You may not be aware, but you can have Top Dallas Electrician, ElectricMan Inc. can offer a way to avoid these charges, and Lower Electric Bills by making sure that you are using the least amount of electric company power as possible during peak times.

An Indoor Generator is a unique solution that allows you to store power, either from your power grid when it is cheaper, or utilizing other renewable energy sources, and decide when you want to use it. This highly intelligent equipment allows you to program when and where you get your electricity, providing incredible independence and capabilities for Lower Electric Bills.

Take this as an example.  One local electric company uses a general rule of enforcing peak usage fees between 4pm and 8pm, so programming your system to use power stored during off peak hours at these times will allow you to stop paying these peak usage fees, and only pay the standard rate for electricity during normal usage hours.  This is a far more effective solution, since it is impractical for most home owners to change their schedule and stop using power during these times.

Once you have an Indoor Generator system in place and programmed, the system will automatically switch to your stored power during the times that you have chosen, leaving you worry free about when you are using your electricity!

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With the rising temperatures comes the inevitable rise in energy bills. To keep your home as energy efficient as possible, we’ll be going room by room explaining just how you can save money while keeping your home cool.

Starting with the living room, there are a few simple steps you can take to bring energy savings and make it as energy efficient as possible.

What is Energy Star? Energy Star is a program that offers energy efficient consumer products. Energy efficient appliances with the Energy Star logo typically use around 25% less power than conventional models.

Energy Star products are the way to go if you wish to use less power while also saving big on your energy bill.

As we mentioned in our guide for different types of lightbulbs, there are many options available today which offer different brightness (known as lumens) and use less energy.

By far the best options for lighting your living room are LED light bulbs. These types of light bulbs are energy saving and emit LED lights, which reduce energy consumption considerably.

LEDs might have a higher upfront cost, but they offer an energy saving edge, reducing energy consumption up to 80%.

Power strips are a clean alternative to overfilling your outlets. By conveniently switching off multiple appliances at once, you have complete control over how what appliances get energy.

Traditional power strips are simple: you connect the devices and turn off a switch when not using them. Newer versions called advanced power strips feature a variety of other features that might benefit you.

Advanced power strips are designed for areas where many electronics are plugged in, such as entertainment centers or home offices and provide greater control over energy usage through built-in features.

There are multiple types available right now including:

Some power strips also feature a surge protector which not only give you complete control over your appliances but also protects them from damage during thunderstorms or power surges.

While power strips might be of great help to any home, the main culprit for those extra costs are energy vampire appliances, or appliances that use energy while on stand-by.

Appliances like these could end up costing more than $200 per year for the average home.

Vampire energy loss, also known as vampire load, vampire power, or vampire draw is a simple term to explain the use of electricity by appliances that are in standby or switched off.

While most appliances might indicate that they are turned off, they might still be drawing power. The end result is unneeded power being wasted as appliances lay unused.

Video game consoles such as the Playstation 4 and Xbox One are notable for their high energy demand and could result in up to $40 in costs during standby.

Computers, including laptops, are also some of the biggest energy vampires, costing up to $30 if left plugged in while not in use. Laptops might need less power, but leaving them plugged in could result in yearly costs up to $15 when not in use.

To easily reduce these costs, safely group as many of these appliances into a power strip. By easily switching off the power strip when not in use, you will be much more in control of how much energy they use.

Televisions are the kings of power consumption, with 5 hours of daily use costing up to $160 per year while in standby mode as well as with daily use.

Plasma TVs are notorious for their usage of energy. Instead, opt for LCD screens which will reduce the amount of energy you draw. Also, change your TV’s settings to dial back on energy consumption.

Most TVs have a store demo option selected for the picture which ups the brightness and results in a high energy usage. This translates to higher energy bills and more heat. By using the power-saver mode, you decrease the amount of energy used.

If you have multiple appliances connected to the TV, turn them off when not in use. TV manufacturers of today have reduced the usage of standby power, but connected appliances might draw more energy.

These could include DVRs, Blu-ray or DVD players, as well as streaming devices such as Roku, Apple TV, and more. While useful, they might be putting a dent into your energy bill and end up costing more with time.

Window shades, blinds, and curtains are more than just useful for decorating your living room. Dark curtains block sunlight from entering and can be closed during the day to reduce the amount of sunlight that enters, thereby reducing cooling costs.

Blinds are as useful and can reduce heat gain by up to 45% but offer the benefit of being able to be adjusted manually.

Making your living room as energy efficient as possible might seem like a daunting task. By following the above tips and ensuring that you use only the most important appliances, you will be well on your way to ensuring your home is ready for summer.

From LED Lighting installation, to ceiling fan room installation, Bryant Electric Service can help your living room be the highlight of your home.

A bit of mathematics at the end of the week. The

The first table shows three different installations. The old one is equipped with T8 fluorescent lamps that are at the end of their lifetime and dirty. That is why the luminous flux is so low for the 60W tube. In this situation, the need for a replacement is present. The choice is between a fluorescent tube, a LED tube or a completely new installation with controls. Controls reduce the average power consumption to 1/3 and less of the original load. We can estimate the new fixtures will consume 12W only when connected to controls that detect presence in the hall and reduce the lighting level in areas that are not in use. Each light point will be replaced. It is (often) possible to reduce the number of fixtures with a new installation. The example is concentrating on a one-by-one replacement to make it easier to understand.

The table above shows the sum of all costs for running and maintaining the installation each year and in total. The Retrofit Solution reaches an ROI after 2 years already. The New Installation with controls is going to turn back the high investment after 10 years. Both LED solutions do better than the conventional one, save energy and CO2 emissions. Let’s go green with LED light sources!