Cleaning a crystal chandelier isn’t as daunting as it may appear. These precious fixtures require a little more love and care than a desk lamp, but you can restore and maintain your crystal’s shine with common household products and a little know-how.

Everyday Care

If your chandelier is still sparkling clean, simply dust the fixture with a lambswool or feather duster every few weeks. Keep your strokes light, since leaded crystal is softer than glass—even dust can scratch it. Be sure to walk around the fixture as you dust, rather than spinning it towards you. Twisting the fixture can strain the wiring or loosen its support.

Spring Cleaning

Eventually, the fixture will need a more thorough cleaning, especially if it’s in a high-traffic area or kitchen. Mid-size chandeliers are still manageable at this stage, provided you have some clean, lint-free rags, isopropyl alcohol, and a little elbow grease.

Before touching the chandelier, follow rule number one: turn off the power to the room when dealing with a ceiling fixture. At least flip the light switch off and tape it so no one will accidentally turn the light on while you’re working. Set up an alternative light source to aid the cleaning. Once the chandelier bulbs have cooled, cover them with plastic snack bags and secure with a rubber band.

Fill a spray bottle with one part isopropyl alcohol and three parts distilled water. Spray on one section of the chandelier at a time, then wipe off with a white cotton glove or lint-free cloth, making sure you dry the frame as well as the crystal. This solution will clarify the crystal and help remove the haze, but is gentler than ammonia on crystal with a design or edge finish. Even so, gently wipe away after spraying and don’t allow the fixture to drip dry. This will help preserve the frame.

Try cleaning your chandelier every two to six months with the alcohol solution, depending on whether the fixture is in a high-traffic area or not.

Heavy Restoration

If your fixture hasn’t been cleaned in a long time (or just needs extra attention), you can go an extra step before calling a professional. This is where a digital camera comes in handy, as you’ll need to remove individual pendants for a more thorough washing. Take pictures of the connections for reference later, then carefully remove the pendants. You may need a pair of needle-nose pliers to help disengage the pendants from the fixture.

Fill a sink with warm water and some gentle dish soap. Carefully wash each crystal piece and rinse in warm water to avoid any drastic temperature shifts. Set the pendants on a clean cloth to dry. Then simply rehang the pendants and enjoy your sparkling fixture!

Damaged wiring, DIY repairs and faulty installations are all common electrical mistakes which if not corrected in time can be hazardous and lead to short circuits, injury and electrical fires. If you encounter any of these 7 mistakes in your house, fix them immediately as they pose a serious risk to life and property.

Using a warm white or RGB COB (chips-on-board) LED, these flood lights emit up to 1,000 lumens of illumination in a wide 120-degree beam pattern. The weatherproof LED fixtures have a low-profile die cast aluminum housing with an integral heat sink and a tempered glass lens. An adjustable mounting bracket is also included to direct illumination where it’s needed.

Selecting the best electrical service professionals isn’t always an easy task. There are many available, and it can be challenging to narrow your search down to the best candidates. You might feel pressure to make a decision quickly, but doing your homework is highly recommended. Hiring the wrong electrical expert can lead to lots of frustration, as well as wasted time and money. Be sure to ask the important questions before deciding on a hire.

Even if they come with a big discount, you never want to work with electrical professionals who aren’t licensed and insured. Taking this measure will ensure your hire has proper training for the job and you won’t find yourself stuck with substandard results. Insurance is necessary as well since accidents are not always avoidable. Unforeseen damages can easily occur on the job site, and if your electrical experts aren’t insured, you could be stuck with the stress — not to mention extra costs.

It might not be enough to have a licensed and insured professional. They still might not have experience with your particular situation. Find out if they’ve dealt with jobs like yours before, and if they can offer insight that might help you finish things ahead of schedule and under budget. If they specialize in a particular area, be sure it’s related to the job you need! If it’s a big project, make sure they’ve worked on large scale contracts before adding them to your team. You don’t want your electrical professionals to get in over their heads while on the job.

It’s a bonus if the work performed is under warranty, as there is no telling what might happen down the line. If issues arise after work is complete, having electrical service professionals you can call on to address the problem is of critical importance. Beyond giving you valuable peace of mind, this can help ensure the work meets standards of safety and quality. When you consider how dangerous electrical work can be, this becomes even more important.

Electrical service professionals should be reliable enough to let you focus on other aspects of the job while they work. Seek a company that has extensive experience serving customers in your area and a proven track record for success. You can tell a lot about a company by reading online reviews and testimonials from other customers. In addition to that, any reputable electrical contractor should be open to answering any questions you may have.

Install the service panel at a convenient location that is also secured so that only authorized people have access to it. The electrical panel is sized according to the environment as well. In many commercial wiring schematics, where each tenant has separate cabling and metering, the panel should provide for this. All panels and metering are typically installed in one location with an outline of which components are related to each apartment, floor or condo. There should be adequate electrical outlets to avoid using extension cords. It is important to ensure the layout and spacing complies with the relevant electrical standards.

A tenant may carry out renovations and wish to add electrical outlets to other locations not served by the initial outlets. Before making the modifications, the tenant should confirm that the panel and conductors have the capacity to handle extra outlets, lights or additional loads. This can be confirmed by the building owner, a qualified electrician, or electrical contractor who carried out the initial wiring. If the wiring is not adequate, additional cabling and protection may be required.

Electrical Safety in a commercial building is usually very critical to any building owner or caretaker, as well as business owners or tenants. They must ensure the safety of the people working on the premises as well as the visitors and customers. To minimize the risk of accidents and injuries, the building owner should make sure that the electrical wiring is up to date. This includes regular maintenance. Three phase power should comply with all electrical and building codes for that area. In particular, the people responsible must focus on ensuring that:

A comprehensive inspection of a commercial installation of electrical wiring should be carried out every 5 years by a qualified electrician. However, it is important to have regular inspections in between that identify defects and enable prompt repairs. A building owner must ensure the safety of the tenants, employees, and visitors while also guaranteeing uninterruptible supply to the premises.