One of the easiest ways to dress up your space and update the style is by changing your chandelier. Before you run out the door in search of the perfect chandelier, make sure you know the dimensions of your space. An appropriately sized chandelier should serve as a beautifying focal point that fits seamlessly into your overall design scheme.

For a room without furniture: Add the length and width of your room in feet, and then convert that number to inches. For example, a room that is 12 feet by 14 feet (12 + 14 = 26) would require a chandelier this is approximately 26 inches wide.

For a room with furniture: If you already have a dining room table in the space, the width of your chandelier should be about a foot smaller than the width of your table. This will leave a 6-inch clearance from the outer edge of the chandelier to the table’s edge.

The bottom of your chandelier should rest at least 30-34 inches above the tabletop. Adjust according to personal preference, fixture style and ceiling height. It is okay to hang your chandelier a bit higher in dining rooms with cathedral ceilings.

Chandelier height should be about three inches for each foot of ceiling height, so for a room with a standard 8-foot ceiling (3 x 8 = 24), choose a chandelier with an approximate height of 24 inches.

As a Dallas Electrician will be familiar with standard wiring practices and will know the proper way to test the circuit that they will be working on to ensure that it is safe.

Another huge benefit to using a licensed electrician for your home electrical work is that they will be well versed in all of the building and safety codes required to make sure the job is done right. The reason that this is important is two-fold. First, it is legally required to adhere to all building and safety codes, and if you ever intend on selling your home or having it inspected for any other reason, a DIY Electrical repair or addition will cause your home to fail inspection if building and safety codes are not followed to the letter, generally costing you more money later down the line to have an improperly performed job repaired. Secondly, and even more important, is the fact that building and safety codes are put in place for a reason. If you are not familiar with these codes or do not follow them, you are putting yourself and your family at risk of electrical shock, electrical fires, and injury or death due to a faulty repair.

It’s incredible the way lighting can change outdoor spaces. As is the case with indoor spaces, spending comparatively little on lighting can produce dramatic results. A DIY outdoor lighting project might be just the thing to make you fall in love with your home all over again. But before you begin an outdoor lighting project, it’s important to think about your options. Here are 10 tips for 10 approaches to outdoor lighting.

1. Using Outdoor String Lights

Outdoor string lights are just great. But there are so many different kinds! Some have bare bulbs; some have lanterns. Some are LED; some incandescent. Some are white; some are colored. Make sure you research your options and choose the ones that are right for YOU!

2. Taking DIY Outdoor Lighting to the Next Level

Sure, you can install a standard low voltage lighting fixture and be justified when you say you Did It Yourself, but have you ever considered making your own DIY outdoor lighting fixtures? Mason jars seem to be the ingredient of choice when constructing your own outdoor lights. The internet is full of instructions for making DIY outdoor lighting fixtures, so do your homework and find the perfect project to make your outdoor area more luminous.

3 . Making it Modern

Let’s get weird! Isn’t that what modern outdoor lighting seems to say? I guess it depends on whom you ask. Modern outdoor lighting usually consists of interesting light fixtures with unusual, playful designs, and they can really make your outdoor vibe more interesting and thought-provoking.

4. Showing Off Textures

Sometimes you start with a particular light source in mind. These days, that light source is often LED. If you’re sure you want to use outdoor LED lights, you have a wide variety of outdoor LED light fixture types, from LED rope to LED tape to LED path lights, step lights, puck lights, recessed lights, and string lights. LED outdoor lights are highly efficient and look great. And some, like the one above, run on solar power! That means free!

8. Decking Out the Deck

If you are focused specifically on outdoor deck lighting, make sure you think about caution. Outdoor deck lighting should entail step lights if there are steps and should include lights around the perimeter of the deck. LED tape or rope, colored or white, are often great for running on the underside of deck railings.

9. Using Timers

A recent study conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found that homes constructed within the past decade are significantly less expensive to maintain than properties that were built a generation ago. On average, the combined annual maintenance and utility costs of a home that was built in or after 2008 is roughly $241, while the same yearly price to live in a home built before 1960 is $564 a year. There is also a noticeable variance in the average operating costs of houses built during these two periods - properties constructed more recently only have operating costs of roughly 3 percent while those built before 1960 averaged 5 percent.

A large factor is the kind of plumbing, wiring and overall utility setup of a given property. Over the past several decades, streamlined construction methods and an overall "greener" sensibility among shoppers have led to the development of more energy conservative appliances and layouts that cut monthly power and plumbing costs.

For example, the federal government offers homeowners a tax credit when they replace older appliances with Energy Star-approved ones. The results are savings in both the short term, with the immediate rebate most suppliers offer, and long term when monthly utility savings are taken into consideration.

Even manufacturers must meet higher efficiency standards today than in the 1960s whether or not they are looking for an Energy Star certification.

Many people enjoy doing their own work on their homes.  If they have the skills and tools, the DIY project can be very rewarding.  It’s a great way to save money and feels good to have done it yourself.  Some may think electrical work can be done just as easy as other home improvement projects. However, you should think twice when working on items electrical related.  The hazards can be lethal and catastrophic.

Some risks include:

Many people desire to save money and have the satisfaction of  “doing it yourself”, but doing DYI electrical can cost you more in the long run.   Even what may look simple can be done incorrectly if you don’t know exactly what you are doing.  What looks to be an easy do it yourself project can turn into a nightmare due to inexperience.

Have questions about your next project?  Need advice about the electrical problem you are thinking of doing  yourself?  Give us a call: