Part of my job as an electrician is not only to help fix an electrical system when something goes wrong, but also to help my customers make sure that the fixtures are correctly installed. Installation is the most important phase for an electrical fixture or appliance; following the proper procedures can help ensure the maximum life for the electrical device, minimize its upkeep, and save you from costly repairs.

One of the most popular fixtures I am called to install are chandeliers, and with good reason.  As beautiful and elegant as they can be, home chandelier installation can be extremely tricky, even for those with experience.  If you have recently purchased a chandelier, I strongly encourage you to call a skilled Richardson electrician to have it installed; a talented electrician knows how to best hang, wire, and secure your chandelier to the ceiling. With that in mind, here are some important electrical safety tips to ensure you get the most out of your new light fixture:

Do you have ranges and ovens on your mind? Maybe you just got a big bonus from work, or your last child finally graduated from college. There's no better way to celebrate than a new kitchen. From granite countertops to the latest in state-of-the-art appliance technology, you can cook in comfort and increase the value of your home to boot. If you haven't bought a new refrigerator or oven in a decade or more, you might be shocked at all the features you're missing out on. Read on for some of the latest in kitchen function and form.

Keep your food cold in style: If your ancient refrigerator is still chugging away, replacing it with an efficient ENERGY STAR-certified model could actually pay for itself in a few years through reductions in energy costs. That's to say nothing of all the new features there are to play with. You can find a fridge with multiple segmented compartments to keep different foods at different temperatures, or compartments in the doors that offer quick access to snacks and drinks. If you want to go really futuristic, check out models that have touchscreen controls so you have the temperature and other settings right at your fingertips.

Fun with ranges: Many new stovetops come with touchpads so you can precisely control the temperature and timing of your culinary masterpiece, down to the degree. If you prefer electric stoves, a flat glass or ceramic top can make the kitchen look more modern compared to the old coil elements. If you have the budget, you may even consider an induction range, which is hyper-efficient and uses electromagnets to turn your cooking pots into heat sources. One feature that might be useful no matter what type of element you use is downdraft ventilation, which can pull steam down through the stovetop before it can damage your walls or cabinets.

Double your oven: Is baking your thing? The oven market is heating up. Consider options like two oven bays so you can bake items at different temperatures at the same time, and convection ovens that use a fan to circulate heat and cook food more evenly. You can also find ovens that cook at super-low temperatures, down to 150 degrees, so you can dehydrate food and store it for later in the year. The very latest in oven technology is smartphone apps, which allow you to remotely monitor and control your settings.

Remember, you aren't alone in your quest for the most modern, stylish and efficient cooking area. Let the experts help you decide what your dream kitchen looks like, and then bring it to reality. Also, if you are just swapping out appliances there shouldn't be too many complications, but more serious work that involves adding or moving outlets, installing vents or changing the physical layout of the kitchen means you will need to make sure you are in compliance with local building code. Always consult with a professional so you don't accidentally create a safety hazard or find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

The experts at local Mister Sparky® are always here to help. Give us a call if you are considering kitchen renovations and we can help you evaluate and potential electrical changes or issues before you get started.

If you work in hazardous locations and conditions, you would understand the need to promote safety and ensure that the risk of explosions is reduced. It is crucial that you eliminate one or more component of the ignition triangle to minimize the chances of an explosion. The 3 protection methods listed below are widely used in hazardous locations, in the process control industry:

Before we delve a little deeper and understand these techniques, let’s take a quick look at the role electrical enclosures.

Electrical enclosures are cabinets containing different electrical components such as switches, sockets, plugs, knobs, transformers and controls. These keep the surroundings safe from any kind of electrical hazard. Such enclosures are resistant to spark and shock and they have a high tolerance to extreme temperatures. They must be used in hazardous locations as they keep an interior explosion from spreading to the external environment and damaging life and property. Let’s see how they are relevant in the Containment method of protection:

If you’re tired of shelling out a crazy amount to the energy company each and every month, then maybe it’s time to look at how your household is consuming power and improve the efficiency of your usage. To help with that, our Top Rated Local® Des Moines electricians have committed to taking calls and appointments specifically for improved energy efficiency.

If your energy bill is high, then there is a really great chance that your break-even point will be very low. In case you’re not one of the many financial experts that call Des Moines home, a break-even point is essentially just an investment term that is used to calculate the potential risk of a course of action compared to its likely reward; this means that the break-even point for your investment in optimization will be achieved through reduced monthly energy costs + any local or federal subsidies the improvements qualify you for – the costs of installation or upgrading. Costs, in this case, can be both financial and temporal, meaning that your savings need to rack up quickly to account for the time and money you’ll invest up front. The good news is this: Many new homes (built in the last 5 years) can be drastically upgraded and optimized, and just about all below that line (older than 5 years) will see an even more dramatic improvement.

When power reaches your home, it inevitably is routed to and through an electrical panel; this panel determines much of your home’s energy efficiency before anything is even turned on. From the electrical panel to the wiring and outlets themselves, the amount of upgrades and optimizations that can be done for a comparable cost to the original outdated panel that dramatically reduce energy waste are dizzying. From the smallest changes, such as installing energy-efficient lighting or new outlets, to full-scale electrical overhauls, the potential for savings are really multiplicative.

Our electricians come into the picture by offering the tools and experience necessary to quickly and effectively route out outdated and inefficient systems and find the optimal solution for improving your home’s flow of energy. In as little as a few minutes, our electricians can make pointed suggestions that can and will save you substantially on your energy bills or find nothing noteworthy enough to justify the cost based upon the break-even point. At Electrical Gurus, we believe in offering this service to optimize your systems to make them safer and save you money, not add on an unnecessary expense.

Get in touch with the master electricians at Electrical Gurus for an expert opinion on what can be done to reduce your home’s energy costs. We are proud to serve the entire Des Moines area with both residential and commercial electrician services; contact us today to put those skill to work for you!