Home maintenance can be overwhelming, especially when you don’t know where to start. Roofs that need re-shingling, carpets that have seen better days, that occasional leak you still have yet to place… there’s usually always something that needs fixing. Problems that are visible are usually easy to track and stop before the problem gets worse, but what if there’s an issue inside your walls?Outdated wiring is an issue all homeowners will eventually face. Homes that are at least 30 years old are likely to have outdated wiring not designed to operate with the modern homeowner’s lifestyle. Older homes with 60 amps can’t handle powering multiple appliances at once, not when the typical homeowner needs a house with at least 100 amps. It’s important to note that old wiring isn’t just an issue of inconvenience, but safety.

We all want the best for our children, and one of the most important ways we can help the next generation is by ensuring that they are receiving the highest quality education they can. But what if I told you there is an element to education that most people overlook when discussing ways to change education, even though it has been proven to improve behavior and focus, reduce disruptions and increase reading speed and learning capacity?

Though often overlooked, Research has shown that full-spectrum, cool white light is best for encouraging concentration in a classroom, so swapping out outdated fixtures for newer technology could be a great start to better classroom lighting.

Although fluorescent fixtures are popular in schools, the way they flicker (often imperceptibly) especially if a child has a visual impairment that necessitates a brighter environment. Try to position the lights (or the students) so that the task lighting is on the opposite side of their dominant (writing) side. This ensures that their writing arm won’t block the light, and distracting shadows won’t affect their work.

Teachers should try to avoid standing in front of lights or windows when talking, because these can easily distract or bother students. Though it can be difficult, students will focus and learn better when the teacher eliminates as many distractions as possible. And who among us hasn’t caught themselves drifting in a daydream out a window, whether interested in the topic at hand or not?

There are many programs and initiatives for better classroom lighting in place, though many are local to specific regions. Have you heard of any neat programs geared towards smart classroom lighting? Let us know in the comments!