Did you just get the electric bill in the mail and now you are suffering from a minor panic attack? You are not the first person to be surprised by a higher than average electric bill. Along with adjusting the budget to pay for the unexpected expense, you are probably making a commitment to go dark until you can get the high electric usage under control. Where do you start? An electrician in Santa Monica has a few suggestions that may help explain the high bill and how you can avoid repeating the same issue with another high bill next month. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help.

*Using a single light in a room to try and provide enough light probably isn’t working. You may have a couple of other lights on in the room to try and supplement the light, which is running up your electric bill. With shorter days, you will be using more light. Having a better, more energy efficient light fixture installed by a Santa Monica electrician can alleviate that issue.

*A water heater in a cold basement is going to run up your electric bill. Do what you can to insulate the water heater to help the water stay warm without the heater having to constantly kick on. You can upgrade to a better water heater that is insulated.

*Another big mistake people make without thinking about it is running half loads of laundry or the dishwasher. Always wait until the washer is full.

*You probably have several chargers plugged in with many of them interchangeable. If you can charge all the cell phones in the house with the same charger, unplug all but one and take turns charging your phones when possible.

Save yourself the shock of a high electric bill by following the advice from an electrician. Santa Monica residents can save hundreds of dollars every year by taking care of all the little things that add up. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your lighting fixture replacement.

You Can Be Liable for Unlicensed Electrical Work

07/30/15

Revamping your home's electrical work can be a big headache. You need to find a qualified electrician and write what could be a hefty check for work that might require opening holes in your walls and temporarily making a mess of your home. The last thing you want after a big electrical project is to have to tear it all out and redo the job all over again. That could be the scenario you face, however, if you cut corners and don't hire a licensed electrician to take on the task. Fly-by-night contractors might be cheaper at the outset, but they can cost you big time in the end if they don't follow the local building code, leaving you liable for the faults in your home wiring.

Fanning the Building Code Fires

Some contractors might complain about having to follow local code, but it's in place for a reason – it helps ensure that any work done on your home is performed safely and effectively. Local code standards are particularly important when it comes to electrical work, because faulty wiring and connections can lead to short circuits or even an electrical fire, putting your family at risk.

That's why technicians who do electrical work are required to maintain a license, secure permits and schedule inspections for many home projects. Unfortunately, there are electricians who are tempted to skip the code requirements in order to avoid the time and expense of compliance. They might quote you a lower price, but shoddy workmanship can leave you on the hook for a lot more money overall.

Limit Your Exposure to Liability

If your local government figures out that you are working on an electrical project, they can send an inspector to check it out. If the work isn't up to code, you'll have to remedy the problem before you pass inspection. And if your electrician isn't licensed, you have little recourse to correct the faulty electrical work besides paying out of pocket for someone else to redo the entire thing. Worse, if your electrical system does cause a fire that leads to injury or death, you could be civilly liable for huge sums.

Licensed electricians, on the other hand, have more incentive to follow the rules to begin with, since they could lose their certification if they don't. Furthermore, you may have an easier time recouping your investment in the event of unsafe or incomplete work if you can prove that you did your due diligence and hired a licensed electrician.

Good Work Done Right

To avoid code and permitting issues, hire only licensed technicians for your electrical work and ask them to show you all the relevant permits. Protect yourself and your home by holding out for competent contractors so you know the work is done right the first time.

Did you know roughly 1/4 of your electricity bill is used specifically for lighting? With recent changes in lighting technology, we now have the ability to control the costs of our electricity consumption more effectively. Choosing the right light bulbs for your home or business may be confusing with all the different options we have today, so we’ve listed the three most common types in hopes to shed some light on the issue.

Incandescent Bulbs

Incandescent bulbs, the oldest and most common bulbs on the market, are relatively inefficient compared to other bulbs. They work by connecting an electric current that travels through a wire filament, heating up the filament until it illuminates. Unfortunately, up to 90% of the actual energy it consumes produces heat. The cost of each bulb is the lowest compared to other bulb types, but their lifespan is also the shortest, as they only last up to 2 years (based off 3 hours of use / day). With the passing of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, manufacturers are working to produce more efficient incandescent bulbs that produce up to 25% less energy.

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)

Distinctive by their bold designs, Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) are the most energy and cost effective bulb type on the market today. An electric current is driven through a tube containing argon, and a small amount of mercury vapor that triggers the actual illumination. CFLs use up to 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, cutting overall electricity costs significantly without producing excess heat. Their lifespan can be pushed up to 9 years, and technically pay for themselves after just 9 months of use, costing less than half as incandesces bulbs for the same amount of light.

Note: research has shown that CFL’s work best when left on for long periods of time, but lose efficiency when turned on and off regularly.  Because of this, it may be best not to use CFL light bulbs in areas like closets where the lights are usually just flipped on then off.

Light Emitting Diodes (LED)

Making an appearance in electronics starting in 1962, Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs), are rapidly taking the lighting industry by storm with its highly effective technology. By connecting a diode to an electrical current, electrodes are triggered within the diode, forcing them to release photons, which we see as light. The up-front costs of LEDs are higher compared to other bulb-types, but ultimately they last up to 25% longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Manufacturing has increased drastically in recent years, and companies are expected to offer more affordability in the near future. By reducing energy consumption by up to 80%, LEDs pave a direct path to lower electricity bills.

More Problems

Okay, so light pollution isn’t good. But perhaps you’re thinking, if we turn off the lights that illuminate our streets and sidewalks, homes and buildings, they’ll become dangerous. Car accidents are bound to increase on dark, busy streets, and walking on sidewalks out at night would be scary to say the least. Not to mention a poorly lit home is a target for sinister intruders.

So what do we do? Is there any sort of compromise?

New LED lighting offers some hope, but it’s certainly not all sunshine and rainbows.

How LED Light Can Help Decrease Light Pollution   

How LEDs May Add To Light Pollution