Things you can do as a home owner 

When buying a house the most important things to look for are the wires that are exposed and what type of panel you have. You want to avoid these panel brands: Challenger, Pushmatic, Federal Pacific, Zinsco, and any that have rust or are making weird noises.

Knob and Tube is a old style of wiring that should be addressed immediately. This type of wiring came about around the 1880's, and was discounted around 1940. It stands out with its cloth coated wires and its porcelain tubes to help insulate them from wooden framing members. We recommend having this removed as soon as possible.

Once the power goes out your first response is to get the generator going to keep the house going. If you have a portable generator we recommend not to put it in the garage when running due to carbon monoxide poisoning. We suggest putting it a safe distance away from the house.

here are the best ways to prepare for your electrician: Have three feet of clearance to your electrical panel, clear any trash or debris that may hinder the inspection process, and ask as many questions as you can during the inspection process so you don't have any surprises. 

Your electrician should arrive on a timely manner. They should have clean clothes, be knowledgeable in the field, and be able to answer any questions you may have or have the resources to find that answer.  

In today's day and age we totally understand putting off electrical problems but we don't recommend that. At Big Guy Electric we can provide ways to fix these problems and can recommend a regular maintenance schedule so those problems will not reoccur.