Recessed lighting has recently become a popular style choice among home owners and builders, as well as for commercial buildings. It provides a neat and clean appearance that provides light without interrupting the flow of the room or the lines of the ceiling, or in some cases a wall. There are a few things you need to know if considering using recessed lighting either as part of a new home being built or as a renovation project in your current abode.

Design Choices

The design choice of recessed lighting provides clear advantages over other types of lighting. There is less chance to make a “wrong” choice, as the fixture itself doesn’t present as traditional lighting. A bit of the frame may show and you can pick the color or material, but there aren’t really shapes, sizes and style choices that aren’t readily apparent as what befits the room. Typically a plain white that matches the flat white of your ceiling paint on either a square or round frame is going to match any home. It’s an especially great choice for the neutrality of adding lighting to an investment home.

Installation

The installation of recessed lighting does require a bit of planning in order to be conducted properly. Of course it’s always an option to replace traditional fixtures with recessed lights, but it’s really easier to plan them with a new building or during a major remodel while the walls are torn down. The lights have to be placed properly to both provide their function of lighting the room while maintaining a notable aesthetic that doesn’t detract from other focal points in the room.

Usage

If the lights in your business are on their way out, making a change to your ballasts or bulbs may offer you tremendous opportunity. There’s a lot to consider when selecting the right ballast and bulb combination, however, and the decision you make today will affect your business for years to come.

The right lighting can result in substantial savings on your monthly energy costs, of which lighting accounts for nearly 35 percent. The right lighting can also reduce maintenance needs, improve productivity, and reduce your carbon footprint.

Watts measure the amount of energy required to light a bulb. Today, however, bulbs are measured in lumens, or the amount of visible light produced. Why? It all boils down to efficiency. Opting for ballast and bulb combinations that are more efficient than yesterday’s incandescents offer a superior return on investment.

There’s more to upgrading your lighting than simple bulb and ballast replacement, however. According to the SBA (Small Business Association), technology plus effective design equals performance and energy savings. Screwing in more efficient bulbs are a great start, but not enough if you want the whole package. Ballast selection and lighting design are essential to getting the most bang for your lighting buck. For this, you’ll need the help of a Mr. Electric® lighting professional to coordinate:

Finding the most efficient technology to meet your application needs and/or style.

Including taking into consideration ceiling height, spacing, glare, light distribution, and task plane height.

Including taking into account room finishes - paint colors and types that will improve lighting quality.

From safety considerations to integration with other building systems

No matter what type of lighting your business utilizes, from LED indoor lighting solutions to landscaping and security lights, Mr. Electric has your covered. Contact Mr. Electric and discover the many ways new lighting can brighten up your business today.

How many times have you looked at your electric bill and felt “dizzy”? Solar Energy For Residential applications can provide an incredible relief from this monthly occurrence. Costs for photovoltaic cells, also known as solar panels, have drastically decreased over the years making Solar Energy For Residential applications a much more viable solution. Now your Renewable Energy Electrician, ElectricMan Inc. is offering a solution that will be incredibly valuable for homeowners.

In conjunction with the Indoor Generator, which allows you to store your own produced energy and program it to use that electricity when you want it, whether it be in an emergency or to avoid peak usage charges, highly cost effective solar panels can be installed in areas that you may not have thought were possible. Whether you want a solar panel that is easily portable and storable, like these collapsible solar panels, a small solar panel for condos or apartments, or if you have room on your roof for stationary solar panels, Solar Energy For Residential applications can be flexible to nearly any situation.

Not only will solar energy lower electric bills, but it also allows you to do your part in reducing your carbon footprint on the environment, and start producing your own green renewable energy, increase your home’s value with its own electrical independence, and even start profiting by selling surplus energy back to the electric company depending on the application. Your children and your children’s children will appreciate the steps that you have taken to improve the environment that they will live in.

Another incredible value is the tax credit that the government has created for homeowners who install renewable energy solutions in their homes! The government is putting such an emphasis on green energy solutions, that if you install a system like Solar Energy For Residential applications, or any other renewable energy source in your home, the entire system is eligible for a 30% federal tax credit, making this solution even more cost effective than ever before. To be eligible for this tax credit, the system must be installed before December 31, 2016, but why wait?

You can start declaring your electrical independence now by contacting your local, Renewable Energy Electrician, ElectricMan Inc. to discuss Solar Energy For Residential applications. Visit our website at www.electricmaninc.com or call us at 972-792-7270!

Holiday season takes on a life of its’ own and we are in the thick of it.  One more gift to buy, one more light to shine, one more guest to add to the table…   Take precautions to make sure you know just who and what you are inviting into your home.

Illuminate your home to the fullest, but know your lighting facts and be safe.  Check all lighting products for safety and buy all lights and electrical supplies from a reputable dealer.

Look for lighting showrooms that are backed by the American Lighting Association (ALA).  Check for a certified UL-Mark on all lighting products.

Decorative strings of holiday lights, Christmas Lights and novelty lamps from Bulbrite are of the best quality…

Get to know your lamps and lighting for a Safely Illuminated Holiday Season.

1.  The item has been evaluated and tested by certified-UL engineers to meet all UL safety requirements.

2.  The product is ensured against the risk of fire and electric shock as long as all safety instructions are followed according to the package directions and proper usage.

3.  UL’s green holographic label indicates that a product is for indoor-use only.

4.  UL’s red holographic label indicates that the product may be used indoors or outdoors.

5.  UL evaluates decorative lighting strings in accordance with the requirements described in the UL/ANSI 588, the standard for Safety of Seasonal and Holiday Decorative Lighting.

The Wonderland of Christmas pier lamp from Meyda Lighting is UL-approved for both indoor and outdoor usage.

The ANSI designation indicates that the American National Standards Institute approves the UL Standard as the American National Standard.

Elegant crystal table lamps from Schonbek are enchanting.

Accent lamps in crystal from Schonbek bring exquisite colors and sparkling brilliance to the table.

Find the best light fixtures and lamps for your holiday celebration at Capitol Lighting showrooms or visit 1800lighting.com, an ALA member showroom and company.  Lighting showrooms that are affiliates of the American Lighting Association (ALA) will only carry lighting products that have been tested for safety and are certified with the UL-Mark.

Early in the month, American Airlines Flight 1420 crashed near Little Rock, AK. This crash, along with a few others that took place soon before and after, inspired research into the deleterious effects of sleep deprivation on pilot safety.

3) A Whole, Whole Lot of Drug Money

In June 1999, George Bush announced his candidacy for the office of President of the United States of America. So much was about to change in our culture during the next 8 years.

5) Lord Stanley’s Cup

via www.moviesonline.ca6

In June 1999, Stephen King got hit by a car and was flung 14 feet while walking on the shoulder of a road in Maine. What’s the name of that Stephen King book about the car? Oh yeah, Christine. Any connection? You never know. But I’m sure King was thankful Kathy Bates didn’t find him after the accident.

7) The Weird Looking Predecessor of the MacBook Is Born

That mildly annoying yet overall charming goofball Austin Powers (Mike Myers’s colorful character) graced the cover of Rolling Stone in June 1999, exuberantly celebrating the sequel to the original Austin Powers blockbuster smash hit. Smashing, baby!

9) Adam Sandler Tones It Down a Little

The universe’s hippest couple, who, of course played in a rock band together, hit the popular scene with their debut album in June 1999. Then, they became insanely famous. And then, thirteen thousand two-piece rock bands, featuring only guitar and drums, were born. I think now, 15 years later, we are finally beginning to see the decline in that questionable trend. Bass matters, people.

11) That Kid from Walking Dead Was Born

Venus and Serena Williams, two twin females from a socioeconomically disadvantaged place, won the Grand Slam female doubles event for the first time. They were the second sister team to win a Grand Slam event since 1890. This is the kind of thing that just makes you smile. These are some of the best ever to play the sport.

13) MORE TENNIS!