Fuses and circuit breakers are part of any home or business that has electricity. These devices are extremely important to your safety, but what exactly are they?

It can be easy to take the technology around us for granted, and that includes the collection of strange switches in that metal box in the basement you never mess around with. You might have heard something about a “tripped circuit” or a “blown fuse,” possibly around the time the air conditioner shut off when someone plugged in a new appliance. But you might not be clear on what exactly these terms mean. Read on as we uncover the mysteries surrounding fuses and circuit breakers.

Circuit breakers and fuses (which can sometimes be found instead of breakers) are safety mechanisms put in place to ensure you don’t exceed certain current limits. If the wiring in a building has too much electrical current moving through it, these devices stop the flow of electricity until you address the problem.

Saving energy is a laudable goal. By using less electricity and other energy around your home, you reduce your contribution to environmental degradation and climate change. On the other hand, easy and reliable access to electricity is in large part responsible for the high standard of living that most Americans enjoy. Read on to learn more about the intersection between comfort and energy consumption, and how you can cut back while still participating in modern 21st century life.

Energy Consumption and GDP Go Hand-in-Hand

When it comes to residential households, cheap power allows us to run the electrical work that lends so much convenience and comfort to our day-to-day lives – refrigerators, air conditioners, lights, computers, televisions and much more. On a societal scale, access to fossil fuels and the energy potential stored within is what has made possible so many technological and logistical advances in the first place. However, as the years advance, the science is becoming ever more clear – excessive carbon emissions are causing the planet's climate to change, often in destructive and unpredictable ways.

Of course, no one wants to go back to the days of pushing a plow behind a donkey and churning butter by hand, either. The big question, and one that may become existential, is whether we can decouple our energy consumption from our standard of living. Historically, consumption and GDP have risen together in lock-step. Can the United States and other developed countries figure out how to break the chain?

Decouple Lifestyle from Consumption

A recent report by the Energy Collective tells us that “reductions in energy intensity is arguably our most important tool to achieve a sustainable energy future.” What does it mean? That we can get the same or more production out of less energy usage. In some ways, we've already made progress – between 2007 and 2013, energy consumption dropped 4.5 percent in the United States, while the Net Domestic Product continued to rise.

That's all well and good for the country, but what about your household? The same principles apply – for a more sustainable future, look for ways to get the same results with less energy use. That means switching to efficient appliances, like Energy Star certified equipment. It means replacing old incandescent light bulbs with modern LED models. And look for little changes that can make a big difference, like adjusting your thermostat a few notches up or down to reduce the load on your HVAC equipment.

Make a Difference in Your House

You can do your part to cut down on your energy use while still enjoying the amenities of modern life by making targeted efficiency investments and simple behavioral changes. If you need tips on how to reduce your energy bills without reverting to stone age-style living, or need any other electrical work, contact a reputable electrician today.

Nowadays, most people are walking around with what is essentially a fully functional computer in their pockets. We’re speaking, of course, about their smart phones. Whether you are a real technophile, only a casual user, or something of a Luddite, there is no denying the fact that having these devices on our persons all day long can benefit us greatly. If you are just using your smart phone to get directions or to pass the time with your favorite games, though, you are not using it to its full potential. With the integration of a home automation system in Wellesley, MA, you can start using your phone for so much more.

A home automation system is a system custom tailored to your user preferences and living space that basically serves to make your home a more efficient and convenient place to live. As it stands now, all of the appliances and systems in your home stand alone. Your thermostat, for instance, is used to control your heating and cooling systems. Your outdoor lights may be on a timer, but your indoor lighting system must be controlled manually. When you allow us to design and install a home automation system in your residence, though, we can tie the home together neatly, and you can use an app on your smart phone to control the various systems and appliances upon which you depend so much.

We recommend home automation systems for a few different reasons. Chief among these are efficiency, convenience and security. When you are able to adjust the HVAC system that you forgot to turn down when you left the house from your phone, you won’t have to just let it run its course throughout the workday. When you can control your door locks and lights from your smart phone, you can ensure that your house is secure, while also granting access to your home in the event that someone without a key needs to get in and feed the family pooch for you. And don’t forget about your poor neighbor Jim, who needs to borrow your lawnmower because his broke down right before his cookout. With a home automation system, you can even let him into the garage to borrow what he needs!