Electric cars are all the rage these days. They promise savings to consumers, who can install charging stations in their homes with the help of an electrician and dramatically their gasoline bills. Electric cars also give Americans a way to feel good about helping the environment, since they don't burn up petroleum or contribute to carbon emissions when they are being driven. A recent study, however, showed that we still have a long way to go when it comes to realizing the promise of electric cars – contrary to expectations, electric cars can actually create more pollution than gasoline-fueled vehicles. Read on to learn why.

The Electric Generation Conundrum

When electric vehicles are touted as emission-free, a key part of the equation is being omitted: the electricity to power them still has to be created somehow, and most of the power generation in the United States is based on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. In some areas of the country, it turns out, the pollution created by generating the electricity for electric cars actually outweighs that which would be emitted by traditional gasoline automobiles.

The study, performed by the National Bureau of Economic Research, measured carbon, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen, particulate matter and volatile organic chemicals. Through a complicated formula, they compared the output of those pollutants from regional power grids, measured for the amount of electricity it takes to power electric vehicles, compared to what would be produced by the equivalent gasoline cars.

Gasoline vs. Electricity

What researchers found was sobering – while gasoline vehicles tend to produce a lot of pollution that is concentrated in urban areas, electric vehicles create pollution spread out over entire regions. The effect is particularly acute in the Midwest and Northeastern United States, where power plants don't use as many renewable energy sources compared to those in the West. The upshot? As it stands now, we are currently creating more air pollution for large swaths of the country by driving electric cars than we are saving.

The discouraging results of this study notwithstanding, that doesn't mean that it's time to give up on electric cars altogether. After all, electricity doesn't have to be produced by fossil fuels-- the amount of solar and wind generation is only growing, for example. If you install solar panels on your own roof, you can reassure yourself that you are creating green energy to offset the electricity you use in your car.

Question Your Assumptions

If there's one thing that's clear from the study results, it's that you shouldn't just make assumptions when it comes to energy conservation and pollution – not everything is as simple as it looks at first.

If you need help determining if your home is suitable for an electric car hookup, contact an expert electrician today.

In 2015, almost 40 million people were living with disabilities in the United States alone. Many people don’t expect a debilitating injury, so their homes become ill-suited after a severe accident or illness leading to their condition. Here are a few alterations to home electrical systems that might be useful to people with disabilities.

Electricians understand the different kinds of lighting a person can use in their homes. For those who don’t get much natural sunlight, full-spectrum lighting can reduce the yellow wavelength of light and cast a glow similar to natural sunlight. Disabilities can often cause depression or mood swings as the person affected adjusts to this change in lifestyle. His or her family and caretakers also have to adapt. Studies have shown natural light often improves peoples’ moods, which is essential to those who may be experiencing stress in response to the disability.

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.

Custom Electrical Services works hard to provide the best service possible to all of their customers.  We take pride in our work and the service we provide, always trying to build as much value into every project we help on.  We work with home owners and professional contractors alike.  Below is a recent review from one of our professional contractor customers.

“Custom Electrical is the Best electrical contractor in the Des Moines Area. We have used their services for the past 12 years and they are 100% customer focused, always show up on time, and perform their work in a friendly and professional matter. Doesn’t matter if it is the owner or anyone else in the organization, their service is top notch. We trust them with all our electrical needs” Kirk Mickelsen  KRM Development

Thank you Kirk Mickelsen and KRM Development for your continued support!

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Let’s face it; while working for yourself can be an amazing experience, owning your own business can come with a ton of unsightly costs you may not have been anticipating. One of those may be energy costs for lighting and illuminating your building. This day and age, lighting can account for up to 35% of a business’s energy costs which can be a huge impact on your profit. So what are some ways you can help cut down on this expensive expenditure?