We had a call today from a customer. They were looking to retrofit their existing fixtures with LED. The competitor did a quote for them, and had recommended LED Post Tops as the retrofit bulb of choice for them. And this would have been a terrific solution if all their fixtures were acorn style pole mounted lights. But they weren’t, they were high bays, parking lot lights and show room lights. Yes. They are LED. Yes. They will save you money. But if you are trying to plow a field, you don’t buy a Porsche. You buy a tractor. The right vehicle for the job. And the same applies to LED.

First, let’s make sure we set the score right. We sell both. We sell LED Post Tops and we sell LED Retrofit Kits. We are not Post Top biased or Retrofit Kit biased. We even sell new fixtures. We have no biases! We want what is right for you!

contact our team and we’ll get back to you.

Summer storms and problems with the electrical grid can lead to power outages wherever you may live. There was a time when candles and flashlights were really the only way in which to make it through a power outage in one’s home. Thankfully, those days are far behind us at this point. If you are interested in keeping your home powered, despite the fact that you’re receiving no power from the grid, we strongly recommend that you consider the installation of a whole-house generator. More specifically, we suggest that you give the use of an automatic standby generator in  Needham Heights, MA some serious consideration. 

Some homeowners may only be interested in keeping an appliance or two running in the event of a power outage. In such instances, a portable generator may suffice, though these systems are really better suited for the campground or use at tailgating events. For whole-house protection, though, a whole-house generator is obviously the way to go.

What happens when you’re not at home to activate your generator, though? Do you just leave a chest freezer or your refrigerator without any electricity to keep them up and running, even if you’re going to be gone a few days? With the use of an automatic standby generator, you won’t have to worry about integral systems shutting down in the event of a power outage, even if you are not there to start up the generator manually.

A whole-house generator is wired into your electrical system directly, and automatic standby models are designed to detect the loss of electricity to the system. Once it has, the generator springs into action, powering your systems so that you won’t have to worry about spoiled food, failed security systems, and so on.

A recent study conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found that homes constructed within the past decade are significantly less expensive to maintain than properties that were built a generation ago. On average, the combined annual maintenance and utility costs of a home that was built in or after 2008 is roughly $241, while the same yearly price to live in a home built before 1960 is $564 a year. There is also a noticeable variance in the average operating costs of houses built during these two periods - properties constructed more recently only have operating costs of roughly 3 percent while those built before 1960 averaged 5 percent.

A large factor is the kind of plumbing, wiring and overall utility setup of a given property. Over the past several decades, streamlined construction methods and an overall "greener" sensibility among shoppers have led to the development of more energy conservative appliances and layouts that cut monthly power and plumbing costs.

For example, the federal government offers homeowners a tax credit when they replace older appliances with Energy Star-approved ones. The results are savings in both the short term, with the immediate rebate most suppliers offer, and long term when monthly utility savings are taken into consideration.

Even manufacturers must meet higher efficiency standards today than in the 1960s whether or not they are looking for an Energy Star certification.

Diverse and impressive changes have been taking place in the lighting world this month. Read on to discover the fun and innovation!

In Lighting News…

Across the web, there was a consensus that LED holiday lights were the thing to have for the holidays. Not only are they energy-efficient, long lasting, and durable, they can also be interactive. We’ve seen families across the country creating Image via USA.Lighting.Philips.com

Other Cool Stuff…

In the last days of November, New York City residents were surprised by a light show atop the Empire State Building, synchronized to Alicia Keys’ “Empire State Of Mind.” The building’s new LED lighting system has over 16.7 million color possibilities, compared to the old system, which had only 10.

You probably know the iconic Pixar lamp – we usually see it hopping around before our movies start. Well, three students from Victoria University of Wellington have created a real-life replica of Luxo Jr., called Pinokio. With six servo motors, a webcam, some Arduino, and a bit of processing, the lamp came to life. Check out this video:

How about you? Any big lighting changes in your life this month? Please share!

There are some home repairs you don’t want to tackle. Here are several red flags to look for when you’re buying a home.

common plumbing problems. Water damage is the homeowner’s mortal enemy. Water causes foundation problems, rot and mold. Want to move into that mess? Probably not.

To see if your potential purchase has suffered the consequences of water damage, start outside and

When you see water damage near an electrical outlet or a light fixture, you may have stumbled onto a fire risk. But outlets aren’t the only place to look for potential electrical problems.

Look for flickering and blinking, which signals a poor connection somewhere along the circuit. Check to see if both halves of electrical outlets are functioning. Make sure bathrooms, kitchens, garages and outdoors have professional electrician should determine whether the home’s circuits or fuses provide adequate power and service. The electrician can look for burned wiring, improper connections, dead-end wiring or ungrounded switches and outlets.

Your home inspector is a font of knowledge! Have the inspector check the air quality of the home to see if any mold spores are present — if water leakage or other common plumbing problems have been an issue, mold may be, too.

The inspector can ensure that the heating and cooling systems are properly installed. The inspector can also determine how old the HVAC system is and ensure that its been maintained

Your inspector will also determine the type of pipe that supplies water to the house—old lead and galvanized steel pipes are going to need replacing.

If the house you’re considering fails these tests, it may be best to move onto the next. If you still think it’s the right house for you, despite the presence of common plumbing problems or the need for an electrical overhaul, negotiate a lower price or ask the seller to pay for needed fixes.

Questions? Thoughts? Leave a note in the Comments section orschedule service today.