One of the best ways to save on your energy bills is to limit the amount of energy you use in the bathroom. Easily save money and energy in your bathroom by following these 9 simple steps.

Water heating is the second largest household energy expense, after heating and cooling. Cutting your shower time by two minutes can reduce your water use and lower your energy bills.

Lowering your water heater’s thermostat to 120 °F can help you to improve the performance of your water heater and cut your water heating costs. If you plan to be away from home for at least three days, turn off your water heater or turn the thermostat down to the lowest setting.

Lighting accounts for about 10 percent of your household electricity costs. Turning the lights off when you leave the bathroom is an important energy conservation measure.

Switching to energy-saving light bulbs is one of the easiest ways to start saving energy in your bathroom. When shopping for light bulbs, look for the Energy Star label to identify energy-saving products. For further energy savings, choose LED light bulbs, which typically use 75 percent less energy than incandescent light bulbs.

Leaving your bathroom extractor fan on too long can remove heat from your home. Save energy by turning off your fan when you leave the bathroom.

Ventilating your bathroom can go a long way toward creating an energy-efficient environment; research reveals that it costs less to cool or heat a dry environment than a damp one. Improve the ventilation in your bathroom by leaving a window open when you’re taking a bath or shower.

Sealing any air leaks with caulk, weatherstrips, or sealant can cut your energy costs and create a healthier indoor environment. For best results, focus on filling gaps around your windows and plumbing.

Older water heaters can use more energy than new ones, so replacing them can help you cut your energy bills. When shopping for a new water heater, consider the size, fuel type, and energy efficiency before making a purchase.

Leaving appliances plugged in wastes energy, even when they’re not being used. Be sure to unplug your appliances after using them, or switch them off at the wall.

Learning how to conserve energy in the bathroom doesn’t have to be a challenge. By following the above tips, you can maximize your energy savings and cut your energy bills.

By Clarissa Allison | April 29th, 2016

If you want to update your home to create an appeal of freshness and light, there’s no better color to use in your decorating scheme than white. Whether pure white, off white or cream – despite what you may initially think, white can add drama to your home. Read on for tips and product suggestions that will transform your abode into your own personal white palace.

The key with using white in your space is to soften your chosen items by making sure that everything isn’t overly match-y and austere. Choose distressed finishes for your furniture and items that exhibit a bit of texture and softness. In this way you will avoid severity and “coldness” while adding familiarity and comfort to your space. George Nelson  at the end of the Second World War.

reflective glare. The sculptural qualities of this lamp are truly amazing.

Planning on an exciting and colorful lighting display this holiday season? Whether you have grandiose plans of intricate illumination design, or you just want to wire up your tree, hanging lights can present a few hazards to the unprepared. Electrical safety may take a backseat for some, but to the experts at Kolb Electric, nothing could be more important! Protect yourself and your home with these light hanging tips.

As you may expect, much of electrical safety has to do with the product being used. Keep these tips in mind when selecting your lighting choices this year:

If you plan on hanging wiring above eye-level, odds are you’ll be using a ladder. Remember these tips when hanging your lights:

Have any questions or concerns regarding your holiday lighting this year? Contact us today at Kolb Electric! We provide industry-leading solutions for all of your electrical needs, and bring only the very best in service and skill to our consumers!

Depending on what sparked your need for an electrical repair, you might be wondering if you can DIY a solution or whether you need to call a professional. If the fix just means changing a lightbulb or resetting the breaker, sure, go ahead! However, if your problem requires potentially exposing yourself to a live current, the job is probably best left to an electrical repair service. There’s a reason electricians are rigorously trained and licensed — the job can be dangerous.

Do you oftenHere are the signs you need an electrician

At the least, making a mistake while doing DIY electrical repairs could mean subjecting yourself to the discomfort of an electric shock … at the worst, fatal electrocution. Even if you do manage to get the job done, poor wiring or improper installation could also create a fire hazard down the line. There are some jobs it just makes sense to pay someone else to do.

Proper lighting and positioning is a major factor in enhancing your brand image, building a customer base and increasing the sales of your retail store. A well-designed store is bound to generate higher sales than the one with an ordinary interior.

Shoppers these days are more knowledgeable and opinionated than ever before. There is a need for retailers to equip themselves with the right skills and tools to attract their attention and make shopping a memorable experience for them.

Upgrading the lights and positioning is one of the easiest ways to restore and enhance your store’s appeal, thereby making an impact on the sales.

The Retail Welcome

Your store’s exteriors and lighting systems are vital. This is the place making way to the store entrance. If your store is inside a shopping mall, then you might spend more on ads, signage and billboards, or else lighting should be the focus.

The proper outdoor lighting. Mostly, we tend to focus on name boards which are aesthetically designed with spotlights. But outside area should never be ignored.

The entrance of the store makes an emotional connection with a shopper. That’s where you showcase your products. Proper lighting and correct positioning can make all the difference here. Even an ordinary product can be made to look good when the lighting is spot on. This persuades the people who don’t intend to shop in the first place, enter your store.

Good lighting designers would strongly suggest using a variety of lighting intensities, colors, fixtures and placements to craft an impressive entrance.

Product Lighting

Right lighting at various areas within a retail store increases shoppers’ engagement with the products. Different lighting caters to different products which could be dissimilar in shape, size, texture, pattern and color.

The lighting needs to be in tune with the products that your brand sells, so at the time of testing, customers can closely experience the appearance and usefulness of the products they want to purchase. For example in a clothing store, the color of lighting often makes a garment look different in terms of shade and tone.

Lighting for walls and decorative stuff in your store should never take precedence over product lighting. You are there to sell your products and not murals or ceilings. A retail store for interior items is an exception.

Light boxes can enhance the appearance of your top products and special items. Since shoppers are naturally drawn to striking and unique displays, these items gain instant visibility. This makes it a great opportunity to showcase the best sellers, higher margin items, or even items you simply wish to sell faster.

Lighting the Fitting Rooms

Proper illumination within the fitting or trial rooms ensures an easy selection and product check for shoppers.

Make sure that the colors, quality, and fit are clearly visible. Smart lighting with careful use of mirrors and cabinets makes a product look better when tried on.

Customer Experience is Paramount – Some Tips

Right lighting and positioning is only one of the parameters among others that define sales strategies but mostly, it is overlooked by retailers.

Store owners and retailers must find out a way to measure if the store lighting is making an impact to their footfalls and sales. The results would certainly convince them revive the entire store from lighting perspective.