Do you have ranges and ovens on your mind? Maybe you just got a big bonus from work, or your last child finally graduated from college. There's no better way to celebrate than a new kitchen. From granite countertops to the latest in state-of-the-art appliance technology, you can cook in comfort and increase the value of your home to boot. If you haven't bought a new refrigerator or oven in a decade or more, you might be shocked at all the features you're missing out on. Read on for some of the latest in kitchen function and form.

Keep your food cold in style: If your ancient refrigerator is still chugging away, replacing it with an efficient ENERGY STAR-certified model could actually pay for itself in a few years through reductions in energy costs. That's to say nothing of all the new features there are to play with. You can find a fridge with multiple segmented compartments to keep different foods at different temperatures, or compartments in the doors that offer quick access to snacks and drinks. If you want to go really futuristic, check out models that have touchscreen controls so you have the temperature and other settings right at your fingertips.

Fun with ranges: Many new stovetops come with touchpads so you can precisely control the temperature and timing of your culinary masterpiece, down to the degree. If you prefer electric stoves, a flat glass or ceramic top can make the kitchen look more modern compared to the old coil elements. If you have the budget, you may even consider an induction range, which is hyper-efficient and uses electromagnets to turn your cooking pots into heat sources. One feature that might be useful no matter what type of element you use is downdraft ventilation, which can pull steam down through the stovetop before it can damage your walls or cabinets.

Double your oven: Is baking your thing? The oven market is heating up. Consider options like two oven bays so you can bake items at different temperatures at the same time, and convection ovens that use a fan to circulate heat and cook food more evenly. You can also find ovens that cook at super-low temperatures, down to 150 degrees, so you can dehydrate food and store it for later in the year. The very latest in oven technology is smartphone apps, which allow you to remotely monitor and control your settings.

Remember, you aren't alone in your quest for the most modern, stylish and efficient cooking area. Let the experts help you decide what your dream kitchen looks like, and then bring it to reality. Also, if you are just swapping out appliances there shouldn't be too many complications, but more serious work that involves adding or moving outlets, installing vents or changing the physical layout of the kitchen means you will need to make sure you are in compliance with local building code. Always consult with a professional so you don't accidentally create a safety hazard or find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

The experts at local Mister Sparky® are always here to help. Give us a call if you are considering kitchen renovations and we can help you evaluate and potential electrical changes or issues before you get started.

High temperatures cause conductors to expand and hence increase in length. The converse is true for low temperature conditions. The change in length varies from one conductor to another depending on its thermal expansivity. The length of copper conductors, for instance, changes by 5 feet per 1000 feet of length when the conductor temperature changes from 100 – 0°, while aluminum changes by about 7 feet. The length increases with increase in temperature and reduces with reduction in temperature.

This increase or decrease in length is of great concern when installing power transmission lines between poles and towers, or when installing other power connectors. There must be an allowance for this change in length since it can cause catastrophes if it’s not there.

Weather changes are associated with increase and decrease in temperature and thus affect power transmission lines and other conductors. However, change in temperature is only one factor that affects power lines. Below are the changes that occur to power lines and other conductors as a result of weather changes:

The amount of heat dissipated from power conductors is reduced during hot and calm weather conditions. Basically, if the temperature of air around the cable is low, more heat is lost from the cable to the air. If the air is already hot, the exchange of heat is lesser. This low heat dissipation causes the lines to overheat. However, the rise in conductor temperature (overheating) worsens when cables are transmitting too much power than required. The first effect of this increased conductor temperature is snagging, which is the downward bulging of the cable between two poles, caused by the increase in the length of cables.

Snagging is largest during extreme hot weather (largest increase in temperature) conditions experienced in summer. The increase in length results to downward bulging of the cable due to the effect of gravity. Excessive sagging is dangerous if it goes below the accepted height clearance – cables could come into contact with trees, buildings and other structures underneath, causing electrocution and fires.

Excessive sagging represent an added weight on the power line and this increase may cause the line to fail or to pull down weak poles and towers. The effects can be small but gradual and so the poles and towers will finally come down or require some adjustment/replacement after some time, which is costly. This sagging can also cause the lines to short out. Excessive sagging is also costly since it leads to increased electrical resistance. This means that a sagged power line transmits lesser current than it normally does, thus causing under-feeding of electrical equipment and industries. It is also costly and time consuming to rectify a sag.

As a Plano TX electrician, I can tell you that the year 2011 was a dramatic and eye-opening experience for those of us who realized that our electrical grid is unreliable when it attempts to function in less-than-ideal situations. Any Plano electrician can tell you that without viable solutions to the problem of an easily weakened power grid, North Texas runs into difficulties which can be both costly and potentially dangerous.

North Texas Electricity: A Year In Review

Let’s take a look at the last year’s power grid problems and how they affected our North Texas population.

Indoor Generator: Taking Matters Into Your Own Hands

Given all the difficulties we experienced last year as a result of an unreliable power grid, isn’t it time for us to consider solutions that would put reliable power back in our homes? One of those solutions that is worth taking a look at is an indoor generator. Having an indoor generator in your home can:

Consider talking to your Dallas electrician today to find out more about indoor generators and how you can be prepared in 2012 for any blackouts and outages that come our way.

Dallas Electricians You Can Trust

With over 27 years of electrical experience, Electric Man Inc. has seen too many families in danger as a result of careless and unnecessary oversights in the use of lighting and electronics. With a little care, a lot of caution and some common sense, your family can enjoy the candy and the costumes and not have to be worried about fires.

For more information on electrical safety and how you can protect your home and your family, or if you need a local Dallas electrician to help you with any electrical issues you may have, check out our other blogs at www.electricmaninc.com and connect with us…