1.  Size and install smartly:  Whether you are installing a crystal chandelier over your dining room table or as a central design feature in your master bedroom, the diameter and height of your fixture must be in proportion to other items in the room.  The diameter of a dining table fixture should be 12 inches less than the diameter of the dining table.  The height of the chandelier should allow for a clearance of 30 inches from table top to the bottom of the fixture.

Quoizel’s “Tricia” chandelier adds elegance to this contemporary dining room.  * Interior design by Sandra D’Amata International, Inc.

If your crystal chandelier will be a central focal point in your foyer, living room or master bedroom, take into account your ceiling height and choose a chandelier that may be installed to leave at least a 7-foot clearance from the floor to the bottom of the chandelier.

2.  Reflect Resplendence:  The true beauty in a crystal chandelier extends far past the light source, decorative finishing and crystal configuration.  Crystal facets reflect and refract a brilliant array of colors and illuminating effects, especially when combined with sunlight and/or electric light sources.  Matte finishes on furniture and surrounding walls work well with crystal illumination.  Avoid creating glare and unflattering shadows off metallic or shiny surfaces.

3.  Choose the Right Bulb: Most chandelier bulbs will be candelabra-based, yet what type of candelabra bulb you choose will make a tremendous difference in both the total presentation of your chandelier and the overall illumination in your room.

Crystorama’s “Mercer” chandelier–installed with dimmable LED candelabra bulbs–provides magnificent illumination in this master bathroom.*

Frosted bulbs provide a more subdued illumination. They are recommended for most traditional dining room chandeliers.  Clear bulbs work well with chrome finished retro-modern chandeliers and may add to the radiant sparkle of modern crystal chandeliers.

For a more traditional look, flame tip bulbs are the right choice.  Flame tip bulbs also look best in chandeliers with faux drip-candle holders.  Torpedo bulbs are less tapered and present a contemporary look.  Round bulbs add an eclectic vibe to a traditional chandelier.  Uniquely-shaped and/or textured candelabra bulbs may add a custom-designed artistry to your chandelier.

If you’ve ever watched the show “Holmes on Homes” on HGTV, you’ve likely seen the problems associated with old or faulty wiring.  Mike Holmes tends to get very agitated by safety issues, and for good reason.  Each year, over 40,000 homes suffer fire damage due to home electrical problems.  These electrical fires account for hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.  And what’s the main culprit?  Old wiring!

If you live in a classic home built before 1940, chances are you have old wiring in the house.  You may have knob-and-tube or Romex wiring, both of which can become brittle over time.  The insulation dries out and starts to crumble, causing the inner wire to become exposed. The cloth insulation around the wire deteriorates with age and eventually becomes unsafe.

But perhaps one of the biggest threats of Romex and knob-and-tube wiring is that these types of wires aren’t grounded.  That means if one of your appliances shorts out, you could become the path to the ground for the electricity.

Even if your home is only 20 or 30 years old, you could still experience electrical problems at home due to a lack of capacity.  Most homes built more than 10 years ago are not designed to handle the amount of electronics we use today.  Think about it:  if your house was built in 1980, it was built before home PCs and laptops and HDTVs and surround sound and all of the other toys and gadgets we use today.  These appliances can draw a lot of power, and your current electrical wiring may not be up to the task.

If you own one of the one million houses in the DFW area that’s more than 20 years old, it’s a good idea to have a licensed electrician come out and take a look at the wiring.  He or she can make sure that your house will be safe and productive for many years.

ElectricMan Inc. is one of Plano’s most trusted electricians. Nick Schaeffer, Mr. ElectricMan himself, has quite the resume for a master electrician. He started the company by himself in 2004 and hasn’t looked back since! For more information about Electricman’s list of electrical repair services, please visit www.ElectricManInc.com

When you are looking for an electrician, look for someone whom you can form a long term relationship with. This is true for homeowners, of course, but also true for apartment managers and owners of investment properties.  As an electrician in Los Angeles, I’ve built up long-term, on-going relationships with property management companies and apartment owners. I’ve found that these relationships save me and the client time and money whenever the client needs electrical work.

Find Recommended Electricians You can get recommendations for electricians from other apartment managers and also from homeowners. You can also search on-line for electrician Los Angeles or electrician Burbank, and so on. If you add the word reviews to your search, you can look for companies that have the best reviews.

Another approach is to search websites that feature reviews. Reviews appear on many websites including Google Places, Yelp.com, AngiesList.com, and CitySearch.com. You may be familiar with AngiesList.com, a paid service. It’s an excellent source of recommendations for contractors. It asks customers to rate contractors, including electricians, and give specifics about how their job went.

When looking at customer reviews, take a look at the big picture. If there are one or two bad reviews among the many good ones, does it seem like it’s just a grumpy customer? Is there a company reply that clears things up or says that it has corrected its employee?

Once you have three or so recommended electricians, take a look at their websites.

Check the Electrician’s Website

• Is it presentable and well-maintained? If the website checks out, it’s time to interview the electrician.

Interview the Electrician When you talk with the electrician, pay attention to how comfortable you are, including your trust level. Ask about:

• Experience with your type of work, including tenant relations • Names and contact info for five clients, preferably apartment or other property managers

Take notes on all this, particularly the License Number. If you decide to go ahead, you may wish to check some of what the electrician has said. If you decide not to go ahead, no need to proceed any further with this electrician. But save the notes so that you can remind yourself later of which companies you’ve already ruled out.

Look and Listen Electricians who are bidding jobs are on their best behavior. If you already notice that an electrician treats you or others in ways that concern you, better to find another with whom you feel more comfortable.

Check It Out • Check the company’s rating at the Better Business Bureau. Ratings run from A+ to F based on customer complaints made to the Bureau. As a note, an “A” reflects the same level of customer satisfaction as an “A+.” The “A+” is earned by an “A” contractor becoming a paying member of the Better Business Bureau, which supports the Bureau in its work.

Call References • Would you be happy to continue to use this electrical company?

Speak with at least three references. Listen carefully for enthusiasm or lack of enthusiasm about the electrician. A competent electrical company will have given you names that they believe are satisfied customers. Clients, past or present, may not feel comfortable saying anything negative. If they express little enthusiasm or say something negative, take this into consideration when making your decision.

Don’t Automatically Choose the Low Bid A bid may be too low. How can that be? An electrician may intentionally omit items that the job requires, only to come back later saying that additional work needs to be done. On the other hand, some electricians may unintentionally bid low through inexperience. Either way, the electrician may ask for more money to finish the job or may leave you with an incomplete project.

Look at the Whole Picture Price is important, but judge the entire picture an electrician is showing you — character, expertise, the ease of working with him or her, and overall value. A large part of an electrician’s value is that he/she gets the job done right and safely without taking too much of your time and inconveniencing you or your tenants. A very competent electrician can save you money by suggesting more efficient ways to do a job or to save on electricity.

If you  are looking for a fully licensed, bonded, and insured electrician in Los Angeles who can work with you and provide you quality electrical services at reasonable prices, please give us a call at (800) 990-9490, 8-5 pm. I look forward to hearing from you and will be happy to provide you with contact info for satisfied property managers. Or you can look at a couple of reviews by property managers on our website.

LED light bulbs and fixtures are the best alternatives for many reasons.

LED lights are available in several shades of white. These shades are referred to as a bulb’s correlated color temperature (National Institute of General Medical Sciences, states that, “Circadian rhythms are physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness in an organism’s environment.”

According to writes, “Several studies have documented the importance of light in reducing depression, decreasing fatigue, improving alertness, modulating circadian rhythms, and treating conditions such as hyperbilirubinemia among infants. Further, the presence of windows in the workplace and access to daylight have been linked with increased satisfaction with the work environment.” Windows are the best method of accessing daylight, but cool white LED lights along with the right color temperatures at the right times, can have the same effect on the body.

Warmer color temperatures lead to the release of melatonin, which causes drowsiness. This is appropriate during bedtime hours, but causes problems for those who need to stay awake, such as overnight nurses and doctors. Introducing natural or cool white light to hallways, operating rooms, and nurse stations can help hospital staff, especially overnight workers, feel more alert and energetic.

EPA has a list of cleanup procedures, such as having everyone leave the room, opening a doors or windows, shutting off heat and air-conditioning systems, and other specific instructions.

Fluorescent and incandescent bulbs also emit low doses of UV radiation that can damage not only facility materials but can also damage skin and eyes. According to a CBSLA.com discusses the results of another study that had similar findings. In this article, it is said that, “. . . exposure to the (fluorescent) bulbs could lead to premature aging and cancer.”

Continued UV exposure is also harmful to the eyes. A LED lights won’t flicker or emit any color spikes. Color fluctuations and flicker can cause negative effects, such as headaches and dizziness. When used for hospital lighting, LED bulbs and fixtures can improve overall health and eliminate the possibility of additional health risks posed by fluorescent and incandescent bulbs.

Seeing colors as they truly are is critical in health care environments. Inaccurate color rendering of skin or blood could lead to a misdiagnosis or failure to see signs of infection or jaundice. The spectral graph below can be helpful in understanding the advantage of high-CRI light sources. Lights with a low CRI will show fewer colors while high-CRI lights cover more of the spectrum. A light source’s ability to show more colors increases its accuracy in revealing the true colors of people, objects, and surroundings.

FreemanWhite, a health-care-focused design firm reports, “. . .light fixtures with a high CRI . . .  help caregivers assess rashes, lesions, and skin pigmentation.” They go on to say, “In the interest of avoiding liability claims, better lighting quality can enhance a caregiver’s ability to diagnose correctly, identify reactions, prevent secondary infections, and minimize readmissions.” High-CRI LED lights can also help prevent medication errors.

Another method of LED hospital lighting control is the use of occupancy sensors. These sensors will save money beyond those that result from reduced energy consumption. Sensors will also extend the life span of bulbs and fixtures even further by turning them off when no one is in the area. These sensors are best suited for low-traffic areas.

Decorating your home for the holidays is a time-honored tradition that many in the DMV area take part in each year. However, it’s important to be as safe as possible when putting up lights both inside and outside your home! When you string up lights in and around your home, you’re increasing your chances of an electrical malfunction. Make sure you follow these tips before and during your lighting setup!

If you have any questions, contact the electrical experts at Kolb Electric today!

Your lights—both interior and exterior—require some careful inspection prior to hooking them up. One of the most common causes of fires around the holidays are faulty string lightings. In order to avoid any potential electrical fires, it’s important to:

Need an electrician fast? Contact Kolb Electric today! We offer 24-hour service for your DMV home.