Have you ever dreamed of generating your own electricity, right in your backyard? That dream could become reality with a residential wind turbine. Wind turbines won't work for everybody, but in the right conditions, they can provide part or all of the power you need to run your home electrical work. Read on to learn more about residential wind power and decide whether home generation is right for you.

Where the Turbines Turn

Wind turbines take up more space than solar panels, and they aren't as suitable for as many properties. For starters, wind turbines work best for homeowners who have at least an acre of property. The more open space you have between buildings and trees, the better. Additionally, they are usually a better option for people who live in rural areas and don't have stringent homeowners associations or local code issues to navigate.

Small, residential wind turbines can range anywhere from 30 to 140 feet tall, with the average being around 80 feet, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Generators usually have a capacity of between 2 and 10 kilowatts, depending on how much power the home needs and what the wind conditions are in the area. Turbines aren't cheap – costs can come in between $10,000 and $70,000 – but there are federal tax credits that help soften the blow, and you can usually recoup your investment in 6 to 30 years, depending on the specifics of your system.

The Power of Wind and Solar Combined

If you want to build in a layer of redundancy in your home power generation, you can combine a wind turbine with solar energy panels on your roof so you can create power in a larger variety of weather conditions. With a powerful storage battery, you'll be well on your way to eliminating electricity bills from your life.

For wind enthusiasts who are still on the grid, you can usually sell excess power that you generate back to your utility company, similar to how the process works for solar energy, helping to drive your electricity bills even lower. A solid turbine should last for at least 20 years, and hopefully much longer, although they do require yearly inspections to keep them running in peak condition.

The U.S. Government Has Your Back

The Department of Energy publishes a consumer guide for small wind electric systems packed full of even more information. If you are interested in learning more about home wind turbines, or need other electrical work performed, call up a trusted electrician today.

By Hannah Haseloff

Electricity is a wonderful invention that makes our lives infinitely easier, but electricity can also be very dangerous if proper precautions are not practiced. Did you know that 70 percent of child-related electrical accidents happen in the home while under adult supervision? In accordance with National Childhood Injury Prevention Month, Mr. Electric® has some tips to help you keep your children safe.

Batteries

Thousands of children are hospitalized every year due to swallowing batteries. Children are especially attracted to the small button type. Store batteries in proper containers inside a locked cabinet, and always monitor children with electronic play toy use.

Christmas Trees

Each year numerous children are injured and electrocuted by playing with Christmas tree cords. Putting up a baby gate or a small piece of furniture in front of an outlet or tree can keep small children away from danger. Never leave the Christmas tree lights on when you are not home. This applies to the lights on both real and artificial trees.

Cords

Small children can easily pull heavy or hot appliances on top of themselves if the cords are not kept out of reach. Use command hooks or cord ties to keep long cords away from little hands.

Electrical Sockets

Cover all electrical sockets with socket covers to prevent children from sticking objects into them. Make sure the covers are not so small the child could choke on them or easily pull them out. Also check your installation, as faulty installation can cause a fire.

Hair Appliances

Curling irons, blow dryers, straighteners can cause burns and even fires if left turned on unattended. Young girls blow drying, straightening or curling their hair can get serious burns, so teach them to be cautious when using these appliances, and be sure to follow your own advice as well.

Irons

Never leave an iron on unattended, as this presents both a fire and safety hazard. Each year, children are severely burned from irons left turned on and left unattended. Do not leave an iron on a piece of clothing for too long, as this also presents the risk of causing a fire.

Ovens

Teach children to stay away from the oven and other hot appliances in the kitchen. Never leave the oven door open when it is turned on so those wandering hands don’t wind up inside the hot space.

Plugs

Never leave appliances such as cell phones and computer cords plugged in. Small children could easily put the end of the cord in their month and get electrocuted.

Smoke Alarms

A smoke alarm is your first warning in case of fire, so it should be properly maintained. Change smoke alarm batteries at least once a year, and check your smoke alarm once a month to make sure it is working. Teach young children what the alarm means. Have an evacuation plan in case of fire, and run drills with your family.

Practice proper electrical etiquette by teaching older children hoe to use appliances and properly plug and unplug electric devices. Use only one power strip per outlet to avoid overusing and overheating your electrical outlets. Always keep cloth and other flammable products away from your electrical outlets, as they can present a fire hazard, and keep electrical appliances away from water.

Keep in mind that small children are not the only ones at risk of electricity-related injuries. While children 14 and under are at the greatest risk, even adults can accidently electrocute themselves. Visit Electrical Safety Foundation International’s website or Safe Kids.org for additional electrical safety tips for you and your family. 

The world of lighting, LED specifically, can get overwhelming for those that are not directly in the space. From lumens, to watts, efficacy, and more; jargon and terms aren’t doing you any good if you don’t know what they mean.

Not only is it just about LED terms, but also general concepts, facts, and methods of LED lighting technology and the fundamentals that are important to understand to use LED to it’s fullest potential.

In this post, we’ve gather the 7+ “must read” LED lighting articles you should read if you want to understand LED lighting a bit more and be much better off when you dive into the industry and technology. Whether you are a facility manager, electrical contractor, or building owner; all of these articles we’ve gathered will certainly give some value and we hope you enjoy them all