As a Dallas Electrician with over 27 years of experience, ElectricMan Inc. has seen many of the dangers of DIY Electrical first hand, and has often been called in to make repairs after a DIY home improvement project has gone wrong, or the home owner realized that they were in over their head. The experience to take on any electrical home improvement project is something that is obtained by years of professional training and experience under a Licensed Master Electrician. That kind of experience isn’t something that the average Do-It-Yourselfer has, even if you do consider yourself a Jack-Of-All Trades.

One of the biggest dangers of DIY Electrical work is simply the fact that electricity can be deadly when not handled properly. Many DIY home improvement projects are often done in a hurry, and without proper planning. Something as simple as forgetting to switch off the breaker, using the wrong tools for the job, or even accidentally brushing up against the wrong wire can send high voltage coursing through a human body, easily causing burns, ventricular fibrillation (uncontrolled movement of the heart muscles), and death. We are so accustomed to being able to flip a switch and use electricity in our daily life that we often forgot how powerful it truly is.

One of the major causes for DIY Electrical accidents is unfamiliarity with the electrical circuits in your home. Due to shoddy electrical workmanship in many older homes, it is often difficult to tell which outlets, appliances, and lighting fixtures are on a given circuit, especially if your breaker box was improperly labeled, or if the labeling has faded over time. Most home owners will simply switch off breakers until they see the lights turn off in the area that they will be working, and assume it is safe to start working. This is an incredibly dangerous practice since it is not always the case that all outlets and lighting fixtures in an area will be on the same circuit. A Licensed Dallas Electrician will be familiar with standard wiring practices and will know the proper way to test the circuit that they will be working on to ensure that it is safe.

Another huge benefit to using a licensed electrician for your home electrical work is that they will be well versed in all of the building and safety codes required to make sure the job is done right. The reason that this is important is two-fold. First, it is legally required to adhere to all building and safety codes, and if you ever intend on selling your home or having it inspected for any other reason, a DIY Electrical repair or addition will cause your home to fail inspection if building and safety codes are not followed to the letter, generally costing you more money later down the line to have an improperly performed job repaired. Secondly, and even more important, is the fact that building and safety codes are put in place for a reason. If you are not familiar with these codes or do not follow them, you are putting yourself and your family at risk of electrical shock, electrical fires, and injury or death due to a faulty repair.

A reliable Licensed Dallas Electrician such as ElectricMan Inc. will ensure that any home improvement project involving electricity in your home is completed correctly, in compliance with all of the proper safety and building codes, and will guarantee their work to ensure a successful outcome, and the safety of you and your family. If you would like to learn more about the capabilities and experience of ElectricMan Inc. or discuss a project or repair that you are planning for your home, reach out to us today by phone at 972-792-7270, or visit us at our website at www.electricmaninc.com!

The electricity you use to power your home is most likely generated by burning coal, with some nuclear and natural gas-fueled current in the mix for good measure. However, that could all be changing, and faster than anyone expected. While renewable fuel sources like solar and wind power make up only a small part of the nation's electrical grid today, wind could actually be the leading source of electricity in little more than three decades.

Viable and Competitive

Wind could surpass other sources and provide as much as a third of the United States’ electricity by 2050, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Wind and Water Power Technologies office. Wind currently weighs in at only 4.5 percent of the supply, but if projections hold, that will increase to 10 percent by 2020 and 20 percent by 2030.

“The wind industry can be characterized by the substantial growth of domestic manufacturing and the level of wind deployment seen in recent years,” José Zayas, director of the DOE Wind and Water Power Technologies office, said to EcoWatch. “Wind power systems are now seen as a viable and competitive source of electricity across the nation. Wind power’s emerging role is an important option in a portfolio of new energy solutions for future generations.”

Benefits to Public Health, Environment

Should the prediction of wind's dominance come to pass, it would have numerous benefits for the environment and for consumers. Even at current levels, wind has reduced water consumption by 36.5 billion gallons and carbon emissions by 115,000,000 metric tons compared to traditional power sources, according to the government.

That means a lot less carbon getting released into the atmosphere, helping to slow our contribution to climate change. Plus, once the infrastructure is built, wind is free to harvest, and doesn't have the same environmental tradeoffs as coal and natural gas. The benefits “can address key societal challenges such as climate change, air quality and public health, and water scarcity,” the report said.

Uncertainties Looming

The rosy projection is just that. There are numerous uncertainties that could affect how well wind power actually does in the future, including government policies to incentivize wind or decentivize coal usage, the supply and price of natural gas, and the demand for electricity overall in the United States.

The technology around wind generation will have to hold its own as well. Growth in market share depends on continued advances in efficiency, more transmission capacity and better weather forecasting so we can best take advantage of favorable gusts.

Global Optimism

Should the growth of wind continue as predicted, there could be hope for a cleaner, healthier future. And what's good for the United States can be good for the rest of the world as well.

“The global energy market of the future is poised to be the largest market the world has ever known,” Secretary of State John Kerry said in a speech about wind power. “Pursuing cleaner, more efficient energy is actually the only way that nations around the world can build the kind of economies that are going to thrive for decades to come.

Dallas Electrician and Small-business owner sets out to change the world one outlet at a time

Americans dream of throwing off the shackles of the workaday world and trying their hand at something new. That something new often takes the form of owning your own business and that’s exactly what Dallas Electrician, Nick Schaeffer set out to do in 2004.

Back when Nick was still working for other companies, he thought that there had to be a better way to do business; he looked at how his company handled their customers and employees, and thought that the people deserved better. That’s when Nick started ElectricMan Inc. His dream of having a family owned business, and applying the knowledge he gained as a Master Electrician, were the perfect opportunities for Nick to open ElectricMan inc’s doors to local customers. Further, Nick strives to meet his customers’ expectations and do their electrical repair in a quickly and efficient manner, while preserving a strong customer service mentality at an affordable price.. He wanted to be able to meet his customers and do their electrical repair quickly, while still having a strong customer service presence.

After he left his job, he bought a van and outfitted it so he and his electricians could better serve his customers. After spreading the word to his friends and family, word started spreading and the ElectricMan name began coming up more often within the North Texas community. And in 2005, due to the overwhelming amount of phone calls, Nick hired his first employee and bought a second van.

Texas has long been a thriving hub of small business, currently there are over 1.7 million small businesses in the state. And of those businesses, nearly 400,000 have employees. So not only was Nick helping his family, but he was helping other Texas families by adding jobs.

Nick believes that a family owned business is important to his customers, and people don’t want to have to turn to a huge, faceless corporation every time they need something. People want options and when they can call their local electrician, they want him to be local and able to come out and do the work the right way. ElectricMan started with the slogan, “Whenever there’s an emergency, its Electric Man to the rescue!”And that stays true today, whenever customers are in need, they know to call ElectricMan, and he will go above and beyond to make sure his customers are taken care of right.

ElectricMan Inc. achieved success through constant attention to customer service and through their family owned business values. Nick’s wife Michele, his sister in-law El, his daughter Lauren and his father-in-law all work at the business in various capacities. But, they all work as a family and they are dedicated to see ElectricMan Inc. grow to become something their whole family will be proud of.

Nick may not have set out to change the world but his principles of family owned business and employing local Texans has fostered an environment for success. And the entire ElectricMan family is proud of it.

Temperatures are falling rapidly, and some regions of the country have already seen snow. With winter settling in, renters and homeowners are cranking up their thermostats to stay warm and cozy while bracing themselves for a big bump in utility bills due to heating costs. Savvy consumers looking for a way to save money without sacrificing comfort might ask: Can I cut down on my winter heating budget if I lower the thermostat and make up the difference with an electric space heater?

Fuel Matters

Savings are possible, though, no matter what kind of central heat you have. According to Grist magazine, if you are using a space heater for less than one half to one third of your living space, and you lower the temperature on your thermostat for the rest of it, you can save money even if your main heater is an efficient gas model. So if your family spends most of its winter indoor time in just a few rooms of the house, go ahead and experiment with a portable heater and see if you can reduce your bills.

For even more savings, don't forget to take other steps to winterize your home, like sealing any drafty areas and hanging heavy curtains. Wear a sweater, too, so you can minimize the amount of time you need the extra boost in warmth from your heater.

Finally, avoid kerosene heaters if at all possible. They pose a greater fire hazard than electric models and can affect your indoor air quality. If they are your only option, take extra care to comply with the safety instructions. Only refuel outside and be sure the indoor space where it is used is properly ventilated. Some kerosene heaters are even illegal in certain areas, so be sure to check your local laws before you buy.

The federal Energy Star program does not rate portable heaters, but the Energy Department does provide more information about specific types of space heaters.

Your local Mister Sparky® electrician is always available to help with advice on choosing and using your space heater safely.

Your electric bill may be completely manageable and affordable. However, wouldn’t you like to learn how to save a few extra dollars every month and do something good for the world at the same time? Just because you can afford your current electric bill, doesn’t mean you can’t make adjustments around your home that will reduce the amount of electricity you use. A Santa Monica electrician is here to tell you about a few things you can do around your house to reduce the amount of electricity you use. The folks at The Electric Connection would love to share their knowledge with you.

Of course you know about turning off the lights when you are not in the room and turning off appliances when you don’t need them, but there are even more things you can do that will certainly add up to big savings for you and less burden on the power grid. It is no secret, our booming population has put a serious burden on our current power grids and blackouts from time to time during peak usage times are not uncommon.

You can lessen your impact by changing out your old, energy hot incandescent light bulbs to the more energy-efficient CFLs or LEDs. The CFLs are the spiral shaped lights that can easily be exchanged in your existing light fixtures. If you have a light fixture that will not accommodate one of these environmentally friendly options, talk with your electrician. Santa Monica residents can update their home lighting by replacing old fixtures with new, more modern and energy efficient fixtures.

Placing LED lights under your kitchen counters gives you plenty of light to see what you are doing and is extremely inexpensive to use and the fixtures are relatively cheap as well. If you are interested in doing your part to make the world a better place, give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your light fixture upgrade.