If you are planning on renovating or sprucing-up your kitchen, it’s probably a good idea to map out a detailed lighting plan as well. Most people find this a little strange as they feel that lighting in a kitchen isn’t something that needs too much of consideration or planning. It’s just a place where you cook and probably where you have an informal meal after all.

However, the fact is that it’s important to plan kitchen illumination well if you want to make optimal use of your kitchen spaces. Here, we would like to share some basic lighting ideas to create the right balance of functionality and aesthetics.

If you want to get a better idea about what type of lighting would work best for your kitchen, it’s vital to understand how your kitchen spaces relate to the different type of lighting. Let’s start off with understanding what type of bulbs you can use for the best effects:

These bulbs emit a yellowish light and you will now find many artistic versions of these on the market today.

These bulbs throw off a flat, cold light that has a bluish tinge, which lends a very harsh effect to the room.

These have a warm light that makes the place look very inviting and comfortable

These are the latest in light bulb technology and are available in a range of effects including white, cool daylight, warm light, yellow and a range of other colours and hues. Aside from this, LED bulbs are also 80% more energy-efficient than standard bulbs; and most property owners are now opting for these fixtures.

In addition to the types of bulbs used, the style of lighting or the lighting effects are what impact the ambience and appearance of a room. With this in view, here we discuss the different lighting effects that can be used in your kitchen:

This is one of the simplest ways to create the right lighting effect in your kitchen. This type of lighting is designed to help you move comfortably around the room. In most instances this type of lighting comes from grid-style can lighting, widely-spaced, wall and ceiling lamps, semi-translucent skylights or even the natural light that streams in through glass windows and doors. This is the base layer of any lighting plan.

In your kitchen, task lighting would be required to illuminate kitchen counters and food preparation spaces. Since you will be cooking in your kitchen every day, it’s important that the task lighting be planned and installed well. If you have only recessed lighting fixtures in your kitchen, you will feel the lack of focused light when you are cleaning, cooking or prepping in that space.

If you install one-dimensional lighting in the kitchen, it creates unsightly shadows in different areas of the room, while ceiling lighting is ineffective in illuminating spaces like sinks, under counter or cabinet areas etc. On the other hand, if you add special pendant lamps over the counters or even your kitchen island it can prove to be a more practical solution. Under-cabinet lighting can also help in illuminating the cabinets that are positioned there.

This effect doesn’t seem as necessary as ambient or task lighting does in a kitchen space, as the illumination it provides isn’t as functional as the first two. However, it can have a significant impact on the way your kitchen spaces look. If you want to enhance the appeal of your kitchen (regardless of whether you are getting it entirely renovated or are opting for a lighting upgrade), it’s important that you plan your accent lighting well.

Electrical fires can be extremely destructive and uncontainable, once they break out. An electrical fault and severe sparking in the electrical installations in one part of your property can easily spread to the other areas very quickly. This means the destruction caused can be extremely high and the fire can pose a threat to the people living or working on your property as well.

When you get the electrical system on your property installed by credible professionals, you can rest assured that there will be no problems and that they will be quite safe. However, if you live on an older property that also has old wiring, it can deteriorate or get damaged over time, and can prove to be extremely dangerous. This is why you should make it a point to conduct routine checks on all the electrical installations in your home.

Most electrical companies also design preventive electrical maintenance contracts based on your specific needs; they will visit your property at pre-decided intervals and conduct thorough checks on all the electrical fittings and installations. This helps identify potential & existing problems beforehand and these can be fixed before they pose a major hazard.

Aside from this, it’s also important that you be wary and conduct some basic checks on all the electrical installations. Here are some signs you should look out for:

If you find that a particular circuit breaker trips once in a while, it may just be an indication that you have plugged in too many electrical appliances and devices all at once into that particular circuit. However, if you find yourself resetting the circuit breaker too often, it’s crucial that you don’t ignore it.

The circuit breaker is built specifically to alert you when something is wrong with the system; this is why you should call in a skilled electrician and get it checked without delay. The constant tripping could be an indication of a much bigger problem.

If you hear buzzing sounds or notice sparking in an electrical outlet or if you detect a burning odour emanating from the outlets, that’s a very strong warning that something’s wrong with it, and that it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. Not only will the electrician check the outlet, but will also check and update the wiring connected to it.

If you experience an electrical shock while operating any appliance or device in your home, it’s an indication that there is electrical current leaking at some point. This could be caused by faulty wiring or even a grounding fault. The electrician will use special testing devices to see where the problem lies and will fix it quickly and efficiently.

Sometimes a light bulb might flicker because it hasn’t been fitted correctly in its socket. However, there are times when this problem is caused due to a loose circuit or loose wiring. It’s the same with other electrical outlets that don’t function as they should.

Looking for a Plano TX electrician who is talented AND cost-effective can be a bit of a challenge. However, budget-conscious homeowners in North Texas run the risk of falling prey to phony electricians who take advantage of them by doing shoddy and dangerous work with the pretense of cheaper rates. Not only do these homeowners end up duped and with a mess on their hands, but they must call and pay another Plano TX electrician to come fix the work that the first company did, spending much more than they would have otherwise spent.

The Risks of Falling for Scams

Your home’s electrical work is too important to risk getting scammed by a bad electrician. Whether you’re looking for a Plano electrician to take care of an emergency job, or you’re simply looking for someone to inspect your current electrical setup, the cost of ending up with a bad contractor is worth the time spent looking for a good one.

The tips below can help you prevent scams and find an honest and qualified electrician in Plano, TX for your electrical repairs and installations.

Electric Man: Honest and Reliable Electricians Plano TX

Don’t allow yourself to fall victim to scams and phony electricians. Find a Plano electrician who will listen to your concerns, do the work that you asked for thoroughly, honestly and reliably, and who won’t take advantage of your needs. Electric Man has been providing Plano Tx electrician services to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area for over 27 years. Our services range from simple fixture installations and routine maintenance to major power emergencies. To learn more about Electric Man, call us today at 972-792-7270, visit us online or connect with our social media networks like Facebook and Twitter. If you have any other questions for Electric Man, leave in the comments section of our blog, and we’ll get right back to you!

Kicking back in your very own hot tub after a long day at work is one of life’s little luxuries. It gives you something to look forward to. The soothing, hot water can wash away all of life’s little aches and pains while giving you a little slice of heaven right there in your own backyard. Weekends and get-togethers are made a little more enjoyable when you and a few of your friends can enjoy the hot tub together. If you have been thinking about splurging on yourself, a hot tub is one way to do so while actually adding value to your home. Of course, value is only added if the hot tub is installed correctly by a certified electrician in Los Angeles like those at The Electric Connection.

A hot tub requires a special outlet to be installed in the area where you will be placing the hot tub. Because you are dealing with water and electricity, it is always best to have the job completed by a Los Angeles electrician. There are far too many things that can go wrong and jeopardize your life as well as the safety of your hot tub and home when you attempt to do the job yourself without any real knowledge of electrical wiring.

If you are putting the hot tub in the yard or in detached patio area, the wiring will need to be buried where it runs to the house. This is something that will typically require you to have permits with a certified electrician completing the job. Your hot tub may also require you to get an electric panel upgrade. This is something you will want to discuss with your electrician. Los Angeles homeowners can rely on The Electric Connection to take care of the installation and answer any questions they may have about the process.