The commercial electricity for HVAC systems accounts for about 50 percent of a building’s total energy consumption. Being one of the major energy costs in a manufacturing facility, it dominates the building’s peak electricity demand. As such, improving the system’s efficiency, in order to cut energy costs, should be every facility manager’s priority.

The energy consumption depends on the climate, comfort preferences, building design, insulation, the timing of use, the size of the HVAC system, heat generated by electrical equipment, and other site-specific factors.

Building owners and businesses can reduce their energy costs by combining several measures that increase an HVAC system’s efficiency while reducing the demand for heating and cooling.

When selecting HVAC systems, pay attention to its design and controls. Components such as motors can impact heavily on the running costs of equipment because some are usually oversized to meet peak demands. An ideal system should have more variable speed control, inverter controls, economizers, demand controlled ventilation, advanced sensors and monitoring, as well as superior diagnostics. In addition, the system should be the appropriate size; not too small or oversized.

By controlling and running the HVAC motors at speeds based on the heating or cooling needs, consumers are able to realize energy savings of between 30 and 50 percent compared to the conventional constant speed operations. Most manufacturers prefer newer algorithm-driven smart microprocessors.

These provide a refined speed control that responds to the changing load in the building. Instead of using on and off cycling, these controls adjust the system according to the actual cooling or heating needs of the facility. More functions can be added through software add-ons as opposed to costly hardware upgrades.

Some of the ways to optimize HVAC systems include the use of thermostats and control systems, locating the HVAC unit in the best place possible, and modifying the ventilation and distribution. These are discussed more fully below:

A HVAC energy audit helps in identifying the operational deficiencies, hence allowing the building manager to take the necessary measures to enhance performance. The audit is often necessary because it helps in determining the amount of energy use, maintenance and upgrade requirements.

Consumers can then reduce their energy costs by optimizing, replacing or retrofitting the HVAC system to become more energy efficient. This not only increases efficiency and reduces the amount of commercial electricity for the HVAC system, but also improves the air quality.

With spring upon us and summer just around the corner, you are probably itching to get the pool uncovered so you can host the first pool party of the season. Before you do that, you may want to consider upgrading, adding or replacing your existing pool lights. Pool lights add a certain quality to a pool while providing a layer of safety. However, there are several lights to choose from and you need to know which lights are best for your needs. An electrician in Beverly Hills has some tips for you to use when choosing your pool lights. If you have any other questions, you can call The Electric Connection.

There are two main options available for your pool lighting needs; in-ground and above ground. The above ground option is the cheapest. The in-ground tends to be a favorite simply because it provides a more uniform look.

Above Ground Options

Floating pool lights are inexpensive and do not require a Beverly Hills electrician to install. Simply pop the lights in the pool and it is done. The lights are festive, but they can interfere with swimming. You will also not have the benefit of the lights being stationary. It seems they tend to congregate and float to one area of the pool. For soft-sided pools, there are magnetic lights that stick to the side. These are again very easy to install and reliable. In Ground Options

LED bulbs are extremely bright and will last for around 10,000 hours. The lights are sealed in a waterproof housing. You can expect the bulbs to last anywhere from 10 to 15 years depending on how often the lights are used. Fiber optic lights are another option. However, they do tend to be much more expensive and the bulbs do not last nearly as long. In either case, you would need the pool lights installed by an electrician. Beverly Hills homeowners need to hire a professional to ensure the lights are installed safely and do not pose an electrical hazard. Give The Electric Connection a call today to schedule your pool light installation.

You know that misusing your electrical system can be dangerous. With so much power coursing through the wiring in your home, it’s possible to cause a house fire if your system isn’t working properly.

Although an overcurrent protective device is installed on your electrical system to prevent house fires, you shouldn’t rely on that exclusively for your family’s safety. To ensure you and your family is safe, it’s important to know how to reduce the load on your circuits to prevent blackouts and the potential for a house fire.

An electrical overload is when one circuit in your household is expected to produce more power than it can reasonably handle. You don’t have to be a licensed electrician to recognize you are overloading your circuit. If you notice that your power trips when you plug in an electrical device, then you are overloading the circuit that electrical socket is on. Fortunately, there are ways you can reduce the load and prevent blackouts.

The easiest way to reduce the load any one circuit is responsible for is to use another circuit. If your circuits aren’t mapped out in your breaker box, then you can reasonably determine what sockets are associated with different circuits by manipulating the switches. Once you turn off the electricity in one room, you can test what sockets aren’t working to determine what sockets in your home are associated with each circuit. There is no danger to you by doing this, but it is time-consuming.

Armed with the information about what sockets work on the same circuit, you should distribute your use of electrical sockets across various circuits. By using other electrical outlets, you will avoid the tendency to cause a blackout.

You can improve your home’s safety by being mindful of your electrical system. If you are experiencing blackouts or you rely on a lot of electrical devices, it’s important that you avoid overloading your system. Beyond switching to a new circuit, you can have a member of our team install a new circuit which would help reduce your electrical load.