There are some home repairs you don’t want to tackle. Here are several red flags to look for when you’re buying a home.

common plumbing problems. Water damage is the homeowner’s mortal enemy. Water causes foundation problems, rot and mold. Want to move into that mess? Probably not.

To see if your potential purchase has suffered the consequences of water damage, start outside and

When you see water damage near an electrical outlet or a light fixture, you may have stumbled onto a fire risk. But outlets aren’t the only place to look for potential electrical problems.

Look for flickering and blinking, which signals a poor connection somewhere along the circuit. Check to see if both halves of electrical outlets are functioning. Make sure bathrooms, kitchens, garages and outdoors have professional electrician should determine whether the home’s circuits or fuses provide adequate power and service. The electrician can look for burned wiring, improper connections, dead-end wiring or ungrounded switches and outlets.

Your home inspector is a font of knowledge! Have the inspector check the air quality of the home to see if any mold spores are present — if water leakage or other common plumbing problems have been an issue, mold may be, too.

The inspector can ensure that the heating and cooling systems are properly installed. The inspector can also determine how old the HVAC system is and ensure that its been maintained

Your inspector will also determine the type of pipe that supplies water to the house—old lead and galvanized steel pipes are going to need replacing.

If the house you’re considering fails these tests, it may be best to move onto the next. If you still think it’s the right house for you, despite the presence of common plumbing problems or the need for an electrical overhaul, negotiate a lower price or ask the seller to pay for needed fixes.

Questions? Thoughts? Leave a note in the Comments section orschedule service today.

Hot tub wiring and circuits are a big request this time of year.  Summer specials such as those going on at the Iowa State Fair dramatically increase sales.  With many hot tub brands to choose from such as Hot Springs Spas, Maax Spas, California Cooperage, Jacuzzi, Caldera Spas, and Thermo Spas the choices are numerous.  Hot tub installers typically do not wire your hot tub unless there is a specific and properly wired disconnect in place.  The hot tub circuit with disconnect must be installed by a licensed electrician.  The hot tub or pool disconnect has certain requirements pertaining to the type and distance required from your pool or hot tub.  In addition to this the circuit must be the required ampacity and voltage intended for your hot tub in order to insure the safe and reliable operation for you and your family.  Never trust someone that is not an electrician trained in proper hot tub wiring.  

Installing the proper hot tub wiring is not a project for that handy family member or the guy down the street.  Hot tub wiring must be done properly and to state and local building codes.  In addition the wiring must be done to strict National Electrical Codes.  All of our electricians that are trained in hot tub wiring follow the code to ensure you and your family are as safe as possible.

Just like hot tub wiring, pool wiring must only be done by a trained and trusted professional.  Pool wiring has strict guidelines set in place for your safety.  Bonding, grounding, and GFCI protection are all major concerns when installing wiring for your pool.  Pool wiring is not a do it yourself project and should only be done by a licensed electrician.  We work with several of Des Moines top pool installers to insure your next pool project is done to the highest of standards.  The code is in place and should be followed closely with no exceptions.

Now is the time to evaluate your outdoor and landscape lighting needs in preparation for the summer season.  Follow our step-by-step landscape lighting design plan and get the job done right.

Learn how to get luxurious landscape lighting effects and make your home shine by Memorial Day 2014…

Step One:  Review the perimeters of your home, including surrounding outdoor property—front yards, back yards, side yards—to see which features you would like to accentuate, such as fountains, sculpture, or flower boxes. Choose a few areas that will stand out and add a luxurious element to your home at night.

Step Two:  Scout out areas where you will need security lighting—leading up to and at all home entryways.  Take note of areas where path lighting, step lighting, and task lighting are needed.

LED strip lighting under steps, railings and benches provides excellent security lighting and may be custom-tailored to your decor. LED light strips are especially suitable for outdoor areas, as they are long-lasting and extremely durable, radiate very little heat, and use up to 80 percent less electricity than standard light sources.

Step Three:  If you have existing outdoor lighting—review your property at night to see where you can upgrade your lighting design.  Check that everything is in working order and adequate illumination is provided at all significant locations.

• Where there are large areas blanketed in darkness, consider installing a floodlight equipped with energy-efficient lamps and lighting controls.

• Equally important is to check for areas that are excessively bright. Overly bright outdoor lighting, including path lighting and patio lighting, creates glare and can actually make it harder to see at night and diminish safety and security.

Your landscape lighting should be soothing and comfortable.  Make sure that  landscape and outdoor fixtures do not cast light into your neighbors’ property.  Keep “light trespass” from invading your own home at night.

Step Four:  If you like to entertain outdoors—see that your property is safely lit for guests—pay attention to elevation levels and unusual dips or risings; boundaries defining rock gardens, Koi ponds, and small shrubs should be clearly visible.  Make sure you have enough ambient illumination for safe navigation, as well as sufficient task lighting for cooking and food preparation.

Step Five:  Lighting techniques, such as shadowing, silhouetting and cross lighting add artistry and depth to your landscape at night.  But do not overdo it.  Depending on the size of your property, select one to three key areas that will expand and complement your overall landscape lighting presentation.

• Conceal lights behind and below a statue or small tree to highlight form and create definition.

• Show off a sculpted garden,  a textured rock wall or a unique architectural feature of your home that will stand out at night.

Light responsibly.  Keep an eye on the safety.  Having top-quality outdoor lighting makes for the best “Neighborhood Watch Program.”

Light conservatively.  The most wonderful aspect of outdoor and landscape lighting is that you only need a few well-chosen light sources to deliver a great deal of illumination and an overall luxuriant feel to your home.  Compared to other home improvement projects, top quality landscape lighting adds substantially to the value of your property.

Light efficiently.  You will save money in the long run, if you invest in automated lighting systems and LED landscape lighting now.  For maintenance-free, durable, long-lasting illumination—buy your LED landscape lighting and automated control systems from a reputable dealer.

Top-quality LED landscape lighting fixture are built to last with finishes guaranteed to withstand harsh weather conditions; many come with life-time product warranties.

Find qualified lighting professionals and electricians.  Professional lighting consultants will help you design your landscape lighting to exact specifications with outdoor fixtures that are UL-listed for outdoor use; electricians, familiar with updated LED lighting systems, should be licensed and aware of current electrical codes and ordinances in your town or city.

Order your fixtures early, set the job up now with energy-efficient security lighting and luxurious landscape illumination to ensure you will be ready for summer holiday celebrations.

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Over the last few years, talk about LED lights has become more commonplace. As there is a global trend to become more economically friendly, it is no surprise that more people are switching to LED lights. LED lights, which stand for ‘light emitting diodes’, are not only ecologically sound, but economical as well.

Traditional fluorescent lights contain small amounts of mercury. Mercury is extremely hazardous to the environment but humans as well. If you come into contact or inhale mercury, it can be very dangerous and negatively impact your health. Fluorescent bulbs need special care to dispose of properly. LED lights do not contain any hazardous or poisonous material and are 100% recyclable. This means you can have peace of mind when disposing of your LED bulbs and know that the impact on the earth is minimal.

When we say energy efficient, this means that it takes less electricity to convert into light. Part of the reasons that LED bulbs are more efficient is because they do not heat up as much. Less energy is lost in heat so the electrical energy that flows in can go directly to light. Traditional bulbs tend to run at 20% efficiency where as LED bulbs can run at 80% efficiency. Practically speaking, if you are using LED bulbs in your home you are looking at large saving increases on your monthly electrical bill!

In addition to saving money on your monthly electrical bill, you will also save money by replacing your light bulbs less frequently. Standard light bulbs have a life span of 800 to 1,500 hours, while fluorescent bulbs can last up to 10,000 hours. LEDs on the other hand can last up to 60,000 hours! You can run for years without needing to replace an LED bulb. So while LEDs are more expensive initially, they are a wise investment in the long run.

Although the number of benefits of using LED lights is quite long, these are just a small number of ways that LED bulbs help the environment and your pocketbook.