Surely you have seen electrical outlets your entire life… but do you know how they work? Their purpose is so important, it can actually save your life. If you read our article last week, you will understand how the electricity has already arrived at the outlet. Grounded electrical outlets then take the energy from your home electrical system and make it available. Here is more about what they are and how they work.

In Canada we have the three-prong outlet that you are familiar with. The outlet’s left hole is smaller and it is the “neutral” slot. The right hole is slightly larger and this is called “hot”. The bottom hole is the “ground”. The electricity flows in a loop, traveling from hot to neutral. This means when you plug your television in the electricity will flow from the hot slot of the outlet, into your television to power it, and then out to the neutral slot.

You have probably noticed that some appliances have only two prong plugs and some have three. This is because some appliances need to be grounded. Electricity always flows towards the ground, and when the electricity flows into your body and into the ground, you experience electrocution. Instead of a body potentially absorbing this current, the grounder redirects the electrical current traveling into the outlet so you will not be hurt. Items that have metal casings, such as televisions and computers, will have their metal cases attached to the grounder so that a current will not accidentally run throughout the case and shock you when you touch it.

When electricity becomes unbalanced in the electrical outlet, the outlet will “trip” and shut off the flow of electricity. For example, if an electronic device comes into contact with water, electricity will escape into the water. Once the outlet detects that less electricity is coming into the neutral slot than what should be, it will shut down. This safeguard protects users from potential harm.

By playing or tampering with an electrical outlet, you can get hurt or severely injured. It is important to use the appropriate equipment and follow manuals before plugging in electrical devices. If you need to make changes to your electrical system you should consult a professional first.

Time to ditch the band posters! Show off a new painting or favorite framed photograph with a battery-operated picture light that installs easily and without messy cords.by Celebrate home ownership by decorating the front door or mailbox  with a customizable house number sign.

Repairs are an inevitable part of home ownership and there’s nothing quite as frustrating as not having the right tools. Cover all of their bases with a 130-piece tool set. Make small repairs and upgrades easy with a flexible work light that can clamp onto surfaces and direct light right where they need it.

“Smart” technology is all the rage right now. However, it’s a bit of a disservice to call the Nest a smart thermostat. A learning thermostat suits the bill better. The Nest system learns your heating and cooling habits, and is able to incorporate the information that it gathers, and the data that it compiles, in order to help you live comfortably in a far more convenient manner. With Nest Sense, the Nest thermostat is able to learn about how long it takes your house to warm up and to cool back down, as well as how it can utilize your existing HVAC equipment in a more efficient manner. You will get monthly energy reports from your Nest, but the truth is that this system is able to help you make your home a more efficient place, without you even having to think about it.

With technology as advanced as the Nest thermostat, you may be wondering what its applications are beyond simply heating and cooling your home in an incredibly convenient and efficient manner. Well, there are many different products which are actually being designed to work with the Nest, as denoted by the “works with Nest” logo. When you see this logo, you’ll know that the products it appears on, from washing machines to lights, are Nest-ready. Contact us today to learn more, or to bring your household further into line with the technology of the future.

It’s Zombie season! Halloween decor is already beginning to line the streets with witches, ghosts, monsters …. and ZOMBIES. And with the season premier of The Walking Dead looming on the horizon (a mere 3 days away), I’m all aflutter with the living dead.

Nobody wants to be caught in the dark with a drooling, moaning, rotting Zombie hoard, am I right? Take note fellow survivors, we’ve compiled a list of 9 must-have zombie-apocalypse light sources.

1. Solar and Battery-Operated Lights

Powered by the energy of the sun, you’ll never have to make a dangerous trip into the city to get more batteries with motion-sensor spotlights around your campsite to alert you to any sneaky Zombies.  Take them with you when you’re doing late night reconnaissance.  Doomsday Tip: Make sure there is an off-switch. Nothing worse than trying to douse your light with a zombie on your trail.

2. Good ol’ fashioned Flashlight

CRI) of 82 to show the true colors of objects and surroundings.

A rocker switch allows for two levels of light, but the fixture can also be dimmed with an electronic low-voltage (ELV) dimmer. Up to 10 under-cabinet fixtures can be joined in a series with our interconnect cables. The low-profile white aluminum fixture has 120V AC operation and is designed to last 30,000 hours—three times longer than equivalent fluorescent fixtures.