Where is an experienced, licensed 24-hour electrician in Los Angeles when you really need one? This is a question some people may ask when they have an electrical emergency on their hands after hours. One reason why you may need a 24-hour service is when you’re having problems with your electric service panel.

The electric service panel

In every home, a metal box is situated in some unobtrusive area to distribute power throughout the home. Inside this box are circuit breakers or fuses which prevent the wiring from becoming overloaded. Most homes have circuit breakers but some of the older homes still have fuses. The metal box is called the electric service panel, fuse box or circuit breaker box.

In the event of an emergency, such as a roof leaking, the main electrical breaker must be shut off. Every resident of the home should know where this breaker is located and how to shut it off.

Circuit breakers and fuses

If someone uses appliances that require too much power for your wiring to handle, the circuit breaker trips and cuts the power to the wires. This may prevent electronics and other appliances from damage.

The service panel usually contains two types of circuit breaker poles. The single poles are 120 volts and are meant for standard lights and outlets. The double poles are 240 volts and are meant for the heavy users, such as the HVAC and water heater.

When the circuit breaker trips, you can reset the lever to the ON position. With a fuse, the metal filament inside the fuse burns through and you have to replace it with a new one.

A short circuit is a more serious reason for a breaker tripping. It may be due to a wiring problem with an appliance plugged into an outlet along the circuit. A ground fault is another reason why a circuit breaker trips.

If you’re having problems and you don’t know what to do, a certified electrician in Los Angeles will make sure you’re never left in the dark.

Changing electrical needs with a 24-Hour electrician in Los Angeles

Electrical needs within homes have changed as technology improves and homeowners become more tech-savvy. Over time you may find that your family needs outstrip the capacity of your current breaker box capacity.

If you find that your circuit breakers are tripping frequently, you need to find out why to avoid it happening again. In rare cases, the breaker may be damaged and need replacing. Repeated tripping could be a sign that you’re making too many demands on the circuit. It could indicate that your home has too few circuits and that you are in need of a service upgrade.

If you live in the Los Angeles area and you need immediate electrical assistance, you are able to get help 24 hours a day from an expert who will be able to fix the problem quickly and efficiently. Hoffer Electrical has been working within the greater Los Angeles area for over 40 years. Call us at (323) 922-5205 or (818) 999-4190 and we’ll assist you with any electrical emergency.