If you are interested in learning everything about electricity, you should start by understanding the basic components that make up any electrical design and how they work. Think about how the great pyramids of Egypt were built using just blocks of rock. The rocks themselves were nothing, but when combined with careful design they formed such grand structures!

Similarly, you need to know about the basic electrical components and how they work together to create wonderful modern electrical systems. Below you will find information about the most common electrical components:

The very first component that you should know about is the resistor. It is fairly easy to assume that a resistor, as the name suggests, will resist electricity that flows through it, and you would be correct in that assumption too! Any situation that demands the flow of current to be controlled at a desired level will require a resistor.

Here are two scenarios that better explain what a resistor does. In both cases, we will be turning on a LED:

Scenario 1 – Without Resistor

Scenario 2 – With Resistor

If a resistor is like a cushion that is used to control the flow of electricity, then capacitors are like small rechargeable batteries that store small amounts of charge in them. Capacitors do two things at the same time:

By so doing, they are able to stabilize almost any circuit. There are two types of capacitors that are primarily used:

I briefly alluded to LEDs in the scenarios that were used under “Resistors” above. LEDs are just like bulbs except that they are extremely reliable. You can find them on practically every appliance in your home that features some kind of an indicator light. A typical LED bulb can last decades with no sign of dying.

Since they are so reliable, they are used to indicate the state of current at any point in a circuit. An important task like checking the output voltage or current on a circuit becomes simpler with these light-based indicators.

The resistors, capacitors, and LEDs are the simple stuff in electrical circuits. Now, let us talk about the first complicated component – the transistor. Transistors are used to build complex electrical systems, such as amplifiers for instance. A simple way to understand transistors is to think of a switch. A basic switch has an “on” and an “off” state. These are controlled by the position of the switch, which is changed manually.

A transistor is a more advanced switch that has multiple output states. Unlike a switch, you cannot change these states manually. The only way to switch the transistor between various states is to run current through it. By controlling the current that flows through the transistor, you can control the output state to achieve the results you desire.

As a homeowner, you might not be aware of all the features your home has, especially when it comes to your electrical system. It’s like another occupation trying to keep up with your home’s appliances and making sure everything works properly. One of the things, however, that is so important to take care of is your electrical system and the features that are involved or connected to it. Not only does it help to understand your electrical system and what it can do for you, but it will also help you become more efficient especially when you’re trying to save money on your utility bill. Keeping your family safe is also a necessity, so keep these electrical features in mind and know how to keep your home safe with your electrical system.

Once you understand your electrical system and know how it works, you’ll notice a host of beneficiaries. You’ll be increasing the safety of your home, especially when a small problem arises and you’ll know what to do in that place and time. Meanwhile, you will also know how to avoid any potential problems and end any lasting effects that can be damaging to your home. And on top of all these benefits, you will also decrease your monthly utility bills. What’s better than that? Knowing your electrical system allows you to understand what works efficiently and what doesn’t, which avoids the cost of wasted money in the long run. Lastly, you can make smarter energy consumption choices. You’ll be able to identify which habits work for you and your family and which ones are affecting your lifestyle and costing you more out of pocket expenses.

With electricity becoming a prime suspect in the drain on your bank account, you are probably looking for ways to reduce your energy bill. It isn’t feasible or safe, to sit in a home that is hot and stuffy. Running the air conditioning unit constantly is extremely expensive and hard on the unit itself, which may result in costly repair bills. There are some things you can do to help keep your home cool, without running the expensive AC.

An attic fan is one way you could save money on your electric bill. An electrician in Glendale will be necessary to help you install a new fan or several fans depending on the size of your attic. The Electric Connection team is available for you and would love to help you cool your home and ultimately save money.

Attic fans work to pull out the hot, stagnant air that accumulates in finished attics. Most fans are controlled by a thermostat. This prevents the fan from running constantly and keeps you from having to remember to turn on the fan when the temperatures begin rising. There are some requirements that need to be met before you decide to have an attic fan installed. The attic must have soffit or gable vents. This allows the fan to bring in the cooler air to the attic space. The attic should also be sealed from the rest of your house. If these requirements are not met, you will end up wasting money by drawing your cool air from below, into the attic.

If you are not sure about your attic, you will need to contact an electrician. Glendale residents can rely on the experienced professionals at The Electric Connection. The staff will make notes about your attic and what kind of fan would work best.

Today, there are three things that are impacting outdoor lighting trends, taller elevations, the shift from brown-based to grey-based exterior materials and the continued desire for Outdoor Living elements and accessories. Together or separate, these changes are having an impact on outdoor lighting.

Taller

For almost ten years now, the height of interior ceilings has been shifting from a longstanding norm of eight-foot to a minimum of nine-foot tall. Many homes and many geographic areas are seeing minimums of ten and even twelve-foot. Homeowners love the expanse this provides. The unintended result of this growth is taller exterior elevations. Because of these increases in the exterior elevation and the commensurate growth of exterior door size and height, the standard, wall-mounted lighting fixtures that flank the doors and garage of a home had grown. Gone are the 8” porch lights of the past. Consumers must seek out taller exterior lighting to compliment the extended expanses outside.

Occurring almost concurrent with the interior ceiling height increases has been a growth in urban infill architecture. Central city lots are not the same as suburban plots. They often were extremely narrow, but also quite deep. The resultant architecture is significantly narrower and usually over two-stories tall. A three-story or four story façade again warrants a taller lighting fixture, but these must also be substantially narrower. For this type installation, seek out narrow and tall lighting.

From Brown to Gray

The dominant color of residential exterior has been beige/brown/tan for an extremely long period of time. Over the last five years, a larger and larger percentage of new homes have been using grey, slate, black and even white. Stones, siding, roofing, trim and windows are all experiencing this shift. Exterior lighting has primarily been some form of bronze. That is shifting now to colors and finishes that work better with the new material palette. Look for more black, variants of grey and even aluminum, stainless and nickel finishes. Each of these will more effectively compliment the new colors.

Keep in mind that there is a fair amount of regionalism in this particular trend. Housing colors in “dessert” areas (Phoenix, Southern California, Nevada, Florida and parts of Texas) where stucco homes are de rigueur will not see this shift. The stucco is naturally beige and roofing must be terra cotta to withstand the elevated temperatures. It is highly unlikely to see the demand for bronze-based finished altering here. Expect continued demand in these specific locations.

Outdoor Living Continues

The trend toward more and more outdoor use of a home shows no signs of stopping. Homeowners want to maximize their living space and extending to the home’s exterior is a natural reaction. There are typically thousands of square feet of living space outside. Why not use it? That space has been filled with kitchen equipment that rivals the inside and seating and tables that delivers the same type of comfort as interior furnishings. Look for lighting to follow this path. Exterior chandeliers continue to grow in popularity. Pendants and linear lighting have recently appeared. Landscape Lighting provided by LED remains a viable way to add interest to these outdoor spaces. Relatively recent additions are battery-operated LED Portable Lamps than can be positioned around the area to add light where people tend to congregate. All of these forms of light are designed to enhance the already inviting outdoor spaces.

It is interesting to note, this is not a regional trend. People in the north are as likely as southerners to equip their homes with these accessories. It is often said that northerners must pack 12 months of outdoor living into four or five months and they do that with gusto! Every outdoor is primed and ready for these products.

Outdoor Trends

A tertiary trend that is slowing gaining foothold is a more contemporary overall design. Initially this started with architect-driven homes and urban infill architecture, but more contemporary or contemporary-leaning residences are appearing. For that reason, an uptick in the demand for modern designs is becoming evident. While small today, it cannot be ignored. More will inevitably be employed in the future.

Outdoor trends in residential exteriors tend to be slow in coming and they typically hold for a longer period of time than interior trends. These shifts have been accelerating for a while now. When they peak, they will hold for a longer period of time. Our love for the outdoor seems inexhaustible.