You have probably turned on your furnace already this year or pulled out the space heaters to help warm up your room. It won’t be long before you start to see your electric bill rise with the cost of heating your home. There are some things you can do to help keep your electric bill down and more money in your pocket. Your neighborhood electrician has some best practices to help you reduce the amount of electricity you use on a daily basis. For more information, call The Electric Connection.

1-Turn the thermostat down a couple of degrees. You can wear a warm sweater or some thick socks while you are at home. At night, turn the thermostat down a couple more degrees since you will be sleeping with blankets.

2-Unplug your cell phone charger as well as tablet and laptop chargers when you are not using them. It may seem small, but every charger pulls a little electricity even when nothing is plugged in.

3-Switch out your old incandescent bulbs with CFL or LEDs. You may need to change out your light fixture, which your electrician can do for you. The investment in a new fixture will pay for itself when you save money on your monthly lighting bill.

4-Turn down the temperature on your water heater a few degrees. It is unlikely you would use water that is 125 to 140 degrees anyways. If you can’t use water that hot, it doesn’t make sense to waste the electricity heating it to that point.

5-Make it a rule you only wash full loads of dishes in the dishwasher and only full loads in the washer. Try washing clothes with cold water when possible.

6-Invest in heavy curtains to block the chilly air coming in through the glass in the winter and block the heat of the sun in the summer. This will keep your home more comfortable and save you money on your electric bill.

If you have any more questions for your electrician about energy savings, give The Electric Connection a call today to see what else you can do to save some cash.

— Electric Connection (@LAElectricianCA) December 15, 2015

You must have heard how it’s important to unplug your mobile device chargers when they aren’t connected. That’s because these chargers continue to drain electricity. While this is a fact, the truth also is that the amount of power that mobile phones and other similar devices draw, is minuscule compared to the amount of power that larger electrical appliances and equipment in your home or commercial premises use.

The electronics we are referring to are the modern, advanced ones that have standby settings; they significantly escalate your utility bills even when they aren’t being used. These energy guzzlers can easily account for up to 10% of an average-size home’s energy consumption.

As mentioned at the start, mobile phone chargers are a very good example of energy guzzlers as they don’t perform any function when they aren’t charging the phones; and there is absolutely no downside to and ensuring they are unplugged most of the time. One more classic example is the microwave that uses more standby energy compared to a mobile device’s charger; this is because the former powers a digital clock.

But it’s common for people to leave that plugged in, as many people tend to use it to check the time when they are in the kitchen. These types of devices don’t account for sizeable energy wastage; however, video games, computer, flat screen TV and home theatre systems are entirely a different story. These appliances are becoming increasingly sophisticated and use advanced technology and over the years manufacturers have begun focusing more on the amount of time it takes for these machines to start up.

That is how the “standby mode” came into existence. That isn’t an “off” mode; when a device is in the “standby mode” it continues to draw power to keep various components and processes working; this helps “wake them” very quickly once you want to use them again. In most cases, the default standby settings aren’t the most energy-friendly, but you can customize them to suit your requirements. You will be able to find more information in the product manuals that come with these devices; alternatively, you can look in the device’s settings menu for the different power options.

Though these advanced technology electronics can be an energy-drain, the simplest and fail-safe method of preventing this from happening is to pull the plug. The sure-shot way to stop devices from driving up your utility bill is to disconnect them from the devices. If you find this too inconvenient, you can utilize power strips. When you hit the main power button on the power strip, the power gets fully disconnected even when you leave the strip plugged in.

The other way to add to the energy-efficiency of your home is to look for devices with higher energy star ratings when you are purchasing any new appliances and equipment. Check on which devices use less power when they are in standby mode as well. If you have any energy-efficiency concerns about any appliances and installations in your home, call Allround Electricals today.

It’s always easy to tell when summer rolls around.  The temperature outside soars, and so does your electricity bill.  Wouldn’t it be great if a top Dallas electrician could save you money on your electric bill?

Everyone knows why your bills get so expensive; you’re running your AC almost all the time.  In fact, the condenser for your air conditioning unit uses more electricity during the summer months than any other appliance in your home, even notorious energy hogs like your refrigerator. There are things an electrician can do to save you money, and electric safety tips you need to know to protect your home, business, and loved ones from disaster.

These days most people call an AC service company the minute an air conditioning problem comes up.   That isn’t always the correct move, though.  In my experience, about half of all the problems that arise with air conditioning systems are electrical problems.  Some of my best customers began using my service because I could help them figure out whether they should be calling an electrician or an HVAC technician to solve their problem.  Obviously, if the problem is the AC unit or condenser, an AC repairman is the way to go, but he doesn’t necessarily understand the details of your home or business electrical system.  There are a few things you should know about your air conditioner from the electrician’s point of view.

A solar energy system is designed to take the radiation from the sun, a totally renewable resource and turn it into electricity that can be used to power all of your electrical devices, such as computers, televisions, refrigerators and lights. Each solar cell will take the photons generated by sunlight and convert them into electricity. Regardless of the size and application of the solar panels being used, there are a few basic components that are necessary to turn this energy into a readily available and easily used electricity. Though the solar panels are the core of the system, these components are needed to complete the system.

Solar Panels: A solar panel is the array of photovoltaic cells that are used to convert the sunlight into direct current.

Rooftop Racking: This is the framework that is attached to your roof in order to give your solar panels the stability that they need. This is one of the most important parts of any solar panel installation.

Utility Meter: This component of your solar energy system integrates directly with your existing electrical system. After the solar installers have completed the installation of your solar power system, the utility meter will track the amount of electricity that you generate in excess of what you consume. This electricity is typically fed back into the power grid, helping you to earn credits on your electrical bill.

Batteries: The electricity that is generated from a solar panel is available for immediate use. In order to store this electricity for future use, it must be stored in a battery array.

Power Inverters: Although your solar panels generate and convert your electricity, you must have a power inverter in order to convert the power from DC to AC.

If you are interested in learning more about solar panels, start by browsing our solar power website. You can learn more about how much solar panels cost and the different options you have for purchase, leasing and more.

If you are looking for ways to save money this summer, you should consider having a staycation rather than a luxurious vacation. Virginia offers great spots to spend a romantic weekend or a weeklong getaway. Not only will this save you money this summer, it will also give you a chance to explore the beautiful state you call home! The wonderful thing about Virginia is how many options there are when it comes to family travel. As cliché as it sounds, there really is something for everyone. Check out these great ideas for a nice mini vacation right here in Virginia!

Stay a Weekend at the Smithfield Station Lighthouse

Smithfield Station Inn offers an exact replica of the Hooper Straight Light and is equipped with two luxurious suites. You can rent a single suite or rent the entire lighthouse and enjoy breathtaking river views complete with all the amenities of a home. Sitting outside and watching the sunset on the East Coast is a perfect way to relax on your weekend getaway.

Hike Some Mountains in Virginia