Have you ever walked into your kitchen and tried to use the toaster only to discover it had been unplugged. Then you remember you unplugged it because you needed to use the can opener and didn’t want to unplug the Crockpot, interrupting your dinner. If you have ever experienced anything like this, then you probably need the help of an electrician in Pasadena, like those at The Electric Connection. Stop the frustration by having an electrician install additional outlets in your kitchen.

Older homes that have been renovated and made more modern tend to overlook the outlet situation in the kitchen. Fifty years ago, kitchen appliances were very minimal or considered a major luxury. In today’s world, we can’t make coffee or open a can of beans without an electrical outlet. With all the lovely appliances available today that make our lives easier, it is only normal we would want the power to use them.

You can remedy the situation with the help of an electrician. Pasadena residents can transform their kitchen into a space that works for them by having additional outlets installed. Before this can happen, the electrician will need to check out the existing electric panel to determine whether or not the current breaker can support more outlets. In most cases, an additional breaker may be needed to support the outlets. This is something an electrician can take care of for you. When it is time to install the new outlets, it is a good idea to have the electrician replace the old outlets in the kitchen with GFCI outlets. These are the standard in new home construction in the kitchen and bathroom areas. They prevent electric shock if water is splashed on an appliance. If you are ready to make your kitchen start working for you, give The Electric Connection a call today.

1) Totally Tubular

We’ve seen words written on walls in LED rope, but never with this kind of frame. How clever! As the evolution of LED rope continues, I would expect to see even more eye-catching wire frames. It’s all about making something that looks good even when rope is not illuminated. This DIYer is definitely on the right track.

3) LED Rope with a Side of More Rope

It seems to be true. She wore garments with integrated LEDs at the Grammy’s and loves to have LED lighting on stage with her. Here, we can see how cool LED rope can be on the stage. There are innumerable shapes and symbols that could be constructed or outlined with LED rope to make a musical performance more visually appealing. Rock on!

5) Wrap Your Porch like a Present

Using rope to play with LED rope has become wildly popular during the past year or so. I love the way this piece displays what I think of as a controlled tangle. This lighting application is artistic in the way it arrest attention and invites questions. Like, “What is the point of this?” And you’re led to answer yourself: It’s a source of light that serves a function while it conveys a unique look. Good stuff.

7)  LED Rope for Starting Seedlings

This is another application that is not new but should be restated. LED rope is a great, relatively inexpensive way to install cove lighting. This is great in residential and commercial settings and needs to be restated because cove lighting creates such a dramatic transformation for any space, and LED rope is just an excellent way to achieve it.

Daylight saving time has ended and winter is on its way. That means you're using your household lighting much more often, and if you're still using incandescent light bulbs, it could also mean a noticeable jump in your electrical bills.

But it doesn't have to be that way -- if you're willing to make an investment now, you can actually lower your energy consumption this winter and lock in those savings for years. And it's as simple as changing a light bulb.

LEDs are the most energy efficient light bulbs on the market, and thanks to increased demand and expanded manufacturing, their prices have dropped considerably in recent years. Most LED bulbs now cost less than $10, and smart shoppers can usually find them for less than $5 each.

That price may still seem steep to someone accustomed to buying incandescent bulbs for $1 each, but LEDs are built to last for more than 20 years!

You've Come a Long Way

The affordability of LEDs isn't the only thing that has changed. The array of colors, styles and features has expanded substantially, giving homeowners more choices than ever in the lighting effects they can achieve in their homes.

Colors like "soft white" and "warm white" are popular because they replicate that warm feeling of an incandescent bulb, which is what many consumers missed most when they switched to CFL bulbs. Some bulbs are even capable of displaying multiple colors and can be controlled with a remote.

The most sophisticated LEDs are equipped with smart technology so that they can be controlled from anywhere with a smartphone or tablet. The apps used to control these lights are also some of the most user-friendly interfaces for setting up detailed lighting schedules.

A Few Differences

Picking out LEDs isn't too different from choosing among incandescent bulbs, but there are some other key differences.

An important one is that while LEDs are labeled in watts to offer an idea of their energy consumption, that rating doesn't correlate directly with brightness as with incandescents. LED brightness is measured in lumens, which will range from about 400 to about 2500 in most bulbs. A 100 watt incandescent is equivalent to about 1600 lumens.

It's also important to make careful decisions when choosing LEDs for use with dimmers. If your dimmer is more than a few years old, it's likely to be incompatible with most LEDs, and you'll need to pick out special dimmer-friendly bulbs. You could also replace your dimmers with modern, LED-friendly versions, which allow you to dim any LEDs.

Long sunny days won't be back for a while, so consider replacing those old bulbs with new, long-lasting, energy efficient bulbs this winter. And if you need help redesigning your lighting scheme, reach out to your trusted local electrician.

It isn’t hard to install new electrical outlets, but it’s important to prep your home accordingly. To avoid any strange scenarios, check out the three tips below:

Before adding a new outlet, you’ll need to make sure your breaker panel is turned off. Double-check that your breaker is turned off with a voltage tester. If you don’t have a voltage tester, plug in a lap to the nearest-available socket. Additionally, it’s a good idea to test the new socket directly by plugging the excess length into an electrical application.

Understandably, you may find it difficult to jab through drywall when making room for an outlet. Instead of cutting with a saw, consider using a flat head screwdriver. It’s cheaper, more adaptable and can easily carve through drywall. If you do settle for a saw, make sure you’re not sawing too aggressively. Aggressive sawing can tear a drywall surface’s paper backside—which will reduce the wall’s structural integrity. If your screwdriver-made hole is too small, you can make it bigger with a utility knife.

If you’re working with fabric-insulated wiring, it’ll be a good idea to contact your electrician. Your electrician can recommend various safe connections, making sure you’re not engaging unsafe projects without a grounding wire. Without a grounding wire, it can be difficult to tell which wires are neutral and hot.