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Basic Electrical and Hiring an Electrician : Household electricity is more clearly understood when it is compared it to household plumbing. Both enter the home through a source, are distributed, perform a function and then exit.

The water supply system pressurizes the water. Similarly, the electrical current that flows through a home's "hot", or black wires is pressurized. Voltage is the pressure of electrical current.

With plumbing there are various sizes of pipes. There are larger supply pipes that carry a greater amount of water and smaller pipes that carry a lesser volume of water. The wires that carry electrical current have varying capacities. The capacity, or rate at which power flows through the wires, is measured in amps and is called amperage.

Water is dispensed through taps and faucets. Electricity, on the other hand, is made available through outlets, fixtures and switches.

Water then leaves through the home's drainage system. At this point the water is no longer pressurized. Comparatively, electricity runs in a continuous loop or circuit. It returns along white (neutral) wiring. The wires are no longer under pressure and thus have no voltage.

When it comes to electricity a circuit is a continuous loop of current that runs along cables and wires. Each circuit originates in the home's service panel.

One circuit can provide power for a number of fixtures, switches, plugs or appliances. That is why when a circuit breaker flips an entire room or area of the home is without power.