Then, once you install the fixture, simply run it while you’re taking a bath or shower, and for about 30 minutes afterwards. It may also help to put the fan on a timer switch so you never forget. You should have separate switches for the light and the fan so you can operate them independently.

For The Bright Bathroom

We’ve all been there. A quick midnight trip to the bathroom. You need to be able to see, but it sure would be nice if you didn’t have to jolt yourself awake with every lumen of your bathroom lighting on at full power. You can solve this problem if you nab a lighted bathroom exhaust fan with a night light setting.

2. The Orleans Bathroom Exhaust Fan

4. The Ventura Bathroom Exhaust Fan

You never know when things are going to go haywire and sometimes you just don’t have an idea what to do next. A light that is flickering could be a bad bulb or it could be faulty wiring. An outlet that is working one day and then dead the next is perplexing as well. You may not even realize you have an electrical issue. So how do you know when you need an electrician in Glendale? The team at The Electric Connection has a few tips for you to follow when things are not quite right.

*A flickering light that is not remedied by replacing the bulb with a fresh one is a reason for a call to your electrician. There could be some faulty wiring or wiring that has frayed or been damaged by rodents. If it is not taken care of, it can result in an electrical fire.

*An outlet that works sporadically is also cause for alarm. It definitely indicates there is some trouble with the wiring. It is best to get it looked at right away.

*An outlet that has black streaks shooting up the wall or arcs blue when you plug something is a definite sign of trouble. Avoid using the outlet until you can have it checked out. Glendale electrical problems are serious. Fortunately, these early warning signs give you a heads up that your home has an electrical problem that could end up starting a fire.

*If you smell burning wires, get out of the house and quickly call an electrician. This is an emergency that should not be put off until tomorrow. If you have any other questions or concerns, give The Electric Connection a call today. You can schedule and electrical safety inspection to help set your mind at ease while identifying any potential problems.

The next time you call your local residential electrician to come fix any electrical problems you have in your home, you may want to ask him or her about outdoor lighting. According to the American Lighting Association, exterior lighting can not only enhance the beauty of a home,  it can also provide safety and security. Here are some things to keep in mind if you're considering installing outdoor lighting.

Call a professional

Electrical work can be tricky and dangerous. Don't embark on a lighting project without the help of a professional. Ask a qualified electrician to do an assessment of your home at night. An expert will be able to pinpoint the darkest spots around your home and explain how you should light them.

Focus on the front door

One place you'll want to install outdoor lighting is your front door. Not only will this help you and your family at night, it will also allow you to clearly see anyone who rings your bell in the evening.

Illuminate your walkway

Consider illuminating the path leading up to the door to protect your guests (or family) from tripping as they walk to and from your home in the evening.

Get a timer

Talk to your electrician about having a timer installed to control your outdoor lights. This will ensure that if you come home late from work, your lights will be on and waiting for you. You can also use a timer to turn the lights on and off to give the impression of an occupied home when you’re away on vacation.

Consider lights in the pool

If you own a pool, talk to an electrician about installing lights inside it. This will help keep your loved ones safe during nighttime swims. Also, if you have a fountain, you may want to illuminate it as well to better show it off during the evening.

Light up your deck

Lighting your deck or porch will extend the hours you can spend there and create another option for entertaining guests.

You Can Be Liable for Unlicensed Electrical Work

07/30/15

Revamping your home's electrical work can be a big headache. You need to find a qualified electrician and write what could be a hefty check for work that might require opening holes in your walls and temporarily making a mess of your home. The last thing you want after a big electrical project is to have to tear it all out and redo the job all over again. That could be the scenario you face, however, if you cut corners and don't hire a licensed electrician to take on the task. Fly-by-night contractors might be cheaper at the outset, but they can cost you big time in the end if they don't follow the local building code, leaving you liable for the faults in your home wiring.

Fanning the Building Code Fires

Some contractors might complain about having to follow local code, but it's in place for a reason – it helps ensure that any work done on your home is performed safely and effectively. Local code standards are particularly important when it comes to electrical work, because faulty wiring and connections can lead to short circuits or even an electrical fire, putting your family at risk.

That's why technicians who do electrical work are required to maintain a license, secure permits and schedule inspections for many home projects. Unfortunately, there are electricians who are tempted to skip the code requirements in order to avoid the time and expense of compliance. They might quote you a lower price, but shoddy workmanship can leave you on the hook for a lot more money overall.

Limit Your Exposure to Liability

If your local government figures out that you are working on an electrical project, they can send an inspector to check it out. If the work isn't up to code, you'll have to remedy the problem before you pass inspection. And if your electrician isn't licensed, you have little recourse to correct the faulty electrical work besides paying out of pocket for someone else to redo the entire thing. Worse, if your electrical system does cause a fire that leads to injury or death, you could be civilly liable for huge sums.

Licensed electricians, on the other hand, have more incentive to follow the rules to begin with, since they could lose their certification if they don't. Furthermore, you may have an easier time recouping your investment in the event of unsafe or incomplete work if you can prove that you did your due diligence and hired a licensed electrician.

Good Work Done Right

To avoid code and permitting issues, hire only licensed technicians for your electrical work and ask them to show you all the relevant permits. Protect yourself and your home by holding out for competent contractors so you know the work is done right the first time.

Battery technology has already made our lives more portable and convenient. From the disposable alkalines you used to use to power your Walkman to the modern rechargeable batteries in your cell phone and laptop, they allow us to take our work, entertainment and communication systems on the go. But batteries might have an even grander destiny: they could revolutionize the way we generate and use energy all throughout the home. Read on for a glimpse into our battery-powered future.

From Electric Cars to Your Living Room

Leading the charge into the brave new world of batteries is Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors. Musk recently launched Tesla Energy, a suite of batteries designed to facilitate flexibility for consumers and ultimately pave the way to an energy grid that doesn't rely on fossil fuels.

"Our goal," Musk said at a press conference, "is to fundamentally change the way the world uses energy."

Tesla used its expertise in designing batteries for electric cars to make batteries bigger and more powerful. The company’s new lithium-ion batteries are optimized to enable “homes, business, and utilities to store sustainable and renewable energy to manage power demand, provide backup power and increase grid resilience,” the company promises.

Energy at Any Time of Day

Because Tesla’s new battery technology allows residential and business users to store electricity until it’s needed, it creates the opportunity to purchase electricity during off-peak time, easing the stress on our electrical grid. It also helps users get more out of sustainable but intermittent fuel sources like wind and solar.

If the technology catches on, consumers can take better advantage of utility time-of-day pricing. Some utilities in North America sell electricity at cheaper rates during nights and weekends, when there is less demand. A homeowner could therefore charge a battery at night and use it during the day, which saves money for them and reduces the generation cost for the utility company by smoothing out the demand.

Furthermore, as solar and wind technologies become cheaper and more viable, the ability to store their output means that they can further cut into the market share of fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, reducing human impact on climate change.

Keep the Lights On and the TV Running

Another advantage of the enhanced storage potential is that homeowners will still have power in the event of a blackout or other disruption to the power grid. And people who want to go off the grid entirely with solar energy can do it without worrying about running out of power during the night.

The batteries are expensive, starting at $3,000 for residential models. If the program takes off, the price should fall and ever-better technologies will be developed to improve storage, capacity, transmission and other specifications.

For now, the Tesla batteries look like a useful, if expensive, addition to the energy-conscious homeowner's arsenal. If prices do continue to fall, however, the batteries could transform into something truly revolutionary.