It is not news that LED is becoming the new standard in saving money on your lighting bill. But with every new technology, the options are endless and plentiful, and sometimes clever marketing hides what really is important. If you understand the technology, its easy. If your new to the technology, you have to try and determine what is or isn’t important. Which makes the purchase decision even harder for those trying to navigate this maze of product availability and specifications. And to confuse the consumer even more, there is a lot of data being presented that is not created based on any agreed to standard. Read 10 different product brochures on what the marketers believe is the proper solution to replace 1000W Metal Halide and you will read everything from a low as 26,000 lumens to 70,000 lumens. Or what one manufacturer calls day white is total different than what another manufacturer thinks day white is. The best advice we can give the consumer is walk through the same process we do when we select our products to sell. We look for quality, performance, efficiency and great engineering. Let’s break that down to what that means.

Are the LED Lights UL or ETL Listed. This is the safety test. No one wants an unsafe product. The product must be able to perform without any chance of hazard. Are the lights DLC or Energy Star Rated? DLC (DesignLights Consortium) is a performance standard that makes sure the lights are efficient and perform at a high standard. It typically applies only to LED lights, but lately the standard has been broadened to include lighting controls. Energy Star is a consumer standard that applies to many products including small LED screw in bulbs. Up until recently, DLC did not have a provision for screw in bulbs, but has recently changed to allow some screw in LED bulbs.

Are the factories ISO Qualified? A lot aren’t, a lot say they are but aren’t. Some will say they abide by the ISO standards. What does that mean? Some will come up with their own marketing buzz words that sound great on paper and are very clever, but aren’t ISO certified.  To us, ISO certification gives us the peace of mind that the products we supply our customers are built and tested in an exacting and consistent manner with the least amount of risk of failure.

Many homeowners don’t know when the time is right for home generator repair in Mount Vernon, and will simply allow their generator to go to waste. That’s unfortunate, because a generator can come in handy during a particularly rough storm in terms of supplying power to any of your home’s appliances. You’ll able to tackle some work-related tasks on your computer, binge watch your favorite television show, and store leftovers from last night’s dinner all while a storm blows over. However, you may have to get used to living by candlelight if you don’t seek generator repair soon enough!

Think you need generator repair? Call Beacon for assistance when you notice these 4 signs:

How old is your home or business building? 20 years? 30 years? 40 years or more? When was the last time you had your wiring inspected? If your building is older than 25 years, you could be at risk for an electrical fire. Electrical fires are frequently caused by old components wearing out and failing, but these things can be hard to detect since so much of it is hidden from sight behind your drywall. So how do you know if you are at risk? Here are a few factors that frequently cause fires in older buildings.

From the 1880s until the mid-1930s, knob-and-tube wiring was the standard in running electricity lines through homes and businesses. Today, these systems are not permitted under business code except in extremely rare circumstances. If your home or business has this old system of wiring in it, odds are you should consult an electrician about replacing it with a modern system as soon as possible. Rodents have a thing for chewing on these exposed wires, making them tremendous fire hazards.

Modern appliances and equipment sometimes require a much higher amperage draw to function than old wires are rated to carry. When you overload a wire with too much amperage, it can get extremely hot, which can start fires inside your walls. If your electrical system is old, consider having it inspected by a professional who can tell you whether or not you should upgrade to wire rated for a higher amperage.

Part of being a home or property owner is improving your property. Those who have a knack for handiwork (or at least think they do) may have tried to modify their wiring in the past. This means there could be shoddy connections, loose live wires, and other serious fire hazards hidden behind your walls. Be extremely careful when cutting into drywall in an older home.

Over time, insulation on wires can age, become brittle, and crack. In other cases, the wires may have been chewed by rodents or screwed or nailed into by accident. This can leave the core of your wire exposed, which leaves it prone to sparking and potential fires.

The wires aren’t the only part of your home that’s at risk for starting a fire; old breakers can malfunction and overload if they are not maintained or upgraded every few decades. Have your old circuit breaker inspected by a professional who can test to make sure everything is still functioning properly, as well as replace any breakers that may not be working correctly.

Today’s electrical code is far more advanced and rigorous than it was in decades’ past. With new technology has come new safety standards. However, older buildings were not required to adhere to these new standards, and many of them have not been properly retrofitted with the latest in electrical tech. Odds are, if you have an older building, your electrical system would not pass inspection today. Let a professional take a look and work with you to eliminate the fire hazards and protect your property from a devastating fire.

Spring is here and summer isn’t far behind. For Boston, MA residents, that means stifling heat and humidity, which requires a reliable air conditioning system to successfully fight. If you have an older or outdated system, now is the perfect time to have it replaced, before the mercury creeps up too high. Before you pull the trigger, however, you need to make sure you’ve picked the right air conditioner for your needs. Here are 3 things to look for when replacing your air conditioning system.

Sizing in this case refers to the power output of the air conditioner. It needs to be sized properly for your home: too powerful and it will cycle on and off rapidly, increasing strain and using unnecessary amounts of energy. Not powerful enough and it won’t do the job effectively. A good technician can make the proper measurements and select a system that is perfectly sized for your needs.

Air conditioners measure their efficiency with a SEER rating, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The higher the rating, the less energy the system wastes, and the lower your monthly bills will be. Look for a system with the highest SEER rating you can afford to maximize your system’s potentials.

Air conditioners are fairly straightforward, but there are a few bells and whistles you might want to consider. For instance, some models come equipped with UV lights and similar filters to improve the quality of your air, while others have multi-speed fans to let you better control the air flow. Any of all of these may help improve the quality of life in your home.

If you want to replace an outdated AC system with a new one, the professionals at FB Electrical Services, Inc. are standing by to help. Give us a call today!