[Estimated read time: 5 minutes]

With the rising temperatures comes the inevitable rise in energy bills. To keep your home as energy efficient as possible, we’ll be going room by room explaining just how you can save money while keeping your home cool.

Starting with the living room, there are a few simple steps you can take to bring energy savings and make it as energy efficient as possible.

What is Energy Star? Energy Star is a program that offers energy efficient consumer products. Energy efficient appliances with the Energy Star logo typically use around 25% less power than conventional models.

Energy Star products are the way to go if you wish to use less power while also saving big on your energy bill.

As we mentioned in our guide for different types of lightbulbs, there are many options available today which offer different brightness (known as lumens) and use less energy.

By far the best options for lighting your living room are LED light bulbs. These types of light bulbs are energy saving and emit LED lights, which reduce energy consumption considerably.

LEDs might have a higher upfront cost, but they offer an energy saving edge, reducing energy consumption up to 80%.

Power strips are a clean alternative to overfilling your outlets. By conveniently switching off multiple appliances at once, you have complete control over how what appliances get energy.

Traditional power strips are simple: you connect the devices and turn off a switch when not using them. Newer versions called advanced power strips feature a variety of other features that might benefit you.

Advanced power strips are designed for areas where many electronics are plugged in, such as entertainment centers or home offices and provide greater control over energy usage through built-in features.

There are multiple types available right now including:

Some power strips also feature a surge protector which not only give you complete control over your appliances but also protects them from damage during thunderstorms or power surges.

While power strips might be of great help to any home, the main culprit for those extra costs are energy vampire appliances, or appliances that use energy while on stand-by.

Appliances like these could end up costing more than $200 per year for the average home.

Vampire energy loss, also known as vampire load, vampire power, or vampire draw is a simple term to explain the use of electricity by appliances that are in standby or switched off.

While most appliances might indicate that they are turned off, they might still be drawing power. The end result is unneeded power being wasted as appliances lay unused.

Video game consoles such as the Playstation 4 and Xbox One are notable for their high energy demand and could result in up to $40 in costs during standby.

Computers, including laptops, are also some of the biggest energy vampires, costing up to $30 if left plugged in while not in use. Laptops might need less power, but leaving them plugged in could result in yearly costs up to $15 when not in use.

To easily reduce these costs, safely group as many of these appliances into a power strip. By easily switching off the power strip when not in use, you will be much more in control of how much energy they use.

Televisions are the kings of power consumption, with 5 hours of daily use costing up to $160 per year while in standby mode as well as with daily use.

Plasma TVs are notorious for their usage of energy. Instead, opt for LCD screens which will reduce the amount of energy you draw. Also, change your TV’s settings to dial back on energy consumption.

Most TVs have a store demo option selected for the picture which ups the brightness and results in a high energy usage. This translates to higher energy bills and more heat. By using the power-saver mode, you decrease the amount of energy used.

If you have multiple appliances connected to the TV, turn them off when not in use. TV manufacturers of today have reduced the usage of standby power, but connected appliances might draw more energy.

These could include DVRs, Blu-ray or DVD players, as well as streaming devices such as Roku, Apple TV, and more. While useful, they might be putting a dent into your energy bill and end up costing more with time.

Window shades, blinds, and curtains are more than just useful for decorating your living room. Dark curtains block sunlight from entering and can be closed during the day to reduce the amount of sunlight that enters, thereby reducing cooling costs.

Blinds are as useful and can reduce heat gain by up to 45% but offer the benefit of being able to be adjusted manually.

Making your living room as energy efficient as possible might seem like a daunting task. By following the above tips and ensuring that you use only the most important appliances, you will be well on your way to ensuring your home is ready for summer.

From LED Lighting installation, to ceiling fan room installation, Bryant Electric Service can help your living room be the highlight of your home.

You have seen it on the news and have probably noticed a neighbor or two making the transition to solar power. Is it right for you? Can you reduce your electric bill by relying on the sun to give you electricity? The short, quick answer is yes. Yes, you can make the move to solar power with the help of an experienced Beverly Hills electrician like those at The Electric Connection. Solar power is a feasible option to help offset your reliance on the power grid.

Solar power doesn’t look like it did 10 years ago. Today, the panels are mounted right on the roof of your home and can be purchased in a variety of styles and colors. The panels will be used to capture the sun’s rays, before being transformed into electricity and sent to your electric panel for you to power your home. And, you don’t have to worry about “running out” of electricity with your solar power system. You will remain connected to the main power grid as a backup plan.

You will want to discuss the size of your solar power system with your electrician. Beverly Hills residents who want to start out small and slowly work their way up to a bigger system capable of producing more electricity can certainly do that. There is a small learning curve as you learn to conserve energy, but it will ultimately save you quite a bit of money on your monthly electric bill. You don’t have to worry about spending a great deal of money up front to have one of the solar power systems installed. There are lease options and payment plans available through a number of different manufacturers. There is really no reason not to give solar power a try today. Give the team at The Electric Connection a call today to learn more about solar power.

Is it driving you crazy to charge all of your devices? Smart phones, tablets, digital music players, digital cameras and more have made many facets of life more convenient, but they come with their own complications and annoyances as well. For one thing, all those devices need their batteries charged, sometimes every day, and it can be quite a pain to keep track of all the cords and adapters. Fortunately, with a little DIY talent or the help of an electrician, you can install combo outlets in your walls with built-in USB ports, making it easier to charge your gadgets wherever you’re at home.

Out with the Old, in with the New

To install a USB outlet, you need to buy an outlet kit from your local hardware store or from an online retailer. You can find various options with two or four USB ports combined with one or two traditional power outlets. If you are comfortable doing simple electrical work, you can probably install the outlet yourself; otherwise, an electrician can do the work and have you up and running quickly.

If you are a DIYer, the first step is to turn off the power to the circuit you are working with. After you turn the switch off at the circuit breaker, make sure you test the outlet with a light or other appliance before you proceed to make sure it doesn't have any current. Next, you'll need to remove the old outlet with a screwdriver and disconnect the wiring. Then, simply connect your new outlet, carefully following the manufacturer instructions. It's extremely important that you reconnect all the wires properly, including the ground wire.

Convenience and Simplicity for Your Devices

Once the new outlet is wired up and screwed into the wall, flip the circuit back on and you should be good to go. Give the new USB outlet a test drive with your phone or tablet, and then sit back and enjoy the convenience and simplicity. Unfortunately, you still need to have an appropriate cord around to take advantage of the USB outlet, but at least you can do away with the cumbersome adapter. That frees up space, since adapters are often so bulky that they cover multiple outlets even though they only use one. Plus, the built-in USB ports limit the electrical current to whatever amount is required to charge the device.

You don't need combo outlets everywhere you have a plug, but if you put them in highly-traveled areas like the kitchen, office and bedroom, you will have easy access to their charging power whenever you need it. Those readers who enjoy perusing their phones in the bathroom can even put a combo outlet by the sink – just make sure you don't get water on your device!

Recharge Your Life with the Help of an Electrician

If you need any help installing or upgrading outlets in your home, call an expert electrician today.

What’s in it for you? Excellent question! You want to work for an AMAZING company and we can promise you a new career that you’ll love and is filled with:

1. Our customers must win! We do everything imaginable to help ensure that our customers are 100% satisfied and absolutely love our services. If they don’t, we do whatever is necessary to make them wildly happy that they did business with us–so much so that they insist on telling their friends and family!

2. Our employees must win! We realize that the only way to have happy customers is to have a happy team of people serving them! We do everything imaginable to support our people, lift them up to make them better, and help ensure that they’re successful. And for doing a great job, they receive tremendous financial rewards–as well as incredible career satisfaction. Just imagine working in a field where you get to HELP people every day!

3. Our company must win! We believe if we’ve absolutely done everything possible to make sure our customers win and our employees win, the company will naturally win. And we must win to be financially successful in order to help more customers and provide more opportunity for our employees and their families.

Now, if that’s the type of company that you’d like to work for–and we hope it is–please apply. We would love a chance to talk with you–and get to know you better. Let’s make sure we’re an ideal fit for each other. Thanks for taking time to read our post!

Apply online at www.CustomElectricalia.com then click the employment tab or click here.  You can also call to make an appointment to apply in person. 515-669-3418 . 100% Confidential Application Process. Custom Electrical Services is an equal opportunity employer.

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