You may be hesitant to admit that you are in need of air conditioning repair services in Boston, MA. However, the only thing that you are accomplishing by delaying in scheduling AC repair is increasing the risk of serious damages to your home cooling system. Trust us when we tell you that prompt air conditioning repair is truly in your best interest should anything go wrong with your cooling system.

You should never ignore problems or wait until your AC breaks down entirely before having it repaired. That being said, how does one know when AC repair is necessary if their system is still up and running? Here are a few tips to help you determine if the time for repairs has come. If so, make sure that you call FB Electrical Services right away to have your system expertly repaired. 

The kitchen island is one of the most functional and versatile areas in your home. Centrally located and serving as a morning breakfast stop, dinner prep and work station, as well as a gathering spot for entertaining and showcasing decorative kitchen accessories.

From classic and traditional to rustic and futuristic, an island light is a major design feature vital to the look and usefulness of your kitchen.  Choose wisely and install with precision to create balance and deliver the perfect blend of ambient, task and accent illumination.

5 Steps to Finding the Perfect Island Light(s) for your Kitchen

1.  Provide for plentiful, energy-efficient task light with  LED (light emitting diode) light fixtures.  New LED lamps are dimmable and available with improved color-rendering and color temperature.  Look for bulbs with a CRI (color rendering index) of at least 80 and CCT (correlated color temperature) between 2700K and 3500K.

2. For ambient or general illumination, recessed lighting may be added to blend with a decorative island fixture.  New OLED (organic light emitting diode) island lights are ideal for general illumination.  OLED light fixtures are outstanding and the illumination is glare-free, crisp and clean.  You may choose to use a variety of pendant lamps, track or rail light fixtures, or a single ceiling fixture for general illumination, but be sure that all fixtures are shielded and installed at the right height.

3.  Browse lighting stores and designer lighting websites to get an idea of what type of kitchen island light fixtures would work best in your space.  Keep the lighting traditional, if you have a country kitchen; go with a more high-tech modern design, in a contemporary kitchen.  The trend toward urban, rustic and organic minimalism offers the ideal venue for many of the new kitchen island fixtures for 2014.

4.  If you have a large kitchen island, accessorizing with a mini table lamp provides a subtle elegance. Mini table lamps also serve to bring the scale of a large kitchen in balance.   Chosen wisely, the right mini table lamp makes a true fashion statement and provides a prized finish.  NOTE:   Be sure portable lamps are sturdy and located in a secure spot, safely away from the kitchen sink or stove top.

5.  Top quality lighting controls and switches are crucial to the lighting design and usefulness of your kitchen island fixtures.  Don’t skimp when it comes to finding and installing control panels and switches.  The right system will greatly enhance the enjoyment and energy saving benefits you receive from your kitchen, the true heart of your home.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR INSTALLATION:

•Pendant island lights should hang about 66 inches above the floor.  If the shades are not very deep and there is seating at the island, pendants may hang lower at about 60 inches above the floor.  In rooms with 8-foot ceilings, aim for a 30-inch span between the top of the island to the bottom of the island light; In rooms with higher ceilings, raise the light fixture about 3 inches for each additional foot of ceiling height.  NOTE: Make adjustments according to your personal preference, overall lighting effects, and the size and shape of island light fixtures.  Some island lights look and function best when suspended lower and closer to the island; others look best when installed closer to the ceiling.

•Usually, an odd number of mini pendant lights centered over the island creates better balance. Install one pendant lamp per every two feet of island space.  For example, a six-foot island requires three pendants – one in the center and the others 20 inches away on either side. Take into consideration unusual sizes and shapes of chosen island light fixtures to adjust the spacing and amount of light fixtures required. Thin, tapered mini pendant lamps may look better with an additional fixture; oversized pendant lamps may look better installed as a pair centered over the kitchen island.

• Whether attached to a track system or installed singly into the ceiling, the overall ensemble—which may be composed of a few mini-pendant ceiling fixtures, one large island light or two oversized pendant lamps—should measure from one-half to two-thirds the total length of the island and be at least 12 inches narrower than the width of the island to allow for freedom of movement around this versatile space.

Visit an American Lighting Association (ALA)-affiliated showroom for more advice on how to get the best kitchen island illumination.  Certified lighting professionals at Capitol Lighting will help you find the right island lighting, and they will be able to provide the answers to your specific installation questions.

Check out these excellent and affordable island lights from Access Lighting….

“Adele”  23733 ceiling pendants in Brushed Steel with blown glass available in a variety of colorful glass options.

“Iron”  20738 ceiling pendants, contemporary with a fresh new look in brushed steel with opal glass.

“Tungsten” , LED, energy-efficient, cool, beautifying light.

“Kalista” in classic black and white with crystal adds a sophisticated and tailored elegance.

“Phoebe” offers 3 halogen lamps that are adjustable and provide luxurious light over the kitchen island.

Designer kitchen island lighting should not only be beautifying; it should be  durable, energy-efficient and eco-friendly, too.  Check out the latest kitchen island light fixtures at 1800lighitng.com.  Enjoy the guaranteed best prices on all new designs, including pendants, mini-pendants and large island light fixtures from Access Lighting.

Ask any parent what they spend a large portion of their day doing and many, if not the majority, are going to say worrying. There are loads of potential dangers out there, and as parents we are vividly aware of all of them. They exist everywhere, and we can’t really mitigate literally all of them. But we certainly have control over the dangers in our homes!

Wondering about childproofing your outlets and how best to go about it? The team at Hoffman Electrical has you covered! Our certified professionals take safety as our number one priority, and we can give you the lowdown on what works, what doesn’t, and how you can make your home safer for you and your children.

The question is a simple one, but the answer takes a bit of doing. There have been many types of “childproof” outlets or safety measures offered throughout the years. Some are great and work as well as anyone could hope. Others, on the other hand, are a bit lackluster.

These methods offer some protection, but don’t tend to do as well as anyone would really like:

The trouble with these solutions is that kids are super curious. Outlets are a strange, interesting thing that is right at their level and they see us fiddling with them all of the time. Bottom line, simple covers aren’t going to dissuade an inquisitive mind.

I have a great deal of interest in digital photography, but my life is as crazy as anyone else’s. My son, family, and work keep me busy from dawn to midnight every day. I’ve never had time to cultivate any photography skills, even though I’ve always been very interested, sitting on the edge of my seat, if you will, for a chance to take some digital photos in order to learn a little about how capturing light can create astonishing works of art.

My interview with Matthew Danser had given me my long sought “excuse” to try out some photography techniques. But it also required that I put in an honest effort. The thought in the back of my head: These photos are going to suck. Probably a lot. And they will most likely be seen by the thousands of people who visit this blog monthly. Second gulp.

But I’m the kind of person so riddled with ADHD that even my paranoia about being judged on a mass scale can only last about three minutes before the audacity to try anything resurfaces and action is taken. So here’s what happens when a total amateur who has no idea what he is doing tries to “Paint with Light.”

A one-dollar flashlight from – you guessed it – the Dollar General. One dollar. Even. Gotta love it. Especially since it’s all I could afford, seeing as how I’m still paying off the aforementioned Nikon that I bought to take photos of our baby son. (True, a million pictures have been taken of him during his first year-and-a-half on Earth. However, 999,999 of those photos were taken with an iPhone. Go figya.)

THE PLAN, STAN:

The plan was to wait until it was dark in the apartment and do some light painting. I knew that I could use the Shutter mode on my camera to set it to take exposures of up to thirty seconds. I saw that my camera also had an option for bulb release, so, invoking Danser, who recalls how his girlfriend had to hold down the button on his camera for a full thirteen minutes, I determined that if I asked really nicely, I might be able to persuade my wife to hold down the trigger to get exposures longer than thirty seconds. Otherwise, thirty seconds was my window of time to do all the light painting I could.

I started off pretty timidly. I had seen photos online in which people used long exposures to create squiggly lines. The most popular examples are pictures of traffic at night, headlights and tail lights streaming, giving you a sense of the fluid motion of busy intersections. You’ve also seen those nature pics in which streams and rivers and clouds and stars become gauzy with movement because of long exposures.

But what I really like about Danser’s work is the use of color. The effect of running inside the hut and popping off red-gelled flashes shown at the beginning of this blog post (Matthew Danser! And happy lightpainting, everyone!

By Elisa Voland

So, you’ve realized you need a whole house surge protector installed in your home. Don’t panic – the entire process is a lot less stressful than you think it might be. Mr. Electric will be there to assist and make sure your expensive and sensitive electronics are well protected. We have included some information about the installation process to make this as simple as possible.

Before Mr. Electric arrives, be sure to clear at least three feet around your electrical panel as required by code for proper workspace for the technician. Don't fret about preparing your home beyond that – we understand you have busy schedules, and our experts will be able to take care of the rest. The area where we will be working varies depending on the job, but technicians will mostly be at the main electrical panel. We will be sure to use drop cloths and wear booties wherever we go in your home to prevent any dirt coming inside.

Our technicians will be sure to explain the task performed before beginning work and will answer any questions during the installation. The entire installation process should take under an hour so expect your electricity to be shut off for the duration of the time while we work.

After we install your surge protector, we will properly clean up any messes made during the job, beyond the extra precautions taken with the booties and drop cloths. We will also vacuum any debris created during our work. Mr. Electric warrants all of our work for a year, so if any problem arises with your surge protector, we will not hesitate to assess the problem and find a solution. 

After that, sit back, relax and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that your home electronics are protected when storm season arrives. We’re here to power your tomorrow! Call Mr. Electric today!