A lot of fires are caused by short-circuits and electrical problems. So for home improvement projects, always look for an electrician to ensure the safety of homes and of people living on it. One responsibility of electricians is to prepare the electrical installation layout plan of a house especially if it is newly built. He must prepare the new wiring installation and check the wiring facility for repairs. He also needs to maintain the electrical systems to avoid future damages, risks and problems. They respond to reported emergencies and power outages and even work with the electric power industry and many other sectors in preventing electrical hazards like jumpers or unauthorized power consumption reducers. With all of these responsibilities, searching for a qualified person to do the job requires a lot of effort. A person trying to improve their homes should not trust their electrical systems to inexperienced people.

Whether it is home renovation or electrical repairs, people must get a qualified electrician to work for their homes. One important aspect to be checked is his credibility. Is he licensed? Is he a member to associations or guilds in the electric service industry? By inquiring about these things, one will be sure that that person he is hiring for the job is knowledgeable and professional. Even if it is a small house repair, having a licensed electrician to fix it is the safest thing one can do because their license is an assurance that they are highly-skilled. One may also ask if the electrician has an insurance that will cover damages in case of accidents because the job is dangerous and are unavoidable. Always remember that an apprentice is not allowed to do a job alone. He always need the supervision of a licensed electrician and hiring them may cause problems not just for safety but also to the one who employed him since it is illegal. Check the state regulations too because there are a few states that do not require electricians to be licensed. Please report to the authorities if these cases occur to avoid possible dangers to life and property. Another thing to consider here are the feedback of people whom he worked with before. Do they still recommend him? If he recently worked in the community, one can ask neighbors, relatives, and colleagues about his skills and work attitudes. However, one can also refer to online information and reviews in searching for electricians. Check out several websites before calling someone to do the job.

Trusting homes to qualified electricians pays off. Safety is secured and damages will be prevented. Be careful in selecting and follow the reminders above to assure a successful home improvement project.

Outdoor LED Decorative String Lights

When paired with vintage LED bulbs, these LED string lights add a spooky feel to your patio. The 21-foot LED light socket strings hold 10 LED bulbs with standard E26 bases. They’re available in in-line styles and are linkable up to 500 watts maximum.

Use this submersible RGB LED Accent Light to give your fountain an eerie glow. Place it under spooky glass decorations or inside a pumpkin, and use the included IR remote to select colors and color-changing modes. This LED Halloween light offers 13 static color modes and two dynamic color-changing modes.

30- or RF Touch-Color Remote (sold separately) or with a Halloween product category.

Since the advent of the incandescent (and even before), quality of light has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Regrettably, that quality has mostly been unfortunate. When incandescent lights were the only choice, the early 20th century population complained about the glare and the possible dangers of electricity.

Case in point: on an episode of Downton Abbey (Masterpiece’s smash hit about an elite family living on an estate in the early 1900’s), the prim and hilarious Dowager Countess laments the new electric lamps:

“Such a glare! I couldn’t have electricity in the house – I wouldn’t sleep a wink. All those vapors seeping about. Feels as if  I were on stage at the Gaiety.”     

The Importance of Residential Circuit Breakers Circuit breakers have an important job in the day to day functioning of your home’s electrical system. These breakers are attached or connected to an electrical circuit. They are designed to prevent any further power flow continuing through the circuit in case there is an arc, short or a power surge. Circuit breakers can fail or go bad, and in such cases, they require immediate attention. Because if a circuit breaker is no longer functioning, it cannot provide your appliances and electrical system the protection they need.

Where are Circuit Breakers? Circuit breakers are located in the circuit breaker box. Some homes have a single main breaker box while other homes may have one main breaker box plus several small breaker boxes. It is important to know where your home’s circuit breakers are located so you can check them in the event of an emergency, or if a breaker gets tripped and needs to be reset.

Finding a Bad Breaker If a circuit breaker gets tripped, you need to reset it. A tripped breaker appears to be halfway between the on and off position. A circuit breaker may not need to be replaced, it may just need to be reset. Turn off all the lights and electrical appliances operating on that particular circuit. Flip the breaker back to the “on” position.

Some circuit breakers have to be turned completely off before they are turned back on. Test the circuit breaker after it has been reset by turning the breaker back on and then adding all of the devices or appliances back one at a time. If every item operates again, a voltage tester is not necessary.