Don’t sweat the small stuff; Change it up, lighten your load and keep cool this summer with innovative and energy-efficient light source solutions and state-of-the-art ceiling fans and free standing fans.

1.  Stop baking in your kitchen!  Get rid of old incandescent and hot halogen bulbs.  Replace with cooler CFL’s (compact fluorescents) or LED’s (light-emitting diodes) in recessed and overhead fixtures. CFLs and LEDs** consume at least 75% less energy and emit 90% less heat.  Relamping with cooler bulbs will make a major difference in work areas of the home such as kitchens where oven, cook-top and dishwasher usage emit a great deal of heat.  Laundry rooms, too, can heat up pretty quickly when machines are in use, so update your illumination with cooler lamps. Also, switching to cooler bulbs in offices and hobby/work areas will vastly improve your ability to concentrate and keep cool.

2.  Shield yourself from sun streaming in through windows. Close the shades and curtains during peak daylight hours to keep the sun from fading your fine fabrics and overheating your rooms.

3.  Conserve energy and do not leave lights on haphazardly.  Consider automated heat and motion sensors to conveniently turn lights on and off.  Dimming ambient light sources adds an extra cool down option and helps save energy.  Brilliant and stylish cool new switches, automated fan and lighting controls provide the utmost in sophistication and design to revamp your home this summer!

4.  Opt for task light, and limit usage of general and accent light sources.  Task light includes focused reading lamps, uni-directional and adjustable recessed or track lights over work areas, and security lighting for safe navigation.  Although accent lamps enhance the beauty of your environment, save them for the times when you are entertaining or showcasing your home.

5. Beautify your environment and bask in the comfort of ceiling fans, wall fans and free-standing fans. Save on air-conditioning bills and keep cool by employing energy-efficient fans in rooms that are used most frequently.

♦When the air temperature is 78 degrees, your body will feel as if it is 72 degrees if you are seated under a ceiling fan operating at a low speed. Plentiful cooling options include innovations from Casablanca, Fanimation, Hunter, Kichler and Savoy House.

♦Purchase lamps, light fixtures and fans from a reputable dealer.  Top quality LED and CFL lamps are engineered to last and provide pleasant illumination.  Cheaper LED and CFL lamps may contain substandard elements; they may burn out prematurely and  illumination effects may be less pleasing. The best ceiling fans are engineered with motors that are guaranteed to last and work flawlessly for a lifetime of comfort.

Lighten Up, Cool Down and Revel in Summer 2013!

Bring on the summer heat, and power up the latest in sophisticated design and energy-saving innovation.  Pairing ceiling fans and air conditioners set at low fan settings offers the ultimate in comfort and energy-savings.

1.  ENERGY STARtm-rated fans:

2. The greater the angle of the blade, the more air circulation. Fan blade brackets should be positioned so the blades form a 12-15 degree angle for optimal circulation.

3.  The heart of every ceiling fan is the motor. Motors equipped with heavy-duty windings and sealed bearings that are permanently lubricated should work flawlessly for long periods of time.  Check out motor warranty information when comparing ceiling fans.

4.  A typical ceiling fan weighs between 15 and 50 pounds when fully assembled.  While many junction boxes may support that weight, a fan in operation exerts additional stresses. Be sure to upgrade to a proper junction box when replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan.

5.  American Lighting Association (ALA)-member showrooms offer customizable fan products—decorator finishes, unique options such as hand-carved blades, custom light fixtures, ceiling medallions, and control systems, as well as installation tips and servicing advice.

Check out the latest energy-efficient products to keep you cool for the dog days of August….

–Energy-efficient and “cool” new bulbs from Bulbrite Industries* include the LED G5 dimmable Omni-Directional Series with GU 24 base options and 5-Watt chandelier bulbs.

*Bulbrite offers top quality lamps from novelty colors, fluorescent, halogen, and krypton/xenon to outstanding award winning LEDs and CFLs.  Enjoy all the benefits of LED, CFL and energy-efficient incandescent light sources from Bulbrite.

From Lite Source:  LS-21680 “Rubik” Energy Smart LED lamp

Multimax ™ by Fanimation, Energy-Star rated and available in 2, 3 or 4 blade options.

— The Sleep Fan Standing Floor Fan by Savoy House, available in Cherrywood, English Bronze, Satin Nickel and Wrought Iron Black; UL-listed for damp locations, comes with a independent volume control to adjust sound according to sleep preference—the lowered frequency red noise has proven to promote better sleep*.

Over 50 million people sleep with some kind of fan device for the soothing tone and the air circulation they provide. –David Furnace of Savoy House

Utilizing “red noise” * and a revolutionary volume control, the Sleep Fan delivers a soothing tone to lull you to sleep, while the gentle cooling system keeps you comfortable throughout the night.

*Studies show that “red” noise delivers low tones with the absence of high frequencies to induce a more soothing, deeper sleep than white noise.

With the right lights and accessories, LED landscape lighting is a breeze to install. Our plug-and-play different brand of lights in a G-LUX system. There are installation options and accessories for LED pond lights/fountain lights, spotlights, path lights, hardscape lights, well lights, and more. Check out the photos below for some landscape lighting ideas and layout options. With easy-to-use G-LUX accessories, such as extension cables, splitters, power supplies, dusk-to-dawn sensors, and waterproof junction boxes, any setup is possible.

Installation Accessories:

Waterproof Junction Box

You can use extension cables to lengthen the reach of or increase the number of lights in your LED landscape lighting system. Splitters are available in 3-way and 5-way options, and extension cables come in 6.56-foot, 16.4-foot, and 32.81-foot lengths. Use any combination of these plug-and-play accessories to add LED landscape lights where you need them. Make sure that the power supply you choose can handle the combined wattage of all your LED lights.

For this type of installation, you’ll need a G-LUX LED landscape light. Connect the female end of the pigtail power cable to your LED light, and connect the pigtail wires to the main line that runs to your other lights and existing power supply. You can also wire your G-LUX LED landscape light directly to your power supply.

You can create a G-LUX landscape lighting system using G-LUX LED lights and G-LUX dusk-to-dawn sensor will turn your landscape lights on at dusk and off at dawn. A sensor with an automatic timer is also available to keep landscape lights on for two, four, or six hours after dusk. The sensor must be plugged into your G-LUX power supply, and anything that you want it to control must be plugged into it. If you want the sensor to control multiple lights, plug your splitter or extension cable that is plugged into the splitter into it.

If you’re using waterproof G-LUX LED well lights or spotlights in ponds or fountains, there are a couple waterproof accessories that you might need. Use a G-LUX waterproof wire connector to do so.

For technical questions, 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.

Rats and mice are quite common house pests; once they find your home to be a safe place to live in and that there are different sources of food there, they will be reluctant to leave. Not only do they pose a health hazard, they also tend to cause a lot of damage to various features on your property and will chew through the insulation of your electrical wiring.

This can affect the system and impact the supply of electricity throughout your property and can be a fire hazard as well. Here are some effective tips to prevent rodent damage to the electrical wiring in your home:

Since rodents are nocturnal creatures, you won’t really see them running around your home in the daytime. However, if you are wary, you will surely hear scratching and chewing sounds in the walls of your homes. You may also hear scurrying noises coming from the attic. You should look out for nesting material or droppings and will typically find these in enclosed spaces.

It’s important to check the wiring’s insulation with regularity to ensure that it’s intact and that it hasn’t been chewed by rodents. The unfortunate part is that this isn’t something you can do for wiring behind walls. However, if you are undertaking any repairs, renovation or upgrades, take that as an opportunity to check the wiring for signs of rodent damage.

If you notice any flickering or experience power fluctuation in a certain room or part of the house, or if you find that a certain circuit breaker keeps tripping for no specific reason, get the system checked for rodent damage.

If you notice any signs of a rodent infestation, it’s important that you act without delay and take some steps to get rid of them. Buy some spring traps and rat poison from your local hardware store and set these at different places where you have seen rat droppings or heard noises. Even as you do this, it’s equally important that you also identify where these pests are entering your property from. Place the bait or poison at these points along your home’s exterior walls.

If you find the infestation to be too severe or if you aren’t too confident about using DIY rodent control measures, call a licensed electrician to inspect the wiring and check it thoroughly for damage. If they confirm that the damage has been caused by rats, it’s a good idea to call pest control professionals to handle the rodent control for you. They will provide solutions and give you advice on the steps you can take to prevent these pests from entering your property.

While the rodent control professionals will ensure that the rats are eliminated from your property, they will also advise you on how to seal all the possible rodent entry points in your home. Aside from very evident points such as doors and open windows, these pests can easily squeeze their way into the indoor spaces of your property through holes and large cracks. If the cracks are too small, they won’t shy from chewing their way in through the loose concrete of the walls.

Smoke detectors are very crucial pieces of safety equipment in your home and it is now also mandatory in NSW that residential properties have at least one smoke alarm on every storey. Not many people are aware of this, but a large percentage of fires in homes cause massive destruction because the smoke detectors didn’t function the way they should have.

The unfortunate fact is that we almost always take these fixtures for granted; we get them installed and rarely even notice they are there on the ceiling until they get set off accidently or when their batteries go dead. Improperly installed smoke detectors or even poorly-maintained ones will only end up letting you down exactly when you need them.

It’s important that you make smoke detector maintenance a part and parcel of your regular home maintenance routine. There two main types of smoke alarms used on residential properties:

These have minuscule quantities of radioactive material that reacts to the particles that are emitted when a fire breaks out, and that sets-off the alarm. These alarms are extremely effective in the detection of fast-flaming fires in which there isn’t too much of visible smoke.

These have photocells with a light beam that shines away from the cell. If smoke enters its test chamber, the smoke particles scatter some of the light; this hits the cell and triggers the alarm. These types of smoke detectors are ideal for detecting smouldering/smoky fires, which is how residential fires typically are.

Regardless of the types of alarms installed on your property, it doesn’t take more than a few minutes annually to ensure that these devices are in a working order at all times. The few steps you should take are:

Aside from the regular maintenance, it’s also very important that you consider how many smoke detectors you have and how they are powered. The best way to increase the effectiveness and safety of these devices is to upgrade your home’s smoke detection setup. The things to focus on are:

We can install and maintain smoke detectors on your residential or commercial premises. For more information, contact the Allround Electricals team at this number – 1300 169 263. Alternatively, you can also write to us at this email address.

Thanks for reading,1300 169 263