Well, the stormy season is upon us with thunder and lightning all around…..are you prepared?  Do you have whole-house protection from lightning strikes and power surges?  With the continued uncertainty of Texas weather, it’s important to be protected year round!  Here at ElectricMan, a licensed Dallas Electrician, we offer whole-house surge protection, as well as Green-friendly electric service alternatives.  Just give us a call for more information!

-Your team here at ElectricMan

(972) 792-7270

www.electricmaninc.com

Motion sensor LED stair lights let you safely and effectively navigate your steps while eliminating the need for any action. And because they turn off automatically, they also save power! We’ve recently installed these handy little LED stair lights and wanted to share the process with you.

wire that will be needed. It is best to order more than you need so that there’s slack in the line and enough to extend to where your power supply will be mounted.

It’s important to choose the correct wire gauge for the length of wire you need and amount of current that will be flowing through it. The key is to avoid voltage drop, which happens when the supplied energy of a power source is reduced as electric current flows through wire (or any other pieces of equipment that do not supply voltage on a circuit). The longer the run of wire, the lower the gauge of wire needed.

*If you need help determining the correct wire gauge, don’t hesitate to call us toll free at 866-590-3533. Our customer service and technical support teams are available from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT on Friday.

3. Using wiring from the

4. Use a run of wire to join the PIR sensor at the top of your steps with the power supply. You can wire both PIR sensors to the power supply using electrical tape or with

5. Connect your main line to the PIR sensor at the bottom of your steps, and begin connecting each step light with

7. Finally, connect to power.

LED stair lights and

4. Connect your main line to the PIR sensor at the bottom of your steps, and begin connecting each step light with

6. Finally, plug the power supply into your wall outlet.

At first glance, you might not notice much of a difference between your current electrical meter and your new Smart Meter. But inside, your Smart Meter is hard at work using advanced technology to identify and analyze data about your home’s energy consumption. These meters then communicate this data between your home and BGE via a secured network.

BGE began installing these advanced meters back in 2012, and they’re slated to finish rolling them out to every home and small business in their service area by 2015. Smart Meters can do some pretty amazing things, including:

You may already be used to your home’s existing electrical meter, which keeps an ongoing record of your home’s energy use and must be read by the power company each month so you can be billed appropriately. A Smart Meter, on the other hand, allows for two-way communication between the meter and BGE via a wireless network—a crucial point for building a reliable smart grid.

When you first get your new Smart Meter, you may notice that it seems to function just like your old one, without any of the supposed benefits of installation. This will be true at first, but over time, you’ll be able to experience everything the Smart Meter has to offer.

Best of all, Smart Meters have been thoroughly tested for safety and reliability. These meters are already in use across the country, and they have undergone extensive testing by other utility companies. Smart Meters operate at a level that is much lower (1.4%) than the maximum permissible exposure limits for radio frequency, as defined by the Federal Communications Commission. Smart Meters transmit for an average of about two minutes a day.

BGE will be installing Smart Meters throughout 2014. During that time, every BGE electric customer will receive one for their home. The utility provider will upgrade existing gas meters during this time period as well.

Several weeks before BGE begins installing Smart Meters in your community, you will begin seeing notifications in various forms, including ads in your local paper, materials at your neighborhood library or grocery store and booths at community festivals. A few weeks prior to installation, you will receive a letter in the mail informing you of when your new meter will be installed, or, if your meter is inside your home, providing you with instructions on how to schedule an appointment. For outdoor meters, you do not need to be present for installation. We’ll leave behind a door hanger to confirm that a new meter was installed.

Once your meter is installed, you’ll be granted access to BGE Smart Energy Manager, which will provide you with the tools necessary to better understand how you use your energy, and how to better save energy and reduce your bills.

During the Fall and Winter months, Expert Electric installs an increasing amount of outdoor parking lot lighting for all different types of commercial buildings including office buildings, retail businesses, restaurants and bars. As the days get shorter, many business and property owners begin to see the benefits of outdoor parking lot lighting as there is less daylight. Outdoor parking lot lighting is important all year round to prevent break-ins, vandalism and burglaries from occurring. Learn more about the different types of outdoor parking lot lighting installations that Expert Electric does.

Outdoor parking lot lighting is an important security measure in protecting the buildings, businesses and employees of office buildings. Not all office buildings have security guards and underground parking. Outdoor parking lot lighting can help protect office buildings from burglaries. It can also help protect vehicles from vandalism and break-ins. Employees will feel more comfortable when walking to their vehicles after work in a well-lit environment, especially in the Fall and Winter months. The licensed electricians at Expert Electric can install outdoor parking lot lighting for office buildings all throughout the Lower Mainland and Greater Vancouver area.

Outdoor parking lot lighting is very important for retail businesses for many of the same reasons as it is important for office buildings. Retail businesses have plenty of valuable inventory and assets on hand and are often targeted with burglaries. A well-lit parking lot can help prevent burglaries from occurring. Outdoor parking lot lighting is also important for retail shops to remain in business. Customers will not want to visit a store during the evening if it does not have sufficient outdoor parking lot lighting. Parking lot lights help keep customers secure, especially for retail locations that are open late at night. Expert Electric can install outdoor parking lot lighting in a variety of different types of retail stores including

Restaurants and bars are usually open later than most other businesses which makes their parking lots more vulnerable to crime. Hiring parking lot security can be expensive and installing security cameras does not necessarily prevent vandalism and burglaries from taking place. Installing parking lot lighting in restaurants and bars can significantly help reduce vehicle break-ins, vandalism and theft. Customers will feel more comfortable when walking to and from the building during evening hours when the parking lot is properly lit.

If you would like to learn more about outdoor parking lot lighting for commercial buildings or residential homes, please contact the licensed electricians at Expert Electric today. At Expert Electric, we offer a large variety of electrician services including standby generator installations, electrical transformers, hot tub wiring and more. Call us to schedule an appointment today at 604-681-8338. Our team will provide you with a written estimate, flexible service hours and follow up after 48 hours to ensure that you are completely satisfied with out work. Trust the experts at Expert Electric!