchens. GFCIs monitor the level of electricity traveling through a circuit. If too much power comes through, the GFCI shuts the circuit off. They are designed to respond to quick, high-voltage surges. Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters, inversely, respond to sustained, low-voltage surges.  GFCIs are often placed in kitchens and bathrooms. These are places with...

A circuit breaker box panel is a box that holds all of your home's electrical breaker switches.  You know, that magical plot device that heroes in movies need to get to escape trouble or break into an impenetrable fortress?  From Samuel L. Jackson's famous "Hold onto your Butts" line in Jurassic Park to cutting power in Vegas in Ocean's Eleven, it seems the circuit breaker panel is an all-powerful tool to fix whatever problem you have. In terms of everyday...

Outdoor house lights are a great way to make your home more aesthetically pleasing. You can use outdoor house lights to illuminate walkways. You could also use them in your backyard for events or make them motion-detectable for safety purposes. Outdoor house lights come in many unique styles. From string lights to motion detection to wide-range lamps and ground-level path lights, you can find a set of outdoor house lights for any situation. But is it good to leave outdoor...