How Can You Lower Your Electricity Bill?

Wireless devices have become an essential part of our daily lives. At the end of each day, we need a dedicated location to get all of our devices charged up for the next day. Spreading devices around to different areas of your home is an easy way to lose track of items, forget to charge them in the first place and cause other problems like lost chargers.

The best way to create a charging station for your home is by upgrading your current outlets. Once you chose an ideal location for devices, you can look into hiring a professional electrician to customize your charging station to your own unique needs. Understanding your options will make it easier to upgrade the outlets in your home.

Expanded Outlets

The standard outlet receptacle typically features two plugs for devices. Anyone in possession of a tablet, phone and laptop knows that these coveted charging spots can fill up quickly. Instead of constantly switching plugs around, consider having an expanded outlet installed.

Expanded outlets feature additional receptacles to make it easy to plug in devices — with plenty of space available. The standard expansion will include four receptacles, but you can go even bigger by choosing an option with eight receptacles. The stability and permanent nature of these wall outlets is a better option than choosing a power strip or some type of add-on device that plugs into standard outlets.

Recessed Outlets

It can take hours to charge your devices — depending on the type of electronics you're using. Nothing is more frustrating than going to get your device and realizing that the charger came unplugged and you still have a low battery. One solution to this charging dilemma is adding recessed outlets to your charging station.

These outlets are recessed into the wall so the actual plug is not exposed. This extra protection prevents the plug from easily being pulled or slipping out. You’ll be happy to know that children, pets and other passersby will not accidentally yank the plug from the outlet. The added security can make a huge difference for your charging needs and give you more consistent charges when you need them.

USB Port Outlets

With modern technology, it's pretty rare to find a device that doesn't charge with a USB cable. USB cable adapters are often used with standard outlets, but they can be bulky and take up a lot of space in the charging station. This is why it's a good idea to consider installing an outlet with USB power ports.

The USB ports are ideal for phones, tablets and MP3 players. You will save space and have the ability to charge multiple items. As an added benefit, USB ports can also be used to run USB gadgets. For example, you can plug in USB lights or small fans in the area.

Whether it's at night or early in the morning, you may have limited light around charging stations. Before you start turning on every light in the house, consider using a USB light to provide illumination so you can easily see and organize your devices.

AFCI and GFCI Outlets

Whenever your devices are plugged into a wall, you want to ensure they are protected from overheating or shortages. One way to do this is by upgrading your current outlets to more secure outlets. Two secure options to consider include AFCI and GFCI protection.

AFCI stands for Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter, and it works to prevent overheating due to wiring issues. The outlet will automatically shut off if any problems are detected. The GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, and it works to prevent your device from going through any power surges that may occur during an electrical storm. Implementing both protections into the same outlets can provide you with the best protection possible.

A trained electrician can guide you through the outlet upgrade process. The qualified electricians at Scott The Electrician  can provide you with the best charging station possible. Contact us today for more information on our electrical services.

When you bought your home, you may have envisioned entertaining both family and friends regularly. The kitchen may have the right features and the dining room may have enough space to fit lots of guests, but the living room could be lacking in features and qualities that make it an ideal place to entertain.

If you want to start inviting more people to your home so that you can host parties and get-together, you should get help from an electrician who can help you take on all the projects that will improve this space.

Install an Electric Fireplace

Entertaining a large crowd means that you will want to have desirable features in the living room, such as a fireplace. Putting in a wood-burning one is a major project and comes with health hazards, but it is also an outstanding addition when you want to bring warmth and a focal point to the room. It is also an ideal option for homes with children and pets because there are no dangerous fumes or flames.

Some electric fireplaces are demanding on electricity, so an electrician can inspect the living room to figure out whether you have enough power to hook one up or if more power capacity is needed.

Set Up a Home Theater

Another project that an electrician will be able to take on is setting up a home theater. This can turn your living room into the premiere spot for airing television shows on a weekly basis. The large picture and surround sound setup will also help you experience movies as if you were in an actual theater.

An electrician can help you pick a television, speakers and a subwoofer that will work for your home. Once you have everything on hand, they can create a layout and then install everything in the room.

Add Extra Outlets

When you want to hook up a television, lights, speakers and other media devices in the living room, you want to avoid feeling limited by the electrical outlets. Your guests will also appreciate when you have an outlet or two available for them to plug in and charge any electrical devices they may have with them. A simple strategy that you can implement is making sure you have two electrical outlets on each wall.

Hide All Cables

An electrician can install outlets and help you set up a home theater in your living room. But once everything is plugged in, you might have cables all over the ground, making the space look a bit messy. It is ideal to have a professional hide all the cables behind the walls or through other methods. For instance, it may be possible to attach the cables to the back of a television stand to avoid putting holes in the walls.

Broaden Lighting Options

One of the most important features of your living room is the lighting. If you have mediocre lighting, you will have a tough time creating an excellent setup in this space. A great solution is to add enough overhead lighting so that you can illuminate the entire room even if it is pitch black outside. But since you do not want an uncomfortable amount of light during the day, you should get dimming as an option.

For the television, you should get bias lighting that involves putting light behind the television. This will provide family and friends who watch the television with a better experience by minimizing eye strain.

When you are ready to more confidently welcome family and friends into your living room, make sure to contact the team  of experts at Scott The Electrician to schedule an appointment for improvements.

Electrical panels wear out as time goes on. In order to get the most out of your house’s electric systems, you may need to give yours an upgrade, and when that time comes, you want it done by a professional electrician.

You Live in an Older Home

Most households today utilize much more electricity than in the past. Therefore, if your house was built 50 or more years ago, then its system may not be capable of handling all the devices you need. You risk overloading your circuitry if you allow the panel to remain the same. Therefore, we recommend that people who own older houses have their property inspected to see what can be done for improvements.

Issues Constantly Come Up

It is an immense hassle to not have access to your panel when you need it. If you routinely experience any of the following problems, then you need to have an experienced electrician come out to your building to see what can be done.

• You require a ton of extension cords in order to have an adequate number of outlets for your devices.
• Whenever you use other appliances, your lights dim randomly.
• Your circuit breakers are tripping constantly.

Never be inconvenienced in your own home. Contact a professional when you need an upgrade. To get started on upgrading your electrical panel, contact Scott The Electrician .

You don't have to stress every time you open your electric bill. Even though you need to use your home's electrical system, it doesn't have to cost you a fortune. If your home is less than energy efficient, it's time to make some changes.

You don't have to walk around in the dark just to save money on your electric bills. There are plenty of ways to keep your costs down while still using electricity. How can you reduce your electricity bill, make your home more efficient and still use your lights and appliances? Take a look at some energy-saving tips that can help you, your home and even the planet.

Advanced Power Strips

You have more devices, gizmos and gadgets than you'd like to admit, and they all need a power source. Even if all of these items have their own batteries, they still need electricity to charge.

Instead of plugging your phone into your bedroom outlet, charging your laptop in the living room and using the kitchen outlets to charge your tablet, the kids' phones and your wireless speakers, you may prefer to keep everything together in one space. That's not to mention your TV, home PC and other appliances or entertainment items. So you plug four or five different devices into one power strip.

What kind of power strip are you using? The conventional type of power strips may let you plug more than one or two devices into an outlet at once, but these power strips won't save you money. An advanced power strip can.

Advanced power strips can cut costs and stop unnecessary electrical usage. If one of your devices or electrical items (such as a TV) isn't in use, it won't draw electricity when using this type of power strip. This stops your item from wasting electricity. The strip makes sure that your electronics are all turned off, so that they aren't costing you extra money when you aren't using them.

Lighting Costs

How much money does it cost to light your home? The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that somewhere near 5 percent of every home's energy budget goes to lighting. While this might not seem like a lot, you can still reduce costs in this area.

The obvious way to cut the cost of your lighting bill is to stop using your lights. During the day, when the natural light is abundant, avoid turning on unnecessary lights. This doesn't mean you have to walk around in the dark. Open the curtains and let the light in during the day, and at night, or when there is no natural light, turn the lights back on.

When you do use your lights, make sure that you're using new energy-efficient fixtures and bulbs. In 2012 new lighting standards changed the way Americans buy their light bulbs. Halogen incandescent, LEDs and CFLs can save you money. While these won't save you mega-bucks, replacing 15 old bulbs with new energy-efficient ones can save you up to $50 in one year.

Heating and Cooling

You aren't just using electricity to power your electronic devices or to light your home. Your heating and air conditioning systems use electricity too.

Make these systems more efficient by sealing all of the air leaks in your home. This may mean adding weather-stripping around windows and doors, using storm windows (or replacing single-pane windows with multi-pane versions), turning the thermostat up or down (depending on the weather outside) or adding insulation in basements, attic or other unheated and uncooled spaces.

Always make sure that your electrical system is in the best working order possible. When it's not, you can run into safety and cost issues. Scott the Electrician  can help.

If you have an electrical problem, you may think you can address it yourself. However, if you don't know what you're doing you could end up doing more damage or getting hurt. Here are for reasons you should hire a commercial electrician  for your next repair.

Guaranteed Work

Most electricians guarantee their work, so you can rest easy knowing that the work is done properly the first time. If you tried to do the work yourself, you could make things worse and end up costing yourself more money in the long run.

They're Insured

Professional electricians are insured, so if something goes wrong you don't have to worry about paying out of pocket for medical costs for yourself or others.

Saves Times

Time is a valuable thing, and you probably don't want to spend all of yours trying to figure out what's wrong. An electrician can likely identity and fix the problem right away because they're used to working with electrical fixtures.

Knowledge

A commercial electrician is more likely to be experienced multiple areas and can work on a variety of projects with ease. By hiring a professional, you'll be more likely to have someone working on your issue who really understands the problem and how best to address it.

These are just a couple of the reasons hiring a commercial electrician is a good idea. To learn more, call Scott The Electrician at 913-262-4744.

An electrical outage  can take your whole family by surprise. While it can be scary, it is important to remain calm and follow a few key steps to get power up and running in your home again.

Check With Neighbors

The first thing you want to figure out is if the outage is only affecting your home or if it happened to the whole neighborhood. Check your neighbor’s house next door. If they still have lights on, then the issue is with your house alone, and you need to contact an electrician immediately to inspect your premises. If other houses have lost power, then the problem lies with the grid. The electric company should take prompt action to resolve the issue.

Unplug Everything

Next, you need to unplug all electronics and turn off all the breakers. This should be done so that when power does come back on, it does not potentially blow out your fuses. You can leave one light turned on so that you know when power is restored. You should do this if you are concerned you will be without power for several hours.

Do not wait to restore power. Call Scott The Electrician at 913-262-4744, if you need help with your fixtures.