When you own a home, it’s easy for household expenses to spiral out of control. Every year, the average homeowner is in the unenviable position of spending thousands of dollars on owning and maintaining a home- and that’s just when everything is going well! If an emergency hits, many homeowners have to make sacrifices they can ill afford just to keep the home up and running. The best strategy to avoid disaster is to work on cutting down the everyday household expenses associated with owning a home.

So where does the money really go? On average, American homeowners spend about 34 percent of their income on home expenses. Paying for the house itself, of course, is the largest chunk of that expenditure, but does it surprise you to know that utilities make up the next largest amount? Most Americans spend about seven percent of their income on utilities; that’s more than what they spend on entertainment, clothing for the family and even health care! Obviously, that’s an area where it makes sense to find ways to scale back. If you live in Texas, it’s even more important than it is for people in other states as Texas electricity rates are 30 percent higher than rates elsewhere.

To save money on electricity, you need to understand it. Electric companies measure energy usage in kWh, which is a measurement of the hours you spend using 1000 watts. By lowering your kWh, you will, of course, lower your electricity cost, but where do all those kilowatt-hours go? Appliances can be huge energy hogs but so can game systems, televisions and computers. Older homes are often ill-equipped to handle the energy demands of a modern lifestyle, and this can be not only costly but dangerous, as faulty electrical systems can lead to house fires. Modernizing your home can save on more than just household expenses- it might also save your life.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to save on energy (and its associated costs). If your home is more than 20 years old, get your electrical system checked out by a professional to determine if you need any upgrades. Buy ENERGY STAR compliant appliances whenever possible, and turn off anything you’re not using, from lights and appliances to your Xbox 360.

Are you ready to lower your household expenses? It helps to find a company such as ElectricMan, committed to providing low-cost electrical services without sacrificing high-quality service. A family owned business, we offer quality electrical services, and we only employ professional, licensed, certified electricians. And we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whether it’s a general electrical repair or an electrical emergency, ElectricMan has you covered! Visit the ElectricMan website to learn more, or connect with our online community on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google Plus.

There is nothing more important than keeping your family safe, and one of the best ways to provide protection for your Des Moines home is with the addition of security lighting. Adding lights and motion sensors to the exterior of your home will provide greater protection, deter home intruders, and when installed professionally, can even improve the curb appeal of your house.

One of the best places to add additional lighting to your home is along the driveway. Not only will your driveway become a grand entrance to your home, it will eliminate the chances of someone hiding in the shadows. Additionally, placing additional lighting in your backyard has the same effect; the goal is to eliminate dark areas on your property that give crooks a place to hide.

Most homes with porches already have some sort of lighting, but with the addition of motion sensors to entryways, you can increase the level of security provided while minimizing the amount of electricity being used by your home. While it may be excessive to leave the lights running full blast throughout the night, motion sensors will shine a light on anyone attempting to enter your home.

There are plenty of security lighting kits available on the market, but which one is right for you? When you contact Electrical Gurus, we can design and install specialty lighting for your home that will increase the security and accentuate the look of your house.

LED Lighting Kit. This complete LED strip lighting kit is designed to permanently install on canopy tents, sun shelters, instant canopies, pop-up shelters, or E-Z UP Instant Shelters. A variety of colors are available—including “Bugs-Away” yellow—and the strip lights provide up to 360 lumens of illumination.