So you’ve decided to invest in a new air conditioning system: what now? Well, there are a few considerations to make prior to purchasing your new home cooling system, let alone scheduling your air conditioning installation. Remember that this is not the type of decision that you can rush into, at least if you want to enjoy 100% satisfaction with your new AC. The Boston, MA air conditioning installation experts at FB Electrical Services have put together a few tips to help ensure that your service is a resounding success. Contact us today if you are ready to schedule a brand new system installation, or if the time has come to replace your old air conditioner. 

First and foremost in guaranteeing your complete satisfaction with your new air conditioner is, of course, to familiarize yourself with the various systems available for installation in your home. This is not a step that you should gloss over, even if you are expecting to replace an existing system with a similar model. There has been a lot of innovation in the home cooling industry in recent years, and you don’t want to miss out on systems and features that you’d benefit from just because you didn’t take the time to ask questions and do your homework.

Once you decided upon which system you’re after, the next step is to give your budget some serious consideration. A new air conditioner is not the type of investment you want to skimp on. However, you also must be realistic about what you can comfortably afford to spend on your new system. The more efficient an air conditioner is, though, the more costly it tends to be. Only by assessing available funds carefully can you be certain that you are getting the most efficiency for your money.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, pick up your phone and dial our number. The AC installation professionals on our staff know residential cooling systems inside and out. Not only will we help you to find the perfect one for your needs, but we’ll also ensure that it is installed properly every step of the way. Call now to get your air conditioning installation project underway.

House wiring has undergone some dramatic changes in the last hundred years. What was once a relative luxury is now accessible (and even required) in just about everyone home in the country. That isn’t to say that all wiring is created and maintained equally, nor can we confidently say that any Des Moines home is safe for your family without giving it an on-site look.

If you’ve ever done a renovation or addition to your home, you know the nightmare that city and county building codes can be. It seems like someone at the city and county clerk’s office is sitting around all day dreaming up new ways to make your progress come to a screeching halt. While your home may not have been built anywhere near today’s level of code, it still works just fine. Right? Well, while some building codes may be a tad excessive, often they use technologies that the electricians of the past would love to have had a chance to use. While it may come as an inconvenience, remind yourself that the technology available today can keep you and your family safe in a number of impressive ways. From safer walls and greatly decreased risk of house fire to GFCI outlets that will automatically detect an unsafe circuit and trip the breaker, killing the power and potentially saving a life.

Homes built after the 1940s were made with far safer wiring than any before that. Hopefully, by now, any home that predates that period would be completely re-wired with a new electrical panel for the longevity of the home, but this is wishful thinking. Today, millions of homes across the country and a good deal in Des Moines are essentially ticking time bombs, putting all of those inside at risk for electrocution or worse. While we don’t want to spread fear heedlessly, if you are considering the purchase of, or currently own, an older home, then you should get in touch with a licensed electrician to check the safety of your electrical system. Hopefully, everything will look and respond correctly, but there could easily be opportunities for improving the safety of your home.

In addition to the much older homes in the Des Moines area, newer homes are home to their own problems. If you ever notice an outlet begin to stop working unexpectedly, hear a buzzing in the wall, or even feel a current running, then you should make calling an electrician your top priority. Thousands of homes catch fire every year due to poor or faulty wiring, making this nothing to wait on, ignore, or even attempt to DIY; electricians should handle any blatant problems with your house wiring to keep your home safe. With homes popping up in and around Des Moines, our electricians have seen a surprising number of errors that could have been avoided by a more attentive installation, but that is a blog for another time.

If you suspect that your home’s wiring may be facing some issues, it really isn’t worth delaying to get in touch with the local electricians at Electrical Gurus. We have the tools and experience necessary to quickly determine what, if anything, the problem may be and then implement a fix that will keep your family safe. We understand how important it is to find affordable, trustworthy service for your household, which is why we take each call seriously and employ only the best local electricians.

One of the main stays in Industrial and Commercial Lighting has been the Metal Halide Bulb. It is common in Indoor Fixtures, such as High Bays, Canopy Lights, Garage Lights and Low Bays. It is

So you have a Metal Halide (or even High Pressure Sodium) light, and you want to convert to LED. You’ve done your research, you’ve been inundated with marketing materials that tell you what is the most important thing to consider (coincidentally it probably is something they think is important). And now you are left to make a decision. New or retrofit? What new versus retrofit. We sell both. Our retrofits perform as well if not better than new fixtures, but not all retrofit kits can make that claim. However, if your fixtures are old, leak, and have seen their better days, then by all means replace them. It does not make sense to buy a new fixture that includes a retrofit kit inside of it like some vendors will try and sell you. The engineering of some of the new fixtures are fantastic. However, the real reason you would want to consider retrofitting is because you have a significant investment in fixtures. Why not keep that investment? Retrofitting is extremely cost effective, especially our Look for the DLC Premium Symbol, it’s different than the DLC Standard symbol. And that gives you the quick notification that the light you are looking at is the most efficient.

And why does that matter. It’s simple. It will save you a lot more money. Let me do three comparisons for you. First a retrofit kit designed at 97 lumens per watt to replace a 400W Metal Halide bulb, a second at 102 lumens per watt and ours at 155 lumens per watt. Lets keep everything else the same. Cost of electricity, hours of use. The only thing different you will notice is the watts consumed and the lumens produced. For the record, our retrofit kit uses the least amount of energy in this test BUT also produces the most amount of light. We will use 12 hours a day operating time and .12 kw.h electricity cost

Calculation 1: 97 lumens per watt retrofit head, 135 watts, 13164 lumens

Savings per fixture per year over 400 watt Metal Halide: $170.82

Calculation 2: 102 lumens per watt retrofit head, 143 watts, 14600 lumens

Savings per fixture per year over 400 watt Metal Halide: $166.62

OK, so between the competitor options, you are neck and neck, the difference is so minimal you can make your decision based on whose website you like more

Calculation 3: 155 lumens per watt retrofit head, 100 watts, 15,776 lumens (this is our LED Retrofit Kit)

Savings per fixture per year over 400 watt Metal Halide: $189.22

So there is clearly a $18.40 savings over the first LED retrofit option and a $22.60 savings per fixture over the second LED Retrofit option. And, we produce more light!

We have 3 mini LED Retrofit Kits, 30W, 45W and 60W designed to replace up to 250W Metal Halide. We have 3 standard sized retrofit kits, 75W, 100W and 120W designed to replace from 250 Watt to 400 Watt Metal Halide. We have 2 Large Retrofit Kits, 150W and 200W, designed to provide more light than a 400W Metal Halide up to 750W Metal Halide. And we have 3 Extra Large retrofit kits, 280W, 320W and 350W, designed to replace 1000W Metal Halide.

We’ve recently added a new explosion-proof light for use in granaries, paint booths, mills, mines, oil refineries, auto shops, marine vessels, shipyards, and other hazardous locations.

This LED light is listed as UL1598 for wet locations and UL1598A for outdoor marine applications. It is classified as UL844 and meets National Electric Code—NFPA 70, article 500—requirements in the U.S. for Class 1 Division 1 (groups C and D), Class 1 Division 2 (groups A, B, C, and D), and Class 2 Division 2 (groups F and G) hazardous locations. The light fixture meets IECEx Zone 1, 2, 21, and 22 requirements for safe operation around combustible gas and dust.

Designed to replace 320-watt metal-halide (MH) fixtures with comparable output—the 100-watt LED explosion-proof light emits 13,000 lumens of natural white illumination. This weatherproof LED fixture operates within a 100-277V AC range and is built to last five times longer than MH lights.

The durably constructed light has a vibration-resistant anodized aluminum housing that prevents the release of sparks from internal components. The die cast housing is also powder coated for corrosion resistance and has a removable back plate for access to the constant-current driver, which is sealed with a silicone gasket. LEDs are protected by a tempered glass lens.

A conduit is required for installation, and the fixture has two openings for input and output connections. The LED explosion-proof light can be pole mounted or mounted to a wall, floor, or ceiling with its included bracket. A five-year warranty protects against any manufacturer defects or malfunctions.