There are times when you look at a problem and consider whether it is something minor that you can take care of without spending a lot of cash on hiring a professional or whether you need to leave it alone and call somebody that knows. You could compare it to putting out a fire in the kitchen with a fire extinguisher or calling the fire department. There are some pretty serious risks involved when you try and take care of a situation that you have no knowledge of. This is especially true when dealing with electrical problems. When in doubt, always call a Glendale electrician if you are not sure whether your electrical problem is a quick fix or a more serious problem. The Electric Connection has a team of qualified electricians who can help you with any electrical problem in your home.

When it comes to dealing with electricity, there are just too many things that can go wrong if you don’t know what you are doing. Although you may not notice anything immediately, wires that are not connected right could turn into a festering problem that will eventually start a fire. The following are some indicators you need an electrician. Glendale residents will definitely rather be safe than sorry.

*Any burning smell or crackling noise coming from an outlet

*Lights that flicker or bulbs seem to need replacing often

*Breakers that seem to trip often or for no apparent reason

*Replacing or installing new outlets, light fixtures or ceiling fans

*Upgrading an electric panel

*Installing outdoor electrical equipment like hot tubs or security lighting

These are just a few reasons you will want to give an electrician a call. While it sometimes seems like it would be cheaper to take care of these things yourself or do your own troubleshooting, in the long run, it is always best to let a professional handle electrical jobs. Give The Electric Connection a call today and make an appointment to have your job handled.

Explosion proof fixtures are a necessity for environments which output potentially explosive or flammable fumes, produce dust of dirt in the air, or similar situations in which a gas could enter the fixture and cause damage to the light or well-being of the facility.

If you are currently running or working with a facility which requires these explosion proof light fixtures, the list of 3 must-haves below will clear the air and hopefully set you on the right track to ensuring you have the proper setup and design.

First on the list, we are going to talk about the actual technology within the fixture and why it is so important.

While a big part of vapor proof lights is the actual fixture and its design, we think the luminaire within the fixture is equally as important.

We simply can’t recommend any other technology other than LED because we truly believe in it. To give you a little bit of insight on industrial LEDs, here are some of the reasons why companies of all sorts are converting to LED:

As you can see, just from these three main benefits that all sorts of facilities are realizing can really be game changing in terms of savings.

For these reasons (and more), we thought it was a must to have it first on the list.

Interested in learning more? Find Class 1 Div 2. For this reason, we suggest you always inquire with a reputable and knowledgeable company that offers and deals with explosion proof lighting when inquiring about your lighting project.

If you can’t find a reputable company to ask your questions, just LED explosion proofs offer the long-term solution is clear.

Especially when you consider in rebates, your initial upfront investment can be reduced greatly. While these rebates do vary from place to place, they are most often available when you buy DLC qualified fixtures. Not only are DLC qualified fixtures going to make you more eligible for rebates through your utility company, but they also provide other benefits. The biggest benefit of buying DLC qualified lights is they have ben tried and tested and, in most cases, do what they claim. In a busy world of lighting, not all products do exactly what they say. This is most common when a light is not qualified by something like the DLC.

Our main advice is this; to get the best value buy only DLC qualified fixtures. If you don’t, you may actually end up spending more upfront (by not getting any rebates) as well as more energy usage overtime, due to a less efficient build.

Another major cost saver can come through retrofitting. The only time you can retrofit is if your fixture is still functional and can fit a LED retrofit in it. If you do not match these requirements, then a full replacement will (typically) be required.

If you can, we suggest you retrofit. It saves money in two ways: retrofit kits are cheaper than full fixture replacements and the cost to retrofit is typically less time consuming and thus, less expensive.

In Summary

We know that a sensitive environment can be stressful to deal with, especially when it comes to the lighting system and the safety of the facility.

The above 3 must-haves are just the beginning, and each situation can vary greatly. As always, we suggest you consult with some lighting professionals to truly discover what you may require for your facility and operations.

December is right around the corner and it looks like the temperature will continue to keep dropping. During this time of the year we all try to make our homes as comfortable as possible. Throwing on extra layers can help, but turning up the furnace is not always the best answer. If you want an efficient way to heat your home while also adding to the aesthetics of your room, an electrical fireplace is your best option.

Not only are electric fireplaces more eco-friendly than conventional gas and wood burning fireplaces, they are more economical. With their large heat output they cost just a fraction than what it costs to turn up the thermostat in your home. Additionally, electrical fireplaces require far less maintenance. You don’t need to worry about hauling around heavy wood or cleaning your chimney. With an electrical fireplace you just need to dust and clean the glass from time to time.

Because there is no real flame in an electrical fireplace, there is no need to worry about having the right connections to install the fireplace. You can install one virtually anywhere in your home. With the help of an expert electrician, we can run the electrical lines that are needed and make sure that everything is hooked up correctly.

The great thing about electrical fireplaces is that they come in a wide range of styles and designs. There are several types of electrical fireplaces:

Today’s infographic breaks down the essential facts about energy efficiency. It explains why energy efficiency is so important, and goes into detail about how wasting energy can harm the environment. Then, after convincing you that conserving power is a good idea, it offers a comprehensive guide to help you start saving more energy at home, assessing the efficacy of your appliances, insulation, and of course, your lighting.

I especially like this infographic for the Incandescent/CFL/LED comparison chart at the very bottom. Good stuff!