There are always things you need to buy. Sometimes life likes to throw little emergencies your way and you will be short on funds. Wouldn’t it be nice to find ways to save money on your monthly bills so you were prepared for those little emergencies? You may have noticed your electric bill going up. This is something you can expect to continue happening for the months and years to come. That electric bill is going to cut into your budget and make things a little tighter. Your Glendale electrician has some tips to help you lower your electric bill and keep a little extra money in your pocket. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help.

Replacing Light Bulbs

If you haven’t done it yet, you need to get rid of those old bulbs that are sucking electricity and running up your bill. Replace those bulbs with CFLs or have an electrician in Glendale install LED fixtures. CFLs use about 75 percent less electricity than incandescent and LEDs use about 90 percent less.

Use Less Hot Water

Shave a few minutes off of your daily shower. When washing your hands, rinse and shut off the water while you are lathering up and scrubbing. Turn on the water and then shut off again. Only wash full loads of dishes and consider turning the setting on your clothes washer to warm or cold water.

Unplug Appliances

It may not seem like a big deal, but every single thing that you have plugged in is drawing electricity explains an electrician. Glendale residents can save a few dollars every day by unplugging cell phone chargers, laptop chargers and even gaming systems that they don’t use regularly. Anything that is plugged in is drawing a small current. It is something known as phantom electricity.

These three things are easy and will not change your lifestyle in anyway, but they will save you money. If you have questions about energy savings or want to install energy-efficient light fixtures, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Is it driving you crazy to charge all of your devices? Smart phones, tablets, digital music players, digital cameras and more have made many facets of life more convenient, but they come with their own complications and annoyances as well. For one thing, all those devices need their batteries charged, sometimes every day, and it can be quite a pain to keep track of all the cords and adapters. Fortunately, with a little DIY talent or the help of an electrician, you can install combo outlets in your walls with built-in USB ports, making it easier to charge your gadgets wherever you’re at home.

Out with the Old, in with the New

To install a USB outlet, you need to buy an outlet kit from your local hardware store or from an online retailer. You can find various options with two or four USB ports combined with one or two traditional power outlets. If you are comfortable doing simple electrical work, you can probably install the outlet yourself; otherwise, an electrician can do the work and have you up and running quickly.

If you are a DIYer, the first step is to turn off the power to the circuit you are working with. After you turn the switch off at the circuit breaker, make sure you test the outlet with a light or other appliance before you proceed to make sure it doesn't have any current. Next, you'll need to remove the old outlet with a screwdriver and disconnect the wiring. Then, simply connect your new outlet, carefully following the manufacturer instructions. It's extremely important that you reconnect all the wires properly, including the ground wire.

Convenience and Simplicity for Your Devices

Once the new outlet is wired up and screwed into the wall, flip the circuit back on and you should be good to go. Give the new USB outlet a test drive with your phone or tablet, and then sit back and enjoy the convenience and simplicity. Unfortunately, you still need to have an appropriate cord around to take advantage of the USB outlet, but at least you can do away with the cumbersome adapter. That frees up space, since adapters are often so bulky that they cover multiple outlets even though they only use one. Plus, the built-in USB ports limit the electrical current to whatever amount is required to charge the device.

You don't need combo outlets everywhere you have a plug, but if you put them in highly-traveled areas like the kitchen, office and bedroom, you will have easy access to their charging power whenever you need it. Those readers who enjoy perusing their phones in the bathroom can even put a combo outlet by the sink – just make sure you don't get water on your device!

Recharge Your Life with the Help of an Electrician

If you need any help installing or upgrading outlets in your home, call an expert electrician today.

We’re here to help you solve that problem. Making sure that your lighting choice checks all the right boxes is part of what makes your house special and unique to you. Compliment your home with the perfect choice of lighting fixture by following our easy to use guide on how to size a fixture for your room.

Whether you are a contractor working for well-to-do clients, a lighting designer, a home remodeler, or just a fan of carefully planned home design, luxury bathrooms are fun and engaging to admire. Especially when you see something new or innovative that catches you off guard. “I never thought of THAT,” you might say. Well, I’m here today with something good to distract you from whatever else you could be reading or doing – a stream of 11 large, high resolution photos of stunning luxury bathrooms. The topic of focus? Lighting, of course. Check out these awesome luxury bathroom lighting solutions.

1. Cove Lighting Is Ultra Modern Design’s Best Friend

Well, first of all, this bathroom has a sauna in it. It’s awesomeness should be momentarily acknowledged. Now that that’s out of the way, check out the way the cove lighting brings the beautiful wood tones to life. The recessed lights provide great general light. Like the simple angular design motif, the recessed lighting here is not meant to call attention to itself but to do its job humbly. That’s a sign of restraint in design that can really work to create a successful final product.

3. Cove Lighting with Mini Recessed Lights

Oh, look, it’s the old sconce on copper trick! I jest: This is not old hat but highly innovative. I love all the shiny surfaces in this luxury bathroom. That tub isn’t half bad either, and it looks especially alluring with the inconspicuous can lights and cove lighting above it. Full disclosure: I thought that thing on the right was a light bulb, but it’s just the reflection of the ceiling above the tub. That’s the thing about shiny surfaces: They reflect light. The light in this luxury bathroom is really fun.

5. Mega Modern Chandelier

This is just so simple and so perfect. This kind of design is almost difficult to talk about. Instead of laboring over how to say exactly why this design is so cohesive and successful, I think I’ll let it speak for itself. Just notice how that little bit of amber colored cove lighting draws the eye. What a nice focal point, whose position at the back of the room makes the whole luxury bathroom look bigger and more sweeping. The warm light scallop from the recessed spot lights above the tub is nice, too: Just a splash of warm light makes this place very inviting.

7. Recessed on Mirrored Ceilings with Scallops

Again, modern design employs cove lighting. Are you noticing a theme? If you’re trying to create a more modern look in your home, adding via via deehouzz.com

There’s kind of cool thing going on here. The vanity lights match the sconces over the tub, and their shape matches the arched ceiling, large window, and even counters (notice how they bulge out). This luxury bathroom may not be the most expensive of this collection, but it does transmit one very important lesson: Every design element must have a purpose. If all these shapes line up, it’s because careful thought has been put into seeing all the design elements as parts of one visionary whole. For lighting enthusiasts, this means that the shape and look of the fixtures are important in addition to the warmth and color rendering of the light source. I hope this and the other photos of the best luxury bathroom lighting I have recently seen has inspired you and given you a place to return if you’re ever involved in a bathroom lighting project.