As the world’s population has grown and technology has expanded, our dependence on our electrical systems has become higher than ever. Because of this, each home must use more and more electricity in order to maintain life as they are accustomed to. While this brings many great things, such as simplified everyday tasks and a variety of entertainment options, it also means that we are contributing to many harmful environmental practices on a greater level. In order to combat this, the US Government has created the Energy Star rating to certify appliances that meet a certain level of energy efficiency and usage. When upgrading your appliances, it is highly recommended that you choose these energy efficient models to both reduce your carbon footprint and lower your energy bills.

What Does Energy Star Mean?Whether your appliance requires special installation by an electrician in Pasadena, or if you can just plug it in and go, an Energy Star rating means that the equipment that you are installing is high quality, energy efficient and built to last. There are a variety of rules and regulations set out to help determine whether an appliance meets these standards. Each appliance’s performance and energy consumption are measured against the current standards in order to make this determination. As a result, you can be assured that any Energy Star Appliance that you purchase will be much more efficient than a similar unit that is not rated.

In addition to your standard appliances, such as refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers, ovens, washers and dryers and heating systems, you should also be on the lookout for more mundane Energy Star rated items such as light bulbs. These bulbs and other products are tested in the same manner that your appliances are to ensure that they meet a high standard. For more information on reducing energy consumption, or for help upgrading your electrical system to handle new appliances, give us a call at The Electric Connection. Click here to visit our website.

Recently, Digital Trends profiled a Paolo di Trapani, and his work has a lot of people excited. For all the rapid progress that has been made with LEDs, no one else has made this important step towards recreating natural light.

The article explains how lighting innovations have allowed people to use artificial light in a number of amazing ways. We can change the color temperature of a light bulb with a smartphone, and we can grow food indoors, but we haven’t yet been able to mimic the way the atmosphere scatters the sun’s natural light…until now.

According to Digital Trends, di Trapani’s technology scatters the light of a panel of white LEDs with “a clear plastic panel studded with nanoparticles that are invisible to the naked eye.” What’s a nanopartical? A nanoparticle is what it sounds like: A really small particle. Nanoparticle research is currently hot because there are tons of ways that nanoparticle research could be applied in biomedical, optical, and electronic fields.

It seams that as the year progresses each season comes with its own positives and negatives. We have been fortunate to have a very beautiful spring so far, and looks like we will be in for a very hot summer. This means that we should all be getting out our sunscreen and turning up our air conditioning units. But if you want to save money on your energy bill this spring and summer, check out some of these tips that can help you cool down on a budget. 

When it is hot outdoors and the warm air is trying to come in, you don’t want to start creating your own warm air inside. Turning on the oven or stove in your kitchen will start to give off additional heat that you then attempt to reduce through the thermostat control. You can avoid this battle of temperatures through proper meal planning and using the BBQ. This will help you to keep the thermostat where it is without using additional electricity to fight energy use!

At night it tends to cool down, but a hot bedroom can lead to a restless sleep. These dark hours are an opportunity for you to save money by eliminating those additional cooling devices. To keep yourself as cool as possible at night without out electrical devices, use cotton sheets. Cotton provides breathability and allows the heat to escape. Seasonal bedding like this is an energy smart decision. Use flannel/fleece for winter, and cotton for summer.

Instead of powering up your AC unit to cool your entire home, try using small, oscillating fans in strategic places to keep you cool. If you are sitting on your couch in the living room then this is the only room that needs to be cooled. Turn a fan toward you and enjoy. It is much cheaper to power one or two small fans than an entire AC unit.

This is a simple fix that can certainly help those with large windows in your home. While your summer view may be beautiful, the sunrays will beam in an heat up your living space. Close your blinds to keep it out and you will notice a significant decrease in temperature. At night when the sunsets you can open them back up and even open the windows to let the cooler breeze through. This way you can still enjoy a nice evening and take advantage of your views.

While we love electricity as it has allowed us to live comfortable lives, we should use it wisely as it can increase our monthly bills. If you are interested in installing energy efficient light bulbs, AC units, or improving your home electrical bills, contact Expert Electric at 604-681-8338. Our licenced electricians can identify where you can save your money the most.