Electrical

The field of home automation has grown rapidly over the past few times. Technology has advanced to the stage where it’s possible to control the most important components of your home (heating lights, for instance, and even the security system in your home) using a phone (or an alternative smartphone you want to use including tablets). Imagine being able to perform things like check in on your children or secure and lock your door or adjust the temperature, all while you’re at work. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? It’s a good thing that it’s now simpler than ever before to get your house automated. The older home automation technologies were rather shaky and sometimes did not function in the way it was advertised. However, this isn’t the case with the latest technology in home automation. But before you make the leap there are three factors you need to know prior to looking into home automation.

1.) The cost of home automation will rip your budget?

Automation for your home is, naturally, expensive initially, but in the end, you’ll need to upgrade several appliances to ones that can accept automation, and then you’ll likely need to have other technologies to be installed to support it. Things such as windows, shades, locks, doors, etc. might need to be replaced. However that you shouldn’t worry too much about costs. If you’re asking yourself why this is the case, the answer is simple: home automation provides you with a lot of control over the amount of power you use within your home. The cost of upgrading your home is likely to be recouped over the long term through savings on the monthly cost of energy.

For instance, everyone enjoys visiting a cool home during the summertime. The most common method to keep your home cool even when you’re not there is to leave all windows open or keep the air conditioner running throughout the day. Both of these methods aren’t energy efficient, and both of them are detrimental to your pocket. Automated home cooling means that you can switch on the air conditioning as you make your way home so that you can get a refreshing home. It’s even better if it is possible to program all of the systems to ensure that you don’t have to manage anything by yourself. For instance, you can program your air conditioner so that it shuts off when you leave and turns back on at the time you typically take off from work.

Of course, everyone has different budgets, and different amounts of money they’re prepared to pay. If, after doing the math you decide that the idea of home automation isn’t for you, then that’s fine however, remember that over the long term you’ll save money.

2) Choose what you would like to automate first, then work from there.

Automation, particularly if you aren’t familiar with the technology involved, could be quite a significant lifestyle change that requires you to master how to utilize a variety of brand new technology in a short amount of time. It may be daunting for certain. Don’t underestimate the challenge of automating large portions of your home at once. However, that doesn’t mean you should stay clear of automation altogether. What you need to do is select a small area of your home (say your air cooling) and decide to automate the area you are interested in. When you’re confidently automating your home then you can start automating other areas of your home in the way you like. A bonus benefit to using this is that in the event that you don’t like the automated system, it’s easy to return to the previous system that was not automated (you are also not forced to pay to have your entire house automated).

This being said home automation technology is fairly easy to utilize even if you’re the kind of person who isn’t familiar with computers or technology. The majority of people will have no problem integrating the idea of home automation.

3.) Who will be using at-home automated systems, and when?

Before you make the jump to home automation, it is important to take into consideration who will actually use these automated systems, and how often they are utilized. For instance, if you are planning to let your children use the new technology then you will need to take them to a table and show them the proper use of the devices. Additionally, you’ll need to ensure that you choose devices that are able to be used by kids. You can try reviewing reviews to find out the best systems for kids. You should avoid purchasing one that is too complicated and children will be unable to comprehend.

Another crucial aspect to consider is the frequency at which the system will be utilized. The cost of home automation is high and, while it may likely save money in future, there’s no reason to waste money initially when you don’t actually intend to utilize the system. For instance, an automatic system for music and audio can be fantastic additions to any home and can be great for gatherings but when you don’t use them regularly and regularly, it’s a huge cost-saving. When you first begin to look at the various aspects of your home that are automated, it’s tempting to get carried away however it’s important to sit down and take a look at the systems you regularly use and then decide to automate them. For most homeowners, the basics (lighting, air conditioning/heating, etc.) are the ones that can be automated, as this is the best method of getting the most “bang for your buck.”

It’s there, three things to know prior to considering home automation. Although they may not be the most exciting developments on the planet,f however, they are often overlooked by those who are taking their first leap in the realm of automation for their homes. Automation is a fantastic method to make life simpler, save cash, and have more peace of mind, however, it’s also a major decision that should be given plenty of contemplation.

Modern homes are consuming electricity on an unprecedented level. As we advance, the impact on technology and how it is run by electricity keeps increasing. This means that homeowners need to be very selective when it comes to choosing the right residential electrician.

In addition to functionality, an electrician can help keep your house safe and secure. This means that any accidents that arise from improper electricity flows and dangers can be checked and controlled.

According to experts, when it comes to electricity, DIY projects should not be something that individuals should engage with. Given the dangers involved, you should get the services of the best residential electricians.

In this article, we are going to help homeowners do exactly that. We list down the top seven things you need to look for when choosing an electrician for your home.

List of 7 Things to look for when choosing the Right Residential Electrician

1. Licenses, Registrations, Insurance, and Certifications-

The first thing you need to check is the certification of the electrician or the firm. This will give you find out whether the person or the company is certified by the local authority to offer services in this field. It also means that the person or company that has the certification is legally allowed to work in the field.

An Insured Electricity company also means that you are not liable to pay for any untoward accident or damage that can happen during the work. This is very important given the nature of the work involved in the field.

2. Check for Experience and Time in the Industry-

Imagine handing over your expensive generator or energy storage solution to an electrician only for them to damage the same. This is why you need to check for experience levels. The more the experience, the better will be their work output. The nature of problems in residential homes is different and unique as compared to offices and factories.

An electrician or the company is also going to spend a lot of time in your home and among your family members. If they are experienced and have been in the field for a long time, you can rest assured that the safety and security issue is not something that should trouble you.

3. Reviews and Testimonials matter a lot-

Whenever you are researching for an electrician or an electrical company, you need to pay attention to the reviews and ratings. Check for GMB reviews and ratings. This will help shed light on the quality of the service being offered by the company.

Higher reviews (upwards of 100+) and a rating of 4+ means that the company enjoys a higher level of satisfaction from the clients they have serviced. In addition to GMB, you can also check out their social media pages to understand them better. Checking for former clients that can give a positive testimonial can also help you pick the right residential electrician.

4. Recommendations and Reputation-

When it comes to businesses like electricians, plumbing, or contractors, word of mouth has been the popular choice for all of us. The first thing that we are likely to do is to ask a relative or a friend to refer a service person or company. If the company or professional enjoys a positive reputation and recommendation, you can rest assured that they are good at what they do.

Another strategy you can adopt is to ask the electrician or the company themselves to give you the recommendations. Many successful electrical companies are more than happy to share with their future clients a list of their older clients who have enjoyed their services in the past.

5. Pricing, Estimates, and Discounts-

Nothing scares homeowners in residential properties other than the fear of hidden charges. While your electrician might quote a lower than usual price at the start just to bait you in the hopes of getting your business, the final costs can be ludicrous in reality. Make sure that you clarify each cost right at the very outset.

This will help you be prepared for the expenditure that you will need to pay post the completion of the project. No one charges any fee for consultation; at least till now. You can always sit down with the residential electrician and ask them in detail about every cost there is.

6. Is there a Guarantee or Warranty in place for the Service?

I am sure that you remember the last time you paid a small fortune to get something fixed, only for it to become inoperative the next day. This is why you need to ask the residential electrical company whether they provide any warranties or guarantees for their work.

While there is always a chance that machines and gadgets can go bad, a good company should offer you free repair and maintenance. It is best to discuss these issues early on so that you can avoid any ugly disputes that might arise later on. The best electricians go above and beyond in terms of their service levels to ensure that you do not face any difficulties later on.

7. Time of Task Completion and 24×7 Availability-

Labour charges- one thing that services like plumbing, electricity, and roofing specialize in increasing. You must take a detailed timeline of the work or project for which you are contracting the electrical company. Allow them to make a thorough assessment of the project and give you a timeline.

You also need to check for their service timings. Things can go bad at any time of the day. If your residential electrician is not offering 24×7 service, it means you are going to suffer until daybreak or whenever they are open for service. Having an electrical company that can offer emergency services is something that can benefit homeowners.

The Bottom Line

Selecting the best residential electrician can become quite an overwhelming experience. With so many variables, it might become a complex activity. Following the above-mentioned seven things can help you start in the right direction as far as your search is considered.

Quality of the service, efficiency in problem-solving, and analysing the affordability are all things that homeowners should never forget when choosing the right residential electrician. If you have any more questions in this regard, feel free to contact us. We will be more than happy to help you out concerning your electrical issues and problems.

Going green to save some green; sounds about right, doesn’t it?

In recent years, homeowners the world over have been struggling with rising electricity costs. In Australia, monthly utilities are the second-highest source of family expenditure after the mortgage payment for the home.

We indeed love using electricity. It is truer that we hate having to end up paying for it. At a time when every facet of our life has become defined by electricity use, it is high time we look for ways to save a few bucks.

In this article, we look at the top ten tips to help you reduce your electricity costs by over 50%!

Before we begin, let us highlight how this is not a one-size-fits-all saving guide. Instead, it is a process that will be individual for every home.

Things to Consider when looking at Ways to Reduce your Electricity Costs

According to the Australian government, the energy situation and requirement in each house is different. Representatives from the Energy Ministry state that homeowners should start with something rather simple- looking at and analysing how much energy their home consumes in one single day.

Some of the important things that need to be considered when looking to reduce electricity costs are-

• The overall size or dimensions of your home. This should also include all the home features, including electric-powered garage doors, smart set-up, and other instruments that use electricity.
• The kind of appliances that a home uses on an everyday basis. This includes everything from your toaster to the lawnmower. In addition to the number of appliances, you need to check for the level of energy consumption that they have.
• Understanding the lifestyle and kind of living facilities that your home and its inhabitants enjoy. This also means what are the different periods of the day when the most or the least power is being consumed.
• The energy provider or supplier company also matters. As we Australians know, there are unit-wise differences in terms of which power company we choose to go for. Comparing the power costs and also looking at service essentials is important.
• How efficiently you use the electrical equipment in your home needs to be taken into consideration. Do you leave appliances on even after you use them, is one such area you need to look at?

List of 10 Tips to help you Reduce your Electricity Costs by over 50%

Let us now look at the ten tips that can come in handy if you are looking to reduce your electricity costs.

1. Go for Energy Efficient Lighting Solutions-

The first thing you can do to bring down the costs is to change the lighting equipment in your household. By opting for an all-LED set-up, you will not only reduce power costs but have lighting that is going to last for a longer period. The bulbs will last longer, are much cheaper, and dispense greater illumination as compared with normal bulbs and lights.

2. Consider Solar Energy-

Contrary to the popular perception that solar energy is expensive, the reverse holds. In other words, in recent years, solar energy has become very affordable thanks to many new companies creating solar infrastructure like panels, inverters, and energy storage solutions. All you need to do is look for a company with experience in the field and start going solar.

3. Stop Phantom Appliances from costing you-

Did you know that even when your toaster is not getting used, it is still using electricity? This phenomenon is known as phantom energy sources. Energy experts suggest that it is best to switch off and unplug devices like toasters, chargers, televisions, microwaves, and dishwashers when they are not being used. This will help you save hundreds of dollars every month.

4. Draw the Curtains whenever you are using an Air Conditioner-

While most of us tend to close the doors and windows whenever we use an air conditioner, we forget about the curtains. Glass or any other material that lines your windows can absorb heat and temperature and make the indoors warm. This can force the air con to work harder and drains more electricity in the process. Drawing the curtains prevents extra use of the electricity.

5. Invest in Proper Insulation of your Home-

Do you know why some homes do not get that hot during the summers and extremely cold during winters? The reason is simple- the home has great insulation. Check up with experts to figure out how you can make your homes insulated. This can mostly be done using materials and ensuring that there are adequate ventilation and air movement within the house.

6. Carefully examine the Energy Setting of the Appliances-

There are truckloads of information mentioned on appliances. If you read the guide or the warranty card, the company mentions the best way for you to save on energy. Using specific types of electrical wires, plugging the appliance into a particular socket field, and adjusting the setting of the appliances can go a long way in reducing the electricity consumption costs.

7. Be Aware of your Electricity Consumption by Installing Smart Monitoring Systems-

How are you going to deal with the problem if you don’t know whether the problem exists in the first place or not? In recent years, several homeowners in Australia are installing smart monitoring meters in their homes to understand their levels of energy consumption. This is helping them understand the costs and identify what is draining them the most.

8. Working with a Credible Electrical Company-

If you are smart enough, your first inclination would be to get in touch with an expert electrical company and ask them to do an energy audit of your home. Following this, they will come up with their easy solutions for optimising electricity costs. This is a simple, easy and efficient way to understand where you are going wrong and what you can do.

9. Look at Smart Technologies that can help keep a check on electricity costs-

Imagine you left for a week-long vacation and your children forgot to turn off the air con in their rooms! Can something help you avoid such issues from happening (they will happen since we are human beings who are prone to making mistakes)? Smart home solutions detect when you are not at home and cut off the power to the appliances. This helps save massively.

10. Plant more trees in and around your home-

Going green by planting trees is simple and yet there are so few of us doing it. If you have a solid shade being by a tree overlooking your home, you will see that you are prevented from getting the direct rays of the sun. This can be done especially on the western side of your house to keep the sun out during the hottest summer months.

The Final Word

By following all the above-mentioned tips in the article, you will be able to reduce your electricity costs by over 50%. If you wish to know more about saving energy costs or going for solar energy, mention your questions in the comments below. We will request our team of electrical experts to answer them as soon as possible.

In order to understand what one must do during a power outage; we would like to begin this article by raising some common questions that most of us ask-

• How long is the power outage going to last?
• What food should I stock up on during the outage?
• Will the Generator be able to help me for the entire length of the outage?
• Should I leave the house and get help from somewhere?
• What are some essentials that I need to help my family get through the power outage?

Whenever there is a power outage, we invariably end up asking ourselves the above-mentioned questions. If you have been following the news, the United States and especially the State of Texas is experiencing very bad weather leading to huge power outages.

With the authorities working around the clock to fix things, here are some important things you need to do during a power outage.

Creating an Emergency Kit for Power Outage Situations

The American Red Cross society has prepared a toolkit to help improve the preparedness levels of individuals and families for power outages. This holds true for almost all regions in the world that are likely to face power outages.

Let us now list down some of the important elements of the emergency kit for power outages-

1. Drinking-Water-

Experts suggest that there should be one gallon of water available for each person for one single day. They also suggest that this amount should be at least for a period of two weeks. If things do not improve, you need an evacuation plan that should include three gallons of water.

2. Non-Perishable Food Items-

Individuals and families should stock up on non-perishable food items that do not need pre-heating in a microwave or a gas stove. This means a two-week supply of packaged food that can easily be prepared, consumed, and disposed of in the house itself.

3. Flash Lights and Batteries-

It is important that each member of the house has one flashlight for themselves. This will them be mobile whenever they need to use the washroom or other areas in the house. It is also important to stock up on the batteries for the flashlight so that you do not run out of them.

4. Medical Supplies and First-Aid Kits-

If you are facing power outages because of weather conditions, it is best that you stock on medical supplies for everyday use. You do not want to be going out in the bad weather and just seeing closed shutters on medical stores. Preparing a first aid kit is also equally important.

5. Copies of Official and Personal Documents-

It is important to be prepared for worst-case scenarios. This is because big power outages are caused by natural disasters. In some cases, the government prepares an evacuation plan. This is why you need to keep copies of all your personal and official documents readily available.

How to Handle Family Members including Children and the Elderly during a Power Outage?

When it comes to power outages, the kids and children are the ones that are most affected. The uncertainty, coupled with no lights and power starts making them feel scared. Parents and other elderly members of the house need to ensure that they are well looked after and all their needs are being met.

In order to ensure that this happens, experts have created certain guidelines to help individuals and families handle power outages better-

• Adult members of the family should ensure that they are not arguing or fighting among themselves during the power outage.
• As lighting is at a minimum, it is important to keep the elderly members of the family in a safe manner. Accompanying them to the washroom is a good idea.
• It is important to keep telling children who are feeling scared or fearful that things will become better in some time. Telling them stories to distract them is also great.
• Don’t allow children and elderly family members to go near generators or power points in the house. Power outages can result in drastic voltage fluctuation levels.
• Playing games during the power outage and generally having light-hearted conversations can help in passing the time in a casual and happy manner.

The Bottom Line

It is important that adult family members in the house do not start showing signs of panic or fear. Doing the things mentioned in the article can ensure that you do not face a lot of issues or problems when it comes to power outages. These situations can be quite unbearable, to say the least. However, if you are well-prepared you will be easily able to sail through them safely with your family members.

In the last few years, choosing the right light bulb has become quite a complicated and overwhelming affair. a standard watt-bulb is not going to cut it anymore. You need to check whether the light bulb matches the overall look and feel of the space it is lighting.

The needs and requirements change on whether you are choosing a light bulb for an office fixture or for your home. Even within these two spaces, you need to consider the kind of room you are going to place the bulb in.

In this article, we speak to leading lighting experts on this subject matter. Specifically, we ask them about the important considerations to keep in mind when choosing the right light bulb.

List of 5 Things you need to consider when Choosing the Right Light Bulb

1. LEDs are Better than normal Incandescent Bulbs-

If there is anything that has revolutionized the lighting industry, it is the advent of LEDs. Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs are being preferred in different spaces from homes to offices because they carry several advantages over normal incandescent bulbs.

For example, LED bulbs are tested to last more than 25 times than normal filament-based incandescent bulbs. Secondly, LED bulbs also consume far less electrical energy than older bulbs. Yes, they are a little bit more expensive, but it helps save a lot of money in the long run.

2. Space or Room should be taken into consideration-

Leading lighting experts that work with interior décor specialists say that when it comes to choosing a light bulb, space is an important factor. You need to ask yourself the following questions-

• What are you going to do in the space you want to be illuminated by the light bulb?
• The nature and different types of furniture in the space and how it will react to light?
• The kind of sitting you have in the room- you do not want a light to be streamed directly into your face.

Once you have been able to answer the above questions, you will be in a much better position to choose the right light bulb.

3. Try to understand Lighting Power from Lumens and not Watts-

Traditionally we have all been under the misconception that the ‘watts’ referred to on incandescent bulbs refers to their power/lighting output. However, that is not the case. The watts referred to on incandescent bulbs refer to the power consumption levels of that bulb.

Experts suggest looking at ‘Lumens’ a metric that suggests power and lighting output. A good LED emits anywhere between 450 to 2600 lumens. Checking the packaging is going to give you a good idea of the kind of lighting output you really need.

4. Dimmable LED Lights are in vogue-

It might not be possible for you to purchase light bulbs for different purposes. This is why experts are of the opinion that dimmable LED lights should be installed. They help in satisfying a range of issues. If you want a bright light or a sim one, the same dimmable bulb can help.

Users need to be aware of the fact that not all LED bulbs come with a dimmable function. This is why it is important to check with the salesman or look at the packaging box. You do not want to buy something with the impression that is going to be dimmable when in fact, it is not.

5. Lighting plays a major role in altering Sleep Patterns-

According to medical professionals, the kind of lighting in a room plays an integral role in determining sleep patterns. Medical professionals are of the opinion that good lighting helps in fixing your body’s biological clock better.

Your body needs signals to let it know when it is supposed to get up and when it is supposed to sleep. This is especially true for rooms that do not have a lot of natural sunlight coming in through the doors and windows in the morning.

Décor experts suggest that people should pay attention to the aesthetics of the light bulb if they want it to match the personality of their homes and offices. Thankfully, there are a lot of innovations that have come about recently, which make it possible to combine form and function in light bulbs.

The article was intended to help users choose the right light bulb for their needs and requirements. With so many different kinds of options in the market, selecting one that suits your interests can be a complex affair. if you wish to know more, drop in your questions in the comments below, and we will try our best to answer every one of them.