Many of us know as the years go on families grow in number and size. Unfortunately, our homes don’t expand to make room for us all. To get that extra square footage or an extra room, a home addition is ideal. But it is important to remember that the additional room needs to be connected to the house perfectly in every way. There are many points to remember with home additions and its important that they are done right or you may need to end up redoing the room you just completed.

Whether you are looking at a kitchen expansion, a new bathroom, or a room addition, there are many things to keep in mind before you put the drywall on. The new space will new lighting, switches, outlets, and even temperature controls. Depending on the size of the space these items can require a significant amount of electricity. Adding this extra load to an existing circuit can bring that circuit over the limit. If this happens you are prone to power surges, electrical outages, and even fires. Depending on the size of your room you may need a new circuit in order to properly handle the new electrical load. This means doing an addition to your electrical panel. If not implemented properly, additions to the service panel can be messy and dangerous. Because the main service panel is the heart of your home’s electrical system you want it to be in the best shape it can be.

After reading this it can seem like a home addition is a larger undertaking than you previously imagined. That is why it is important to get professional help. There can be many code violations and hazards in your new home addition and you don’t want to close them up until you are sure you are safe. An expert electrician knows what to look for and what should be done to make everything right. And when it comes to electrical panel upgrades a professional can make sure that the panel does not become a dangerous container of wires.

If you are performing a home addition or room expansion, make sure that you are keeping your home safe and up to code. The last thing you want is to expand your home and lose most of it to an electrical fire. With an expert electrician you have peace of mind knowing that everything behind the walls is done correctly.

As lighting technology has advanced, one of the clear front-runners in long lasting, energy efficient lighting is the LED light. With uses ranging from interior lighting to landscape lighting, there are many reasons why you should switch your home lighting over to LED. Because LEDs are being manufactured in many of the same form factors that you are familiar with, you have the option of calling a Burbank electrician such as The Electric Connection to help you switch out the majority of them if you feel it’s too overwhelming of a job, or you could take it on by yourself. If your lighting project is more extensive than changing out a few light bulbs, and you plan on installing recessed lighting or new fixtures, you should definitely look into having the work done by a professional electrician in Burbank.

Benefits of LED Lights

The most publicized benefit of using LED lights for most lighting applications is the extremely low energy usage and long lifespan. This benefit is seen best when compared by an electrician in Burbank CA with other light bulb technologies. A standard incandescent bulb has a lifespan of around 1,000 hours, a compact fluorescent has a lifespan of around 8,000 hours and an LED has a lifespan of nearly 30,000 hours. This is a huge increase, meaning that you will have to change your bulbs much less frequently than before. Furthermore, LED light bulbs are mercury free, unlike compact fluorescents.

In regards to energy efficiency, LEDs are also way ahead of the pack. As a result of the low energy required to run an LED bulb, there is also much less heat required. This leads to lights that are cool to the touch, making them much safer for many applications. When asked about power consumption, an electrician in Burbank will tell you that LED bulbs use much less than any other currently on the market. For example, a 40-watt incandescent bulb burns just as bright as an 8-12 watt compact fluorescent or a 4-5 watt LED. By switching from incandescent to LED, you’re only using about 10% of your previous energy. This can make a huge difference, considering that lighting can make up almost 25% of any home energy budget!

Choosing an LED

When choosing an LED, there are many factors to be taken into consideration. If your home lighting project is extensive, think about doing a quick Internet search for electrician Burbank and then find one that you can trust such as The Electric Connection. Working with an electrical contractor on this type of project is very much like having ceiling fans installed, outlets replaced, bath fans installed or having new switches or lighting dimmers installed. A licensed Burbank Electrician such as The Electric Connection will be able to explain everything that needs to be done in order for your custom lighting job to be done well. If you are just looking to replace some of the bulbs in fixtures around your home, there are just be a few things that you should know.

To make things simple, most packages rate their light bulbs with both actual watts, and watts relative to an incandescent. This means that if you are using a 45-watt incandescent, you should be able to find a 3W LED with packaging that lets you know that they are equivalent. If these comparisons are not listed on the box, there should also be a lumen rating. If necessary, you can compare the lumens between types of light bulbs. When choosing light bulbs for your fixtures, you will most likely be shopping for diffused bulbs. These bulbs look very similar to a standard fluorescent bulb, and help to diffuse the light. This gives the light a more natural feel. Other types of lights include outdoor landscape lights, such as floods and interior spotlights for more focused light concentration. Regardless of what type of lighting you choose, your licensed electrician Burbank CA can always help you with any questions that you might have. Enjoy your new lighting!

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It is becoming more common to see solar panels on top of the roofs of homes and buildings in suburbs and throughout the city. The panels are sleek and actually add to the look of the structures they are mounted on. The stigma that solar power was only reserved for cabins way out in the boondocks is over. Nowadays, it is become quite trendy to supplement your home or business with solar energy. The use of solar panels has been a long time coming and now everybody needs to know one thing; what is the cost of solar panels? How much will it set you back and is it worth the cost. The team at The Electric Connection wants you to know that yes, it is certainly worth looking into.

Solar panels installers are going to be one of the expenses you incur when you decide to augment your electricity with solar power. Typically, you will be able to find a company that offers installation packages with the sale or lease of the panels. This allows you to make monthly payments that would be similar to that of your monthly electric bill. You can choose to rely completely on solar power or to use solar for the majority of your needs with the typical power supply from the grid as a backup. There are numerous scenarios. You will need to choose the one that works best for you and your family. You can certainly ease into solar power, which is a good idea. There is a learning curve.

To install solar panels, you will need electricians who are familiar with and trained to handle the convertor systems. The systems will need to be wired into your home’s electric panel, which should only be handled by professionals. Solar power is one way to do something good for the environment while saving money on your electric bill. Give The Electric Connection a call today if you have any questions about solar panel installation.