Like the rest of the country, property values in Des Moines continue to rebound from the housing recession that caused so many headaches and heartbreaks. With the housing market in Polk County on the rise, many residents in the area are purchasing homes and immediately starting on renovation projects to even further increase the value of their home. However, while many people can get instantly excited to start remodeling a kitchen as part of their new home’s makeover, one thing that is often overlooked is the house’s wiring. If you have recently purchased a home or are considering doing so, it is important to call a residential electrician to inspect the residence’s current wiring structure and possibly conduct an entire house re-wiring.

Older homes were not built with the anticipation of modern appliances, and therefore purchasing and renovating an older home will most certainly require an electrician to properly prepare for your new stainless steel appliances. Additionally, homes built in the early part of the 20th century were not equipped to handle conveniences we now take for granted, such as deep freezes and clothes dryers. While many of us keep deep freezes to stock up on staples such as ground beef and expect to be able to dry our family’s clothing without heading to a laundromat, it is extremely important to ensure your home has the proper electrical services before plugging in. Your best bet is to call a local electrician you can trust, and in Des Moines, that means calling Electrical Gurus. Our licensed electricians are experts in house wiring, and we can help you be certain that your new home is ready for your appliances.

hazardous location lighting.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), National Electric Code (NEC) 70, defines hazardous locations through a system of classes, divisions or zones, and groups that products must be labeled as to be used in those areas. Hazardous area classifications are based on the general type of substance or material that is present in the area, the likelihood that it exists, and more detailed specifics, such as ignition temperatures and combustible properties.

Class I:

A Class I hazardous location contains flammable gas, liquid-produced vapors, or combustible liquid-produced vapors that can be present in quantities large enough to create an explosion.

Typical locations include airplane hangars, vehicle paint shops, commercial laundromats, and gas plants.

Class III:

This type of location contains easily ignitable fibers or flyings in the air but that aren’t likely to be in suspension in amounts large enough to cause an explosion.

Typical locations include textile mills, cotton mills, and sawmill facilities.

explosion-proof LED lights that are safe for use in a variety of hazardous locations. Click each photo to see details, including a complete list of classifications and certifications.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us toll free at 866-590-3533. Our customer service and technical support teams are available from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT on Friday.

Whether you have recently moved into a new home or have decided to remodel, there is one thing most people do not consider until it is too late: the placement of the light switches in each room. While it may seem like a miniscule worry, having practical and accessible light switches in your home can actually make a huge difference. Although some light switch positions may never make sense– who put that switch behind the door, anyway?– one of the main reasons many homeowners are interested in relocating light switches is because the intended usage for each room may differ from the previous homeowner, and the purpose of each room will certainly influence the type and size of furniture in the room which may also affect lightswitch placement.

From adding a light switch to the master bedroom closet to moving a light switch outside the bathroom to inside, a residential electrician from Electrical Gurus can help with all of our house wiring issues and home electrical installation projects. And while you may feel like you have enough home repair experience to handle installing or moving a light switch, the reasons your Des Moines home has light switches in strange spots is probably because someone took a shortcut the first time. Having an experienced and licensed residential electrician will not only save you the headache from trying to undo someone else’s workaround, you will also be certain that the job is done properly and up to local electric codes. Contact us online today or call Electrical Gurus at 515-446-7040 for help with relocating your light switches.

1. President Clinton enters cyberspace when he conducts the first virtual town hall. According to an article published in SFGate)

2. Just in time for holiday shopping, Amazon announces that it will expand its offering beyond just books. They’ll be adding software, video games, home improvement products and gifts to their online offering.

3. Football hero Walter Payton (a.k.a. “Sweetness”) dies at age 45 from complications of a rare liver disease. (via EDN)

5. November 19, 1999 The Oddest Day – PGA Tour)

7. Woody and Buzz are restored to fame when Toy Story 2 debuts and becomes an even bigger success than the original. (via Legends of Hockey)

9. Pokemon: The First Movie hits the big screen raking in a whopping $31 million+ during its opening weekend.

10. Encyclopedia Britannica, which once lined the bookshelves of most US households, launches its website … and crashes after two weeks because too many people logged on to its free search. (Photo via Billboard.

1999 was a year of massive growth in the online world. The internet was here to stay, and it’s no surprise that this was the year that Pegasus Lighting took our business online. In November 1999 , the world’s greatest technology companies gathered in Las Vegas for the 20th Annual Computer Dealers Exhibition (COMDEX) to learn about the latest innovations in computing. Our last four November pop culture items were highlighted or debuted at this event.

12. Microsoft’s Bill Gates is the Keynote speaker at COMDEX and introduces Windows 2000, promising that it will be much more reliable than its predecessor, Windows 98.

13. The QBe (pronounced “Cube”) tablet is exhibited with plans to start shipping in Spring of 2000 at a price of $4,495. (via unveiled by Ericsson as a lightweight wireless headset that can work from “up to 10 metres away from phone.”