Whether it has to do with a simple home improvement or a more in-depth renovation, a permit for electrical work is required to obtain permission from the governing authority to go forward with the project. Permit pulling—requesting a permit from a governing authority, which could be State, County or City —can be challenging for homeowners who are not familiar with electrical plans. but the process of pulling permits for electrical work is fairly straightforward if you understand and meet all requirements for electrical contractors.

Each city, county and state can have varied building codes, so it is important to use a professional who is versed in navigating this process. Permit pulling requires first submitting an official application that includes a schematic of what electrical work is going to be done. There will be a permit fee involved to cover the application cost, the review and the inspection. Once a plan is approved, a permit will be issued, and work can begin. On-site inspections will be conducted to ensure that all of the work conforms to the permit as well as building codes and plans. Depending upon the size of the project, there may be more than one inspection, usually a rough and final or possibly partials of either. These inspections serve to protect homeowners from faulty or possibly hazardous work. A code official will come by at the project end in order to provide all required documentation. Final approval will only be given once full code compliance is met which could mean NEC, UBC or IBC regulations. If the homeowner is completing the electrical work as a do-it-yourself project, it may take multiple visits from the code official before a final approval is provided, depending upon the skill level of the homeowner.

The end of the month has arrived, along with that same old utility bill. The cost of electricity can be a huge dollar amount, especially in larger homes with larger families. The utility bill has become just a part of life. Driven by the energy consumption of fridges, washing machines, lighting, and so much more, the electricity consumption of your home is dependent upon many things that often cannot be helped. However, there are a few household items that take up a surprising amount of electricity that you may not have thought about! Changing the way that you and your family uses these 5 common items could actually make a difference in that monthly bill in your mailbox! Here’s a list of these sneaky electricity users and some suggestions on how to decrease their energy use.

Personal electronics are a part of our everyday routine, whether it is our smartphones or our laptops. There’s no avoiding charging your device, but between 100% battery life and the idle time it spends charging afterwards, it becomes a major energy consumer. Leaving your cellphone or your laptop plugged in after it has reached a full charge still pulls in a decent amount of electricity. This does no good for your electricity bill, and it actually is worse for your device as well. Leaving your electronics plugged in past the full charge does damage to its long-term battery life.

The Solution: Immediately disconnect your electronic device from its charger when it gets to 100%. Unplug the actual charger, then do it all again when it’s time to charge again. Don’t plug in your devices at night when you go to sleep—that’s 8+ hours of idle charging time that racks up the dollar signs on your electric bill.

Xboxes, PlayStations, Wiis…the number of consoles that are available grow every day, providing entertainment and family fun. However, whenever those devices are on and not being used, it sucks up a lot of electricity to keep it powered.

The Solution: If you’re going to step away, turn the console off. Never let it linger and go idle, as this can use unnecessary energy. Unplug these devices when you travel, as well.

Surprisingly, your DVR or cable box can use as much energy as your refrigerator: one of the largest energy consumers in your home. These devices are always in standby, waiting to be used, which means that they constantly pull in energy just in case you press the On button on your remote. So not only do they use energy when they are on as you are enjoying television, but they are also using energy when they are off.

The Solution: Like the consoles, turn off the TV when you step away. Then unplug the actual DVR or Set-Top boxes when you know you aren’t using them or are traveling for a period of time. This could save you quite a few dollars on your next bill.

Summer time in Colorado means lots of dry heat. Especially if you do not have an AC system, like most older homes and apartments have, then ceiling fans are your only source of cool air. However, when they are big electricity users, so if you can help it, switch them off.

The Solution: Don’t keep the fans on for long periods of time, like when you are out of the house, or at night time when you’re sleeping. You could also upgrade to a more energy efficient model of ceiling fans, which could save you some money as well.

Just like DVRs, microwaves use energy both when they are on, and when they are off. When you’re not using your microwave, it sucks in constant amounts of energy to keep the buttons lit and the clock on. Then the energy levels jump to an all-time high when they are in use.

The Solution: Unplug your microwave when you’re not using it. Keep electricity levels low by only using the microwave when necessary. You could do this by doing things like avoiding defrosting meat in the microwave—letting it sit on the countertop for a few hours instead.

Though they seem small, these 5 household items are mighty when it comes to electricity use, even when they are not being used. If you’re trying to cut down your electricity bill, or want to be more energy efficient, these small changes in the way that you use these everyday items could make a huge difference in the long run.

If you have ever lived in a home with a chandelier in the dining room, you may have had a dimmer switch. The switch probably seemed functional and rather standard. You never thought twice about it. However, if you live in a home that doesn’t have a dimmer switch, you can quickly see the benefits to having one. In fact, your electrician in Santa Monica, like those at The Electric Connection, can explain why a dimmer switch is more than just a convenience.

Energy Savings

There are many times you don’t need full light, but you have to turn on the switch to avoid being in complete darkness. It is a waste of electricity and you know it, but you may feel trapped. You don’t have to! Dimmer switches can be installed by a Santa Monica electrician where light needs are likely to fluctuate like the living room, dining room and your bedroom. By only turning the light on as bright as you need, you are reducing the amount of electricity you use.

Save on Light Bulbs

By reducing how much you use your light bulbs, you are going to prolong their life, which will save you money. You can add years to your bulb’s life simply by adjusting the dimmer.

Freedom to Control Ambiance of the Room

Light plays a huge role in the overall ambiance of a room. When you are enjoying an intimate dinner, low light is appropriate. When you have lots of kids and a more lively dinner, you want plenty of light to see what is happening. A dimmer switch gives you complete control of the light setting.

If you would like to have a dimmer switch installed, call your electrician. Santa Monica homeowners may need to upgrade their older light fixtures to accommodate light bulbs that are suitable for dimmers. Not all CFLs or LEDs can be connected to a dimmer switch. Give The Electric Connection a call today to learn more about what you need to have a dimmer switch installed in your home.

If you are looking for a place to escape from life’s every day hustle and bustle,Look for IP (Ingress Protection) rated fixtures that are waterproof, meaning dust-tight and protected against long immersion in water, rather than simply “water safe” or “wet location safe” options.  Waterproof fixtures are meant to be submerged and will prevent water from entering them due to sealed assembly.  Take the precaution to ensure that your fixtures will meet all safety and application standards for an underwater environment prior to purchase or installation.

Ingress Protection (IP) ratings specify the environmental protection the enclosure provides.

The IP rating normally has two (or three) numbers:

An “X” can used for one of the digits if there is only one class of protection, i.e. IPX1 which addresses protection against vertically falling drops of water e.g. condensation.

IP First number – Protection against Solid Objects

IP Second number – Protection against Liquids

Voltage Requirements

When weighing your options on which type of fixture to choose, cost, convenience, and the size of your project are important. If one were to complete a large project for the grounds of a grand hotel, for example, line voltage (120V) would be the ideal option as vast distances may exist between the focal point and the fixture itself.

While it’s also true that standard incandescent bulbs can be found at virtually any hardware or household goods store, in an age where environmental awareness is important to daily life, technology and the public are moving in tandem towards different solutions. Since line voltage lighting consumes much more energy and will typically require the expertise of a licensed electrician, more homeowners are choosing low voltage (12V) options. Low voltage fixtures are notably the safer and less hazardous of the two choices, are often smaller, and easier to conceal within a natural landscape. They also have the added benefit of lower cost over time. Note that a transformer is required to convert to the lower voltage for fixtures which will be used underwater. You may also make use of photocells and timers to save on electricity consumption costs even further.

Let’s take a look at some examples of the different types of submersible low voltage products available today:

Low Voltage Halogen

This LED lights consume approximately 75% less power than incandescent units for the same amount of light output. This amounts to a sizeable savings over their life span. Moreover, standard underwater LED fixtures consume about 1/5 of the power as standard incandescent bulbs!

Besides energy savings, the nature of LED production makes them ideal for underwater applications. There are no bulbs to change as LED fixtures typically come in a permanently sealed housing. Sealed construction means underwater lights may be left in a permanent location with no concerns about extra cable allowances, or making provisions to change bulbs. They should, however, be accessible in order to clean the lenses during regular pond maintenance.