As a homeowner, you’re going to occasionally need professional repairs made at your house. For many jobs a cousin, a friend’s brother, or a great handyman recommended by a neighbor may be able to do a great job for a low price and it would be foolish not to accept those people to make light repairs or upgrades. However, when it comes to electrical work such a solution just doesn’t fly. First, it’s not legal for anyone who is not licensed to conduct electric work to your house. Second, there are safety issues involved if electric work isn’t conducted properly and third, if those safety issues come into play your insurance coverage is going to be void when their inspector determines unlicensed repairs have been made.

Typical Electric Repairs

While you want to get out of the house and on your way without worry, if you let things go or do not call the right electrician your house could burn down while you’re away at work. Many times electricians have pulled outlets and seen in the wall where small fires have started and the homeowners had no idea because it had not spread. Bathroom electrical outlet repair can save your family and possessions.

Yet it could be that your outlet is not secure and moves around too much from all the pushing and pulling. This is when you want an honest electrician to tell you that it is minor and can be repaired quickly.

If you have not scheduled an inspection of your electrical wiring and you are encountering problems like needing to have your bathroom electrical outlet repaired, it may just be the time to stop and have the whole house inspected while your licensed electrician is there. Not only can he fix your immediate need, but he can show you where you may have potential problems within the next six months to a year. It is always better to be proactive rather than reactive. If you wait for an issue to arise, you may have to pay extra for a service call during evening hours.

There is another issue when you discover your bathroom electrical outlet needs repair. It has already been mentioned that it could possibly be a fire hazard, but also a faulty live wire could electrocute or shock a person who has just plugged an object in – or is removing it after the outlet seems to have given up the ghost. While waiting for repairs, do not let children plug anything in. Safety comes first.

Whether your child is well into elementary school or not yet in kindergarten, it’s never too early to talk about electricity. We know how daunting the topic of electricity may be, especially if you’re the one having to explain it; however, because so much of the world requires it, it’s important to at least understand some basics.

In our first ever edition of “Electricity for Kids,” we’re going to dig into the difference between protons and electrons, and then demonstrate, using a balloon and a can, how a negative or positive charge can change an outcome. You may be wondering: Will this be fun? Of course it will! And we’re not just saying that because electricity is our specialty. There are numerous experiments and demonstrations in which you and your child can conduct together – and they really are quite fascinating.  As a parent, you might even learn something along the way too!

Landscape lighting can add beauty to your home as well as provide increased safety on your property.  Lighting design can be used to light pathways, highlight your homes architecture, and deter intruders.  When considering adding lighting to your landscaping, it is important to find the right balance of lighting.  Focus on adding lighting to main activity areas like driveways, entrances, pathways, dark areas around windows, and stairs and main focal points such as fountains, trees, or statues.  The following landscape lighting basics can help make the most of your lighting.

Up-lighting: Up-lighting is placing a light facing upward toward an object to illuminate it.  This works well for highlighting the focal points of your landscape or home.  Use it sparingly to highlight objects around your yard like statues, trees, flag poles, and fountains.

Down-lighting: Down-lighting is used to illuminate large areas.  It works well for illuminating entertainment areas such as a patio or a deck.  It also helps to deter intruders.

Accent Lighting: Accent lighting is an excellent choice for lighting paths and stairs by placing lights along both edges of a path or a staircase.  This looks beautiful and has the added safety feature of helping prevent people from tripping and falling.  Accent lighting can also add focus to low-lying flowers, shrubs, and ponds.

Advantages of Low Voltage Lighting: As part of your basic landscape lighting, you have the choice between using 120v and low voltage 12v lighting.  Low voltage has a lot to offer in terms of landscape lighting safety as well not having to dig 18 inch trenches into your yard. Low voltage lighting can be neatly tucked away, just below your yard’s surface.  It is safer in wet conditions, and it offers more precise lighting effects.  Because the lamps (light bulbs) are smaller, it allows for smaller, less obtrusive fixtures.  It can also save you money by having lower energy costs.  Low voltage lighting requires a transformer to convert 120v to 12v which can cause voltage drop (dim lights) if it is improperly engineered.  For this, it is a good idea to ask a professional electrician for help.

These tips will get you started.  For more ideas, ask a lighting consultant for suggestions, and for any questions, don’t hesitate to contact www.electricmaninc.com to find the answers you need!

Think your home’s lighting is worthy of sharing? Post to our Facebook Fan Page!

About ElectricMan Inc.

ElectricMan Inc. is one of Dallas’ most trusted electricians. Nick Schaeffer, Mr. ElectricMan himself, has quite the resume for a master electrician. He started the company by himself in 2004 and hasn’t looked back since! For more information about Electricman’s list of electrical repair services, please visit www.ElectricManInc.com