Light switches are so common we rarely think twice about them. We walk into a room, flip the switch without looking and carry on. In the middle of the night or first thing in the morning, the light that comes on in an instant is a bit of a shock to eyes that have not quite adjusted. Lights are often a little too much for certain occasions and you are forced to choose between too much or too little. Or are you? Your California electrician has a better idea. The team at The Electric Connection can help you take control of the light in your life by installing a dimmer switch.

For a long time, dimmer switches were a common feature for chandeliers installed in the dining room area. This allows you to dictate just how much light you want to shed over the dinner table. Cheery breakfasts and lunches are best served with plenty of light. Evening meals that are meant to help you unwind or connect with your friends and loved ones over a delicious entree are best served with low light. It gives the space a more intimate feel.

You can have that same luxury of light control in every room in the house. There is some very minimal electrical wiring that will need to be done. It is a fairly easy switch to install a dimmer in place of your existing light switch. You can have one in the living room that allows you to turn down the lights while you are watching television. Another in the bathroom gives you the ability to have low light for those middle of the night visits instead of blinding light that wakes you up and interrupts a good night’s sleep. An electrician in southern California is ready to help. Just give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your dimmer switch installation.

As we prepare for fall and eventually winter, there are probably plenty of jobs you need to get done in the house. We often focus a lot of our time and energy on the outdoors during the spring and summer months and the indoors gets neglected. The following tasks are some things you will want to take care of with the help of an electrician in Burbank. The team at The Electric Connection will make sure your tasks are taken care quickly and professionally.

GFCIs

Ground fault control interrupters are excellent safety features to add to your kitchen and bathroom areas. The outlets prevent against electric shock when an appliance comes into contact with water. The second the circuit is interrupted by contact with water, the electricity to the circuit is automatically cut off. This can prevent the person holding the appliance from being shocked.

Smoke Detectors

The standard smoke detector you have in your home may not be quite as safe as you would think. These battery powered smoke detectors must have fresh batteries in order to work properly. There is also the risk of not hearing a smoke detector down the hall or in another room. Hard-wired smoke detectors are a better option. They are wired directly into your home’s main power and are interconnected. When one alarm is sounded, all the alarms will go off. This can add several minutes to your escape time.

Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are an excellent way to circulate warm air in the winter and cool air in the summer. There is some minor Burbank electrical work involved that can be taken care of by an experienced electrician. Ceiling fans are energy efficient and can save you money on your electric bill.

If you would like some help taking care of these small, but necessary upgrades around your home, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Decorative LED path lights are the perfect gift for dads who want to add an upscale look to their yard. Shade styles include mushroom, frosted glass, offset cone, or hammered cone, and offset linear light heads are also available to direct illumination exactly where it’s needed. These LED path lights can be used for numerous applications, such as garden lights, patio lights, driveway lights, walkway lights, or sidewalk lights. The long-lasting fixtures emit up to 155 lumens of warm white illumination. They’re constructed of powder coated bronze or black aluminum and are weatherproof as well as rust resistant. Each path light comes with a screw-on ground stake.

This easy-to-install, low-profile light mounts directly to a junction box or in a can light housing. It’s perfect for low ceilings, basement, garage, hallway, closet, bathroom, workshop, and shed lighting. The long-lasting LED ceiling light consumes eight times less power than incandescent bulbs with equivalent output. It emits up to 1,100 lumens of natural white or warm white illumination and has a high color-rendering index (CRI) to show the true colors of objects and surroundings. A removable E26/E27 Edison screw base is included along with hardware for mounting to a junction box or in a can light housing.

Help him enhance the look of his boat while increasing nighttime visibility! LED underwater boat lights can be used as transom lights for colorful wakes, attracting fish, or for nighttime swimming and diving. Single-, double-, and triple-lens versions are available, and the underwater lights produce powerful red, green, blue, white, or RGB color-changing illumination. RGB underwater lights are capable of nine dynamic color-changing and single-color modes with an RGB controller and RF remote (sold separately). The LED lights are designed to last 42 times longer than underwater lights with incandescent bulbs.

Today’s technology offers a great deal of convenience, but it's also capable of taking quite an environmental toll through increased electrical consumption, greenhouse gases, and electronic waste. How does one upgrade responsibly? Install long-lasting, easily recyclable, energy-efficient appliances capable of reducing your monthly utility bills. How much are my kitchen appliances really costing me? For the average homeowner, large appliances such as your refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, washer and dryer, account for around 13 percent of monthly utility costs. Add on your hot water heater, and you’re looking at another 15 percent of your bill. Plus, usage costs can vary drastically depending on the age of your appliances. Appliances older than 10 years old are simply screaming for retirement –nearly doubling energy usage. Energy efficiency: learning the lingo Advances in today’s appliance technology adds up to savings for you, but only if you understand what you’re looking at. What’s the big deal about ENERGY STAR? The program was established by the EPA as part of the Clean Air Act to preserve the environment, as well as help individuals save on energy expenses. EPA labs test and certify ENERGY STAR appliances to signify equipment that perform above and beyond standard models. Top-of-the-line ENERGY STAR equipment bears the newly introduced “Most Efficient” label. Kitchen appliances that give you the most bang for your buck:

STOP! Don't just toss that old appliance! Electronic waste, or e-waste, is quickly becoming a global crisis. As the fastest growing waste stream in many countries, e-waste results in the release of extremely toxic substances that are contaminating both the Earth and our bodies. At this time, only 11 to 14 percent of US electronic waste is properly recycled and reused. Please dispose of your old appliances responsibly, as safe e-waste disposal is essential to preserving not only the environment, but your health as well. How to do I responsibly dispose of my family’s e-waste? There are many safe and responsible e-waste disposal and recycling options. If your retailer does not provide a free pickup service with the upgrade of your new appliance, Mr. Electric®, in cooperation with the non-profit organization HirePatriots, offers e-waste disposal solutions as well, including responsible recycling, e-waste packaging, pickup, and removal, secure data destruction, accredited repair and refurbishment, and more. Improve your efficiency and responsibly manage your e-waste with the help of Mr. Electric. The professionals at Mr. Electric have what it takes to handle all of your appliance upgrade and e-waste recycling needs.