As a DFW area electrician, providing electrical services throughout Plano, Garland, Richardson, and many other areas around Dallas and Ft. Worth, ElectricMan’s reputation has been built around professionalism, customer service, and reliable Home Electric Repair.  When you come across an electrical problem in your home, of course your first thought is “I need an electrician”, but which Dallas Electrician should you choose? With so many “fly by night” businesses around these days, how can you be sure that the one you choose will be the right company for the job?

The value of a guarantee is highly important, and to prove his commitment to his guarantee of excellent customer service, owner of ElectricMan Inc. and Master Electrician, Nick Schaeffer, provides the following promise:

“As the owner of ElectricMan Inc., I am so confident in our ability to satisfy our customers’ needs that I am including my personal mobile phone number here to ensure that our high level of customer service is never jeopardized.  If you ever have any concerns regarding the level of service, or the quality of the work that you receive from ElectricMan Inc. please do not hesitate to reach out to me personally. You can reach me, Nick Schaeffer, Master Electrician and Owner of ElectricMan Inc., at 972-898-8098. I will always be happy to do everything that I can to make your experience with my company an enjoyable one.”

The guarantee that ElectricMan Inc. provides is about not only quality in Home Electric Repair, but also in the quality of the technicians that they send to your home or business, and the assurance that your electrical repair will be performed using the correct techniques following all current electrical guidelines and safety codes. The key factor in choosing an electrician is finding one with the experience, track record, and personal accountability to provide the service that you, as a customer, deserve.

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.

The world is getting more connected, and machines are collecting massive amounts of data about consumer habits. In the energy sector, the rise of big data is poised to revolutionize the way utility companies provide electricity to homeowners. That's good news for you – the more information you have at hand, the more opportunities you’ll have to save money. Read on to find out how big data may affect you in the near future.

Machines Learning the Patterns

Analyzing the patterns inside the enormous amounts of information provided by big data is known as machine learning. By letting computers do the heavy lifting, analysts can discover trends and efficiencies that no one would ever think to look for. Ultimately, what we learn from data analysis will trickle down and impact your interactions with any appliance or device that is electrical. Work conducted by machines will show humans the best way to move forward.

IntelligentUtility.com recently listed seven ways that machine learning can affect the relationship between you and your utility provider:

In the meantime, if you need tips about how to save energy or need electrical work performed on your home, call a qualified electrician today.

Do you know where your electric meter is located? Knowing how to find this piece of equipment AND how to read it are important for any home or building owner. Your electric meter reading provides you with information on your energy usage so that you can monitor it, helping you save energy and money. This also allows you to easily determine whether your monthly utility bill is accurate, so that you are not overspending unnecessarily.

It’s not difficult to learn how to read an electric meter. Most DC-area residences have one of two kinds of meters—a digital meter or an older model with a series of dials. Both types measure the kilowatt hours (kWh) that your household uses, which is also the measure used on your utility bill.

The secret to making sense of either type of meter is comparing the current reading with a prior reading or the number on your billing statement. Read the dials of older meters from left to right. There should be five dials. If the pointer on a dial is between numbers, choose the lower number. If the pointer looks to be exactly on a number, read the next lower number (unless the dial immediately to its right has passed zero). Digital meters are even simpler to read. The number displayed indicates the current usage.

To determine electric usage, take the reading from the previous day or month and subtract it from the current number. The difference will give you the amount of electricity your household used during that period. Any discrepancy between this figure and what’s on your energy bill is reason to take a second look.

If you have a question for your electric company, you’ll also want to tell them the meter number (usually located at the bottom of the meter).

Like any piece of electrical equipment, your electric meter should be handled (or NOT handled) with care. While it’s a good idea to monitor your electricity usage, it’s a bad idea to touch your meter. In fact, tampering with your electric meter is a crime in most areas. It’s also important to maintain clear access to your meter by keeping snow, trees, and bushes from obstructing view of the meter.

For more information on how to read an electric meter and how it can be helpful to you, call Kolb Electric. We can provide you with further tips to help you save on future electrical bills and install more efficient electrical systems, such as LED lighting, that will save you even more. We may also perform an infrared thermography inspection that helps to detect issues in your home, such as a roof leak or loose electrical connections, that are causing your heat to escape or your appliances to operate inefficiently.

Call now to schedule service if you’re located in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC—877-287-1179877-287-1179. 

Saffron’s Drift Light is here to help. The Drift Light is like a normalAmanda Kooser reviewed the Drift Light earlier in the month. Kooser reports that during the first night, she was highly aware of the way the light was dimming, but during the next few nights, she never caught the light turning off because she was already asleep. As somone who claims to have “notorious” sleeping troubles, this would imply that the Drift Light works pretty well.

Kooser says that since you know the LED light bulb will dim over the course of 37 minutes, it’s easy to plan for the light to turn off around the time you want to fall asleep. The most compelling statement Kooser makes about the Drift Light: “There is something soothing about the world dimming around you. It’s like being a kid with an early bedtime, sensing the sun set outside your window.”

I’m interested to see if this product will become popular. Have you ever tried anything like this to improve your sleeping habits? Leave a comment, and let us know!