You have probably become so used to smoke alarms you rarely even notice they are in a room. That means you don’t notice when they are not around either. Or if they are working properly or placed in an appropriate place. Smoke alarms are one of those things that we ignore until we burn toast and remember we have them. Then they become an annoyance and the batteries are popped out with the intention of replacing them once the smoke has cleared out. Unfortunately, because they are so easily forgotten, they are often not replaced. An electrician in Glendale, like those at The Electric Connection, has a few facts to tell you about smoke alarms. These facts remind us why those little white discs in the corner are so important.

1-Smoke alarms need to be replaced every ten years. Most people assume they are good forever.

2-30 percent of home fires are in homes that have expired smoke alarms or no smoke alarms at all.

3-It is imperative you test your smoke alarm every month. A Glendale electrician points out it takes less than a minute to complete this potentially life-saving task.

4-Batteries should be replaced in each smoke alarm every 6 months, regardless if they are working. Fresh batteries are best.

5-Opting to go with at least one hard-wired smoke alarm on each floor is a good option. These will be installed by an electrician. Glendale homeowners can rest assured they will always have protection whether the batteries are fresh or not.

6-Every bedroom in the house should have a smoke alarm. A smoke alarm should be on each floor as well. 66 percent of homes do not have the minimum number of smoke alarms recommended.

If you would like to add another layer of protection and have hard-wired smoke alarms installed, give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your installation.

Economy settings have become a standard option on nearly all modern appliances. They purport to put the decision about energy conservation in the consumer's hands: Do you run the machine in its normal mode, or use the most economical setting to burn up less power and marginally reduce your contribution to carbon pollution and climate change? Eco-settings give manufacturers bragging rights that they are doing their part to produce more efficient electrical work. However, some people question whether economy settings really do anything to reduce our electricity consumption, and suspect they might even be counterproductive. Read on to learn why.

Economy vs. Standard Settings in Your Electrical Work

You see economy buttons on all kinds of electrical devices and appliances these days, from televisions to video game consoles to bigger-ticket items like washing machines and dishwashers. These settings offer energy savings of 10 percent or more, and generally are legitimate; although there have been isolated reports of manufacturers attempting to deceive energy testing measures, usually the economy settings are included in good faith, with companies preferring to avoid legal or reputational consequences if they are caught manipulating the tests.

However, eco-modes only save energy if people use them. And in many cases, people choose not to, for a variety of reasons. For one thing, the performance of various appliances under eco-settings might simply be unsatisfactory. For example, some people complain that reduced power settings on their television leave them barely able to see the screen. There are also reports of clothes dryers that don't dry clothes and dishwashers that don't wash dishes. Reduced power settings don't save any energy at all if you have to run the appliance twice.

Don't Be Fooled into Buying an Inefficient Device

That's not to say that all economy modes don't make the grade, but their overall reputation can suffer from a few bad apples. If consumers hear that the lowest power setting in a neighbor's dishwasher doesn't get the job done, they might be reluctant to try that option in their own unit, even if it's a different make or model.

What's more, the ratings system used by the federal Energy Star program takes into account the economy setting mode when making its decisions. That means you could purchase a piece of equipment that has the coveted Energy Star certification, only to find out that you don’t like the conservation settings and are less than satisfied with the purchase.

Finding the Most Efficiency in Your Electrical Work

One way to ensure that you are buying an appliance whose economy setting meets your needs is to read online reviews, in lieu of simply relying on the Energy Star rating. If you need help picking out high-efficiency appliances, or need help with any other electrical work, contact a trusted local electrician today.

A modern convenience often taken for granted, electric power, can be found everywhere. To route electricity from the power station to your wall outlet requires many steps. Residential house wiring includes a variety of wiring and control devices to ensure safe and reliable service.

Electricity in the home is distributed by means of branch circuits. Furthermore, each branch circuit is supplied via a circuit breaker sized per the expected load on the circuit. A typical lighting and receptacle circuit will be rated at 15A. Because of their size, larger loads like ovens, clothes dryers, and air conditioning units are given dedicated circuit breakers.

A typical home can have dozens of 15A circuits, and several 20A, 30A, or even 50A circuits. Yet the total of all these breakers is much more than the size of the main breaker. However, this is intentional. It’s highly unlikely that every circuit will be fully loaded at any one time, so a demand factor is taken into account to keep the main breaker at a reasonable size.

A wood-framed home will typically use solid copper non-metallic sheathed cable for the majority of wiring applications. Solid conductors are easy to terminate and cheaper than equivalent stranded wire. The AWG size of the wire is determined by the expected load on the circuit and by the size of the breaker protecting it. You should never connect a wire to a breaker that is too large to protect it, as an overloaded wire can easily catch fire.

Fun Fact: “Americans might not have a Columbus Day if Christopher Columbus had not been born in Italy. Out of pride for their native son, the Italian population of New York City organized the first celebration of the discovery of America on October 12, 1866.” *

Although declared a federal holiday in 1937 by President Franklin Roosevelt, Columbus Day is not celebrated in California, Nevada or Hawaii. Controversy over the “discovery” of America exists because native people inhabited the land prior to the arrival of the Europeans. **

While the “discovery” of America may be in question, there is no doubt that the European influence and influx of cultural diversity is worth illuminating. And, some of the most outstanding home lighting concepts incorporate Old World artistry with New World technology.

DISCOVER THE UNDENIABLE BRILLIANCE OF EUROFASE LIGHTING:

Established in 1989, Eurofase enters its third decade of excellence with cutting edge contemporary lighting and classic, traditionally-inspired designs.

From Gothic wrought iron chandeliers and grand crystal foyer fixtures to modern “green” lighting and energy-efficient outdoor lighting, Eurofase demonstrates a close attention to detail, embracing technology and a fusion of creative energy.

EUROFASE: WHERE OLD WORLD ELEGANCE MEETS THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF MODERN QUALITY CONTROL…

Headquartered in Toronto, a city rich in inspiration and cultural diversity, Eurofase’s inventory of over 2,600 unique products is controlled by state-of-the-art technology with world-class accuracy.

A Quality Control team overseas the mechanical and electrical integrity of every Eurofase product.

A stringent control process ensures that all crucial elements-such as safety approvals, longevity testing, packaging and instructions-meet the highest standards.

With an in-house UL (Underwriter Laboratories) Standards Testing Lab, Eurofase independently monitors the safety approval process.

Eurofase Lighting is credited with introducing several new designer and technological trends to the North American marketplace….

Visit a Capitol Lighting showroom or shop 1800lighting.com to view these sensational collections and enjoy promotional pricing on profound illuminations from Eurofase.

Also, this week enjoy Columbus Day savings on award-winning Hinkley Lighting. Winner of the “Lighting for Tomorrow” 2012 award, Hinkley Lighting offers outstanding energy-efficient outdoor lighting, as well as, superb chandeliers, ceiling fixtures, wall sconces and bath lighting for the distinguished home.

Discover great discounts at Capitol Lighting…take 30% off ALL new bath and outdoor fixtures now through November 1st!  From pendant lights and chandeliers by   Eurofase to gorgeous outdoor fixtures by Hinkley Lighting, Capitol Lighting carries the best brands and products to light your home with distinction and style.

*www.usafederalholidays.com/Columbus_day.html

If you are a fairly handy person, then there may be a handful of small home electrical repairs that you want to take care of yourself. If you are not a skilled electrical professional, however, you should not put your life at risk. Always place your trust in an experienced electrician in Burbank. Although some tasks may seem safe enough to handle on your own, you should not even think about it unless you have been properly trained to do it. Regardless of how old your home is, you will encounter electrical problems every now and then. If you know what to look for, then you will know when it’s time to give The Electric Connection a call.

If your plug sockets feel hot to the touch, do not use them. Electrical shocks can be life threatening, and you do not want to expose yourself or your family to the possibility of them. If you find yourself experiencing this, call your electrician right away. Hot wires can overheat, leading to electrical fires that can be very hard to control.

If your breakers are tripping frequently or you blow fuses often, then you may want to have an electrician come take a look. Although it is normal for this to happen every now and then, it can signal a much more serious problem if it happens to frequently. If you have to pick and choose which appliances to run at any given time, then you need to have an electrician come and check things out.

As a rule, you should never hesitate in contacting a Burbank electrician whenever you suspect that you may have electrical issues that need attention. Although the cost may deter some, it will cost much less than if it is left unchecked. For more information about electrical issues, or to get in touch with us, visit our website at www.theelectricconnection.com.