Angie's list Guide to
Electricity and the home

Learn how electricity comes to your home and how to troubleshoot common electrical problems.

Top Topics

homeowner tips Electrical quick tips
Many appliances and electrical outlets have their own circuit breakers that you may not realize are there.

Read more about circuit breakers

The 1950s saw an explosion of new home products powered by electricity.

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Household electricity

power lines

The national electric grid

From the power plant, electricity is carried though high-voltage power lines, substations, transformers and neighborhood utility poles.

Powering your home

Understanding the physical connections to your home and how the live wires connect to your breaker box.

The electric meter

How electric meters record power usage.
 

How to hire a good electrician

overloaded fuse box

The first electricians

In the era of Thomas Edison a new profession was born as electricity was first brought to homes across the U.S. and Europe.

Today's electricians

Depending on their level of training, electricians are able to work on increasingly complex and dangerous tasks.

How to hire an electrician

Tips on what to ask when hiring a new electrician, especially for a planned project for which you have time to prepare.
 

Fuses, circuit breakers and safety

overloaded fuse box

How circuit breakers work

The most important electrical safety feature in your home may sometimes annoy you because it shuts off power instantly.

GFCI outlets

Electrical outlets in kitchens and bathrooms often have built-in circuit breakers designed to disable those outlets if they get wet.

Hidden power interrupters

In addition to the main breaker panel and marked GFCI outlets, there can be other household safety cut-off features that can be difficult to track down.
 

Common electrical problems

overloaded electrical socket

Electrical safety tips

Regardless of built-in safety features, electricity is still dangerous. Know the dos and don'ts of electrical safety.

Troubleshooting electrical problems

Symptoms and possible causes of common electrical problems. .

Electrical inspector's checklist

What does an electrical inspector look for when examining a house for a prospective home-buyer?.
 

Solar and backup alternatives

solar panels

How solar panels work

An explanation of how solar panels convert sunlight to electricity.

Installation

How and where solar panels can be installed to be most effective.

On or off the grid

In most cases, a solar house should still be connected to the grid, both as a backup source of power and to sell power back to the electric company.