Uncategorized

Attic fans offer several benefits to homeowners. Energy savings.  An attic fan can lower the overall temperature in your living areas. This keeps your home cooler, lessening the use on your air conditioner and thus lowering your heating expenses.  It is not unreasonable to expect an attic fan to reduce living area temperatures by 5 to 10 degrees, reducing cooling expenses as much as 10%. Extend the life of your air conditioner.  This reduction in room temperature also means the air conditioner does not need to work as hard, thus extending its life. Extends roof life.  There are two ways […]

Way back in 1752, when Benjamin Franklin attached a key to a kite and discovered electricity (there are those who say he really did not discover it, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt), it was a revolutionary discovery.  In addition to completely changing the way we do things, electricity has generated (pun intended) a litany of words.  Most people know the words, but do not know their meaning, or how they relate to each other.  So consider this a primer on electricity terms. Electricity.  Let’s start with what electricity really is.  Electricity is a form of energy […]

We’re all familiar with dimmers.  We know they are used to control the light in a room.  But here are some things you may not know that can be useful when you are deciding whether to add dimmers to your lighting. Dimmers increase bulb life One may think that the act of dimming and then increasing the amount of light would shorten the life of the bulb, but the opposite actually is true.  Bulb life is determined by heat.  When you use a dimmer, you reduce heat, thus increasing the life of the bulb.  This is true whether you are […]

Last month, we talked about whole house surge protectors, which are surge protectors that connect to your breaker box and protect your entire house from surges.  This month we will discuss dedicated surge protectors, which protect specific items from surges. First, let’s review what a surge is.  A surge occurs when too much electricity (technically too much voltage) flows through to the item.  When that excess electricity reaches the item (let’s say a computer), it can cause extensive damage.  Surge protectors do what the name implies – they protect the item so the surge does not reach it. When do […]

You know that sinking feeling when your computer goes blank for an instant, or the lights flicker and then come back on? That may have been the result of a power surge caused by anything from a lightning strike to a temporary (and sometimes not even noticeable) power outage. Frequently, power surges cause no damage.  But a power surge can wipe out all the information on your computer, from vital financial records to school work to treasured photos. As we count on electricity to power more and more items in our home – from entertainment systems to computerized appliances, we […]

Power outages are a fact of life.  Most of the time they are brief…a few hours at the most.  They are inconvenient and annoying, but rarely cause damage. The bigger threat is power outages that can last for days.  No power will mean no heat, resulting in frozen and broken water pipes. Sump pumps will not work and battery back-up sump pumps will last only as long as the battery holds up without power to recharge.  Food can spoil.  You won’t be able to have lights, or run any appliances, computers or televisions.  And if you have a home security […]

Think back to when you moved into your home.  What demands did you place on your electrical system?  Chances are, even if you moved into your home 10 years ago, your wiring might be outdated.  If your home is 30 years old or older, the odds are even greater.  Here are a few ways for you to tell if your house needs to be updated. It Looks Bad Sometimes you can tell your wiring is bad just by looking at it.  You may have old two wire non- grounding receptacle outlets.  Plugs may fit loosely into the receptacles or even […]

Every once in a while, people ask us about becoming an electrician.  So we thought we would share a few reasons you might consider becoming an electrician, and then how to go about making that happen. Why Be an Electrician There are a few reasons: There is always a need for a good electrician (while “amateurs” are willing to attempt many types of do it yourself projects, they draw the line at electricity). You can earn a good living. It is relatively inexpensive to become an electrician (no mountains of student debt to pay off). It is a respected profession […]

Your breaker box (technically known as an electrical service panel) is not something you spend a whole lot of time thinking about.  Nestled away in the furnace room or utility room, it is out of sight and out of mind.  That is until a circuit trips, at which point you reset it, and the problem is generally solved. But what happens when a circuit should break and doesn’t?  That could cause major problems, including fires.  Here’s why. The main purpose of a breaker is to prevent overheating and overloading of circuits, which can lead to a fire.  When the circuit […]

On June 1st, Commonwealth Edison is raising electricity pricing an average of 21%.  Even if you purchase electricity through a consortium, your bills undoubtedly will be going up. Last month, we explained that lighting can account for as much as 25% of your home’s electric bill, and provided options on different types of light bulbs.  This month we will discuss how you can save more money through various control products, which can trim 15% or more off your energy bills. There are several things that can be controlled by these types of systems.  Here are some examples of items you […]