Anyone who has undergone a home inspection on an older home has likely heard the term “GFCI” in regard to outlets. For many people this is a “huh?” or a “smile and nod” type of moment. If you did rudimentary online research and still don’t really understand what the heck GFCI is, why it’s important, or why you should care, then read on for an understandable explanation, courtesy of our residential electricians.

Ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets may sound foreign, but they are actually very recognizable; have you ever noticed a couple of buttons on a power outlet? That is a clear sign of a GFCI outlet, and those buttons are made to test the integral function that differentiates this type of outlet from the standard version. Basically, GFCI outlets can very quickly perceive when power that was put out is not going to the correct place and can very quickly trip the breaker to shut off the outlet, potentially preventing injury, fire, etc.

These protective outlets can go pretty much anywhere, and they used to not be required to go in any particular places. Now, they are typically required in bathrooms, kitchen counter areas, in and around swimming pools, on external outlets, and many more specific residential areas. Basically, GFCI outlets are required anywhere that appliances used can come in contact with water (ie, kitchen counter, bathroom, in the event of snowfall piling against an external outlet, etc). These outlets are becoming more and more standard throughout the home and could potentially become necessary for all outlets in new construction in the near future.

If your home was requested or required to comply with GFCI outlets, or if you are concerned that your family or home is at risk, please give us a call. As Des Moines’ Top Rated Local® residential electricians, we would be happy to help make your home a safer place.

The designer’s choice is Arteriors Home.  Experience the finest in home décor: chandeliers, lamps, wall décor, accessories and furniture from Arteriors Home.  The latest vendor to bring superbly crafted home lighting and accessories to 1800lighting.com.

Arteriors Home is one of the best lighting and home accessory resources in America.  Come see exquisite new lamps, chandeliers, wall décor and novel accent pieces and get acquainted with Arteriors at 1800lighting.com.

Arteriors Home offers a large selection of traditional, casual and modern lamps, as well as, original and trend worthy accent furniture.  All new product lines and designer collections incorporate original and artistic concepts developed from around the world. With a fashion forward and irresistible appeal, Arteriors at 1800lighting.com provides artistic lighting compostions for the most distinguished consumers.

Ceiling fixtures include jeweled items, substantial chromed and brass-plated finishing, and exquisite glass elements.  Chandeliers feature unique configurations and compositions highlighting natural elements intertwined with fine metalwork.  Be sure to check out innovative lamps and chandeliers featuring seashells, ornate chains and carved wood that are brilliantly crafted into the latest home lighting designs!

Matching families of ceiling light fixtures are available in a choice of five sizes, many of which have matching wall sconces for a complete fluid lighting design.

Do you need more space for a growing family? One of the tradeoffs to buying a larger home is having to pay more in utility costs for heating, cooling and other appliance use. However, advances in energy efficiency mean that you can offset some of that increased consumption. That means you save money and worry less about your energy use, even if you just bought the mansion you always dreamed of.

Bigger Houses and Bigger Households

We like our homes bigger. The average American home size has grown  20 percent since 1980, and we've been filling those homes with ever more electricity-dependent devices, like televisions, computers and household appliances. Fortunately, over 70 percent of the growth in household and building size has been offset by efficiency improvements, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Total energy use by U.S. households inched up each year between 1980 and 2009, the EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey reports. That is because of various reasons, including more households, larger households and a trend toward bigger houses. However, consumption per square foot actually dropped by 37 percent during that time period -- and if it hadn't, the total increase would have been considerably higher.

Residential energy accounted for 21 percent of total U.S. consumption in 2012 so the cumulative savings are significant. The numbers are astronomical -- residential usage increased from 9.3 quadrillion BTUs (British thermal units) in 1980 to 10.2 quadrillion by 2012 -- and without additional efficiency measures the total would have increased by another 3.6 quadrillion BTUs.

Multifaceted Efficiency Efforts

There are numerous factors driving the efficiency revolution: Stricter consumer appliance standards, local building codes geared toward efficiency and federal tax credits, in addition to awareness outreach programs and labeling efforts like the federal Energy Star program have all contributed to the reduction in consumption per square foot.

If you want to save the most energy, smaller is always better when it comes to houses. There's less space to heat and less to cool. However, if you need the extra space, take heart knowing that technological and behavioral improvements mean that a large house doesn't gobble up nearly as much energy as you might expect.

For more ideas on how to decrease your consumption, ask a home services expert to evaluate your home. He or she can help you find new ways to save no matter the size of your home.

Call local Mister Sparky® for more energy efficiency tips and advice. We're always here to help!

Hurricane Sandy is making her presence known in MD, DC, and VA. Downed trees, flooding, and even snowfall are causing serious problems for people in the area. Millions are without power throughout the Northeast. Hurricane Sandy is not the first, nor will it be the last, powerful storm to hit the area. This is a perfect time to consider investing in a home or commercial standby backup generator, which is a permanently installed fixture.

Kolb Electric is a leading installer of home standby backup generators. This type of generator is permanently installed on a gravel bed or concrete pad next to your house. The benefits of investing in a home standby backup generator include:

Here at Kolb Electric, we’ve also completed numerous commercial standby backup generators. We’ve heard the same thing over and over again from business owners in the area in terms of what they’re looking for in a backup generator:

Standby backup generators allow homes and businesses to continue normal, everyday operations. Hurricane Sandy is a real wakeup call to MD, DC, and VA that the area is vulnerable to inclement weather conditions. To protect your home or business from future power outages, contact Kolb Electric to schedule a home or commercial standby backup generator installation.