We often forget how important it can be to call an electrician if a problem arises with a home’s electrical system. In fact, most homeowners are complacent that their wiring system is just fine and needs no care or maintenance. More often than not, the only time a licensed electrician is called to a house when something is going wrong. It’s important to understand how to recognize when you may need to be preemptive about electrical problems and subtle signs that your electrical system needs maintenance or repairs. Keep an eye out for the following issues that could arise, indicating a bigger electrical problem in your home.

If you’re a fan of power strips, that’s not necessarily a problem right away. The problem happens when you start to overload a specific circuit in your home. Attaching a power strip and then packing it full of energy-heavy devices can quickly cause circuit breakers to flip. In addition to that risk, they can quickly become a fire risk when used inappropriately. Opt for power strips with surge protectors and be careful concerning how much you plug into them. If you need more outlet availability in a space, that’s when you need to call a local electrician.

While the rugs themselves aren’t a sign of electrical problems, the wires and cords run under them are. More and more people are adapting older homes to their current needs, leaving exposed cords and cables throughout the house. You don’t need to run them under carpet and rugs. In fact, that can be a tripping hazard. An electrician can quickly run wires and cables through the walls to get the cables out of sight and out of mind.

If you own an older home, you may have noticed how your outlets don’t look quite like outlets in newer homes. For a long time, two prong outlets were the standard. No many appliances use a three prong plug style in order to provide a ground for the electricity. Don’t be someone who just cuts the third prong off of their appliances or bends it back to make it fit in the two prong outlet; upgrade your outlets instead. Properly grounded outlets can reduce the risk of electrical fires and other risks due to electricity.

It’s important to regularly check your home’s main service panel. Regular visual checks and professional checks by an electrician can help to prolong the life of the panel and help avert any problems from improper care. When you visually inspect the panel, check for any signs of problems, including potential rust. If your panel is rusting, it’s time to have an electrician install a new one for safety and performance.

If you’ve ever turned on a light switch and found that the plate was warm to the touch, then you should call an electrician. Points where power is utilized in the wall should never be warm, and definitely not hot. It’s a sign of a bigger electrical problem that could be a safety hazard.

CCT indicates the hue and tone of white light emitted from a specific bulb or fixture. It’s measured in Kelvins (K), which is similar to degrees in Celsius. Different temperatures on the Kelvin scale represent different colors. For example, light at 2000K-3500K looks more orange/yellow and is called ultra warm or warm white, and as temperature increases in Kelvins, color changes to more of a “paper white” known as natural or neutral white (between 3500K and 5100K) and finally into a bluish-white known as cool white (5100K+).

As a light source’s color temperature increases, brightness often increases. While shopping for LED lights, pay close attention to the color temperatures that are available for any one bulb or fixture. Choosing a warm white bulb with a color temperature around 3000K might mean sacrificing some brightness. Whereas, if you choose the natural white version, it’s likely that it will have a higher output.

Any room can benefit from light strip, globe bulb,

In order to understand nanometers, you must first understand the electromagnetic spectrum and wavelengths. The electromagnetic spectrum is the entire range of invisible and visible light, and a wavelength is the distance between peaks of light waves. Wavelengths are measured in nanometers, which are simply units of length that indicate colors of light within the spectrum. Nanometers will tell you how red, green, yellow, purple, etc. a light source really is. These measurements start lower at ultraviolet and increase from green to blue, yellow, orange, and then red. The wavelength of a colored light can be found in the light’s specifications table.

MR16 beam angle in degrees (left to right): 36, 24, 15

Fixtures or bulbs that emit wide beams, such as BR LED bulbs for can lights are great for areas that require a lot of light, such as basements, kitchens, or living rooms. Narrow beam angles like those from can lights with MR LED bulbs are best for highlighting decor or small areas. Globe bulbs, such as G30 LED vanity bulbs, have 360-degree beam angles, which means that they throw light in all directions. Globe bulbs are the perfect choice for centralized light fixtures.

Almost 2/3rd of Americans decorate there home with some sort of electric lights during the holiday season.  Over half require the use of some sort of extension cord and or power splitter during there holiday lighting decoration process.  The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Reports that Christmas tree fires alone cause on average an estimated $16.2 million in direct property damage, 16 injuries, and 6 deaths every year.  This statistic does not include injures or deaths due to outdoor lighting electric shock or fall injuries such as ladder work.

Experts Convey Trends in Lighting

The top trend in decorative lighting has little to do with style, shape or shade choices. Instead, it focuses on the new mindset of the consumer.

“People have realized you’re not buying just a lamp or a sconce or a chandelier — you’re buying an accessory that lights up,” says designer Sergio Orozco.

Decorative lighting rates today as one of the best accessories you can buy. “If chosen correctly, it is as important to a room as your best piece of furniture,” says Orozco, a New York-based furniture and lighting designer. “It reflects your taste and adds the finishing touch.”

Fixed or portable, lighting has become an all-important interior design feature. “Homeowners are beginning to seek out lighting as decorative elements,” says Jody DeVine marketing communications manager for Sea Gull Lighting Products, the New Jersey-based lighting manufacturer.

According to the experts at the American Lighting Association (ALA), there are three major movements:

CASUAL ELEGANCE continues the creation of warm, relaxed and cozy environments, with casual lighting that is a little more upscale in design.

SOFT CONTEMPORARY is still, clean, modern and simple in style. While architectural in design, these fixtures are no longer cold.

SIMPLIFIED TRADITIONAL removes the excess. “While still a traditional look, this look is not ornate,” says Orozco. “There is now a simplification. Decorative lighting here may still be solid brass, but stripped down and rich with an antique patina.”

In step with home decor trends, the lighting industry is experiencing an explosion of design options and material combinations. “Eclectic is really the word that best reflects the range of colors, styles, shapes and sizes of decorative lighting available,” says Joe Rey-Barreau, educational consultant for the American Lighting Association and assistant professor of interior design at the University of Kentucky.

This season’s savviest styles have common design elements. “There has been a big move recently to more daring designs and material combinations — wrought iron with crystal, polished brass with colored glass,” says Rey-Barreau. “At the same time, traditional product is still available. Today, if you want a Williamsburg polished brass fixture, you can find it. But if you are looking for a Murano glass medusa head with a low voltage bulb to light up a room, you can find that, too!”

Finishes range from rich and refined to lustrously weathered. “We are moving away from shiny brass and china to more burnished, brushed and hand painted finishes,” says DeVine.

Hand painted doesn’t mean simply white enamel with painted flowers. Instead, think multi-toned finishes with depth and texture — layers of color; hand-rubbed, burnished metal; finishes flecked with gold or silver and rubbed so color shines through.

“There is also a move toward heavy iron, and rust finishes are still important as is oil-rubbed bronze,” says Kevin Herdt, Certified Lighting Consultant for Austin Bluffs Lighting, a Colorado lighting showroom. “Amber glass is becoming more a preference for homeowners, as well.”

Other fresh features to look for in decorative lighting include:

LARGER SIZE FIXTURES: “More large-size fixtures is a result of the move to larger homes,” says Rey-Barreau. “Homes with large interior volumes need larger lights and the industry has complied.”

CHANDELIER RESURGENCE: Once confined to dining rooms and entry halls, chandeliers are hanging around almost any room in the house. “The trend is back to light in the center of the room,” says Rey-Barreau. “As a result, you are seeing chandeliers everywhere — bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, hallways — anywhere one will fit.”

QUALITY MATERIALS: The focus shifts to the real deal as consumers opt for true glass instead of plastic, stainless steel instead of aluminum. Look for beautiful marble, supple leathers and tactile iron.

LOWER COST: A benefit of recent manufacturing trends is the deflation of price in decorative lighting fixtures. “What cost $1,500 five years ago may be found today for $900,” says Rey-Barreau. “At the same time, there are incredible lamps available for $30.”

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: From adding dimmers to using the latest low-voltage bulbs, consumers are looking to save energy when they can. Cost-effective fluorescent bulbs become more important in all aspects of lighting.

SIDEBAR

DÉCOR LIGHTING

Few things make as much design impact on a room as the right lighting. Whether you choose a portable lamp or installed fixture, decorative lighting melds the best in home fashion with a function. To help you make the most of your decorative lighting, the experts at the American Lighting Association (ALA) offer the following ideas for illuminating your home — no matter what your budget.

FOCUS POCUS: Put lighting to work creating focal points. Add lights to direct the eye in a new direction by focusing on a piece of art, furniture or the mantel.

MOVE IT: Simply moving portable lighting around to new areas can create dramatic differences. Adding or subtracting light from parts of a room creates drama.

COLOR IT BEAUTIFUL: A coat of paint and well-placed lighting can completely change a room. Fresh paint can give an old fixture new look or create the opportunity to add new fixtures to anchor or complement the color.

DIM SOME: Dimmers are another inexpensive trick-of-the-trade. They help set a special mood in the home by allowing you to manipulate the light. Install them at the wall for ceiling fixtures and even buy them for table lamps.

MADE WITH THE SHADE: Today’s shades are made of a variety of shapes, textures and designs. Top off an old fixture with a smart new shade for a fresh look. Add lampshades to chandeliers, or take off the existing lampshades for a fresh face.

START SMALL: You don’t have to redo the whole room to get a whole new look. Dress up fixtures with accessories like candle sleeves, garland or cloth over the chain.

SPACE CASE: Add more drama to a space with accent lighting — illuminate the top a bookcase, add under cabinet lighting or hang a colored pendant over the kitchen island. “You can create islands of light that bring the grain of wood or the print of the wallpaper or the color of a wall to life,” says lighting designer Sergio Orozco.

TABLE IT: “Table lamps are so important, but often ignored,” says Joe Rey-Barreau, ALA director of continuing education. “They are critical to design, they are at eye level and we touch them daily. Move them around the room. If you buy small ones, you can put them on shelves. They make a room more visually complex.”

QUALITY COUNTS: No matter what your budget, opt for timeless materials like bronze and glass over their plastic counterparts. Timeless designs in top materials will always look right and can become family heirlooms.

TEST IT: Try before you buy. “In most instances, you can take a lamp home, try it and bring it back if it doesn’t work,” says lighting designer Sergio Orozco. “Exchange it for one that doesn’t reflect on your glass table or has a different shade.”

DO YOUR HOMEWORK: There is a wealth of information on the Internet, particularly in lighting and decor.  Review your options–from energy-saving innovation to the latest style trend–research new product information to find what will work best for your home or office design.  Consult with lighting professionals to help customize a plan that will illuminate  and enhance your environment effectively, efficiently and decoratively.

Visit a Capitol Lighting showroom or 1800lighting.com for professional lighting advice or a complementary lighting plan customized to your specifications.