There was a time not too long ago when gas and electricity costs weren’t really a topic of concern at all. Keeping in view expenses such as mortgage payments, insurance etc, energy bills faded in comparison. However, that is no longer the case today. Energy costs have become a major concern for property owners and the need of the hour is for energy – efficient solutions to be incorporated into the home.

And there is no dearth of these types of solutions. Ranging from LED bulbs, use of solar energy, smart lighting, optimum insulation, use of energy-efficient building materials, switching from standard ovens to convection ovens, people are trying everything in the book to coax their energy bills to drop a little bit. While all these measures are definitely helpful in bringing down energy consumption, there is one more thing consumers can do to keep a handle on their energy bills- use smart lighting schedules!

Energy providers in Australia charge consumers a variety of rates; this is based on the type of meter in the house and the manner in which energy is used in peak & off-peak periods. There is no standard rule here as different retailers maintain different energy rates. The one way to get a much reduced rate is to opt for a long-term energy contract. It’s important to shop around a bit as the difference in rates between providers can be significant.

Off peak times are those when businesses and homes typically use less electricity. The off peak time is dependent on your meter type and location; however, these are typically on weekends and/or at night. When consumers use electricity in busy peak times, it burdens the electricity networks in the country. It’s also why energy usage in the off-peak hours is charged at much lower rates. This is the way consumers are encouraged to use power outside busy hours.

There is another definition of off-peak rates. This can refer to the electricity used by a particular appliance on a dedicated circuit. For instance the electric hot water system in your house could be on a separate circuit and will be billed separately, on the off peak rates your service provider is offering. It’s possible to leverage this off-peak rate to reduce energy costs in your home. You can use interval metering or off-peak hot water to benefit from these lower rates at set times of the day and the weekends.

If you are considering using smart scheduling, it’s important that you contact your energy provider and find out if it’s something they accommodate and what you are required to do. For advice on smart metering and other electrical installation services, call Allround Electrical at 1300 169 263. You can also drop us a line via email.

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If you need someone to help you with wiring, installing a light fixture, or updating your fuse box or electrical panel, you know that you need an electrician. Such jobs require special training and skill and are generally too dangerous to be done as DIY projects. However, you probably don’t know what type of electrician you need or even that there are different types of electricians out there with different levels of qualifications.

Licensed electricians fall into two main categories—journeymen electricians and master electricians. A journeyman electrician has:

This training qualifies him or her to work alone on most electrical installations and repairs and on both homes and businesses.

A master electrician has built upon his or her knowledge as a journeyman electrician to reach the most prestigious level of the electrical profession. In order to become a master electrician, a person must first become a journeyman electrician and work in that capacity for a number of years (the time varies by state). After that time, an electrician can become a master electrician by taking additional training and passing a master electrician licensing exam. To keep this designation, a master electrician is required to complete a set number of hours of continuing education courses each year on topics such as new code requirements, products, and procedures.

In addition to the work of a journeyman electrician, a master electrician can supervise a crew of journeymen and work as a building inspector. As a DC-area homeowner, you’d want to hire a master electrician if you were having your entire house rewired or undergoing another extensive project. If your job requires more than one electrician to complete the project, you will likely be set up with a master electrician along with journeymen electricians.

At Kolb Electric, we employ both journeymen and master electricians, with only the top skills and credentials. We understand that you probably aren’t familiar with the different types of electricians, so we’re careful to send out only the best person for your particular job.

To learn more about our team of electricians and their qualifications, call us at 877 287-1179 or contact us online to schedule your appointment. We’ve been helping Mid-Atlantic homeowners with their electrical needs since 1925 and have both journeymen electricians and master electricians on staff to provide you with the best technical expertise for your project at the best cost.

The MD, DC, and VA area is known for getting slammed with violent and powerful thunderstorms that produce severe lightning. Electrical surges, which are caused by lightning, can wreak havoc on your expensive electronics and appliances.

A lightning strike that hits a power line several miles away from your house can impact all your electronic items. Whole-house surge protection is the best option you have to protect your home electronics and wiring from the damage caused by lightning strikes.

Everyone from the National Fire Protection Association to the Institute for Business and Home Safety recommends the use of whole-house surge protection. As a homeowner, the good news for you is that protection is readily available, and even top-of-the-line solutions are affordable. The gold standard in whole-house surge protection is a two-tiered system—a whole-house surge protective device, or SPD, installed at the circuit breaker box, and plug-in SPDs on individual outlets. A whole-house SPD can protect against up to 40,000 amps of current flowing into your home from the outside; normal household power is between 200 to 300 amps. When an electrical surge occurs as a result of a lightning strike, the device detects the excess current and safely diverts it through the house’s grounding path. Whole-house surge protection provides homeowners in MD, DC, and VA peace of mind when a powerful thunderstorm passes the area.

Whole-house surge protection can typically be installed in a home for around $200—it’s an easy job for a top electrician. The cost of replacing electronic equipment in an average home is a whopping $8,000, and it may be even higher for homes in MD, DC, and VA. Whole-house surge protection is cheap insurance against electrical surges caused by lightning strikes. It provides a layer of protection to all the electronic items in your home.

To ensure complete safety, Kolb Electric recommends that you allow a qualified, experienced electrician to complete the wiring for whole-house surge protection—there are several steps involved that are best left to a professional.

If you require surge protection wiring or want a full whole-house surge protection installation, contact Kolb Electric.

A gentleman named Houston sent me this. What do you think about it? Does it apply to electricians in Los Angeles and around the Untied States?

We are nearing a renaissance of electrical contracting. Software Advice, a website that reviewselectrical estimating software, thinks the electrician will soon transition into an “energy contractor” to meet demand of the growing green construction market. This growth is being fueled by increased adoption of green and renewable energy technologies among homeowners and corporations.

Who will be there to retrofit these buildings? Electrical contractors will play a major role in these upgrades. However, they’ll need to “green” their skill set in order to take advantage of opportunities.

To start, electricians should get versed on electric- and energy-related LEED credits. LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” a program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to rate green buildings. LEED projects are growing just as fast as the rest of the green construction market, so this is one of the areas electricians will be able to “cash in.”

Additionally, electricians should consider becoming a LEED accredited professional (AP). A LEED AP is a certification given to individuals once they pass an AP exam. The credential signifies an advanced depth of knowledge in green building practices. LEED projects get an extra point for having an AP on the job, which could be a selling-point when bidding on jobs.

To read more, visit: The Coming Renaissance of Electrical Contracting