Nuclear energy is often thought to be a bad idea; however, there are several different advantages to using this style of energy. There is a huge array of benefits over other forms of energy, including wind, hydroelectric, solar, and coal. Many people claim that nuclear power is bad for the environment; however, if used correctly it can be incredibly efficient.

Surprisingly nuclear power is far more energy efficient than many other forms of alternative energy, and materials which are needed can be found easily. The plants, which are built to house the nuclear energy, are cheap to run and incredibly safe. There have been accidents in the past; however, today, nuclear power plants have strict guidelines.

There are of course risks with this form of producing energy; however, these risks are less than the risks surrounding other forms of energy supply. The unique advantages, which nuclear power has over alternative energy sources, guarantee that it remains popular. This highly concentrated form of energy requires very little fuel.

The waste, which is produced from the nuclear energy, is also incredibly small, ensuring that there are no problems caused by the plants. In fact, the waste, which is produced, can be used as a fuel for the next stage in the production of energy. The nuclear industry ensures that they practice responsible manufacturing at all times. The nuclear power is stored safely at all times, with no adverse effect on the environment.

The area of land, which the nuclear energy plant requires is incredibly small and can be placed in unique areas. Many of the other alternative energy resources require huge plots of land, which can be a problem in some countries. Hydroelectricity will also submerge vast amounts of fertile land, causing a loss of valuable assets.

You will also discover that nuclear power is incredibly sustainable, which has the full potential of serving mankind for many thousands of years. When fossil fuels have vanished, this form of energy will continue to be produced. The fuel is also incredibly economical to produce, which is ideal for producing energy at an affordable price for everyone.

The base load to the grid can perform every single day, regardless of the conditions in the air, and what temperatures it is where the plant is positioned. Solar, wind and hydroelectricity, are all affected by weather conditions.

With the challenges, today that many people face, you will discover that alternative energy can have issues. Therefore, you may need to consider nuclear energy and research all of the different benefits which there are with this energy source. This style of power is a clean and pollution free way to produce the energy, which you need.

Few of us can imagine living without electricity. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it powers our lives, from our heating and cooling systems to our communications networks to our cooking appliances. But electricity can also be a dangerous friend. You don’t want to tackle any but the simplest electrical issues yourself. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, more than 55,000 house fires are caused each year by electrical systems installed or worked on by someone who isn’t a licensed electrician.

The secret to keeping your home safe is knowing when to call an electrician and when you can do it yourself.

Even the most modern, well-maintained home or building can have electrical problems. If you’re wondering when to call an electrician, we recommend you pick up the phone when you encounter these issues:

New Electrical Installations

If you’re building a new house, garage, or home addition, it’s important to start with proper wiring. A good electrical contractor will safely wire your home according to local building codes and work with you to understand your needs and how you’ll be using the space—ensuring that the electrical system will address those needs.

If you’re adding a new laundry area to your new addition, for assistance, you’ll want special outlets installed for all of those appliances. Will you be installing wall sconces in your new house? Your electrician can help with that too.

When it’s time to call an electrician for your Montgomery County home or business, there’s only one name you need to know: Kolb Electric! All of our workers are licensed electricians, and we’ve been helping area homeowners like you with their electric needs for nearly 90 years.

Kolb Electric is a full-service electrical contractor, and we are happy to tackle any household or commercial electrical project, from installing a new outlet to rewiring an entire house. We cheerfully offer free, fair estimates as well as 24-hour emergency service, seven days a week. To learn more about how Kolb Electric can solve your electrical needs in the DC metro area, and/or to schedule an appointment for our services, call us at 877 287-1179.

Sale posters and coupons aren’t the only ways to make sales. You can use lights to your advantage, too. LED retail lighting can be used to create an environment that makes shoppers feel welcome and caters to their needs and expectations. Use LED store lighting to draw people in, to keep them focused, to guide them throughout your store, and to save money. There are so many ways that the right lighting can be beneficial to customer satisfaction and sales. Take a look at the following list of do’s and don’ts to achieve store lighting that will help you reach your goals.

There’s more to effective LED retail lighting than meets the eye. Creating an efficient lighting system that looks how you want while promoting products, making customers feel comfortable, and, in turn, increasing sales involves knowing the technical details of potential bulbs and fixtures. These details include efficacy, color-rendering index (CCT), and intensity.

Intensity/Lumens

In the past, the brightness of incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, or high-intensity discharge (HID) lights was measured by wattage. Now, a common method for measuring brightness is lumens. The higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb. Comparable wattage is always listed on our product pages for compatible products. If you’re upgrading from incandescent to LED and want a bulb or fixture that’s similar in brightness, you can use lumens for an estimate of what incandescent wattage would be. Simply remove the last number of the lumen value. The number that’s left represents estimated incandescent wattage. As an example, an LED light that emits 600 lumens is approximately as bright as a 60-watt incandescent bulb.

Efficacy

As a business owner or manager, you’re most likely concerned with getting the biggest bang for your buck. By paying attention to efficacy, you can make sure that you get the most light for the amount of power the bulb or fixture consumes. Efficacy is the amount of visible light that is produced with a certain amount of power (watts). You can determine the efficacy of a product by dividing its lumens by the watts it consumes. For example, a bulb that emits 480 lumens and consumes eight watts of power (480/8) has an efficacy of 60 lumens per watt. A bulb with this efficacy would be a much better option than one that emits 480 lumens at 12 watts.

CCT

CCT indicates the hue and tone of white light emitted from a specific bulb or fixture. CCT is measured in Kelvins (K), which is similar to degrees in Celsius. Different temperatures on the Kelvin scale represent different colors. For example, light at 2000K-3500K looks more orange/yellow and is called ultra warm or warm white, and as temperature increases in Kelvins, color changes to more of a “paper white” known as natural or neutral white (between 3500K and 5100K) and finally into a bluish-white known as cool white (5100K+).

The color temperature you choose will depend on the mood and shopping experience you want to give your customers. A retailer like Hollister for instance, who strives to create a laid-back, relaxed atmosphere, utilizes warm white and even ultra-warm white lights. Add on the cozy furniture setup and music and it’s clear that the goal is to get customers to hang out, relax, and spend more time in their store. Logic says that the more time you spend in a store, the higher the chances are that you’ll buy something.

Bed Bath and Beyond, on the other hand, uses a different approach to make sales. Their stores are filled with bright natural white light to showcase the wide variety of products that they offer. Customers are going to struggle in a store like BBB if it’s dimly lit. Knowing whether or not a shirt looks good is a lot different than buying new pots and pans. Dim light is flattering and more forgiving when customers are trying on clothes, but it won’t help you read whether or not your pans are dishwasher safe or scratch resistant. The lighting you choose should mesh well with the products you’re trying to sell. Using lighting to set the mood is a great idea so long as that mood doesn’t impact a customer’s ability to shop.

One of any retailer’s main goals when choosing lighting is to make sales. Use light to your advantage when trying to highlight certain things or create visual appeal. Make it obvious where new arrivals or sale items are. Use light to create a path that will guide customers through your entire store. Use LED sign modules for your store window or LED light boxes that feature your products. Anything unique, whether it’s cove lighting, lighting under a set of shelves, decorative light fixtures, or simply how you arrange your lights, is more likely to catch someone’s eye.

There are so many retail lighting options to choose from. Take a look at the list below to see some of the possibilities.

LED tube lights for fluorescent light fixtures

LED strips or puck lights for display case and shelf lighting

Retrofit can lights

Sign modules for store windows or creating custom signs

Canopy lights for outdoor overhangs

If your floor plan is constantly changing, it might be best to install a retail lighting system that can be changed as well. Track lights or gimbal and eyeball can lights can all be aimed in different directions. Depending on the products you’ll be displaying, you might also want to order new bulbs of varying intensities or color temperatures for these fixtures.

There are numerous places that are easy to overlook when planning your retail lighting project. Don’t forget the fitting rooms. This is where shoppers ultimately decide if a clothing item will work for them. Natural or warm white light is best, and a high-CRI LED light will show colors most accurately.

Illuminate aisles to guide customers through the store. Shoppers shouldn’t feel like they’re lost in a maze. Give them a sense of direction to know how to get where they want to go.

Don’t make it hard for customers to leave your store. Use LED light bulbs for exit sign backlighting and spotlighting. These lights are especially important during power outages or in emergencies.

If you’re putting your products on shelves, overhang from other shelves can cause shadows or limit light to the area. LED strip lights are a great solution for this. They have adhesive backings for easy installation, and most can be cut to fit the area that needs lighting. If you’re not crazy about the look of a strip under your shelves or if you want to eliminate hot spots (bright points of light), you can create your own LED strip light fixture using an aluminum channel and diffusing lens.

Make sure the checkout and customer service areas can be found easily in your store. Use different lighting or more lighting to make it stand out. Get creative with LED strip light fixtures around the counter, an edge-lit sign, or a custom-printed LED light box.

You might think that your parking lot has nothing to do with sales, but that is incorrect. If your parking lot is dimly lit, your store is not only less visible, but it’s also not as safe as it could be. A poorly lit parking lot can make customers feel uncomfortable and can lead to accidents. It can also be a problem for capturing security footage.  

blog post for more information.

To see more retail lighting options, visit our commercial lighting category, indoor and outdoor LED lights can also be found in our light box, fixtures, landscape categories.

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.

If you have had your electric car for a while you have probably enjoyed saving on your weekly gas bill. Of course that is if your car is charged and ready to go when you are. If it is always on low-charge, you are relying on gasoline and the savings you could be experiencing is nowhere near what it should be. This is usually because people are trying to use a Level I charger to keep up with their busy lives. If you want to have a car that can keep up with you and your busy schedule, give your electrician in Beverly Hills a call. At The Electric Connection, we have experienced electricians who can help you get what you need to make your car more economical.

If you are ready to make your work for you, look into buying a Level II electric car charger. These chargers require less than half the time to get your car fully charged. The slower trickle charger typically needs a full 24 hours to get your car charged. The faster charger only needs 6 to 8 hours. Because it is a faster system, it requires more juice. This means you need a 240-volt outlet. A Beverly Hills electrician will need to install this outlet. They are not standard in the garage or carport.

Before the outlet can be installed the electrician will need to do an inspection of your electric panel to make sure there is room for the additional breaker needed to power the outlet. Most new houses will have the room. If your home is older, an electric panel upgrade will be needed. This is something your electrician will discuss with you. If you would like to take the first step in getting your home ready for your new Level II electric car charging station, give The Electric Connection a call today.