As energy costs continue to climb, and many people become more concern with their overall impact on the environment, solar power has become a serious consideration for more homeowners than ever before. When choosing to have solar installers install solar panels on your home, one of the first things that you need to do is get a good estimate of your home’s average energy usage. You can then work closely with your installer to determine the size of solar power system that works best for your home.

Gather Your InformationThe easiest way to get an estimate for your home’s average energy consumption is to gather your electric bills for the last year. You can then add all of the kilowatt-hours (kWh) that you used each month and divide this number by 12. This will give you the average number of kWh that you used each month. You can then divide this number by 30 to get a daily usage estimate. Because the average number of peak sun hours in the United States is 5 hours, you can divide this daily estimate by 5 to get an idea of how much electricity your system will need to generate each day during these peak sun hours.

Naturally, the number that you arrive to by this process is only an estimate. The cost of solar panels depends largely on the size of the system that you install. The estimate that you create will give you and your solar installers a good place to start when it comes to determining the size of your solar power system. If you are looking for more information about solar panels, the installation process, purchase and finance options, take a look at the rest of the information that we have available here at Solar Panel Info.

Adequate surge protection does not begin and end with point-of-use power strips. Multiple layers of protection are necessary to safeguard your sensitive appliances and electronic devices. You’ve invested a great deal of money in them - now you need to protect them.

Whole house surge protection, installed between street power lines and your home, or between your meter and breaker box, offer your appliances the protection they need against today’s common but unexpected spikes and surges. Diverting excess power to ground, these devices protect both your electronics and your wallet from the dangers of spikes and surges that could leave you with smoking gear and a hefty replacement bill.

Because a whole house surge protector cannot handle 100 percent of surges, you need backup. That’s where point-of-use surge protection devices with power conditioners come in. Installed at individual outlets in your home, these devices also shed excess voltage through ground in the event a spike or surge overcomes your whole house surge protector. They also have the added benefit of noise filtering. There are two types: less expensive models that are destroyed internally – but preserve your gear – in the event of a surge, and more expensive models that can handle all but the most extreme surges without destruction.

Have you ever been watching TV or listening to the radio when someone in an adjacent room operates a blender or vacuum? Oftentimes the result will be static on your TV or an annoying buzz emitting from speakers courtesy of “noise” transmitted through the electrical lines in your home. That’s where a power conditioner comes in.

Those cheap $20 power strips from your local retail store are not the same as a surge protector with a power conditioner. While cheaper, this is definitely an instance where you get what you pay for - a couple extra outlets and some minor surge protection. In the event of a major event, however, they can fail your appliances and sometimes catch fire. Premium, point-of-use surge protection with power conditioning not only adequately protects your appliances from surges, but also:

Protect your gear and run at peak performance with help from the perfect team. Have surge protection and power conditioning equipment installed in your home with the help of Mr. Electric® today.

Pendant lights are popular among many home designs. These versatile ceiling pendants unequivocally fit the bill in a variety of zones where points of light and design converge. Adding ceiling pendants over the kitchen island has been a design element we’ve seen and loved for a while, but interior designers and trendsetters are taking it a step further. We are starting to see designs incorporating unique, stylish pendants over dining tables, above the bath vanity, over the dressing table, by your favorite reading chair and over chic desks.

Whether your lighting design taste sways toward sparkling crystal or rustic farmhouse, selecting the correct size and number of pendants is key to creating a space that is both functional and beautiful.

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.

Regardless of whether you’re a burgeoning chef or someone who prefers to keep it simple, you rely on your stove day after day to help you prepare meals for your family or friends. Make sure your home is equipped with the right kind of stove – either gas or electric. If you grew up using only a gas or electric stove, you may be partial to that one. However, it’s important to know the difference between the two so that you can know for sure if you’re missing out on certain qualities you could benefit from.

If you have little ones, you may prefer to use an electric stove, as a gas stove produces visible flames that could harm their tiny hands. On the other hand, if you’re a cooking savant, you may prefer to use a gas stove for its accuracy and versatility. If you’re considering replacing your stove soon, take these factors into consideration.

A stove should last you on average 13 years; therefore, it’s important to invest in one that you will love. After all, you’re going to be stuck with it for quite some time. On average an electric stove will run anywhere from $450 to $2,800, while its gas counterpart will run from $400 to $2,500. The price difference between a gas stove and electric stove is close to negligible. This is why it’s important to take into account the operating costs of each type.

Consider your state’s natural gas cost and compare it to the electricity rate. In most states, natural gas costs less than electricity, which would indicate a lower operating cost.

Before purchasing a new stove, take note of what all you like to cook, as well as how often you cook. An electric stove takes longer to heat up and doesn’t respond as quickly to temperature changes. Further, if you’re a chef, you won’t be able to char, toast, or flambé your food. A gas stove reacts almost instantaneously, allowing for efficiency and accuracy. If you’re the kind of person who prefers take-out then your best option may be an electric stove.