Spring has sprung. This means more days where it gets a little warm and you may need some air conditioning—but not so warm that you can count on turning off the heater for the year though. While your utility bills may be a bit lower in springtime than in other times of the year, it is still a concern. One of the best ways you can keep those utility bills even lower is by sealing your home against temperature loss. This does not cost much and is something you can do yourself—though a Glendale electrician may be able to provide advice if you find yourself with questions.

Sealing your home is one of the most effective means of keeping down energy consumption—this not only lowers your utility bills, it can reduce your reliance on fossil fuels too. Consider these tips as a great place to get started:

Most homeowners in Los Angeles who buy an electric car, like a Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt, will want to purchase a special charger that allows them to charge their vehicles overnight. This is called a “Level 2 Charger.” It can take a Nissan Leaf, with a range of 100 miles, from empty to fully charged in about eight hours. A Chevy Volt hybrid, with an electric battery range of 40 miles, takes about four hours. Click here for more on Level 2 chargers.

Important Note: A few days ago, on April 27th, L.A. DWP announced a rebate of $2,000 to homeowners who install a Level 2 charger and a special electric meter as part of a DWP research project on charging electric vehicles. This rebate will result in a significant price reduction on charger installation. Call me for more info (800) 990-9490.

Of course, it would be more convenient to be able to recharge your car (electric vehicle or “EV”) with the speed of going to a gas station. Such chargers, “Level 3” are already available, but so far, only in Japan. Level 3 chargers fully charge a Nissan Leaf in 15-30 minutes…and cost about $45,000 installed. When they come to the U.S., they will most likely be installed for electric trucks and for fleets of company cars. But they will also be installed in the U.S. in shopping malls and gas stations. Shoppers and travelers will be able to top off their batteries in a relatively brief stop.

An even faster system is currently being built in Israel. A Palo Alto company called “Better Place” is building a network of “carwashes.” Only, when you drive your EV in, instead of getting a wash job, your spent battery is pulled out and within a few minutes, is replaced with a fully charged battery.

Better Place is also considering construction of car charging networks in Denmark and Hawaii. It’s focusing on small self-contained locations, what it calls “islands.” So, it probably won’t be coming to Los Angeles any time soon.

The good news is that the pressure to be fully charged when leaving home will ease as chargers increasingly are installed in public places. In Los Angeles, Level 2 Chargers are already available for a fee in train stations, LAX, the Burbank Airport, the L.A. Convention Center, and other public places. Some businesses, like Costco in Burbank and in Canoga Park, have also installed Level 2 chargers. Click here for an up-to-date map of public EV chargers near you.

Soon, more businesses and shopping malls will begin installing Level 2 or Level 3 chargers as an inducement for shoppers. Workplaces will be installing them as an employment benefit. We’re only at the beginning of a changeover to electric cars. With the federal government setting the goal of one million EVs on the roads by 2015, and with incentives provided by the State of California as well as L.A. DWP, charging your electric vehicle is going to get easier and faster.

For more about my company, The Electric Connection — all the stuff you wanted to know but were afraid to ask — click here. 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 coupon page.

Shoddy electrical workmanship can pose a threat to the safety of your family and home as a whole. Additionally, faulty work done by an unprofessional or unlicensed individual can leave you open to liability for injuries that could possibly earned by others. Hence, it is vital to choose the right Trenton electrical contractor for the job.

Before you hire or contact someone, write a description of the kind of work you would like to be done. It is a good move to consider your electrical needs for the future if you are adding a new room or simply improving your home. For instance, with the abundance of electrical devices and appliances available to businesses and consumers, it may be a good time to have electrical home improvements as well as to have more electrical outlets at home too.

Starting your search for the right contractor can sometimes be a challenging task but you can begin hunting by checking the Web. These days, there are so many electricians who have their own sites. But before you hire someone, make sure to do a little background check. You may see some forums regarding what people say about a certain contractor or you may ask your friends what they know about the contractor or person. You may also ask your friends and officemates if they know a good contractor.

You should enlist the services of a licensed Trenton electrical wiring professional. While this may not assure you will get excellent workmanship, a licensed professional can possibly meet your needs. Make sure the contractor is insured too. See to it to clearly describe to the contractor what you need to be done and what you expect from him. You and the contractor you are going to hire should be on the same road regarding the proposed work. Once the contractor has reviewed the list of jobs that you would want to be done, you can then gain agreement.

If the contractor proposes something different or not related to what you want to be done, ask for an explanation and see if additional work is really needed. If you think his explanation is not clear and something you cannot seem to agree, move on to your next prospect. Having an electrician should not be a risky endeavor.

Diverse and impressive changes have been taking place in the lighting world this month. Read on to discover the fun and innovation!

In Lighting News…

Across the web, there was a consensus that LED holiday lights were the thing to have for the holidays. Not only are they energy-efficient, long lasting, and durable, they can also be interactive. We’ve seen families across the country creating Image via USA.Lighting.Philips.com

Other Cool Stuff…

In the last days of November, New York City residents were surprised by a light show atop the Empire State Building, synchronized to Alicia Keys’ “Empire State Of Mind.” The building’s new LED lighting system has over 16.7 million color possibilities, compared to the old system, which had only 10.

You probably know the iconic Pixar lamp – we usually see it hopping around before our movies start. Well, three students from Victoria University of Wellington have created a real-life replica of Luxo Jr., called Pinokio. With six servo motors, a webcam, some Arduino, and a bit of processing, the lamp came to life. Check out this video:

How about you? Any big lighting changes in your life this month? Please share!