Although there are many options out there for heating your home, electric heating options have become one of the most popular solutions in many areas of the country. It is generally clean, low-maintenance heating that gives off no soot or fumes associated with combustible heat sources. It is also much less expensive to install in both existing homes and new construction. Once installed, however, electrical heating can be more expensive than gas or other heat sources.

Often in addition to a central heating system, electrical heat sources are placed in homes to provide additional heat to areas that need it. This can by done by any homeowner, and generally requires no help from an electrician unless there’s the need to have additional electrical outlets installed. While this type of heating can be somewhat efficient if used properly, unchecked small heaters can lead to excessive energy usage. To prevent this, you should only use portable heaters if they have a built-in thermostat. You can also find heaters that will turn themselves on and off according to a schedule. These advanced features are more expensive, but can be very convenient.

The various types of electric heaters include:

Storage heaters are fairly large heating units, which are mounted to a wall and must typically be installed by an electrician. These heaters are unique, in that they generate heat during off-peak times so that your electrical bills remain low. They will then release that stored heat during the day. In order for this type of heater to work efficiently, special off-peak meters must be installed and agreements with your utility company must be made. This is one of the cheapest types of electrical heating to have installed, but it can be more expensive than other central heating options.

You can find a variety of fan heaters in nearly every store that you visit during the winter. This relatively cheap, portable solution can provide fast, portable heat to a small area. This makes them ideal for providing additional heat to areas that need it. Convector heaters are bigger than fan heaters, but provide more long lasting, even heat. While they take longer to heat up, they make little to no noise, which makes them much more appealing than heaters with noisy fans. There are many options available, most of which do not require the assistance of a licensed electrician.

Under floor heating is an excellent solution in many ways. If you are building a new home, this may be an especially great option for you. Because it can be very invasive, however, under floor heating is not recommended for pre-existing structures. Heat is generated and distributed through a network of electrical heating cables that are placed under your floors.

Another home or office heating methods that’s gaining popularity today is the electric fireplace. Because they require less maintenance than traditional wood or gas fireplaces, many people are choosing this aesthetically pleasing heating option. These fires provide various levels of heat, as well as a visually pleasing fire effect. Regardless of the electrical heating solution that you choose, make sure that you look into the different options and choose the one that is best suited for your needs. If you have any doubts or questions about the use and installation of an electrical heat source, get in touch with an electrician in Los Angeles, such as The Electric Connection. We are a licensed, bonded and insured Los Angeles electrician. We will be more than happy to discuss the different types of electrical heat sources that are available, as well as what the installation requirements would be.

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Any building, in any industry, in any area of the world, is susceptible to having potentially hazardous and radioactive exit signs installed throughout their building.

This could mean they are in schools, near your office, or anywhere else where a radioactive setting probably isn’t a desired situation to be in.

This is why we thought it was necessary to create this post to help and guide you towards identifying, removing, and finally replacing your radioactive exit signs with new signs that are much safer and even efficient, saving you money over other alternatives.

Firstly before we can remove and replace these seemingly nuclear exit signs, you have to be able to identify if you have them or not. But before that, lets explain what exactly makes these exit signs radioactive.

How are some exit signs radioactive?

Just the same way as some exit signs are safe, it is all in the way they are built. For some reason, whether it be technology of the time or something else, people assumed it was a good idea to create exit signs with Tritium, also known as 3H or H-3. Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, causing exit signs made with this to be radioactive by default. The only seemingly positive upside to these exit signs is that they are non-electrical, meaning they won’t rack up anything in electricity bills.

But before you become alarmed with what we have shared with you so far, tritium emits only a low-energy beta radiation, which in turn causes the sealed glass tube it is in to glow (causing the exit sign to give off the illumination it requires). Thankfully, it is rather well known that this type of radiation can hardly (if at all) penetrate a piece of paper or clothing. So while yes it is a very low level (energy wise) type of radiation, the fact that there are alternatives that will remove radiation entirely from your building is all the reason to uninstall your tritium exit signs and replace them with something more safe, like LED exit signs.

Now that you understand the technology and how tritium in exit signs work a little bit more, let’s go over how exactly you can identify whether or not you have these types of exit signs in your building.

Identifying a radioactive exit sign should be fairly easy. All of these signs are required to have some sort of “Caution of Radioactive Material” warning on the fixture.

If you do find such a warning label, it is safe to say your light is made of tritium. Another tell-tale sign is whether or not your signs are connected to an electrical source or not as tritium signs do not require any such connection.

Once you’ve identified if you have a tritium exit sign or not, if you do happen to have one, you may continue on to removing and replacing it with the alternative exit sign, LED.

As with any lighting fixture, we recommend to bring in a professional contractor to do the job. But as a general guideline, you can typically recycle your tritium signs by returning them to the manufacturer or place of purchase.

If you purchased the building with them pre-installed and are unsure of where they came from after inspection of the signs for any brand markings, you can try two things:

1: Try contacting the previous building owner or collect records of where they were manufactured

2: Recycle them with a third party. like these), buying them, then installing them yourself or with a professional (we recommend a professional).

Here are a few things you should remember and keep in mind when dealing with a building that has radioactive exit signs:

With spring upon us and summer just around the corner, you are probably itching to get the pool uncovered so you can host the first pool party of the season. Before you do that, you may want to consider upgrading, adding or replacing your existing pool lights. Pool lights add a certain quality to a pool while providing a layer of safety. However, there are several lights to choose from and you need to know which lights are best for your needs. An electrician in Beverly Hills has some tips for you to use when choosing your pool lights. If you have any other questions, you can call The Electric Connection.

There are two main options available for your pool lighting needs; in-ground and above ground. The above ground option is the cheapest. The in-ground tends to be a favorite simply because it provides a more uniform look.

Above Ground Options

Floating pool lights are inexpensive and do not require a Beverly Hills electrician to install. Simply pop the lights in the pool and it is done. The lights are festive, but they can interfere with swimming. You will also not have the benefit of the lights being stationary. It seems they tend to congregate and float to one area of the pool. For soft-sided pools, there are magnetic lights that stick to the side. These are again very easy to install and reliable. In Ground Options

LED bulbs are extremely bright and will last for around 10,000 hours. The lights are sealed in a waterproof housing. You can expect the bulbs to last anywhere from 10 to 15 years depending on how often the lights are used. Fiber optic lights are another option. However, they do tend to be much more expensive and the bulbs do not last nearly as long. In either case, you would need the pool lights installed by an electrician. Beverly Hills homeowners need to hire a professional to ensure the lights are installed safely and do not pose an electrical hazard. Give The Electric Connection a call today to schedule your pool light installation.

By Clarissa Allison | August 21st, 2015

The garage’s original purpose – protecting vehicles – has been transformed. Families inevitably use their garage as an additional storage,  work stations, and hobby/entertainment areas. Proper lighting is necessary to make the garage functional and complimentary to any equipment and the overall garage design. Now we have a multitude of lighting options to select from in order to make the garage a venue for all of our needs. Read on to find out how you can turn your garage into a haven for finishing projects and family fun, simply by upgrading your lighting solutions!

Fluorescent Lights

When it comes to fixing the electrical work in your Florida home, most homeowners who jump into the DIY pool do so for two main reasons. One, of course, is for the thrill of victory, so to speak. The other, and more obvious reason, is for the cost savings. The majority falls into the second category, but the results are often just the opposite.

Well-meaning homeowners often end up spending nearly double of what they budgeted due to poor planning, lack of knowledge, and costly mistakes.