Usually, people hire an electrical contractor without giving it too much thought. You might assume that a professional service will know how to get the job done in quick time and you won’t have to bear any hassle. However, there is more to electrician services than meets the eye. There are a few relevant factors you should consider when selecting an electrical service for hiring. The reasons are simple: you are letting in complete strangers into your home who will be working on the electrical system. You have to be on the safe side than take any risk.

To make things a tad easier for you, here’s a look at the top 5 things to look for in electrician services:

Did you know a certified electrician adheres to the highest standards of quality and services? Don’t you want the electrician you hire to work professionally and deliver you the best possible level of service? This is why it is important to look for electrical services which are certified and have the necessary credentials. Membership of a local professional organization is an added bonus but the key factor is experience. If an electrician has been in the business for a few years, you can be certain that he will be able to get the work done without causing you any inconvenience in the process. So, ask for certifications and qualifications when you interview an electrician service.

Insurance is a must. Regardless of how qualified and experienced an electrician is, electrical systems are volatile and something or the other could go wrong. That would not only cause damage to the wiring and outlets but also connected appliances. In the worst case scenario, the problem could exacerbate to the extent that it causes damage to your property. Now, if the electrician you hire isn’t insured, you will have to pay for repairs and renovation out of pocket. This is why only hire a certified electrician that is ensured as well. In addition, also check licensing to ensure the electrician service is allowed to perform residential electrical work in your area.

There is no dearth of professional electrical services in the market so you can afford to be picky when it comes to the cost of the services. When you get a quote from an electrician, make sure you have him break it down and check how much he is charging for which service. You can also ask around and compare rates to get a better idea of how much you should be paying for the work you need to get done. Rest assured, when you hire a certified, insured and licensed electrician who offers affordable services, the lower price wouldn’t mean a compromise on quality. This is a major reason you should keep these factors in mind when making a decision. This way, you will get great value for money.

It doesn’t take much for you to be able to judge the level of professionalism you can expect from an electrician. When you talk to them on the phone and then meet face to face, get an idea of their behavior and attitude. The best electricians show genuine concern for their clients and are focused on solving your problems rather than charging you as much money as they can get out of you. Be alert and take note of the appearance and attitude of the electrician. If you feel he is friendly, courteous and professional, don’t hesitate to hire. If not, you can always find another professional certified electrician.

Time to fall back and re-adjust to a new light!  Daylight Savings Time ends on November 2nd and our circadian rhythms may be upset as we are forced to accept the darker mornings.

Don’t despair, a few simple tips will help make for an easy transition.  From landscape to living room, we’ll show you how to adjust your lighting design for the change of season.

3 Surefire Ways to Keep your Circadian Rhythm in Check and Attune your Light to the Season

1.  PERFECT TIMING:  Reset timers on outdoor and landscape lighting.  Timers for outdoor lighting should be set to go on after sunset.  Automated timers may be wall-mounted indoors or on transformers outside.  Newer systems may be powered to photocells which adjust light fixtures automatically for Daylight Savings Time. Photocells are activated by natural sunlight, so that lights will go as soon as it gets dark outset.  For the coming winter months–timers for outdoor lighting should be programmed to go on around 5 pm and shut-off around 3 am.

2.  KEEPING YOUR SPIRIT UP:  Many individuals experience a lack of energy and/or depressed mood during the winter months due to their decreased exposure to sunlight.  Adding daylight bulbs to table or floor lamps will brighten up your interior space and may help to keep your energy and spirit up throughout the day.

Frosted True Daylight lamps from Bulbrite Industries utilize neodymium to replicate sunlight to  help you “see better, feel better” and adjust to seasonal changes.

3.  STAYING IN TUNE TO THE NEW NORMAL:  Studies have confirmed that lighting our homes and offices in tune with our natural circadian rhythms is beneficial to overall performance and well-being.  “Tunable” lighting is the wave of the future.  From setting our lighting designs to be in perfect unison with our sleep-wake-performance schedules to illuminating entire rooms in our favorite colors, we have the technology to change our lighting design according to the season and the ceremony!

Visit with a professional lighting consultant at a Capitol Lighting showroom or 1800lighting.com for personalized attention to your lighting design scheme.  Keep abreast of the latest lighting news at 1800lighting.com.

The phrase “light recipe” is a good entry point into a conversation about LED lighting as a world-changing technology. While people originally thought of LEDs as a somewhat ineffectual light source good only for small electronic displays and then as a profound energy saver, we now understand that the potential for LEDs to change the world we live in is even more staggering than the way cell phones were first imagined to merely facilitate conversation and grew to be pocket PCs used for managing our social, economic, and artistic lives.

With the explosion of home renovation shows such as House Detective, Holmes On Homes and Income Property, you would be hard pressed to find the person who isn’t aware that any renovation of an older home would require the specialized services of a licensed, qualified electrician. Often conjuring up images of the older, ‘quaint’, 40+ year-old home, the word “renovation” has almost become synonymous with a neglected home in disrepair, complete with bundles of wiring that could pass for extension cords. Obvious stuff that would appear glaringly unsafe to the average person.

What doesn’t come to mind is your typical, one or two-story home built anywhere from the 1980’s to early 2000’s.  But in today’s housing market, doing a kitchen and bath remodel could mean the difference between a sale and seeing no movement at all. Whether it’s to compete with newly built homes in a weak housing market or to increase the value and enjoyment of one’s home, a homeowner would be prudent to consult a licensed electrician when making any updates to their home. There can be unforeseen dangers when combining newer, modern appliances and lighting with existing wiring and a licensed electrician can inspect and update your home’s electrical framework, ensuring its safety and increasing energy efficiency.

In a case of one trend bringing about another, the increasing popularity of in-home offices and theater rooms has  sparked the inclusion of structured wiring, or heavy-duty electrical and data cables designed to manage the latest (and yet-to-be-invented) electrical devices. Take into account that almost 50% of new homes built in 2008 included structured wiring and you can see that this trend could very well become the norm in the near future.

For questions or a free consultation and estimate on updating your home’s electrical infrastructure, call Bryant Electric Service at 512-402-8587.

Under cabinet lighting has become very popular recently, especially in kitchen remodels. There are many benefits to having this type of task lighting. In addition to adding functionality to your counters, it can also add depth and highlight your backsplash, giving your kitchen a great look throughout the day. There are a variety of different lights that can be installed by an electrician in Los Angeles, each with its own benefits.

One of the top choices for under cabinet lighting is LED lighting. LED lights do not use as much electricity as standard light bulbs. This means that the bulbs will use less electricity and generate less heat. You don’t want very much heat to build up under your wooden cabinets, so this is a very important feature. LED bulbs are also very durable, and not filled with a glass like fluorescent bulbs, or a thin fragile filament like incandescent. LED lightings can withstand the beating that they may get in your kitchen. One of the greatest things about LED lights is that they are long-lasting. LED lights have a much longer lifespan than any of the other alternatives.

Xenon bulbs are another popular option for under cabinet lighting. They are great when compared with halogen. They create less heat than halogen bulbs, last longer and you can handle them without gloves (unlike their halogen counterparts). Xenon bulbs are also dimmable, which makes them great for kitchen lightings. If your kitchen currently has halogen light bulbs, it is recommended that you switch them with xenon as soon as they start to burn out.

These two options are two of the most popular types of under cabinet lighting installed by your local Los Angeles electrician. To talk about installing under cabinet lighting or any other electrical issue, give The Electric Connection a call. You can find all of our contact information and further resources (Click Here).