Fortunately, stormy weather days are behind us, but it is always a good idea to revisit storm safety. While you probably don’t have to worry about a thunder storm creeping up on you in the fall and winter, knowledge is power and keeping storm safety fresh in your mind will ensure you don’t forget it. These are a few tips from your Glendale electrician to keep in mind the next time you see thunder clouds building up. If you have any questions about these tips, give The Electric Connection a call.

*When a storm is building or you hear thunder in the distance, get out of the pool. Avoid being in the bathtub or shower as well. It can all wait.

*Unplug appliances, computers and chargers. This will ensure your expensive electronics are not damaged should lighting strike and come through the electrical wiring to your home.

*During a storm, avoid using any of your electronics. Do not touch outlets that may conduct electricity and shock you.

*Stay away from windows during a storm and don’t stand in an open doorway. Lighting can easily travel through the space.

*Consider having a whole house surge protector installed by an electrician in Glendale. The surge protectors will prevent the surge in electricity from damaging your appliances that may be plugged in, including your refrigerator.

*Don’t use a corded phone connected to a landline. Electricity can travel through the cord and shock you.

If you suspect your electric panel has been damaged by a storm, call an electrician. Glendale homeowners will need an experienced professional to deal with any damage that may have been caused by the storm. Replacing burnt wires or breakers that were damaged in the storm are a necessity. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your whole home surge protector installation to keep you and your home safe during the next lightning storm.

Looking for new ways to reduce your electricity bills? The Department of Energy is on the job. The agency is sponsoring research that could help decentralize the nation's electrical grid – instead of powering your electrical work from large generating stations, you could create your own electricity on-site by burning natural gas. As a bonus, the equipment could provide homeowners with heat energy as well. Read on to learn more about the Energy Department's program to spur the development of small generator technologies.

Advanced Electrical Work for Your Home

The projects are part of the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), which is spending $55 million to support research and development into various technologies that could strengthen the flexibility, dynamism and independence of the nation's energy production system. The generator-related programs, known as GENSETS, or GENerators for Small Electrical and Thermal Systems, are receiving $25 million of the funding.

In addition to the GENSETS projects, the Energy Department is also sponsoring a program called Transportation Energy Resources from Renewable Agriculture (TERRA), aimed at developing biofuels.

“The GENSETS and TERRA programs demonstrate ARPA-E’s unique approach to developing innovative ideas to advance energy technologies,” ARPA-E Director Dr. Ellen D. Williams said in a statement. “ARPA-E is pushing the boundaries of current energy technologies to create a more secure, sustainable and affordable American energy future.”

Waste Not, Want Not for Excess Heat

The GENSETS technologies being developed are similar to microtrigeneration systems, which use natural gas to create electricity and capture excess heat for hot water and general home heating. With one of these systems, you'd still have a gas bill to pay – but if you combined your equipment with rooftop solar panels, you could reduce the cost of powering your home electrical work to a minimum.

The generator technology already exists and has been deployed to a certain extent, but the Energy Department program hopes to further refine the devices and make them more efficient, reliable and affordable. Twelve different teams are working on generator projects to take the equipment as far as it can go to meet the needs of the homeowners of today and tomorrow, focusing variously on internal combustion engines, Stirling engines, micro-turbines and solid state devices. One technology could end up being a clear leader and push the others out of the field, or multiple engine types could be competitive and give consumers a choice in their home electrical generation system.

A Glimpse into the Future of Electricity

If you have any questions about how the Department of Energy ARPA-E program could affect your electrical work, contact a qualified electrician today.

It is no secret that Des Moines has been growing lately, and with such growth around the city, that means many people are purchasing homes. However, seeing as many of the homes in Des Moines were built more than 50 years ago, this means many of the residential areas in the area are not prepared for the amount of electrical power required for modern technology. Additionally, since many homeowners in the area are younger, they are also learning the ropes of home maintenance for the first time. The combination of these two factors means that many homes in the area are in need of a visit from a residential electrician to investigate whether or not these homes require electrical panel replacement.

Electrical panels are often referred to as the circuit breakers, and they are essentially the brains controlling the electricity in your home. Obviously these are extremely important and complex pieces of electrical equipment, but what you may not know is that many of these devices are outdated. Plus, there are a handful of panels from known manufacturers that require immediate attention, such as FPE and Federal Pacific. While the electrical panels developed in the prior century were previously capable of handling the electrical demands of an average household, modern conveniences and the rapid advancement in technology since the development of the personal computer have necessitated vast improvements and upgrades to residential electrical panels.

It is important to have a residential electrician inspect the breakers in your home to determine if you are in need of panel replacement. Call the Electrical Gurus in Des Moines today at 515-446-7040 to have an electrician inspect and determine if you are in need of panel replacement today.