By Clarissa Allison | June 3rd, 2016

The lighting industry grows and changes, and many common misconceptions have arisen. New technology sees the movement towards energy conscious lighting alternatives. There are even some myths regarding our old standby, the incandescent bulb, that may surprise you! Read on for some enlightening facts on illumination:

Myth: LED’s can cause optical light damage and interfere with the human circadian rhythm, causing abnormal sleep cycles .

Your kitchen is probably the most important room in your house. In most floor plans, it is also one of the most visible areas. Because of this, most people like to keep their kitchen modern and of course, gorgeous. If you are thinking of selling your home anytime soon, the kitchen is typically the place your realtor will advise you to invest in. Thankfully, you can hire an electrician in Los Angeles to help you with a kitchen makeover. The team at The Electric Connection has a staff of well-trained and professional electricians who will make your dream of an updated kitchen a reality.

A complete kitchen update would typically include new appliances. Depending on the age of your home, you may need some upgrades to your Los Angeles electrical system. While the electrician is there, it is a good time to have additional outlets installed. It seems like there are never enough outlets for all of the appliances we use to make our lives easier. Your electrician would also be able to update your old outlets with the much safer GFCIs. These outlets reduce the risk of electrical shock due to water coming into contact with electricity.

If you are not ready to do a complete makeover, you can opt to simply have your lighting fixtures updated. This is a much more economical option while still giving you dramatic results. You would be amazed at the difference new lighting can do for a room. You have plenty of choices when it comes to choosing a new light for your kitchen. Take a trip to your home improvement store or lighting store to see the variety of options available to you. When you find the lights for you, give the team at The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your kitchen update.

Commercial buildings require special considerations when it comes to electrical wiring. Most commercial buildings do not have the luxury of a wooden frame to run wires through, so other wiring methods must be used. Some of those are discussed below.

In some instances, armored cable may be used. This type of cable, known as teck cable, is available in nearly any size and features a core made of the desired number and sizes of wires, protective jacketing, flexible aluminum armor, and in some cases a weather-resistant exterior jacket. Teck cables can be pulled through conduit, cable tray, or be buried directly in the ground as long as the cable is rated for direct burial and certain burial depths are adhered to. Teck cables can also be installed in hazardous locations by using special explosion-proof cable fittings and approved sealing compounds. The main advantage to teck cable is its ease of installation and versatility. When using a cable tray system, cables can also be easily added or removed at any time.

With this basic knowledge of the types of electrical wiring methods used in commercial buildings, it is easy to select the best option for any installation.

There was a time not too long ago when gas and electricity costs weren’t really a topic of concern at all. Keeping in view expenses such as mortgage payments, insurance etc, energy bills faded in comparison. However, that is no longer the case today. Energy costs have become a major concern for property owners and the need of the hour is for energy – efficient solutions to be incorporated into the home.

And there is no dearth of these types of solutions. Ranging from LED bulbs, use of solar energy, smart lighting, optimum insulation, use of energy-efficient building materials, switching from standard ovens to convection ovens, people are trying everything in the book to coax their energy bills to drop a little bit. While all these measures are definitely helpful in bringing down energy consumption, there is one more thing consumers can do to keep a handle on their energy bills- use smart lighting schedules!

Energy providers in Australia charge consumers a variety of rates; this is based on the type of meter in the house and the manner in which energy is used in peak & off-peak periods. There is no standard rule here as different retailers maintain different energy rates. The one way to get a much reduced rate is to opt for a long-term energy contract. It’s important to shop around a bit as the difference in rates between providers can be significant.

Off peak times are those when businesses and homes typically use less electricity. The off peak time is dependent on your meter type and location; however, these are typically on weekends and/or at night. When consumers use electricity in busy peak times, it burdens the electricity networks in the country. It’s also why energy usage in the off-peak hours is charged at much lower rates. This is the way consumers are encouraged to use power outside busy hours.

There is another definition of off-peak rates. This can refer to the electricity used by a particular appliance on a dedicated circuit. For instance the electric hot water system in your house could be on a separate circuit and will be billed separately, on the off peak rates your service provider is offering. It’s possible to leverage this off-peak rate to reduce energy costs in your home. You can use interval metering or off-peak hot water to benefit from these lower rates at set times of the day and the weekends.

If you are considering using smart scheduling, it’s important that you contact your energy provider and find out if it’s something they accommodate and what you are required to do. For advice on smart metering and other electrical installation services, call Allround Electrical at 1300 169 263. You can also drop us a line via email.

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