As a homeowner, you might not be aware of all the features your home has, especially when it comes to your electrical system. It’s like another occupation trying to keep up with your home’s appliances and making sure everything works properly. One of the things, however, that is so important to take care of is your electrical system and the features that are involved or connected to it. Not only does it help to understand your electrical system and what it can do for you, but it will also help you become more efficient especially when you’re trying to save money on your utility bill. Keeping your family safe is also a necessity, so keep these electrical features in mind and know how to keep your home safe with your electrical system.

Once you understand your electrical system and know how it works, you’ll notice a host of beneficiaries. You’ll be increasing the safety of your home, especially when a small problem arises and you’ll know what to do in that place and time. Meanwhile, you will also know how to avoid any potential problems and end any lasting effects that can be damaging to your home. And on top of all these benefits, you will also decrease your monthly utility bills. What’s better than that? Knowing your electrical system allows you to understand what works efficiently and what doesn’t, which avoids the cost of wasted money in the long run. Lastly, you can make smarter energy consumption choices. You’ll be able to identify which habits work for you and your family and which ones are affecting your lifestyle and costing you more out of pocket expenses.

A 9-year, $3.8 billion study conducted at The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee in collaboration with the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University found “a 47 percent reduction in the combination of death, heart attacks, and strokes” in those who practiced transcendental meditation daily. Does pretending to breath in light still sound weird?

I also encountered a study found that “Meditation provides a good starting point for learning and creativity.” The researchers assert that “There are strong pedagogical reasons for including meditation as part of the daily experience of pupils of all ages and abilities.” The study concludes that “Meditation is a proven means for stilling the mind, encouraging mindfulness, and providing optimum conditions for generative thinking and reflection.”

I’m sold. But, you know what? I’m also “sold” that drinking kale juice every morning would be great for me. That doesn’t mean I do it. Meditation, I’m convinced, is GREAT for you and for everyone. I really believe that. But how does one meditate? And when? And what will people think of me if I stare into the dark center of a candle’s flame daily?

For me, the benefits of meditation outweigh any concerns, and using the candle light solved the problem of how to meditate. I think it would be cool to stare at the dark center of a flame for a few minutes per day. Better mood? Increased focus? Better thinking and reflection? Less risk of heart disease? Yes, I think I’ll sign up.

You know, it goes without saying, but light is truly amazing.

How old is your home or business building? 20 years? 30 years? 40 years or more? When was the last time you had your wiring inspected? If your building is older than 25 years, you could be at risk for an electrical fire. Electrical fires are frequently caused by old components wearing out and failing, but these things can be hard to detect since so much of it is hidden from sight behind your drywall. So how do you know if you are at risk? Here are a few factors that frequently cause fires in older buildings.

From the 1880s until the mid-1930s, knob-and-tube wiring was the standard in running electricity lines through homes and businesses. Today, these systems are not permitted under business code except in extremely rare circumstances. If your home or business has this old system of wiring in it, odds are you should consult an electrician about replacing it with a modern system as soon as possible. Rodents have a thing for chewing on these exposed wires, making them tremendous fire hazards.

Modern appliances and equipment sometimes require a much higher amperage draw to function than old wires are rated to carry. When you overload a wire with too much amperage, it can get extremely hot, which can start fires inside your walls. If your electrical system is old, consider having it inspected by a professional who can tell you whether or not you should upgrade to wire rated for a higher amperage.

Part of being a home or property owner is improving your property. Those who have a knack for handiwork (or at least think they do) may have tried to modify their wiring in the past. This means there could be shoddy connections, loose live wires, and other serious fire hazards hidden behind your walls. Be extremely careful when cutting into drywall in an older home.

Over time, insulation on wires can age, become brittle, and crack. In other cases, the wires may have been chewed by rodents or screwed or nailed into by accident. This can leave the core of your wire exposed, which leaves it prone to sparking and potential fires.

The wires aren’t the only part of your home that’s at risk for starting a fire; old breakers can malfunction and overload if they are not maintained or upgraded every few decades. Have your old circuit breaker inspected by a professional who can test to make sure everything is still functioning properly, as well as replace any breakers that may not be working correctly.

Today’s electrical code is far more advanced and rigorous than it was in decades’ past. With new technology has come new safety standards. However, older buildings were not required to adhere to these new standards, and many of them have not been properly retrofitted with the latest in electrical tech. Odds are, if you have an older building, your electrical system would not pass inspection today. Let a professional take a look and work with you to eliminate the fire hazards and protect your property from a devastating fire.

Elon Musk’s vision of an entirely electric car market is coming into form.

Just a few years ago, a former Daimler chairman was quoted in an L.A. Times article by calling Tesla “a joke that can’t be taken seriously compared to the great car companies of Germany.” They aren’t laughing now after 325,000 buyers put down reservations for the Tesla Model 3 in its first week.

Already though, the cost of electric car batteries have dropped from $1,000 per kWh to $350 per kWh over the last five years. As the battery and thus the vehicle becomes more affordable, the presence of electric cars will only continue to grow.

With that has come the need for home charging stations.

Just about all electric vehicles will come with a Level 1 Charger. This is your baseline charging system, where the car connects with a 120V outlet in your home and takes about an entire night for a full charge.

If you’re mostly driving throughout the city, then that’s probably all you need. But if you’re always on the go, and use your electric vehicle for distance trips too, then you should look into a Level 2 Charging Station.

We need to quickly say that the chargers don’t actually increase the capacity of your car’s battery, that’s already established when it’s manufactured. Level 2 chargers simply direct more of your home’s current when you hook it up, enabling a much faster charging time.

To give an idea, the Nissan Leaf takes 25 hours for a full charge on a home outlet; with a Level 2 hook-up, it takes 7 hours. Or compare it to the Chevy Volt, the hybrid-electric vehicle that takes 11 hours on Level 1 and just 3.2 hours on Level 2.

Sticking with the Nissan Leaf, an all-night charge on Level 1 current will give it about 105 miles. If you drive more than that, you will be comforted with a Level 2 charge, which gives you the same mileage in half the time (4-5 hours with Level 2 Charging). This means you can go about your day without having to come home and charge, or have to find a public charging station to hook up to.

Good thing is, costs on installing residential stations are becoming more affordable. Many people go with the Level 2 charge off the bat and just factor it into the costs of buying the car.

If you are considering getting new lighting installations or want to upgrade your existing ones, it’s a good idea to conduct a certain amount of research on what type of light fittings and bulbs are available in the market. You will surprised by the vast variety of fixtures you find. Regardless of how beautifully-designed your home is, if you want it to look stunning and attractive after dark, you would need to ensure that it has the right kind of lighting.

In fact, the simplest of interiors and décor can look astoundingly unique with appropriate lighting effects and the ones you might want to consider are:

In this type of effect the light source is hidden and it throws a glow across the room. It very effectively flattens the appearance of an interior space and you will hardly find any shadows anywhere. Examples of this type of lighting are wall sconces and Japanese paper shades. You can create this effect with other fixtures, by using a dimmer as well.

This is used to highlight a specific object or an interesting feature in a room. The only thing that is required to create this effect is a bulb and some sort of cover to direct the light in the direction you desire. Opaque shades, table lamps and halogen spotlights are good examples of accent lighting, also called directional lighting.

As the name suggests, this type of lighting is used in areas like the kitchen, bathroom, study etc- anywhere you need to perform daily activities and need clean, clear light. It’s important that this lighting be glare-free as that will help prevent the eyes from getting tired. This type of lighting can be used in a very effective manner in combination with ambient lighting.

This is used to light up art objects like a portrait or a statue. In fact, some pieces such as neon sculptures can themselves be a form of aesthetic lighting and have to be used with other types of lighting.

When we talk about lighting, it’s not only about the different types of fittings and fixtures or placement of lights that gives us the effect we need. It’s also a lot about the type of bulbs we use. These are the different types of bulbs available:

These are the standard light bulbs that throw a slightly yellowish light.

This is the closest in effect to natural light and is called ‘white light’. In this type of lighting, colours tend to appear very clear and sharp. These are more energy-efficient than regular tungsten bulbs and they are dimmable too.

Throws a burst of focused, white light.

This refers to different types of bulbs such as fluorescents and halogen. This light has a very warm quality, is psychologically appealing and very inviting.

The standard fluorescent bulb throws-off a very cool, flat light which tends to be harsh and has a bluish tinge. Apart from these, you will also find cool, warm and special-coloured fluorescents on the market.

With so many options, available, choosing the right kind of lighting can be quite a difficult task. There are no fixed rules when it comes to lighting a room. You will have to take into consideration aspects such as the height and dimensions of the room, its purpose and of course your personal preferences.

In most instances, rooms have a combination of different types of lighting. If you want a room to look interesting, it’s important to use wall washers, up-lighting, down-lighting recessed lighting etc to acquire the right effect.

We at Allround Electrical are licensed and insured electrical contractors. We can provide consultation on different types of lighting systems, and offer a range of electrical services to commercial and residential customers. For more information, contact our friendly team today at this number – 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address. You may also reach us through this online contact form.

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