As the cost of living continues to rise and household incomes continue to be squeezed, it is worth looking at how and where you can save some money. In many households, the electrical bill accounts for a large chunk of the monthly budget; however, there are ways that can help to bring it down and save you some money.

Are There Electrical Providers That Cost Less Than Yours?

The first thing you can do is to check to see if you could save money by switching to a different provider. Comparing different offers from electrical companies will help you to identify whether you could save money on your energy bill. If you do not understand any of the terminology used, an electrician may be able to explain the electrical terms to you.

You can also save money by checking with your provider to see if there is an off-peak time of the day when the electricity rate is cheaper. You can then schedule those times to use things such as your washing machine, dishwasher, or even your stove for cooking. Because you are being charged at a lower rate during those hours, you will save money while doing your normal household chores.

Turn off and Unplug Devices When Not in Use

Another simple way to save on your electric bill is to switch off or unplug devices when they are not in use. Consider using plug connectors and then grouping devices that work together such as your TV and DVD player for instance. That way, you can switch off the connector when you are finished, and all devices on that plug will be switched off, saving you money compared to if they were just left on standby.

Other ways that could save you money include switching off lights when you leave a room, using lower-powered bulbs, and avoiding the use of things such as the dryer or air conditioner as much as possible. Remember to consult an electrician or qualified professional if you are not sure about anything electrical.

According to OSHA, “Safety related work practices shall be employed to prevent electric shock or other injuries resulting from either direct or indirect electrical contact.”  *   This OSHA rule helps to enforce national guidelines regarding  Arc Flash Protection.

The type of protective outer wear worn depends on the level of flash risk. While working in the lowest risk levels, personnel must wear flame-retardant clothing. The level of protection gradually increases to include rubber gloves and other specialized clothing.  As the  level of risk increases employees must don a specified number of layered, flame-retardant clothing under a multi-layered flash suit complete with hood and gloves.

*OSHA 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910, Subpart S

The Denver electricians at Piper Electric Co., Inc. regularly perform arc flash studies in accordance with OSHA regulations to determine the degree of danger involved in industrial settings. The analyses are performed as a means of understanding and preventing possible arc flash hazards. In keeping with National Electrical Codes and OSHA requirements, an electrical engineer surveys the breaker panels, fuse panels, panel boards and switch panels along with motor control centers and panels in the facility. Following the evaluation and calculations, each location receives an ANSI arc flash warning label.  This marking can be generic or very specific, whichever is more relevant. Future revisions of the NEC standard may require more detailed information on this label.  At minimum the label should contain enough information to determine the area where conditions exist that only qualified workers should enter.

High bay fixtures are a critical part to any high ceiling building. Since these high bays require such large lumen output, the cost to run them can be high. By converting to LED high bays, you are able to reduce your energy consumption in your most energy intensive fixtures by up to 75%.

In this post, we are going to cover (non-comparatively) 5 top types of LED high bay lights for this year, 2017. While not every item on this list will apply to you and your building, there will surely be one or two for your needs if you currently use high bay lights in your facility.

If at any time you come across a question, want more information, or are actually interested in implementing LED into your building;

These traditional commercial high bay lighting fixtures look a lot like what we think a normal high bay should look like. They are reminiscent of traditional style Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium high bays and offer your typical round high bay look.

These high bay LED fixtures can replace both 400W and 1000W Metal Halide. The smallest unit is 80W producing 10,240 lumens. There is a 160W unit producing 19,200 lumens. This would be a good 400W Metal Halide replacement. And the largest unit at 400W produces 51,200 lumens. That’s 128 lumens/watt. And, USA Made backed with a 10 year warranty.

These LED high bay Lighting fixtures look a lot like a troffer style panel. The advantages of this type of fixture are the LEDs are spread over a larger area. This has 2 main advantages – Great light distribution and large heat sink. It is important to realize these lights are particularly good at light distribution, creating an even distribution.

These high bay LEDs can replace both 400W and 1000W Metal Halide. The smallest unit is 120W producing 15,360 lumens. There is a 150W unit producing 19,200 lumens and the largest unit at 300W produces 38,400 lumens. USA Made backed with a 10 year warranty like the traditional style high bay.

A retrofit kit utilizes your existing fixture and replaces the bulb and ballast with the LED head and the LED driver. These retrofits can be significantly more economical than replacing the entire fixture, for obvious and not-so-obvious reasons. One of which being it’s cheaper to buy. Another being it’s (typically) cheaper to install as well. For this reason, our high bay retrofit kits HAD to make it on the list of the best high bay lighting options.