California Power and Light is a full-service electrical contracting firm that serves residential, commercial and industrial clients throughout Santa Clara County. The family-owned and operated company handles electrical projects of every size, from smaller jobs like fixture replacements, telephone wiring and general troubleshooting to larger jobs like lighting retrofits, exterior and interior landscape lighting installations, and tenant improvements.
Owner Henry Acosta says his favorite part of the electrical contracting business is seeing the positive reactions of clients after their lighting issues are successfully resolved. “A lot of people take electricity for granted, so when the lights go out, it can be a really inconvenient experience. Our customers always tell us how grateful they are for our hands-on expertise.”
California Power and Light is known for its comprehensive diagnostic capabilities, which allow its technicians to determine each customer’s exact electrical problem before any work begins, thus reducing the amount of time and money spent on their project. “We also use our diagnostic abilities to present our customers with all the different possibilities that can result from a certain type of electrical service,” adds Mr. Acosta. “Once they know the exact option they want, they feel more confident in the entire process.”
“Our main goal is to always please our customers with our work, and we accomplish that by listening closely to their concerns and educating them about their options. Our experienced project managers, estimators and technicians have the expertise to ensure every electrical project is completed on time, on budget and up to code.”
Knowing how to identify and react to electrical emergencies can keep you and your family safe.
Power outages, malfunctioning appliances and other electrical problems can easily escalate into emergencies, but calling an electrician for an emergency visit can be expensive, so it’s important to make sure you don’t overreact in certain situations. If you believe your home is experiencing a serious electrical problem, the first thing to do is determine the gravity of the situation. For example, if the electricity in your house goes out but you and your family are safe, don’t consider it an emergency. Instead, follow these steps:
• Reset your circuit breakers to verify the problem isn’t in your home’s electrical system. If your house appears to be the only one on the block that lacks power, check for and reset any tripped circuit breakers. If the breaker immediately trips again, call an electrician right away—this can be a sign of a larger and potentially dangerous problem.
• Turn off all light switches and major appliances (computers, televisions, air conditioning units, heaters, dishwashers, washing machines). In addition to protecting appliances from damage caused by power fluctuations and surges, this will help keep your circuits from overloading when the power comes back.
• Keep your refrigerator door closed to maintain its interior temperature and keep food from spoiling. Frozen food can stay frozen for up to 48 hours if the door is closed, and refrigerated food will stay cold for 24 to 48 hours.
• Once the power returns, wait a few minutes and then turn on lights and appliances one at a time.
What’s considered an emergency?
Downed power lines, electrical fires, sparking appliances and the smell of smoke or gas should be considered an emergency. In these cases, avoid the power source and call 911, the fire department or an emergency electrician from a safe location.
Appliances and outlets
• If you find a household appliance that’s smoking or sparking, unplug it by its cord. Don’t use the appliance or its electrical outlet again until you have a professional electrician determine the specific problem. If an appliance catches fire, get out of the house and call the fire department. Never use water on an electrical fire—only use a dry chemical fire extinguisher or baking soda.
• If you notice a wall outlet is hot or you see smoke coming from your circuit breaker, immediately leave your home and call an emergency electrician. This can be a sign of an electrical fire and pose a dangerous situation if you become trapped in the house.
Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it's even more important for electrical contractors that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For California Power and Light, the key to achieving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is simple: always listen closely to its clients' concerns and make every effort to please them throughout each step of their projects. "We take a lot of pride in our work, and we want our customers to feel the same way," says owner Henry Acosta. "They always tell us how grateful they are for our hands-on expertise."
California Power and Light has been providing complete electrical contracting services for residential, commercial and industrial clients throughout Santa Clara County since 1996. The family-owned and operated company handles projects of every size, from smaller jobs like telephone wiring, fixture replacements and general troubleshooting to larger jobs like lighting retrofits, tenant improvements, and exterior and interior landscape lighting installations.
Unlike less experienced electrical contractors that take a "one size fits all" approach to every job, California Power and Light lets each client decide the best path for their particular project. "After we diagnose a customer's electrical problem, we'll present all their options and let them make the final choice," explains Mr. Acosta. "We like our clients to feel confident that their work is being done to their exact specifications. That way, they never feel left out of decisions or wish things had been done differently."
Another distinguishing characteristic of California Power and Light is its steadfast dedication to honesty throughout every aspect of its work. "Our customers are often surprised that we don't recommend replacing items that other electricians told them to replace," shares Mr. Acosta. "If we bid a job and notice some of the original wiring or parts can still be used without impacting the quality of the work, we'll tell the client so they can save some money. Our honesty definitely sets us apart from a lot of electrical contractors."
