Have you recently had a home inspection completed or are you getting ready to purchase a home and don’t understand the inspection report? A certified electrician at ElectricMan can help you figure out exactly what the inspector found and what it all means. Having your home inspection deciphered by ElectricMan can save you time, money and a lot of stress.

Here are some examples of the most common home wiring problems that a certified electrician can remedy:

These problems may be eyesores, or perhaps you don’t notice them at all, but almost all of them can be hazardous and require immediate attention by a certified electrician. Before you start worrying about your latest home inspection and get knee-deep in all the repairs at once, ElectricMan can help you decode each project and give you a quote on needed repairs. Remember, it’s about your family’s safety, so it’s always best you pick your electrician based on the quality of work and his reputation rather than letting the seller pick the repairman.

If you suspect your home is subject to some of these problems, or for help interpreting your home inspection contact a certified electrician at ElectricMan today. ElectricMan is a trusted, local Dallas electrician with 27 years of experience. For more information visit the ElectricMan website and don’t forget to ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

The certified experts at Kolb Electric are fresh from the new year and ready to impart some more great advice! Looking to set a resolution that is easy to keep, and puts cash directly back into your wallet? As electric specialists, we naturally know lots of ways to use energy, but we also know some cool ways to not use electricity too!

We’re not going to suggest anything as radical as a solar energy overhaul, and most of these resolutions are simple behavior changes or little fixes. So follow along, and you just may find yourself with a lower electric bill this month!

We don’t claim to have all of the answers, but you can be sure we do our best to know everything there is to know about electricity! If you’re interested in learning how the professionals at Kolb can assist you in reducing energy costs, contact us today!

At Kolb, our master electricians have been providing the very best in service, skill and technology for years. It is our endless goal to bring our consumers the highest quality solutions to meet their every energy need. For electrical services you can trust, call on Kolb!

The changing seasons, like the changing characteristics of matter, present dichotomies and the challenge in life is learning to find a successful balance.  Cultivating the right lighting design is all about a successful balance. Our outdoor lighting how-to guide will help you to establish and maintain a splendid outdoor oasis to be enjoyed year-round.

Capitol Lighting Respects the Night with Champion Illumination

The trend toward outdoor living continues with expanding decks and patios and customizing outdoor kitchens for outdoor entertainment.  Also, fireplaces, fire pits, and space heaters are being added to extend outdoor living well beyond the spring and summer months.  To make these areas as comfortable, safe, and maintenance-free as possible, great lighting is key.

Capitol Lighting’s Expert Advice for Lighting Up Outdoors

The conditions are perfect for outdoor lighting installations. Learn how-to customize the perfect outdoor lighting design and : Follow along with our

1.  Consider the areas to be illuminated:

•General lighting for decks, porches and patios.

•Accent lighting for gardens, fountains, statues and unique architectural elements.

•Security lighting for walkways and driveways.

•Decorative lighting for home entry zones.

2.  Choose your power supply and be sure that all outdoor and landscape lighting fixtures are compatible with the system.

3.  Choose landscape lighting fixtures more for their lighting effects rather than their aesthetic appeal.  The decorative features of landscape lights should be secondary to the objects they illuminate. With a good lighting design, landscape fixtures will provide understated elegance to the outdoor environment during the day, as well as at night.

4.  Decide which system works best for you:  Low voltage lighting provides softer more luxurious illumination, while LED is extremely energy-efficient, low-maintenance and most durable.  Incandescent bulbs typically last 1,000-2,000 hours; fluorescent bulbs may last 10,000-15,000 hours; and, LED bulbs may last 35,000-50,000 hours.

5.  Make sure to power your lighting with the appropriate transformers and wiring. If you are thinking about adding to your outside lighting system, choose power sources that will accommodate the additional fixtures.

6.  Automated timers and motion- or heat-sensitive controls make your home appear occupied during the night and save on energy costs. Locate timers and controls in areas where they are easily accessible.

7.  All outside lighting fixtures and accessories must be selected to withstand the elements, including sun, humidity, rain, ice and snow.  Check that all items are waterproof and UL-approved for outdoor use. Copper, brass and composite fixtures are excellent for homes near the seashore where salty air may be a factor.

8.  Think about landscape lighting as part of your planning and construction in a new home environment.  Outdoor lighting designers should coordinate with landscape architects and electricians.

9.  Traditional wall lights such as wall lanterns bracketing main entryway doors help you to identify visitors and ensure their safety.  They are also appropriate for rear and side entrances and over garage doors. Be sure to select post lanterns and wall brackets that are proportional to your home.  When in doubt, size up.  Fixtures appear smaller from curbside viewing than most people would imagine. * *

10.  Take care to avoid glare and pointing fixtures into your neighbor’s property. Curb “light pollution” with shielded fixtures that focus illumination downward.  Most outdoor fixtures may be easily focused to light the environment for safety, security and aesthetics while protecting other areas from unwanted glare and profuse light. * * *

**Rule of thumb for sizing outdoor wall lanterns:  The height of the lantern should be based on the height of the door.  If brackets are to be installed on either side of the door, they should measure about one-fourth the height of the door.  If using only one lantern, size up to about one-third the height of the door.

***“Dark Sky” Compliancy and light pollution:  A man-made culprit, due mainly to poor lighting design, is a phenomenon called “light pollution.”  Light pollution is any adverse effect of artificial light, including sky glow, glare, light trespass, light clutter, decreased visibility at night, and energy waste.  Many of Capitol Lighting’s trusted manufacturers offer “Dark Sky” versions of their outdoor lighting products, which “collar” the light bulb around its base to block superfluous upward emissions of light.

Capitol Lighting’s professional lighting consultants will help you in selecting everything from timers and outdoor hanging pendants to path lights and post lanterns.  Work with the experts to devise fabulous landscape lighting designs and prepare your outdoor environment with quality security lighting customized to enhance the beauty of your home.

Our electricians have been talking to homeowners in Los Angeles about installing chargers for their electric cars — that is, when their electric cars arrive. Mostly, we’ve been working out how the installations will go and setting up appointments because many homeowners are waiting for delivery. If you anticipate delivery of your electric car and want to beat the rush, now’s a good time to get your charger installed.

Nissan has delivered about 800 Leafs since December 2010, but that’s 800 for the entire U.S., not just Los Angeles. Greatly helping with that total, one ship with 600 Leafs sailed for the U.S. the day before the Japanese earthquake and tsunami struck. And then…nothing. As you know, tragically, things just weren’t the same in Japan the next day.

But recovery in Japan is moving along. Nissan has announced the good news that a shipload of electric cars (electric vehicles or “EVs“) will be landing in the U.S. today, April 27th. This is the first shipment of Leafs manufactured since the quake. Right now, demand is way outstripping supply. Over 340,000 people have registered on the Nissan Leaf website. But Nissan closed reservations for purchases of EVs at 20,000 in September 2010. They’re planning a speed-up of deliveries and will be taking new reservations starting May 1.

Of course, there are other electric cars available for middle-income families. The Chevy Volt is an electric hybrid — it can drive about 40 miles on a single charge of its battery and then turns to burning gasoline. By the end of March of this year, over 1,200 Chevy Volts had been delivered to waiting customers. Yes, Chevy has a waiting list, too, but, like Nissan, will be speeding up deliveries as the year goes on.

If you have ordered an electric vehicle and have not yet arranged for installation of an outlet in your garage for your Level 1 charger or installation of your Level 2 charger, find a licensed electrician familiar with the requirements of EV chargers. For more about my company, The Electric Connection — all the stuff you wanted to know but were afraid to ask — . If you’re interested coupons for electrical work, for example, $50 off installation of a Whole House Surge Protector in the L.A. area, click on our electrical work coupon page.