It's a fish...It's tape...No, it's a fish tape! Find out why this is one of those essential tools an electrician cannot be without.

You plug something into an outlet in your home, maybe many things, and the fuse for that circuit blows. You run down to the electrical panel and change the fuse, convinced it was just a malfunctioning or bad fuse. It surely couldn't be anything else, right?

Well, you probably have answered your own question by now. If the fuse has blown, there is a problem within that circuit. It may be a short or it could just be that the circuit is overloaded. So how do you determine what the problem is and why the fuse has blown?

Photo: Timothy Thiele

As the summer heats up, more and more people head to the nearest swimming pool. It's a refreshing way to cool off and let the kids go a little crazy for a few hours. But along with swimming pools, there are also relaxing and therapeutic ways to be refreshed. That's right, spas and hot tubs! What a wonderful way to refresh those sore and aching muscles.

All of the above are a lot of fun and with proper installations and safety concerns addressed, you'll surely have a fun and safe summer of watery fun! These are some of my top swimming pool, spa, and hot tub tips.

There are electrical safety issues to consider when you are dealing with cracked outlets. Plastic housings that support the inner contact parts of the outlet and form the outlet itself are critical in its proper operation.

Cracked outlet can expose you to electrical connection points that can cause electrical shock. If you have a cracked outlet in your home, it is a good idea to replace it yourself or have a qualified electrician do it for you. Cracked outlets have hidden dangers!