If you cut back on your energy usage, you will be a happier person -- and not just because of all the money you'll save on your electricity bill. It turns out many of the activities that make people happier, like sleeping and socializing, are those that involve little or no household energy. That's according to a study released by the University of California at Berkeley that found that a blissful lifestyle is perfectly congruent with a low carbon footprint.

"A number of the least energy intensive activities that I found -- sleeping, socializing, hobbies, and so forth -- are enriching personally," study author John Kantenbacher told the Washington Post. "So they make people happy to do them, but they also are relatively low consuming activities."

The report breaks down five of the most beneficial activities and how they help save energy:

So the next time someone asks you why you are so happy, just smile and tell them it's because of your energy-efficient lifestyle.

Custom Electrical Services was recently voted for first place for Urbandale and Johnston area as best electrician!  The pole was taken by USA Today Best, and was presented by the Des Moines Register.  The voting is segmented into different areas by city.  Not all areas have the polls closed as of date.  The Urbandale and Johnston closed on September 27th, 2016.  The Des Moines metro voting closes on October 11th, 2016.  Custom Electrical Services would like to thank all the Urbandale and Johnston residence who took the time to vote.  We are proud to serve the Urbandale and Johnston area 24 / 7 as well as all of central Iowa!

We take pride in our work.  Our track record supports this.  Our electricians are not only licensed.  They receive special training that gives them superior customer service skills compared to other electricians.  We work hard to provide the best customer service experience possible.  Our electricians understand that your home is your castle.  They show respect for you and your property.  We are not your typical electrician that comes out and says your project is going to cost X.  We take the time to evaluate your entire electrical system as well as perform our full page safety inspection.  This provides a TON of added value to our service.  When is the last time someone took your panel cover off and inspected all your connections?  Most customers say not since I have lived here!  Electrical connections can loosen over time.  Wiring can expand and retract as loads fluctuate on the circuits, this expansion and loosen the connections inside your panel or breaker box.  Loose connections can leave to excessive arching and can cause fires.

Who are you letting into your home?  Our electricians receive an extensive background check.  We are not going to send a criminal into your home.  We realize the delicate nature of having strangers come into your home.  While you may not personally know the electrician you can rest assured we do!  Our background checked electricians are team members, not sub contractors.  We employee them full time and work one on one with them on a daily basis.  We work with them to develop the best customer experience possible.  We want you to feel comfortable with having our trained service technician in your home so you can be just as comfortable as we are with them.

In addition to a 3rd party background check our electricians receive drug testing.  You would not a person on drugs drive your kids to school!  So you defiantly don’t want an electrician on drugs performing wiring in your home!  Are drug tested and background checked electricians were the seal of safety.  This seal is worn with pride and taken very seriously.  When you see the seal of safety on our electricians uniform you know that you are working with a safe professional.

This Old House on how to use them in your home application.

1. THEY SAVE ENERGY

Yes, you’ve heard it a million times, but it’s true – LED is changing the future of lighting around the world. Residential LEDs — especially ENERGY STAR rated products — use at least 75% less energy, and last 25 times longer, than standard incandescent lights. They are also used in developing countries with no access to electricity to help people study, complete tasks and increase their own safety.

2. THEY ARE GREAT FOR COMMERCIAL USE AND RESIDENCES ALIKE

LED technology is advancing so rapidly that there is hardly an application not suited for it.  Because of their highly efficient and directional nature, LEDs are ideal for many industrial uses. You have most certainly seen them used in in street and roadway lights, parking garages, parks and stadiums, refrigerated case lighting, modular lighting, and task lighting.

Luxurious lighting styles are in the eye of the beholder. It can be an over-the-top glamorous chandelier with ornate details to a simple and clean glass globe lighting pendant with a singular, classic antique bulb. Whatever luxury lighting means to you, it can be attained without breaking the bank if you carefully shop and compare.

Traditional Luxury

The foyer might be a best place to start your luxury lighting quest, as it’s where you greet your guests. Consider large-in-scale pendants, which make a statement in what could otherwise be a plain space.

The Socorro lighting collection by Sea Gull Lighting is influenced by a classic, barbed Quatrefoil shape. Its rustic look is created by both Cerused Oak and Stardust finishes. Pictured here is the six-light foyer pendant.

Modern Luxury

As many homeowners use their kitchen as a central gathering place, here, too, presents an opportunity to showcase your idea of luxury lighting. Imagine family and friends clustered around a kitchen island, where a carefully placed pendant—or two or three—could become a conversation piece. Here, these stunning, modern Lexi three-light pendants from Feiss draw the eye upward to its textured crystals floating within a laser cut frame. A White Shantung silk shade sits within the crystal drum while a glass diffuser softens the light.

Contemporary Luxury

You might think an opulent chandelier or a cluster of colorful pendants are expensive, but there are many affordable versions that will still add a “wow” factor.  If your dining room is used for special occasions, you might consider something bold. The Carondelet four-light chandelier from Sea Gull Lighting features a cascade of faceted, linear glass crystals delivering the ultimate sparkle. Hanging them in a pair is an affordable way to make a luxurious and indelible impact.

Glamorous Luxury

With the eggplant color paint, plush silver rug and other modern furnishings, this living room is the perfect backdrop for the Marquise Collection by Feiss. Designed to follow the cut of a marquise diamond, the lighting collection has a delicate, exposed metal frame adorned with a silver leaf application—then it’s finished with a string of hand-applied beading to capture the light. Shown here are the Marquise three-light pendant and one-light wall sconce.

Hollywood Regency Luxury

The Hollywood Regency style is very popular, as it harkens back to era when heroes such as Greta Garbo and Douglas Fairbanks graced the Silver Screen, and the nation’s total wealth more than doubled. Note how the Burdeen sconces by Feiss flanking the window and soaking tub enhance this spa-like look with their glass etched backplates and three candelabra lights. There’s also a one-light Burdeen sconce that’s even more affordable.

Mountain Luxe

Mountain Luxe design could be easily defined as mountain lodge meets high rise penthouse—creating a perfect place to nestle by the fireplace while sipping a hot toddy. The unusual coupling of dark and light fashioned into a lovely round silhouette in this six-light Colorado Springs semi-flush ceiling fixture by Feiss embodies Mountain Luxe with its clear glass crystals floating in metal rings, which are then threaded onto a chain and strung into its drum shade.

PRO TIP: Be it traditional to transitional or contemporary to modern, to achieve the luxury look you want in your home seek out affordably-priced, high quality looks that emulate more expensive designs. Think “Get the Look” feature stories that run in magazines such as Glamour where high priced clothing is compared to low priced clothing with the same aesthetic. It works!

One of the biggest hazards of your home electrical system is the possibility of an electric shock. Whether there is an accident during an electrician’s work or there is exposed wiring that could shock someone inadvertently, this is a hazard that can cause serious injury and even death. Fortunately, by installing a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), you can help limit the exposure to shock and minimize the danger. Read on to learn more about GFCIs and how they work.

Limit the Danger of Electrocution

Electricity is always trying to find its way to the ground any way it can. Unfortunately, sometimes the most convenient path is through a human body. That's why if you touch a live wire, the current will likely run through you on its path downward. The consequences of electric shocks can include burns, heart arrhythmia, nervous system damage and death. That's why it's essential to protect yourself from shocks around your home, especially if you are using electrical equipment that is likely to contact water.

Ground fault circuit interrupters work by constantly monitoring the amount of current running through a circuit. The instant that the current level returning from the circuit drops below the level going out – which could indicate that the electricity is escaping to the ground, possibly through a human – the GFCI trips and cuts off the power. The device should kick in in as little as 1/40 of a second, potentially saving  you, your family member or your electrician from electrocution.

Where to Install Your GFCI

There are three types of GFCIs available. One is the receptacle type, usually in the form of electric outlets with small black and red switches built in. You can also purchase portable GFCIs to plug into any outlet, and some electricians actually build the GFCI into the home circuit breaker. Any GFCI should have a test button so you can make sure it is working properly before using it – a well-functioning GFCI should trip as soon as you plug in a malfunctioning tool, saving you from even a minor shock.

Ground fault circuit interrupters aren't ideal for every circumstance – very long circuits, permanent motors and fluorescent lights are all prone to tripping the GFCI even when there is no danger. On the other hand, GFCIs can provide crucial protection in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and other areas where water could compromise a circuit, and are also useful when using power tools around water.

Protect Your Family from Electric Hazards

It's relatively easy to install outlets that have GFCI protection, and it could end up saving your life. If you are interested in installing ground fault circuit interrupters in your house, contact an expert electrician today.