You have probably heard it time and again; we need to reduce the demand on our natural resources. We also know we should be saving a little more for our retirement, but it seems like there is no way around the basic monthly bills. No matter what you do, it may seem like you are still breaking even. You shut off lights and walk to work once a week, but the electric bill stays the same and your gas bill is the same. That is likely due to rising rates. Imagine if you didn’t make an effort to reduce your monthly bills? You would be paying more! Your Pasadena electrician is here to encourage you to learn about phantom power and to do your best to fight back against it. You can always call The Electric Connection if you have questions.

Phantom power is a very real thing! You can put a few extra dollars in your pocket every month by fighting back against this electricity sucking phenomena, but it will require your whole house to be on board. According to the Lawrence Berkley National Library, every home has about 40 appliances in the home that remain plugged in around the clock. The appliances may rarely be used, but we keep them plugged in because it is convenient. This is costing us money. In fact, it is estimated phantom power accounts for about 10 percent of an electricity bill. So, assuming your electric bill is $100 every month, $10 of that is all for naught. For the blinking light on the DVD player you haven’t used in a month or the cell phone charger that stays plugged in all day and night whether your phone is attached or not.

If you are not completely sure what phantom power is or have more questions about it, call your electrician. Pasadena residents can count on the team at The Electric Connection to provide the answers to your electric questions.

With a Nest thermostat, you can enjoy a lot of benefits made possible by the utilization of smart thermostat technology. Some of the more common questions that we hear regarding the use of Nest thermostats is whether or not they are compatible with zoned heating and cooling systems, and whether one Nest thermostat can replace the multiple thermostats that zone controlled systems typically use. We’ve got the answers for you in the following post, so read on and remember to schedule your thermostat services in Dover, MA with a member of our staff. We’ll make sure that you’re able to regulate temperatures effectively and reliably.

The short answer to the questions posed above is: yes. Nest thermostats can certainly be used in conjunction with zoned HVAC systems. However, you are indeed going to require multiple Nest thermostats throughout the house. While you can choose to use one Nest thermostat in a main area of your home, and to continue using more basic thermostats in other zones, this is not really advisable if you are looking to truly benefit from the use of smart technology in your home. By using multiple Nest thermostats, those devices can communicate with and benefit one another in ways that pairing a single Nest thermostat with other devices simply won’t allow for.

A key feature of the Nest thermostat is its Auto-Away coordination, which helps homeowners to save energy when the house is empty. When you use multiple Nest thermostats in your home, you won’t have to worry about certain zones going into an Auto-Away mode just because those particular zones are empty, while others are still occupied. The Nest thermostats can communicate with one another, so that Auto-Away settings won’t go into effect until the whole house is empty. When you come home at night, the Nest thermostat in your living room will let your Nest thermostat in the bedroom know, so you won’t have to go upstairs to adjust it before bed.

If you are considering getting new lighting installations or want to upgrade your existing ones, it’s a good idea to conduct a certain amount of research on what type of light fittings and bulbs are available in the market. You will surprised by the vast variety of fixtures you find. Regardless of how beautifully-designed your home is, if you want it to look stunning and attractive after dark, you would need to ensure that it has the right kind of lighting.

In fact, the simplest of interiors and décor can look astoundingly unique with appropriate lighting effects and the ones you might want to consider are:

In this type of effect the light source is hidden and it throws a glow across the room. It very effectively flattens the appearance of an interior space and you will hardly find any shadows anywhere. Examples of this type of lighting are wall sconces and Japanese paper shades. You can create this effect with other fixtures, by using a dimmer as well.

This is used to highlight a specific object or an interesting feature in a room. The only thing that is required to create this effect is a bulb and some sort of cover to direct the light in the direction you desire. Opaque shades, table lamps and halogen spotlights are good examples of accent lighting, also called directional lighting.

As the name suggests, this type of lighting is used in areas like the kitchen, bathroom, study etc- anywhere you need to perform daily activities and need clean, clear light. It’s important that this lighting be glare-free as that will help prevent the eyes from getting tired. This type of lighting can be used in a very effective manner in combination with ambient lighting.

This is used to light up art objects like a portrait or a statue. In fact, some pieces such as neon sculptures can themselves be a form of aesthetic lighting and have to be used with other types of lighting.

When we talk about lighting, it’s not only about the different types of fittings and fixtures or placement of lights that gives us the effect we need. It’s also a lot about the type of bulbs we use. These are the different types of bulbs available:

These are the standard light bulbs that throw a slightly yellowish light.

This is the closest in effect to natural light and is called ‘white light’. In this type of lighting, colours tend to appear very clear and sharp. These are more energy-efficient than regular tungsten bulbs and they are dimmable too.

Throws a burst of focused, white light.

This refers to different types of bulbs such as fluorescents and halogen. This light has a very warm quality, is psychologically appealing and very inviting.

The standard fluorescent bulb throws-off a very cool, flat light which tends to be harsh and has a bluish tinge. Apart from these, you will also find cool, warm and special-coloured fluorescents on the market.

With so many options, available, choosing the right kind of lighting can be quite a difficult task. There are no fixed rules when it comes to lighting a room. You will have to take into consideration aspects such as the height and dimensions of the room, its purpose and of course your personal preferences.

In most instances, rooms have a combination of different types of lighting. If you want a room to look interesting, it’s important to use wall washers, up-lighting, down-lighting recessed lighting etc to acquire the right effect.

We at Allround Electrical are licensed and insured electrical contractors. We can provide consultation on different types of lighting systems, and offer a range of electrical services to commercial and residential customers. For more information, contact our friendly team today at this number – 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address. You may also reach us through this online contact form.

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