With electricity becoming a prime suspect in the drain on your bank account, you are probably looking for ways to reduce your energy bill. It isn’t feasible or safe, to sit in a home that is hot and stuffy. Running the air conditioning unit constantly is extremely expensive and hard on the unit itself, which may result in costly repair bills. There are some things you can do to help keep your home cool, without running the expensive AC.

An attic fan is one way you could save money on your electric bill. An electrician in Glendale will be necessary to help you install a new fan or several fans depending on the size of your attic. The Electric Connection team is available for you and would love to help you cool your home and ultimately save money.

Attic fans work to pull out the hot, stagnant air that accumulates in finished attics. Most fans are controlled by a thermostat. This prevents the fan from running constantly and keeps you from having to remember to turn on the fan when the temperatures begin rising. There are some requirements that need to be met before you decide to have an attic fan installed. The attic must have soffit or gable vents. This allows the fan to bring in the cooler air to the attic space. The attic should also be sealed from the rest of your house. If these requirements are not met, you will end up wasting money by drawing your cool air from below, into the attic.

If you are not sure about your attic, you will need to contact an electrician. Glendale residents can rely on the experienced professionals at The Electric Connection. The staff will make notes about your attic and what kind of fan would work best.

Energy deregulation gives consumers choices when it comes to the companies that provide their home electricity. Suppliers can compete for your electricity dollars in a variety of ways, offering low prices, short and long-term contracts, fixed or variable rates, and a choice in how your energy is generated. The sheer volume of options can seem so complicated that you need to ask an electrician to help you tangle out the pros and cons of the available plans. One area in particular that can trip up consumers has to do with whether the source of their electricity is green or renewable. Read on to learn the difference.

Green Customers are Loyal Customers

Currently, 15 states plus Washington, D.C. have active electricity deregulation programs, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and these states are largely concentrated in the Northeast. Consumers who live in deregulated states are likely to be flooded with energy offers, often promising electricity that is derived from green or renewable sources. Purchasing this environmentally friendly power usually costs a bit more than electricity that comes from more traditional sources like coal, but some homeowners like to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to reducing carbon emissions.

Those customers who go green are valuable to the supplier because they are less likely to jump ship based on the availability of a cheaper energy source. "A customer on a renewable-energy product has actively decided what is important to them and has selected their supplier accordingly," Ritchie Hudson, Pennsylvania chairman of the Retail Energy Supply Association, said to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

A Question of Semantics

However, while many suppliers and consumers treat green and renewable sources of electricity as synonymous, there is a distinction. Green energy is that which comes from specific sources that have the highest environmental benefit, including solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, eligible biomass and small hydroelectric sources, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Meanwhile, renewable energy “includes resources that rely on fuel sources that restore themselves over short periods of time and do not diminish,” which includes all the green options but also other sources such as large hydroelectric dams, which present certain environmental tradeoffs.

That means that if you really want to limit your impact on the Earth as much as possible, go green in lieu of simply choosing renewable energy. You can further refine your choices by asking about the specific source of the electricity, if you have a preference for solar, wind or another option.

Ask an Electrician About Your Options

Deregulated energy markets give you flexibility, but can also sow consumer confusion. If you need help deciphering the offerings of your state's electricity providers, ask an electrician who can walk you through your choices.

Making sure that you have a good HVAC system is a top priority for most homeowners throughout the country. The most common type of air conditioning system is the traditional, central AC unit, which used a series of ducts in order to push cool air throughout your home.

There is another type of AC system that can benefit almost any homeowner though: the ductless mini-split air conditioner. When it comes to installing a new system or replacing the air conditioner you already have, there are many reasons to consider a ductless system, which we’ve highlighted below.

To understand the benefits of a ductless cooling system, its first important to understand what it is. As the name suggests, this type of system does not require ductwork in order to heat or cool your home. Instead, a ductless system uses individual, wall-mounted units which circulate air in each different zone or area of your home.

Ductless systems can be quickly installed by a professional air conditioning technician, as they only require a few refrigerant lines and electrical wires that connect them to a central outdoor condensing unit. It’s actually the system’s refrigerant that removes the heat from your home and carries it to the outdoor unit, where it is exhausted outside.