If you are doing work on your yard over the weekend, you can now get away with doing everything using only electricity. Lawnmowers, pressure washers, and other tools that commonly used gas can now be purchased in models powered by electricity. If you are using these electrical powered tools you need to ensure that you have electrical coverage around your home to plug them in. Here are some tips for having outdoor GFCI outlets installed in your home’s exterior.

Most homes come standard with a couple of outdoors outlets. Sometimes this is not enough and you will be restricted because the cable for your lawnmower or pressure washer can’t reach around the side of the home or to the back of your yard. When preparing to have an outdoor GFCI outlet installed, measure the length of your cables and the maximum distance you will need to go. You can then create the radius of coverage you will need and pin point the correct locations for the outlets. If you do not choose the optimal location you could end up installing more outlets then you need and will have to unplug during tasks to move outlets. This is inconvenient, so lets do it efficiently!

With a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), the outlet can detect if there a problem in the circuit such as contact with water or a person, and then the circuit will shut off. This is especially important outside, as the outlet is more susceptible to water, from rain and snow, car washing, and interaction from animals and children. It is also wise to have covers installed overtop of the outlet as well. This adds an extra layer of protection. The covers will need to be manually opened by yourself before use and prevent unwanted interaction.

As we usually recommend, double check that your existing wires and circuits can handle the additional outlets. The tools and equipment that make use of these outlets can demand a lot of power and if the outlet is installed on circuit that is already heavily loaded, you will be experiencing trips and electrical hazards to your home. An Expert Electrician will be able to identify the proper circuits to have the outlets installed on.

Using electricity offers convenience and efficiency. Make the most of it and be safe by having a professional, certified electrician install outdoor GFCI outlets on your home.

Solar power is something any home can take advantage of. You don’t have to live in the boonies to use solar power to offset your electric bill. The process of installing solar panels is relatively easy and can be taken care of by a Pasadena electrician like those at The Electric Connection. Solar energy is free and is most certainly the way of the future. Imagine cutting your electric bill in half or more by relying on the sun.

The panels are typically installed on the roof of your home. The initial cost of the solar panels will vary depending on how many you choose to have and the various sizes. There are lease options that have proven to be very good options for homeowners who are not quite ready to make the rather sizable initial investment to buy their own solar power equipment. Call it a test run of sorts as you learn to rely on solar energy.

Many people don’t realize that they can use solar power to run their homes even if they live in the suburbs. Most covenants will allow for the panels to be installed. Your home will stay connected to the main power grid so there is no fear of “running out of power.” In fact, if your solar power system happens to generate more electricity than you can use, you can sell it back to your electric company in most cases. How many people can say their power company pays them a monthly fee?

Because the solar panels will need to be connected to your home’s electric panel, you will need to hire an electrician. Pasadena homeowners will see the cost-savings of using solar power within the first month. As you grow more accustomed to maximizing the solar energy, those savings will increase over time. If you would like to learn more about adding solar panels to your home, give The Electric Connection a call today.

The cost of energy is something that everyone’s concerned about and with energy costs projected to continue rising for the foreseeable future, it should come as no surprise that an increasing number of people are looking for ways to reduce their energy consumption and of course, their bills. If you’ve been following the news, you’ve probably heard about something called a smart meter. What you may not know about these devices, however, is exactly what they are and what makes them special.

Can installing a smart meter in your home help you to save on your energy bill? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this new generation of power meters? Keep reading for the answers to these questions.

Smart meters are designed to work with new smart power grid technologies which are being implemented in several countries and like the grids themselves, they are designed to help consumers to use energy more efficiently. These new meters can be read online, which will ultimately eliminate the need for utility company employees to go door to door reading power meters. However, there are advantages for consumers as well as for the utility companies.

The most important advantage of using smart meters as far as consumers are concerned is the ability to access much more detailed information about their energy consumption. Rather than simply providing information about the total level of power consumption, a smart meter allows consumers to see not only how much energy they’re using in their home, but how this energy is used. This is data which homeowners can act on to reduce their energy consumption, essentially putting control over their energy bills back into their hands.

These meters provide detailed information on usage by time of day, which allows consumers to identify their household’s peak usage times as well as the rates assessed during these hours. Better still, consumers can identify how much energy particular appliances are using, alerting them when appliances aren’t operating at optimal efficiency so that they can have these appliances serviced or replaced as needed. Software is now available for users which automatically send text messages with customized information on their energy usage, so there’s no need to be out of the loop as far as energy efficiency is concerned.

While consumers will need to hire an electrician to come out and install a smart meter in their home in areas where local utilities do not provide this service, the savings which the average household could realize from using these sophisticated power meters should make this a worthwhile investment. Smart meters are clearly a growing trend and in the near future, they will be even more useful as newer energy technologies like solar and wind power become more common, since they are ready to work with these power sources.

For instance, with a conventional electricity meter, it would be necessary to have an electrician come to your home to install a new meter if you were to install a wind turbine or solar panel on your home. A smart meter, however, is able to seamlessly integrate with the new power source; which is yet another reason that budget-conscious and environmentally minded consumers are starting to take a serious look at smart meters.

Having an electrical problem is never going to be a good time. We rely on electricity for nearly everything, and so it’s quite understandable that you’re looking for service in a hurry. But before you go rushing in, the experts at Hoffman Electrical have some things to say. Getting a cost-effective electrician is great, but there’s a fine line between cost-effective and cheap!

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!