In recent years, homeowners throughout the country have becoming increasingly reliant on appliances and electronic devices. Many don’t realize this, but that means that the electrical demands we are placing on our homes are much higher than they used to be, and our homes may not be well-equipped to handle it.

You may use small, portable surge protectors or power strips in your home to plug in things like your TV, or computer equipment. However, this is typically not sufficient enough to really protect your home and electronics against the dangers of power surges. Fortunately, there is a solution—whole-house surge protection.

As we mentioned above, you may utilize power strips to plug electronics such as your laptop or entertainment equipment into. This isn’t necessarily a bad idea, as it does serve a purpose. However, the more demand you place on these, the higher risk there is for your electronic equipment.

Whole-house surge protection helps guard your electronics and appliances against a large power surge. Remember, a power surge can do more than just cause your lighting to go out or kill the battery in your laptop. It can damage your HVAC system and any other large appliance that’s hooked up to your home’s electrical system. Systems do not even have to be operating or turned on at the time for a power surge to damage them.

If you want full protection for your home and electrical system, then you need the right type of surge protector. No matter what type you choose, it’s important to have it professionally installed to ensure that it works properly and really does protect your electrical system when needed.

Is your home in need of some electrical outlet upgrades? Mr. Electric has the inside scoop with the 6 most common types of upgrades. Take a look below or you can click on our infographic at left to learn more!

LED night lights give you longer light with more available plugs. Leaving you available outlets, LED outlets also save you money with a 20-year life expectancy. Your children can sleep with more ease at night with their LED night-lights while you are keeping more money in your pocket.

USB outlets are becoming the standard for homes. Instead of dealing with bulky chargers and adapters, you can plug your electronics directly into the outlet. While charging your mobile devices, you also have access to outlets for other uses. It's convenience for less than you might think.

Unlike standard outlets that leave plugs dangling from the receptacle, recessed outlets are set deeper into the wall, preventing plugs form extending beyond the surface.

When something unexpected happens causing wiring to overheat, an AFCI is necessary to detect the occurrence and shut down the outlet before damage can occur. These outlets can be easily incorporated into your main service panel and are a must have for protection from any sudden overheating.

Tamper resistant receptacles are a must have for every home. These specialized outlets feature a barrier to prevent small children form inserting any foreign objects in them. This allows you to rest easy knowing there is no risks of any injuries caused by electrical shock or burns.

This type of outlet upgrade helps to protect you and your family form potential electrical hazards. A GFCI constantly monitors electricity flowing in a circuit and if an interruption is detected, quickly shuts off power to that circuit. Easy and inexpensive installation makes this upgrade a no-brainer for your home.

Still have questions? No problem! Contact Mr. Electric today to learn more about these and other upgrades you can make to your home!

The media room is perhaps the most lived-in area of your home.  Whether you are watching TV or reading a book, the lighting should be comfortable, energy-efficient and beautifying.  Tune in to a picture-perfect setting with lighting tips from Capitol Lighting’s professional consultants.

1. Track and Recessed:  General or ambient lighting is a must in any room, but it is especially important in a multi-functional space such as a den or media room where there will be a wide range of activities that call for specific light settings.  Overhead lighting should be installed as part of the initial room design.   Oftentimes, a standard grid lighting pattern does not work well with your seating and furniture layout, so it is best to draw up your lighting design in the initial stages of planning.

NOTE:  In general, recessed cans should be installed 30 inches away from the wall and 4-5 feet apart.

Track heads, recessed and/or rail lights should be strategically located so as not to create glare or cast unflattering shadows upon individuals in the room.

Rail lighting from WAC Lighting highlights artwork;  hanging pendants provide soft ambient illumination and artistic accent light.  Rail and track lighting are highly versatile and allow for easy adjustments if you decide to change your decor.

2. Wall Lighting: Wall lights work well in a media room as they expand the space and provide an evenly distributed balanced illumination.

Image from HGTV.com “Must-see Media Rooms”

“Jaxon” wall lighting from Troy Lighting, available in a variety of color options

3.  Portables:  From sturdy reading lamps to decorative table lamps, portables are a useful addition to the multifunctional media room.  They provide individualized task light, as well as general illumination throughout the room.

Room design by Sandra D’Amata International

Ambience table lamp (shown above), Frederick Cooper “Script Reader” floor lamp and Minka-Aire’s “Great Room” fan from Capitol Lighting

4. Control Systems:  Dimming and automated control systems are a must for the media room.  Even if you have programmed your lighting controls into your Smart phone, wall switches with a variety of room settings and dimming capabilities are a good idea and are available in a choice of colors to complement your rooms’s decor.

Dimmer switch from Kichler Lighting

5. Special Considerations:  LED bulbs and LED light fixtures are suitable for media room lighting designs, just be careful to choose all your light sources with the correct color rendering, color temperature and shielding. Look for LED light sources that are dimmable and in warm (2700K)  color temperatures. *

LED torchiere floor lamp from Holtkotter

* Solid State Lighting and LED light sources are being refined so that predictable color rendering and color temperature will be more visually accurate.  A new metric to measure LED illumination is in the works:  The Color Quality Scale (CQS) will help to identify the visual characteristics of LED light sources more clearly, but right now–a bit of trial and error may help you find LED light sources that are complementary to your media room’s decor.

3 Keys to Remember:

*  Avoid having sharp areas of contrast between dark and light–illumination should be evenly dispersed with slight variations that allow your eyes to transition from reading a book, conversing with friends or watching  TV.

* Make sure lighting/fan controls are easily accessible–opt for a remote control system in addition to wall switches.

* Go for the most energy-efficient light sources, but do not sacrifice the overall look of your room.   If you are not using fluorescent or LED light sources, opt for eco-halogen or top quality incandescent bulbs in portable light sources.

Having a generator is a great way in which to put your mind at ease. Even when the power goes out for a substantial amount of time, a good whole-house generator will be able to keep your home up and running until the utility straightens the problem out. Of course, the only way in which you can truly rely on your generator to be there for you when you need it most is to keep it in exceptional working condition. This is something that the pros here on our staff are happy to help you out with. Be sure to schedule your routine generator maintenance in Needham Heights, MA with one of our fine technicians.

You may think that your generator, because it is not up and running every day like your HVAC system is, does not require much in the way of maintenance services. This could not be further from the truth. Your generator should be inspected on an annual basis to ensure that it is functioning properly, and that all of its components are in great shape. Even if this is the case, though, there are a couple of items that must be addressed. Your generator will need a new air filter, and an oil change.

Your generator lives outdoors, and that provides ample opportunity for pollutants to build up in the system, even when it is not used very regularly. By cleaning out your air box and locking a new air filter securely into place, we’ll ensure that your generator’s condition and operation won’t be impeded by a clogged filter or pollutants within the system.

We will also run your generator for a few minutes in order to get everything warmed up, and then drain and completely replace the oil in the system. We’ll also check the oil filter for you. Once these basic maintenance services are complete, along with the other, more complex electrical checks and inspection points, you’ll be able to rest assured in knowing that your generator is ready for action.