As you probably know, a ceiling fan does not actually cool the air in the summer time. What it does do, though, is to help the circulation of air throughout your home. On mild days, this can help to keep the air moving and may help you to feel a little cooler. On hot days, when you are running your air conditioner, it helps to distribute cooled air throughout your home evenly. By reversing the direction in which your ceiling fan(s) turn, you can actually make use of this dynamic during the winter season, as well.

When you heat your home with a furnace, heat pump, or any other forced air based system, the heat in the air will cause it to rise. When you set your fan(s) to the winter setting, it is able to force that heated air back down into your living space. This can help to prevent heat from gathering up near the ceiling, where it’s not really doing anyone good, as well as to prevent your thermostats from telling your heater to continue working, just because they cannot register the heat in the room successfully. This helps you to save money, and to take some strain off of your heater. Contact us to learn more.

If you are considering having solar panels installed for your home, there are several reasons why that is a good idea. Not only are they energy efficient, they will also assist in reducing your electricity use. Solar panels also notably shrink your carbon footprint.

Solar Panels Are Affordable

Almost immediately upon installation, solar panels begin generating electricity. You will see the cost of your electricity bill begin to significantly decrease. Besides the fact that you will be saving money on your monthly usage bill, you can also look into a program that allows you to have solar panels installed with no money down. The cost of solar panels can actually be quite affordable.

Solar Panels Are Energy Efficient

If you are concerned about solar panels and the amount of energy they store for instance, if a cloud cover rolls in and sets up camp for a while, there is no need to fret. When using solar panels, the electricity runs to your home using your existing electrical wiring, and you are still connected to your area’s electrical grid. On cloudy days and during the night, your solar panels aren’t absorbing as much solar energy, but it shouldn’t effect the running of your household because you are still connected to an electrical source. It’s very similar to the concept of a hybrid vehicle that runs on both electricity and gas, because you are getting the benefit of innovative technology and a lower monthly bill, but you still have the convenience of an electric company for backup.

If you are looking for a qualified company to install solar panels, The Electric Connection has you covered. The licensed solar panel installers and technicians that are a part of this company will help you through every step of the solar panel installation process. Give The Electric Connection a call or visit our website today for more information.

Just about everyone is looking for a way to cut down on energy costs and save their business money. Here are some ways to improve the energy efficiency in commercial buildings:

It might seem like common sense, but  most commercial buildings do not need to have their lights and air on at all times. If your building allows, and when it isn’t being used, make sure the energy system is turned off.

As the season changes, so should the temperature of the commercial building. To maintain a comfortable, energy-efficient temperature, set rooms to 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months and 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter ones. Adjust rarely used spaces, like bathrooms, to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

It’s important to remember to change the air filters in a commercial building to save energy. Paying attention to proper filter maintenance will help prevent wasting energy and overworking the equipment.

A room’s temperature, air movement and humidity affect energy efficiency a great deal.   Using fans can help reduce your business’ need to turn up the air conditioner as the fan moves the air around the room.

Not only does turning off the lights in areas that aren’t being used decrease the energy consumption in a building, but replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light globes or even better yet  LED or high efficiency fluorescent lamps can reduce the amount of heat in the room as well as save money.

Occupancy or vacancy sensors can also help reduce the time lights are on.  These sensors adjust accordingly when there is no movement in a room, shutting off the lights.  A full commercial Lighting Control System can keep your business from wasting energy through the monitoring of how light a room actually is and through daylight harvesting.

Being mindful of energy efficiency in commercial businesses means preventing energy waste in any way possible. Investing in energy efficient office electronics and equipment can lessen the amount of heat that’s emitted from these appliances. Turning off the equipment completely can help reduce savings as well.  Also purchasing equipment with features such as “energy saver” can help reduce energy use.

A large amount of heat is lost in the winter and gained in the summer through a building’s windows. In order to reduce this energy inefficiency, a commercial building can double-glaze their windows, or purchase thermal window coverings, if allowed.

As far as a long-term solution is concerned, insulating a commercial building can help lessen the amount of time and energy spent on cooling and heating systems. Insulating ceilings, walls, pipes and roof spaces can be incredibly useful. Energy efficient electricians can help.

Most new buildings are now using a variety of electrical and electronic equipment. As such, the contractors have to design a wiring schematic that will deliver power to a wide and diverse range of devices that include traditional and modern electrical loads.  The wiring must also provide a means of supplying power to the monitoring and control devices such as wireless sensors, thermostats, automatic light controls, thermostats, the IoT, and other web-based technologies.

The electrical requirements will vary from one building to another and may include a combination of the following components:

The type and use of a building structure influences the type of wiring to use. And the building owner and electrical contractor should consider current and future power requirements when determining the size of conductors, raceways, protective gear and other necessities.