One of the most affordable and effective components of any home security system is motion detecting outdoor lighting. Installed by a professional electrician, these lights can give you years of reliable service and peace of mind.

But like any part of your household electrical system, problems can arise from time to time. If your outdoor security lights are staying on all the time, not coming on at all or otherwise performing poorly, you can try these simple DIY fixes before calling an electrician.

Most motion detecting light fixtures allow the motion detector to be aimed at a specific area. If your lights are coming on too often, it could be that the sensor is aimed at a nearby street or an area where wildlife roam around at night. If the lights aren't coming on at all, the sensor might be aimed directly at the ground or into the side of the house. Experiment with different sensor positions after dark and walk around in the areas you want to secure to fine-tune your aim.

Motion detectors also typically come equipped with sensitivity settings. Too sensitive, and something as small as a fly could set it off. Not sensitive enough, and a prowler could come within a few feet of the fixture before it lights up. Locate this setting and fine-tune it to your liking.

Another common setting for motion detector lights is a light duration time. This can be as long as 30 minutes, and if your lights are unwittingly set this way, it could give the impression that they stay on all night. A good duration for most security light applications is one to two minutes.

A dirty sensor can’t detect movement properly. If dirt and dust have accumulated on your motion detector, use a wet rag to wipe it clean, then re-test your lights.

Security lights can get off-kilter if there are interruptions in the electrical supply, such as power outages, power surges and accidentally flipping light switches or breakers. Sometimes this can result in lights that stay on or off all the time. To reset most motion detecting lights, shut off the power supply at the switch for at least 30 seconds, making sure there’s no motion in front of the sensor during this time. Then turn the light back on and test it to ensure proper function. If there was motion in front of the sensor while the power was off, this may need to be repeated.

Not all motion detector problems can be fixed this easily. If you have persistent problems, storm damage or faulty installation, it’s important to call in your local licensed electricians for a professional evaluation and repair.

Choosing a style of lights for a particular room can be a very thought-provoking process. This is largely because each room typically has its own purpose, and lighting should be selected to best facilitate that purpose. For many more contemporary spaces, one of the favored lighting options is LED downlights. Many homeowners choose to install this type of light fitting into a variety of rooms around their homes, including bathrooms, bedrooms and kitchens to provide not only light, but a certain level of style.

Mounting

LED downlights are typically mounted to narrow openings in the ceiling of the chosen room. In most cases, this type of fixture will be completely hidden from view. As a result, it appears as if the light is coming from a hole in the ceiling. When you choose to have an electrician in Santa Monica install LED downlights for you, then you have a wide variety of different sizes, shapes and even colors to choose from. This is often used to accentuate different elements of a room, due to this type of lighting’s ability to focus light downward on a certain area.

Efficiency

LED downlighting is not only an attractive and effective source of light, but also very energy efficient. Because these fixtures use LED lights, they use very little electricity and emit almost no heat. This results in more comfortable spaces, and a functional light source at a very low operating cost.

Regardless of whether you are installing LED downlights or another type of lighting source, choosing an LED bulb to provide your light is always a smart decision. These high quality, long-lasting and energy efficient light bulbs will provide spectacular lighting to any area for many years to come. To learn more about LED lighting, or to talk to someone about installing some new fixtures, call one of our technicians at The Electric Connection. You can also get in touch with us through our website at www.theelectricconnection.com.

We almost all work with electricity on a day to day basis, but do you really think about the precautions that are in place to assure your safety? One of these precautionary measures is electrical grounding. Years ago, grounding was discovered as a way to protect individuals from becoming electrocuted in using normal electrical appliance. For instance, think about your refrigerator. If something went wrong and you happened to touch it, the electricity would flow through you, and you would be electrocuted.

Grounding wires the electrical item to the ground itself. So if something went wrong, the electricity is pulled away from the machine (and you) and into the ground. In the past, this had to be done individually for each item. However, technology has advanced now where grounding precautions are built into electronic devices around the home. When you plug in the device it is already essentially grounded and you are protected.

If you use any older electric products around your home, or you suspect the grounding is not working properly, you may wish to get in touch with an electrician in Beverly Hills from The Electric Connection and let him or her help you make certain the object is properly grounded and not a danger. Taking these safety precautions can make a big difference and protect you and your family from an accident involving electricity.

Spend some time looking over your electric items and make sure you are properly protected. Then call The Electric Connection an electrician Beverly Hills residents trust (Website). Not only can one of these experts help you with grounding and other safety concerns but with installation, repairs and whole-house electrical renovation too. Safety is always important when dealing with electrical implements, so choose a company that is willing to go the extra mile to protect the important people in your life. Not only can one of these experts help you with grounding and other safety concerns but with installation, repairs and whole-house electrical renovation too. Safety is always important when dealing with electrical implements, so choose a company that is willing to go the extra mile to protect the important people in your life.