A home inspection covers a number of areas, not the least of which is the electrical system. ElectricMan, a trusted Dallas electrician, wants you to know how to spot a quality home inspection report. After all, while the façade may be beautiful, what’s behind the walls is what truly matters. Save yourself a heap of trouble by knowing what to look for on the electrical portion of a home inspection, according to this certified electrician.

An electrical system inspection includes looking for any aspects that make the home unsafe. A good report features the following most common items:

With all of these points checked off the list, you know you have run across a home with a sound electrical system. It’s a great feeling knowing you’re moving into a home that won’t present trouble around every corner. That’s why it’s so important to have an inspection conducted by a qualified professional before you buy.

If you have any questions about the electrical system aspects of a potential new home’s inspection report, please contact a certified electrician at ElectricMan today. ElectricMan is a trusted, local Dallas electrician with 27 years of experience; we have the knowhow required to answer your important questions. For more information visit the ElectricMan website, and don’t forget to ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Did you know that your video game habit is an energy hog? The costs aren’t limited to the price of your console and games – the Xbox One and other gaming systems actually draw a large amount of electricity. In response to criticism about how much power the Xbox consumes, Microsoft is reaching out to help consumers cut down on their product's energy profile with one small change that could save gamers $250 million per year.

Power-Guzzling Standby Mode

The big problem with the Xbox comes during its standby mode. By design, the system is never actually off, which provides gamers with two major benefits: They can start it up instantly with no load time, and the device downloads updates in the background when the console isn't being used, so you never have to sit around waiting for that annoying status bar to finish loading.

Unfortunately, the “instant-on” feature uses a shocking amount of electricity – up to 40 percent of the total consumed by the Xbox, according to the National Resources Defense Council.

“While the device is reasonably efficient when playing a game, that is more than offset by its power-guzzling ‘Instant On’ standby mode that is enabled by default,” Noah Horowitz wrote on the NRDC blog.

Last year, the NRDC released a study which found that the energy consumed nationwide by the three most popular consoles – PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo's Wii U – reaches as much as 11 billion kilowatt-hours annually, enough to power Houston, Texas for a year.

Microsoft Responds

The criticism must have stung, because Microsoft is now making an extra effort to remind gamers of the console's energy saving mode, which does not have the same features as instant-on but can save consumers $6 to $15 per year. With 7 million consoles and counting in the U.S., that adds up in a big way.

"While we believe Instant-on provides the best experience for our fans, we also believe in providing consumer choice which is why we offered the ‘Energy-saving’ mode," Microsoft wrote in a recent blog post. “By providing multiple power states in Xbox One and empowering our fans with choice, we sought to balance energy efficiency and functionality. At the same time, we know many Xbox One fans are vigilant about their household’s energy consumption; after all, environmental leadership often begins at home.”

The company also previously made changes to reduce power consumption during instant-on mode by one third.

Look for Energy Savings

To change your Xbox so it uses the energy saving option, look in the “power & start up” menu under settings. Fifteen dollars might not sound like a lot, but with so many Xbox fans, the energy savings really add up.

If you really want to go the extra mile with your Xbox and other electronics, just unplug them when you aren't using them. That gets around the matter of stand-by mode altogether and can help you save a decent chunk of change by avoiding energy vampires.

If you’re like me, you have a favorable reaction to yachts, perhaps without ever having stepped foot on one. I have absolutely no idea how I will one day acquire a yacht. All I know is that yachts and I are destined to be together some way, somehow. This amorous examination of yacht lighting exists, yes, because there are interesting things to note about yacht lighting design, but, if I’m totally honest, we’re in the dog days of summer; I’m landlocked; and I want to stare at yachts. Do you want to stare at yachts, too? Let’s stare at yachts in all their luminous glory.

1. In A Word, Yes. 

I am sucker for underwater lights. In pools, in little water features and ponds, they just make me smile. But beaming into a foreign sea from the hull of a yacht? I am slain (in a good way). Of course, that’s not the only amazing thing about the yacht lighting situation above. While the lights are illuminating the sea on either side of our vessel, whaddaya say we project the sea life around us onto this huge sail? OK, great!

I mean, seriously?! Are you seriously watching the sea life around your yacht as it’s projected onto a giant screen in the middle of the beautiful sea with starlight and moonlight above you and light beams shooting out of either side of your vessel? Yes? Well OK, then. I guess I would, too, if I were you.

2. Outdoor Recessed Lights

What an amazing night time mood these recessed lights lend this yacht. I love the way the fixtures form scallops of light along the side of the cabin, especially because the reflective surface of the yacht amplifies the light levels. Very nice via Charter World

And it also says, Come hither thou and hangeth out on me. Basically, these lighting designers have gotten it right. What looks better against the soft night sky than lights with a via Charter World

Those recessed light fixtures with single and multiple lamps are a great choice for this yacht living room/control center/spaceship dashboard. The top level is evenly lit, and the lower level, with its crisp light, invites the eye and the whole body, actually. Take me to Greenland, Captain! If you need me, I will be luxuriating.

7. Cove Lighting!

Do you have ranges and ovens on your mind? Maybe you just got a big bonus from work, or your last child finally graduated from college. There's no better way to celebrate than a new kitchen. From granite countertops to the latest in state-of-the-art appliance technology, you can cook in comfort and increase the value of your home to boot. If you haven't bought a new refrigerator or oven in a decade or more, you might be shocked at all the features you're missing out on. Read on for some of the latest in kitchen function and form.

Keep your food cold in style: If your ancient refrigerator is still chugging away, replacing it with an efficient ENERGY STAR-certified model could actually pay for itself in a few years through reductions in energy costs. That's to say nothing of all the new features there are to play with. You can find a fridge with multiple segmented compartments to keep different foods at different temperatures, or compartments in the doors that offer quick access to snacks and drinks. If you want to go really futuristic, check out models that have touchscreen controls so you have the temperature and other settings right at your fingertips.

Fun with ranges: Many new stovetops come with touchpads so you can precisely control the temperature and timing of your culinary masterpiece, down to the degree. If you prefer electric stoves, a flat glass or ceramic top can make the kitchen look more modern compared to the old coil elements. If you have the budget, you may even consider an induction range, which is hyper-efficient and uses electromagnets to turn your cooking pots into heat sources. One feature that might be useful no matter what type of element you use is downdraft ventilation, which can pull steam down through the stovetop before it can damage your walls or cabinets.

Double your oven: Is baking your thing? The oven market is heating up. Consider options like two oven bays so you can bake items at different temperatures at the same time, and convection ovens that use a fan to circulate heat and cook food more evenly. You can also find ovens that cook at super-low temperatures, down to 150 degrees, so you can dehydrate food and store it for later in the year. The very latest in oven technology is smartphone apps, which allow you to remotely monitor and control your settings.

Remember, you aren't alone in your quest for the most modern, stylish and efficient cooking area. Let the experts help you decide what your dream kitchen looks like, and then bring it to reality. Also, if you are just swapping out appliances there shouldn't be too many complications, but more serious work that involves adding or moving outlets, installing vents or changing the physical layout of the kitchen means you will need to make sure you are in compliance with local building code. Always consult with a professional so you don't accidentally create a safety hazard or find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

The experts at local Mister Sparky® are always here to help. Give us a call if you are considering kitchen renovations and we can help you evaluate and potential electrical changes or issues before you get started.