Diamond Certified Company Report

California Power and Light

Name: California Power and Light
Address: US
Telephone: (408) 624-8712
Rating: 9.6

(408) 624-8712

Contact

Diamond Certified Company Report

California Power and Light

(408) 624-8712

Contact

Diamond certified ratings dashboard

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION i

Customer LOYALTY i

Helpful Expertise i

Company Credentials i

Workers Compensation
Liability Insurance
License Verification
Business Practices
Current Complaint File
Legal & Finance

Phone SURVEY RESPONSES FROM 113 VERIFIED CUSTOMERS i

Jennifer H.

VERIFIED California Power and Light CUSTOMER

1 of 113

Quality 10

10 10

Loyalty Yes

CRITIQUE

I've referred them many times. Henry knows exactly what he's doing, his team is very good, and I trust them to do whatever I need done.

They get it right the first time and they don't overcharge. I text Henry and things just get done. All I have to do is just pay the bill.

Jeromy H.

VERIFIED California Power and Light CUSTOMER

2 of 113

Quality 10

10 10

Loyalty Yes

CRITIQUE

They do a great job, and they are great people to work with as well.

I felt they were very knowledgeable and nice people. They answered all my questions. They worked with my schedule. They made it a very hassle free and easy experience.

John V.

VERIFIED California Power and Light CUSTOMER

3 of 113

Quality 10

10 10

Loyalty Yes

CRITIQUE

I'd tell people to use them. I used them because they are Diamond Certified.

He told me what I needed. He did what he said he was going to do, he did it when he said he was going to do it, and charged me what he said he was going to charge me.

Read All 113 Survey Responses at Ratings View

Diamond certified VIDEO PROFILE

Diamond certified company PROFILE

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.”

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Diamond Certified Companies are Rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise.

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DIAMOND CERTIFIED RESEARCHED CAPABILITIES ON California Power and Light

COMPANY CONTACT

California Power and Light

(408) 624-8712

EMAIL
Map Hours Website OPEN NOW

Service AREA

Santa Clara County

SERVICES PERFORMED

Recessed & Track Lighting
Fixture Replacement & Repair
Panel Changes & Upgrades
Outlets, Switches & Dimmers
Paddle Fans
New Dedicated Circuits
Home Inspections & Repairs
Appliance Circuits
Emergency Troubleshooting

BRANDS Supported

Square D

Company Name:	California Power and Light
Website:	www.cplelectric.com
Phone Number:	(408) 624-8712
DCID Number:	DCID4084065832
Hours:	Available 24/7
Areas Served:	Serving all of Santa Clara County including San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Milpitas, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Gilroy and Campbell
Managers:	Henry Acosta, Owner
Years in industry:	23 (Manager)
License:	720684
Insurance:	Liability Insurance, Workers' Compensation
Founded:	1996
Areas of Expertise:	Recessed & Track Lighting, Fixture Replacement & Repair, Panel Changes & Upgrades, Outlets, Switches & Dimmers, Paddle Fans, New Dedicated Circuits, Home Inspections & Repairs, Appliance Circuits, Emergency Troubleshooting
Key Brands:	Square D
Customer Type:	Commercial, Industrial, Residential
Warranties & Guarantees:	1-Year Warranty on Labor and Materials
CC Accepted:

DIAMOND CERTIFIED RESEARCHED ARTICLES ON California Power and Light

California Power and Light sends a well-stocked work vehicle to each jobsite.

Company Profile

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Company Philosophy

“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.”

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Comparative Summary

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.”

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Industry Info

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How soon can you start my electrical project?

A: We offer emergency services, so we can often be at your house within the hour. For non-emergency electrical work, we offer many scheduling options to best accommodate your weekly routine.

Q: How long will the work take to complete?

A: That depends on the extent of the job. Once we determine how much work we need to do, we’ll give you a specific time estimate.

Q: Who will actually work on my project?

A: Our owner, Henry Acosta, likes doing a lot of the work himself, so he’s on the jobsite most of the time and closely involved with every project.

Q: Will you pull all the necessary permits?

A: Yes, we can do that for you. Some people like to pull their own permits, so we offer that option as well.

Q: How do I know if I need a panel upgrade?

A: One of the biggest telltale signs is if your lights flicker when you turn on an electrical appliance. Another is if your breaker constantly shorts out. Essentially, if there isn’t enough power to support your electrical system, you need an upgrade. We can upgrade your fuses and breaker to increase your power capacity.

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SELECTED PHOTOS FROM California Power and Light

California Power and Light
California Power and Light
California Power and Light sends a well-stocked work vehicle to each jobsite.
California Power and Light’s technicians provide personalized service.
A California Power and Light technician replaces a customer’s electrical panel.
California Power and Light

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DIAMOND CERTIFIED EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR ADVICE & TIPS FROM Henry Acosta

Expert CONTRIBUTOR PROFILE

Henry Acosta is a 23-year veteran of the electrical industry and owner of California Power and Light, a Diamond Certified company since 2012. He can be reached at (408) 624-8712 or by email.

Henry Acosta: A Powerful Achievement

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SAN MARTIN — Unlike many young people, Henry Acosta didn’t have the luxury of gradually deciding on a career. Fortunately, he’s still enjoying the one he ended up with. “When I was 17, I had to go to work to support my mom and brother,” he remembers. “I was looking for any work I could find and came across an electrical company that had an opening. Over time, I worked my way up through the ranks, and at age 22, I got my license and started my own business.”

Today, as owner of California Power and Light, Henry says his favorite part of his job is seeing the results of his work. “I love the process of starting from scratch and watching the final product develop. At the end of the job, it’s very satisfying to see the transformation that has taken place with everything wired up and functional.”

Originally from Miami, Florida, Henry came to the West Coast at the age of 21, where he re-established himself in the Bay Area. Today, as a resident of Morgan Hill, he expresses his appreciation for life and work in the Silicon Valley. “I love the weather and scenery here; in Miami, you don’t see many hills or mountains. Also, as an electrician, it’s neat to be living and working in the technology capital of the world.”

Outside of work, Henry engages in a variety of active pastimes. “I play in a local basketball league, and I like to play golf whenever I get a chance,” he says. “In addition to playing, I enjoy following professional basketball and golf.” Henry also likes pursuing outdoor activities with his wife, Linda, and their three children, Sidney, Amalia, and Enrique. “We’re a pretty outdoorsy family, so we enjoy things like camping, hiking and boating.”

In his life and career, Henry espouses the importance of providing options for clients. “I think it’s crucial to be upfront and honest with customers about their situations and give them options,” he explains. “Some electricians will come out and tell you that your whole house needs to be rewired, when in reality, there may be other, more affordable ways to resolve the problem. While safety is the first priority, I feel it’s also important to provide customers with economical options when they’re available.”

When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Henry says he’d take some time to recharge his batteries. “I’d probably take my family on a long vacation and just relax. Of course, assuming I had the extra time, I’d also start playing golf more often.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: What’s your favorite sports team?
A: The Golden State Warriors.

Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Ladera Grill in Morgan Hill.

Q: Reality TV or documentaries?
A: Documentaries.

Q: What’s your favorite snack?
A: Chocolate-covered almonds.

Q: Do you collect anything?
A: Chess pieces. I have pieces from all over the world, including Russia, England, Greece, Mexico and Vietnam.

Expert articles

Electrical Panels That Threaten Safety

by Henry Acosta, a Diamond Certified Expert Contributor

SAN MARTIN — If you live in an older home, some architectural or mechanical aspects of it are likely from a different era. However, one aspect of your home that should never be outdated is your electrical panel, as it can affect both system performance and safety.

While any outdated electrical panel can be problematic (most are inadequate to provide for modern power needs), there are three names in particular you don’t want to see on yours: Zinsco, Federal Pacific and Challenger. While each of these brands is from a different time period, all three have lost their UL listings and are known to represent fire safety hazards. One common issue with these panels is that the breakers can fail to detect short or overloaded circuits, which leaves wires susceptible to overheating.

Due to the dangers posed by a malfunctioning electrical panel, it’s crucial to know what’s in your breaker box. Take a look inside, or better yet, have a professional electrician perform a safety inspection. If it turns out you have one of the aforementioned panels, plan to have it upgraded to a modern, UL-listed product that will ensure safety in your home.
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Expert video tip

Video: Electrical Panel Safety

with Henry Acosta of
California Power and Light

Complete Video Transcription

SAN MARTIN — Host, Sarah Rutan: If you live in an older home, your electric panel is probably outdated. Worse still, it may represent a safety hazard. Today we’re in San Martin with Diamond Certified Expert Contributor Henry Acosta of California Power and Light to learn more.

Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, Henry Acosta: So, we recommend if your home was built before the 80s, before the 70s – . So, if you have a home 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, a lot of times the panels that were installed in these times were Zinscos, Federal Pacific. And then the newer ones in the 70s, 80s were Challenger. These particular panels are definitely something to be concerned about. You should have a technician look at them. If you do have any of these panels, we recommend to upgrade them.

The reason being is some of these panels, the breakers don’t detect when you’re having an issue in your home. When you’re wiring, let’s say, an overload or a short circuit. If these breakers don’t detect a problem, what can happen is your wires can overheat and that can lead to a fire. So, we definitely recommend if you have an older home, or sometimes even a newer home, if you smell any burning, or if you continuously trip a breaker, we recommend for you to have us come out and take a look at it, evaluate the panel.

And if you have one of these panels, we’re definitely going to recommend for you to upgrade. When we upgrade, we use Square D. That’s usually the best brand out there. And these Square D brands will detect your problems and could definitely be helpful to not having a fire in your house.

Host, Sarah Rutan: To learn more from local top rated companies, visit our Diamond Certified Expert Reports at experts.diamondcertified.info.
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California Power and Light WEBSITE AND EXTERNAL FEED

COMPANY WEBSITE

www.cplelectric.com

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