The price of electricity seems to be inexorably going up and so I want to present some money saving electrical tips, because statistics from the U.S Energy Information Administration (EIA.gov) indicate that the average cost of electricity has risen again in 2011 to 11.47 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), from 11.2 in 2010 with an average monthly consumption per American family of 908 kWh. That means that the average family in the United States is spending $107.14 a month, or $1285.68 a year on electricity.

This is clearly a very large amount, and so it is important to consider ways that a family (or a business) can save money by conserving energy and being more energy efficient.

By far the biggest percentage of electricity use in the average home is for air cooling, with 17.9% on average of all the electricity in the average US home being spent on air conditioning.

The way that you would check for this is with the SEER Rating (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) which is now printed on virtually all air conditioners. A unit that is only rated as an 8 on this scale uses TWICE as much electricity as a 16 SEER unit, for the exact same cooling level. So potentially there are big savings to be made without even impacting on how often you use the units, simply by actually implementing these electrical tips in your home.

The second biggest consumer of electricity in the home is lighting at 15.3%, so also consider:

Between air conditioning and lighting these cover about a third of all the electricity used in your home every year, and so by making changes in these areas, and implementing the changes I have described in these money saving electrical tips, it is possible to make big savings on the $419 you are currently spending (a third of the total yearly spend of $1258).

Most new buildings are now using a variety of electrical and electronic equipment. As such, the contractors have to design a wiring schematic that will deliver power to a wide and diverse range of devices that include traditional and modern electrical loads.  The wiring must also provide a means of supplying power to the monitoring and control devices such as wireless sensors, thermostats, automatic light controls, thermostats, the IoT, and other web-based technologies.

The electrical requirements will vary from one building to another and may include a combination of the following components:

The type and use of a building structure influences the type of wiring to use. And the building owner and electrical contractor should consider current and future power requirements when determining the size of conductors, raceways, protective gear and other necessities.

Legrand has been operating in the U.S. since 1984 and continues to bring its unique products to the American market. In addition to a luxury look, the brand offers many useful features and benefits to your home. From innovative gesture recognition to cross-compatibility with different bulb types,

Traditional lighting offers few options for adjusting light levels from room to room or regulating how much energy your lights use. Legrand addresses this problem with its innovative designs and technology, providing switches and dimmers with unprecedented options for control. Instead of flipping a switch, you might tap a console, press a rocker or toggle or simply wave your hand in front of a panel to turn lights on and off. Each fixture is designed to be as flush with the wall as possible, creating a clean look in any room.

Legrand dimmers come in six designs, each with its own combination of switch and dimmer controls:

Are you looking to replace the aging light fixtures found throughout your home with an updated, multi-functional alternative? You may want to consider all the wonderful advantages ceiling fans have to offer.

And we’re not just talking about their aesthetically pleasing ambiance. Ceiling fans are a practical, economical solution to reducing your cooling needs in the summer. By creating a wind chill effect, using ceiling fans throughout your home can keep you and your family comfortable enough to lower your thermostat temperature by 4-7 degrees F, saving you up to 30 percent on cooling costs. Still on the fence? As an added bonus, the wind generated by ceiling fans also makes it more difficult for pests to fly, keeping summer pests at bay. How’s that for cool?

Say what? That’s right. Change the settings on your ceiling fans to spin clockwise, rather than their counterclockwise motion during the summer, and you’re in business! A clockwise motion forces air up, to the outer edges of the room, then down along walls to the floor, where it travels back to the center, once again rising. This motion helps equally distribute all that nice heated air from your HVAC system throughout your home, saving you much needed heating dollars.

Stand under your fan, and note the direction in which the blades rotate. (Don’t worry, it doesn’t matter which direction you face.) Remember, you want your blades to spin counterclockwise in the summer, clockwise in the winter. Wrong direction? Turn off the fan and locate the switch on the fan’s base, then simply flick the switch to the opposite direction. Done!

Choose the right blade size.

Want a cooling effect that doesn’t ruffle papers or other items in your home? Opt for larger blade sizes. They offer comparable cooling at a lower velocity than smaller blades. Don’t worry about the number of blades. This will not affect performance.

Properly size and locate fans.

Fans should be installed 7-9 feet above floors, 10-12 inches below ceilings and at least 18-24 inches from walls. Opt for 52-inch fans for rooms up to 400 square feet, 44-inch fans up to 225 square feet, and 42-inch fans up to 144 square feet. Rooms longer than 18 feet need multiple fans.

Find the right features.

Selecting easy-to-use models will encourage frequent fan use and the subsequent lowering of energy costs. You should carefully consider features and usage needs such as light intensity, fan speeds, noise level during operation, pull chains, and remote controls.

Remember, you get what you pay for.

Splurging a little on ceiling fans will earn you a model with quieter, smoother operation, more fan speeds, less issues, and longer warranty than bargain basement alternatives.

Ensure safe installation.

Professional installation as recommended by the manufacturer is essential to fan life, warranty, and most importantly, the safety of you and your family. Fans can weigh as much as 50 pounds! Safe installation should include an appropriate UL-listed electrical box made specifically for use with ceiling fans, secure mounting to a ceiling joist (or the use of a mounting bracket), and proper alignment and balancing.

Ceiling fans cool people, not rooms. Though they can help you save energy, they use it as well, so be sure to turn off ceiling fans when you leave the room to prevent wasted energy dollars. Don’t want to keep track? You may want to consider adding a motion sensor.