New rules will soon be in place to govern fossil fuel usage and cut carbon pollution coming from America's power plants. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed the plan last year, and it is expected to be finalized this summer. Most of the rules have to do with the generation of electricity, so it might not be obvious that the plan would have implications for the average consumer. As it turns out, the EPA plan could make a big difference in homeowners' utility bills – hopefully a positive one.

Reduction in Energy Bills

While many people fear that new clean energy rules will cause the retail price of electricity to skyrocket, experts are predicting otherwise. According to an analysis by the National Resources Defense Council, low and fixed-income households should actually see their utility bills fall by an average of 8 percent. In total, the group suggests that consumers could save as much as $37.4 billion on their electricity bills by 2020.

Why such a rosy picture? As the nation switches to more sustainable energy sources like wind, the costs of production will fall. Furthermore, since the fuel price for wind and solar is zero, consumers will be shielded from volatile prices of coal and natural gas, which can make electricity bills vary widely. What's more, the Clean Power Plan will promote investment in household energy efficiency to encourage families to reduce their own consumption.

A Boost to the Economy

Some think tanks are also predicting a boost to the economy as we transition to a cleaner energy grid, with jobs available to build and maintain the emerging infrastructure. People will be needed to work on windmills and solar installations, for example.

"The most important takeaway from our analysis is that, after accounting for the various ways in which the Clean Power Plan puts upward and downward pressure on employment, we find a net increase in jobs,” Industrial Economics Principal Jason Price said to UtilityDrive.com, forecasting a net gain of 74,000 jobs in 2020 and as many as 273,000 jobs by 2040.

Health and Climate Concerns

There should also be ancillary benefits to the EPA plan. Cutting down on fossil fuel emissions means less pollution in the air near ground level, too, so people should suffer from fewer related health problems. NRDC predicts that the change will prevent up to 6,600 premature deaths, 150,000 asthma attacks in children and 3,300 heart attacks.

In addition, the less carbon the nation burns, the less we accelerate climate change, which is poised to cause unpredictable but inevitably expensive disruptions in familiar weather patterns.

All in all, nobody knows for sure what will happen with the new EPA rules, since they haven't been finalized yet. However, if the experts' predictions are anywhere close to reality, Americans will be able to celebrate cheaper and more environmentally-friendly energy in the not-too-distant future.

Dallas Electrician‘s Top Electrical Installation Tips for New Home Owners

Buying a home is a wonderful investment, and your home will be your sanctuary for years to come. Of course you want your home to be perfect; no home owner dreams of such things as a flood or an electrical problem. However, these problems do occur, and while flooding may not be preventable, you can always take the necessary steps to prevent electrical problems. If you plan on installing electronics in your home, electrical safety should be one of your top concerns. Electrical fires can cause irreparable damage to your home, but Dallas electricians like ElectricMan Inc. can help correct your existing electrical problems or provide assistance with installation.

There are ways to prevent electrical problems in a new home, and the electricians at ElectricMan can help, so consult someone knowledgeable before you begin your home improvement. What are some ways to prevent electric fires in your home?

There are over 53,000 electric fires in the U.S. each year, but these can easily be prevented with the help of a whole house surge protector. Surge protectors prevent the discharge of excess electricity due to lightening storms or blown circuits. If your home is prone to electrical surges, a whole house surge protector may be just what you need to prevent an electrical fire.

A GFCI outlet is a device which increases safety by reducing the risk of electric shocks. Most building codes now require that GFCI outlets be installed in wet areas like bathrooms, kitchens, garages, laundry rooms, and outdoor areas. GFCI outlets monitor for current imbalances and break the circuit if such an imbalance occurs. They are an important safety measure and should be installed whenever there is water and electricity.

Did you know that 30% of all surges and outages are caused by lightning strikes? These lightning strikes don’t even need to hit your home directly to cause major damage. In fact, just a strike within a half mile radius can cause permanent damage to your appliances. Installing AFCIs in your home are just one of the ways to lessen the side effects of voltage surges, and prevent residential fires. Indeed, 50% of residential fires could have been prevented, according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

If you use any of the tips we provided, you are already on the right track to living carefree in your new home. And if some of these tips seem too complicated, we are only a phone call away.

Are there any tips that you’d like to add to the list? Post in the comments. We’d like to hear what you have to say. 

You may think of a fan as something you would only use in the summer time. It stirs the air and provides a nice cool breeze. You probably already know it is cheaper to run several ceiling fans then it is to lower the thermostat on the air conditioner a couple of degrees. But, did you know, a ceiling fan can also help reduce the workload of your furnace in the winter? An electrician in Santa Monica will explain why a ceiling fan is a valuable addition to any home no matter what the weather is like. The Electric Connection has been installing fans for happy customers for years.

Just like in the summer, the fan rotates the air around. In the summer, it rotates the cooler air ensuring a room is at a somewhat even temperature. This tells the thermostat the room is cool enough and the air conditioner does not need to turn on. In the winter, it is essentially the same idea. Hot air rises. If you are sitting in your chair or lying on the couch, you may feel a bit cool. When you stand up, you can feel the change in temperature. The trick is to push that hot air down to where you are relaxing without adjusting the furnace up a couple of degrees. All this does is create more warm air to rise to the ceiling.

During winter months, the ceiling fan blades should be reversed to run in a clockwise motion. This creates a downdraft. All that warm air will be circulated throughout the room thus taking some of the work off the furnace and saving you money. If you do not have a fan, but would like to have one installed, call your electrician. Santa Monica residents can call The Electric Connection to have one or more ceiling fans installed.

You know that little meter outside your home that is fairly unattractive and unnoticeable until you hear it making a scary sound. The sound is the little dial spinning around and around. That dial spinning represents your money flying out the door. The dial is measuring the amount of electricity you are using in your house. A spinning meter can be a little scary and you will be dreading the next electric bill. When you think about this summer, it is easy to really get concerned about how much it will cost you to keep your home cool. An electrician in Glendale can help you manage your spinning meter and help keep some of that money in your pocket. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help.

These are 5 ways you can help limit your electricity usage and keep your electric bill down.

1-Make a commitment to set your thermostat at about 74 this summer. That is a comfortable temperature and you can maximize it by using a ceiling fan installed by a Glendale electrician to help stir up a breeze and circulate the cool air.

2-Buy a laundry rack and dry a few things outside on the patio to cut down on how often you use the dryer.

3-Be more conscientious about the amount of hot water you use. Don’t leave the faucet running while you wipe down cupboards or rinse dishes. Shave a few minutes off your shower time as well.

4-Switch out your old bulbs for the much more energy friendly LEDs. These tiny little bulbs use a fraction of the electricity of the standard bulb. You can also use CFLs. In some cases, you will need to have your light fixtures upgraded by an electrician. Glendale homeowners will appreciate the new look an updated fixture brings to a room.

5-Buy new curtains and blinds to use as sun shields this summer. It will help keep your home warmer and save on cooling costs.

Give The Electric Connection a call today to install that new light fixture or ceiling fan so you can start saving money on your electric bill.

Are lights on your dorm room checklist? They should be.

College dorm rooms are not known for their style and charm. They serve but one purpose for the budding student – a place to study and (occasionally) sleep. Equipped with little more than a bed and a desk, an empty dorm room requires some essential supplies. I’ve put together a list of several different types of lights — some fun and some functional — that need to make it on your back-to-school checklist.

The ever-popular rear bike light from REI that will at least make you more visible when cycling across campus at night, just not nearly as awesome as synchronized LED bike tires.

Shop for Dorm Room Lights