Doesn’t it always feel like no matter how well you budget and save, you are always looking in your bank account for just a few extra dollars? Maybe you have already buttoned down your spending and can’t really find any other places in the budget where you can cut back. An electrician in Glendale is here to provide you with some tips that can help lighten the burden of your electric bill. We all know every little bit helps. You can always count on The Electric Connection to answer any questions you may have about energy savings.

1-If you haven’t already done it, get rid of those incandescent light bulbs and replace them with CFLs. You could easily save $15 to $20 a month (possibly more) on lighting costs.

2-Turn down your water heater a couple of degrees. There is really no reason to have scalding hot water coming out of the tap. You can save a few dollars by not making your water heater work overtime heating water to a temperature you will not be able to use it at.

3-Have a ceiling fan installed by an electrician. Glendale homeowners will soon realize the energy savings the fans provide in the winter and the summer.

4-Invest in heavy curtains to block out the heat of the sun in the summer and the cold draft in the winter. This will help cut down on your heating and cooling costs.

5-Skip the drying cycle on the dishwasher and let the dishes air dry or use a towel to dry them by hand.

6-Consider using a clothesline in the summer to dry your laundry. You can also use a drying rack inside the home to cut down on the need for the dryer.

These are just a few things you can do to help reduce your electricity bill. There are plenty of other ways you can save. Give The Electric Connection a call today to learn more.

Living in a small space may be challenging, but we like to take on challenges and make the best of what we have to bring out the beauty in our homes. From a studio apartment in Hoboken to a single-family home with a narrow eat-in kitchen in Palm Beach Gardens, we can help inspire you to make your home exactly what you want.

Maximizing storage and arranging furniture can dramatically enhance the space you have, and learning to use color effectively will also brilliantly expand the dimension of your room. Keep clutter to a minimum, add a few decorative statement pieces, and finish off the room with perfectly placed lighting.

Top Tips for Illuminating and Expanding your Decorative Interiors to Make Every Inch Count

Hang several sets of drapes along a wall to give your small room personality. This can work instead of paint and wallpaper. You will give the illusion that there are windows hidden behind the drapes, rather than just a wall or tiny window. You can also hang the drapes higher than the window sill to create a taller looking room.

Decorating your home and the outdoors is an extremely popular activity starting in about October. October and fall weather tends to be very wet. Putting electric-powered decorations outside can get tricky. Every year, it seems like we try to go a little bigger with our holiday displays. Every year, manufacturers are putting out bigger, cooler and more elaborate decorations for us to add to our collections. If you are one of those people who likes to have the coolest holiday display on the block, you probably rely on electricity to run lights and some of the moving figures placed outside or around the house. That means you need to brush up on your electric safety knowledge and an electrician in Santa Monica is here to help you do just that. You can always count on The Electric Connection to give you accurate information.

One of the most important safety rules to keep in mind is to pay attention to what the decorations and lights are designed for. If they are designated “indoor use only” don’t attempt to put them outside. It could result in the item shorting out and possibly sparking a fire. This applies to extension cords as well explains an electrician. Santa Monica homeowners need to follow the guidelines on the cords. Outdoor extension cords will generally be round and brightly colored.

Do not connect more than three strands of lights together. Read the manufacturer guidelines on each of the boxes to determine if you can put several decorations on the same cord or if they will need separate ones. Avoid connecting more than 2 extension cords together. If you need additional outlets outside, hire a Santa Monica electrician to do so for you. This can make decorating a breeze. Give The Electric Connection a call today if you need additional outlets or have questions about electric safety.

A common lighting technology in the commercial space is metal halide, at least in the past it was. At an ever increasing rate, businesses are actively searching for a more efficient lighting system that will allow them to cut energy consumption and in turn; reduce overhead expenses.

When companies or facility managers start their search, they often search for the wrong answer. Here are some common questions that we are asked:

“How many watts does it take to replace a 1000w metal halide light?”

“How can I replace my metal halide light?”

“Is it even possible to replace my metal halide fixture with another technology?”

This post specifically will be covering the first question, as for the other two: be sure to subscribe to our email list to know when new posts go live, we are always pushing out informational content to answer your questions just like these ones!

So.. How many watts does it take to replace a 1000 watt metal halide fixture?

It’s simple a simple concept, yet not at the same time. In short, it’s impossible to know just from that question alone. The reason for this is simple too: you can’t base your decisions off of watts alone. Instead, you need to be basing your decisions off of lumens.

What is a LED equivalent to a 1000w metal halide you can easily find fixtures that output at over 100+ lumens / watt. Especially when you go with quality products from reputable companies, you can reach higher than a 150 l/w output. This will allow you to cut your wattage usage per fixture by 2-3 and sometimes 4 times which will prove to save substantial amounts of energy when you start talking about replacing multiple fixtures.

So we’ve explained what it takes to replace your 1000w metal halide fixture, but what does “replacing” consist of?

Replacing can consist of two things: write in to one of our professionals with your questions.

As with many things, when we want to save money we decide the best way to do that is to trade our time and do the job on our own instead of paying someone else to do the work.  In many cases, this is very much worth the savings.  Unfortunately it’s rarely the case when it comes to home electrical work.  Some friends may regard home electrical repair as simple and easy.  Some small repairs, such as replacing an outlet or a light socket, can be simple but most of the time you’ll find that repairs to your home’s electrical system are time-consuming, dangerous, and difficult.  So why should you hire a professional?

1. Electricity is Dangerous

This seems like an easy answer.  But in many ways, it’s the reason for the rest of the answers you’ll find below.  Electricity is dangerous if you don’t understand how it works.  But it goes beyond simply remembering to turn off the circuit breaker before working.  You can follow every safety precaution, finish your work, and power things back up without any issues only to find yourself with an unexpected electrical fire a few weeks later.

ESFi states that home electrical fires are responsible for an estimated 51,000 fires each year.  Many of these fires end with homeowner deaths due to a lack of fire safety devices and procedures.  So yes, you can shock or electrocute yourself while working on your homes electronics, but there’s a greater risk of accidentally causing a house fire later on if you don’t follow regulations.

2. Professional Quality

When you hire a professional, you aren’t just paying someone to do the work for you.  A professional will always do a higher quality job because their livelihood depends on it.  Professional electricians pride themselves on their training and expertise which allows them to make quick judgements and quality repairs.  A professional repair or installation means:

Technicians take pride in their work, but they also want you to feel safe while they’re working.  Any fears you may have about people in your home are unfounded with a professional team.  Electricians like those employed at Custom Electrical are bonded and insured to protect your home.

3. Licensed Work

Homes and buildings must follow a very specific set of rules and regulations for proper electrical wiring.  Professional electricians are required to pass certification exams to prove that they’re familiar with NEC rules and regulations.  These regulations are in effect because they promote efficiency and safety for building occupants.  From simple requirements such as mandating number of outlets within a room to safety concerns regarding placement of ground-fault circuit interrupters in garages, bathrooms, and kitchens.  While you may be well aware of how electricity works, you likely aren’t familiar with the requirements of your state for how a building is required to be wired.  This may not seem important now, but if you ever attempt to sell your home, a licensed inspector will notice the shortcuts and the relative value of your home will be less since it needs to be brought back up to code.

For the best in quality electrical repair work and installations, contact the professionals at Custom Electric!  Be sure to check back here each week for helpful advice, news, and guides or follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Categories: 24 Hour Electrician, Local Electrician, Professional Electrician, Residential« Holiday Lighting Safety Tips!  |  Why You Should Use a Surge Protector »