Whether it be holiday or cold weather-related, winter presents your home with a surprising number of risks for electrical fire. The safety of our consumers comes as a top priority, both while we’re on the job, and when we’re not! In an effort to help keep your person and property safe this winter season, we’ve compiled a list of the most common winter hazards, how to handle them, and what to do if something goes wrong.

With chillier days comes some familiar and handy tools. But be careful, as mishandling these can lead to an electrical fire.

If you are dealing with, or suspect the imminent possibility of an electrical fire, contact the fire department immediately! The best response is to stay calm and get help.

If you notice any problems with your wiring or electrical outlets, contact us right away to repair or replace them!

There are so many things to love about the coming holiday season. Great food, great company, family, festive decorations; we couldn’t be more excited! But there’s a not so great factor attached to it all, too. That hefty electric bill you’ll be seeing. Looking for ways to keep your costs at a minimum this holiday? The expert electricians at Hoffman Electrical can provide some easy fixes!

Our professionals have been proudly serving Tampa and Clearwater, Florida for years now. When it comes to quality and top-tier service, we’re the name to know in electrical! And as  apart of our great service, we’re always looking for ways to help out. If you want to reduce your energy costs this season, we’ve got the solutions you’ll be happy to know.

Don’t sweat the small stuff; Change it up, lighten your load and keep cool this summer with innovative and energy-efficient light source solutions and state-of-the-art ceiling fans and free standing fans.

1.  Stop baking in your kitchen!  Get rid of old incandescent and hot halogen bulbs.  Replace with cooler CFL’s (compact fluorescents) or LED’s (light-emitting diodes) in recessed and overhead fixtures. CFLs and LEDs** consume at least 75% less energy and emit 90% less heat.  Relamping with cooler bulbs will make a major difference in work areas of the home such as kitchens where oven, cook-top and dishwasher usage emit a great deal of heat.  Laundry rooms, too, can heat up pretty quickly when machines are in use, so update your illumination with cooler lamps. Also, switching to cooler bulbs in offices and hobby/work areas will vastly improve your ability to concentrate and keep cool.

2.  Shield yourself from sun streaming in through windows. Close the shades and curtains during peak daylight hours to keep the sun from fading your fine fabrics and overheating your rooms.

3.  Conserve energy and do not leave lights on haphazardly.  Consider automated heat and motion sensors to conveniently turn lights on and off.  Dimming ambient light sources adds an extra cool down option and helps save energy.  Brilliant and stylish cool new switches, automated fan and lighting controls provide the utmost in sophistication and design to revamp your home this summer!

4.  Opt for task light, and limit usage of general and accent light sources.  Task light includes focused reading lamps, uni-directional and adjustable recessed or track lights over work areas, and security lighting for safe navigation.  Although accent lamps enhance the beauty of your environment, save them for the times when you are entertaining or showcasing your home.

5. Beautify your environment and bask in the comfort of ceiling fans, wall fans and free-standing fans. Save on air-conditioning bills and keep cool by employing energy-efficient fans in rooms that are used most frequently.

♦When the air temperature is 78 degrees, your body will feel as if it is 72 degrees if you are seated under a ceiling fan operating at a low speed. Plentiful cooling options include innovations from Casablanca, Fanimation, Hunter, Kichler and Savoy House.

♦Purchase lamps, light fixtures and fans from a reputable dealer.  Top quality LED and CFL lamps are engineered to last and provide pleasant illumination.  Cheaper LED and CFL lamps may contain substandard elements; they may burn out prematurely and  illumination effects may be less pleasing. The best ceiling fans are engineered with motors that are guaranteed to last and work flawlessly for a lifetime of comfort.

Lighten Up, Cool Down and Revel in Summer 2013!

Bring on the summer heat, and power up the latest in sophisticated design and energy-saving innovation.  Pairing ceiling fans and air conditioners set at low fan settings offers the ultimate in comfort and energy-savings.

1.  ENERGY STARtm-rated fans:

2. The greater the angle of the blade, the more air circulation. Fan blade brackets should be positioned so the blades form a 12-15 degree angle for optimal circulation.

3.  The heart of every ceiling fan is the motor. Motors equipped with heavy-duty windings and sealed bearings that are permanently lubricated should work flawlessly for long periods of time.  Check out motor warranty information when comparing ceiling fans.

4.  A typical ceiling fan weighs between 15 and 50 pounds when fully assembled.  While many junction boxes may support that weight, a fan in operation exerts additional stresses. Be sure to upgrade to a proper junction box when replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan.

5.  American Lighting Association (ALA)-member showrooms offer customizable fan products—decorator finishes, unique options such as hand-carved blades, custom light fixtures, ceiling medallions, and control systems, as well as installation tips and servicing advice.

Check out the latest energy-efficient products to keep you cool for the dog days of August….

–Energy-efficient and “cool” new bulbs from Bulbrite Industries* include the LED G5 dimmable Omni-Directional Series with GU 24 base options and 5-Watt chandelier bulbs.

*Bulbrite offers top quality lamps from novelty colors, fluorescent, halogen, and krypton/xenon to outstanding award winning LEDs and CFLs.  Enjoy all the benefits of LED, CFL and energy-efficient incandescent light sources from Bulbrite.

From Lite Source:  LS-21680 “Rubik” Energy Smart LED lamp

Multimax ™ by Fanimation, Energy-Star rated and available in 2, 3 or 4 blade options.

— The Sleep Fan Standing Floor Fan by Savoy House, available in Cherrywood, English Bronze, Satin Nickel and Wrought Iron Black; UL-listed for damp locations, comes with a independent volume control to adjust sound according to sleep preference—the lowered frequency red noise has proven to promote better sleep*.

Over 50 million people sleep with some kind of fan device for the soothing tone and the air circulation they provide. –David Furnace of Savoy House

Utilizing “red noise” * and a revolutionary volume control, the Sleep Fan delivers a soothing tone to lull you to sleep, while the gentle cooling system keeps you comfortable throughout the night.

*Studies show that “red” noise delivers low tones with the absence of high frequencies to induce a more soothing, deeper sleep than white noise.

If you’re ever a contestant on Jeopardy and you’re asked what a GFCI is, you can respond by saying, “What is a ground fault circuit interrupter.” But knowing what GFCI stands for doesn’t mean you understand what it is. You’re not alone—the average homeowner is unaware of what a ground fault circuit interrupter does, but when your house’s ground fault is compromised, it can put the entire property, and your family, in danger.

A ground fault is an electrical path between a power source and a grounded surface. While all electrical devices and appliances are “grounded” to ensure they can be safely operated, devices can still lose their grounding and divert electrical currents to the nearest channel that provides a path to the ground: you. That’s why you need ground fault circuit interrupters in your home.

You’ve probably seen GFCI and never given them a second thought. They’re a common safety feature found on your electrical outlets that can be identified as two small buttons located in between the two sockets, the GFCI’s function is to constantly monitor the power current flowing through a circuit. At the first sign of a discrepancy between the current flowing into the outlet and the return current, it intervenes by shutting off the power to the outlet.