Water heaters play an important role in every residential home. Water heaters are the source behind hot showers, warm baths and various temperatures of water used for washing dishes and clothes. When choosing to install a new water heater in your home, there are a few different options available. Homeowners can choose between traditional gas water heaters and the increasingly popular electric water heaters. The licensed electricians at Expert Electric recommend installing electric water heaters. Here are three reasons why electric water heaters are a better alternative to gas water heaters.

By choosing to install an electric water heater as opposed to a gas or propane water heater, you are creating a safer environment for your family. Gas and propane water heaters can result in leaks which can eventually lead to fires and explosions. The damage caused by a gas leak can be detrimental to a home. Electric water heaters are a much safer alternative. With electric water heaters and other electrical appliances, homeowners still run this risk of electrocution; however, this is less likely to occur.

Electric water heaters have fewer parts than gas water heaters which reduces the costs associated with part replacement and repair. Electric water heaters generally last longer than gas. A longer lasting water heater is important to many homeowners given how expensive the installation of a new water heater can be.

The process of installing a gas water heater is far more complex than installing an electric water heater. In most cases, the installation costs with electric water heaters are significantly less than the installation costs with gas water heaters. The cost-efficiency of electric water heaters lasts beyond the initial installation. Electric water heaters are low-maintenance resulting in less repair costs throughout their lifespan. In addition to their low-maintenance, electric water heaters can be programmed to only run when needed, resulting in less wasted energy.

To learn more about electric water heaters and their installation, please contact the licensed electricians at Expert Electric. We offer various commercial and residential electrical services including outdoor parking lot lighting, standby generators, motion sensing lights and more. Call us today at 604-681-8338 or book a service appointment through our website.

Aluminum LED profile housings allow you to create customized light fixtures with LED strip lights. Our Klus brand LED channels are available in many different styles, including recessed-, or flexible, O-shaped, and more. Available in 1- and 2-meter lengths, the channels can be easily cut for any application from under-cabinet lighting and bookshelf lighting to showcase lighting and transition strip lighting. They’re available with a variety of lens options, such as clear, frosted, and etched that complete the profiles. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide for using these channels to create your own light fixtures. Please note that your specific channel might vary from the one used in this tutorial.

Materials needed:

1. With a pair of clippers, carefully clip through the clear plastic heat shrink as shown in figures A-C. You will want to take your time and be careful not to cut the strip’s wires while removing it.

2. Lay the LED strip into the channel, and position it along the bottom so that the ends of the strip and the channel are lined up (fig. A). Now, remove the paper from the strip’s adhesive backing (fig. B), and adhere the strip to the LED channel—starting at the lined end and working your way to the other end of the strip. Be sure to leave roughly 1/4-inch free at the end of the channel so that you can install the end cap as shown in figure C.

3. If one of your end caps doesn’t come with a pre-drilled hole, you will need to drill your own to allow the wires of the LED strip light to come through. In this case, we used a Dremel tool, but other options are viable as well. Regardless of the tool you choose, it is helpful to mark the end cap where you would like the wires to come through. Start the hole small, and increase the size as necessary.

4. Place the end cap on the wired side of the strip by threading the wires through the end cap as shown in figure A. Insert the end cap into the end of the light bar, and push firmly until it is fully in place (fig. B).

5. On the open end of the bar, slightly peel up the end of the LED strip (fig. A); this is necessary to install the end cap. Now measure your channel lens, and trim off the excess with clippers (fig. B). Be careful when trimming to avoid cracking the plastic. Excess material can be lightly sanded off. Once the lens has been cut to the proper length, slide it into the channel, and install the end cap as shown in figures C and D.

6. That’s it! Your customized LED light fixture is complete and ready for installation, which we will cover in the next step.

7. Mounting this LED profile is as easy as applying double-sided tape to the back of it and sticking it to your intended surface. Be sure to cut the tape to fit the back of the LED profile and to leave the tape backing on the side not attached to the channel until you are ready to mount it.

For most LED profiles, mounting clips are available for a more permanent installation.

If you have 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.

In just about any home you visit, the kitchen is often the focal point and the most frequented area. Think about the amount of work that gets done in such a small amount of square footage. With massive appliances like a fridge, stove, or dishwasher doing hours of work a day, it is important that your home electrical system has been planned and installed properly to support this work force.

In the kitchen you have some of the most energy hungry appliances you can find in a home. The energy to keep these running comes from the electrical outlet. If the outlet is not designed to give the amount of electricity that the appliance requires there can cause damage to the appliance and to your home’s electrical system. For some of the main appliances in the kitchen the electrical outlets should be:

Of course with the size of the appliance these requirements can vary. As fridges become larger and stoves get more features, the appliance may require much more. It is important to check the requirements of your new appliances prior to installation. Make sure that you have an expert electrician check your outlets and compare them to the requirements of your new appliances.

To make sure appliances are getting the right energy requirements, you can follow the outlet to the electrical panel. When there is a heavy load on a circuit, it is important to check that the appliances are given their own circuit and that the wires behind the wall are up to code to support the capacity. If too many appliances are on the same circuit you can continuously trip the circuit causing larger problems in the long run. Also, if the wiring does not comply to code there is a chance of an electrical fire. This is a scary problem because it can hide behind the walls for years before it can happen.

If you are planning on purchasing new kitchen appliances or remodeling your kitchen make sure that you have done your homework. Review what your kitchen and home’s electrical system are capable of and what your new appliances require. The best way to know for sure is have an expert electrician do a thorough review before installing the new appliances. This can not only put your mind at ease, but avoid expensive bills in the future.

Across the U.S. approximately 4,400 people are injured and an additional 400 die each year resulting from electrical hazards annually. Add in electrical fire, and you have what results in an estimated $1.6 billion in property damage each year. Could these accidents have been prevented? When it comes to electrical safety, what you don’t know can hurt you.

GFCI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter. A GFCI is required in any areas with an increased risk of shock due to electrical hazards, such as water. In order to protect you from electrical hazards, a GFCI monitors electrical current, turning off an electrical circuit when it detects an imbalance - current flowing along an unintended path. Think of a GFCI as a small, extra-sensitive circuit breaker built right into an outlet to protect you against electrocution – even in outlets that are not grounded. GFCIs are currently required for use in:

Note: Never use GFCI outlets with refrigerators, freezers, or other appliances, as they could trip without your knowledge.

AFCIs stand for arc-fault circuit interrupters, and they protect you from electrical dangers, but of a different variety – those that create heat via arcing. Examples include a rodent chewing on a wire, driving a nail through a wire, or a device overheating where it is plugged into the wall. AFCIs detect this arcing, shutting down outlets before damage can occur. They are not found in wall receptacles like GFCIs, but instead are easily incorporated into your home or business’ main service panel in the form of specialized circuit breakers. AFCIs are required in:

Though you may have an older home or business where building codes do not require these outlets, proper home safety does. Regular outlets and circuit breakers are designed to protect the house's electrical system, not people. With these devices being so easy and inexpensive to install, why wouldn’t you want to protect yourself and others from the unnecessary electrical hazards overlooking them presents?

As of 2014, the National Electric Code (NEC), the nation’s singular code for safe electrical installation, has added the following standards for the safety of your home or business:

All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in a laundry room now require GFCI protection, whether or not a sink is present.

As dishwashers age, the risk of electrical shock increases, thus the latest requirement for GFCI protection on all dishwashers, whether they use a receptacle outlet or are hardwired in.

As of 2014, the NEC has recently added kitchen and laundry areas to the list of areas requiring AFCI protection. This includes all 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere branch circuits supplying not just outlets but also devices found in these rooms.

Shocked by how inadequately prepared for electrical hazards your home or business is? Don’t get burned by ignoring the need for these inexpensive, potentially life-saving devices. Contact Mr. Electric® today.

Are you still using incandescent light bulbs? Your electrician would recommend a different course. Efficient lighting technology has blown up in the last few years, and advanced technologies are just getting better. Light emitting diodes, or LEDs, are at the forefront of modern lighting thanks to their inexpensive and long-lasting luminescence. Some of these new diodes are leading the pack in must-have lighting features, including smart home integration that you can control with your phone. Read on to learn more about the latest in LED technology.

Upfront Costs are Dropping

One of the biggest complaints about early LEDs was the price. Almost any LED will save you money over time compared to an incandescent bulb, since they use 25 to 80 percent less electricity and can last up to 25 times as long, but many consumers balked at paying the $35 or higher retail price for a single bulb. Newer models, however, can recreate the look of that classic 60 watt incandescent bulb with fewer LED panels, meaning they are cheaper to produce and sell for $10 or less.

Options are Expanding

Other common complaints about the first LED models were that the warmth of the light wasn't quite right and they didn't work with accessories like dimmers. With today's technologies, however, you can find LEDs that give off almost any color and lighting profile, allowing you to mimic the look and feel of your old incandescent bulbs or tailor your room to fit more eclectic tastes. Not every LED is compatible with standard dimmers yet, but many are – just check the label on the box to make sure.

Make it a Smart Bulb

Many new LED models are designed specifically to work with smart technology. That means you can control them from your phone no matter where you are, set up a schedule for them to turn on and off, and even have different colors or light intensities at different times. Newer bulbs are also optimized to work with your other smart home systems to move you closer to a goal of integrated whole-house control.

Turnkey Functionality

One of the biggest advantages of upgrading to LEDs is how easy it is. There's no need to hire an electrician to set up new wiring or fixtures – the bulbs screw right into the pre-existing bases, out of the box. If you want tips on how to make the most of your new lighting options and create the room profile that fits your home, however, don't hesitate to call up your local electrician for guidance and advice.