Tag: solar

5 Ways to Be More Green by Electrician in California

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

electricon_06_7It feels good to do something good for our neighborhood and the people we spend time with every day, even if it is from a distance. Doing the right thing and helping out in your little corner of the world gives you a sense of belonging, accomplishment and a little pride. You are doing your part to make the world better. You don’t have to be a trailblazer, a celebrity or someone who is given accolades to truly make a difference. An electrician in California has a few tips for you to use that will have a positive impact on the environment. You can leave the world a little greener. Encouraging your friends and family to follow these practices makes your impact that much bigger. At The Electric Connection, we hope to work with you to make things better.

Going green is trendy. It is cool to be green. Check out some of the things you can do in your house to be a little more green.

1-Turn the AC up 2 degrees and the heater down 2 degrees. Use a ceiling fan installed by an electrician to keep the room feeling cool without using nearly as much electricity.

2-Make it a goal to shorten your hot showers by at least 2 minutes everyday.

3-Use a stand to dry your clothes on the patio, deck or even in a room in the house that tends to be warm. An outside clothesline is also an option.

4-Quit leaving your lights, televisions and music players on when you are not using them!

5-Buy a solar charger and use it to charge your cell phone, laptop and tablet. Consider this baby steps to switching to solar power.

Becoming more energy efficient doesn’t necessarily mean you sit in the dark or don’t use hot water. You can still be energy conscientious without really changing the way you do things today. Give The Electric Connection a call if you need a new ceiling fan installed.

Outside Lighting with Your Pasadena Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

electricon5_2-16Your landscaping is the first thing people see when they arrive at your house and the last thing they see when they leave. Lighting can make or break the way your house looks and feels. A dark, dreary house is going to look uninviting to some, but will look very inviting for those who will take advantage of the darkness. It is important you make your home inviting as well as safe with the installation of landscape and security lighting by an electrician. Pasadena homeowners can rely on The Electric Connection to help them transform their home’s yard into one that is beautiful and safe.

There are plenty of options when it comes to lighting up your yard and landscaping. You can choose to go with nice and bright or low and subtle. Mounted security lights are an excellent option and can easily be installed by your Pasadena electrician. Many of these lights are equipped with motion sensors. As soon as you step outside or pull your car into the driveway, the area will be flooded with light. This means you won’t have to worry about fumbling in the dark while you look for a switch.

Pathway lights and lights that shine on a particularly special point of interest in the yard are also excellent options. These add a layer of safety as well as make it look a little nicer. Solar lights are easily placed, but your electrician in Pasadena will tell you electric lights are a little more reliable. They also stay bright throughout the night while many of the solar lights will fade and become dim by the wee hours of the morning. Electric lights give you full control and will last for years. Give The Electric Connection a call today and get your outdoor lighting installed before spring arrives.

Preparing for Power Outages with Beverly Hills Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

electriccon_2As the temperatures get cooler, Californians are going to be turning on the heat. Cold nights means a lot more people are going to be relying on their furnaces and space heaters to take the chill off. These things are electricity hogs and can quickly tax the power grid. This combined with poor weather in general can lead to a power outage. The outage may last a couple of hours of be much longer and really wreak havoc on your daily schedule as well as basic duties like making a meal, cleaning the house or taking a hot shower. Your Beverly Hills electrician has some tips to help you prepare for a temporary power outage. The team at The Electric Connection knows how much of an inconvenience living without electricity can be and hopes to help you ride it out in relative comfort.

*Your best option is to have a standby generator installed by an electrician in Beverly Hills. This ensures you always have a back up source of power and never have to go without. The generators are enclosed in a box, which helps reduce noise. You won’t have to worry about your neighbors complaining about the noisy generator.

*Putting together a kit that includes essentials like spare batteries, flashlights, emergency candles, matches and a solar charger for your phone and other gadgets will save you a lot of frustration. The solar chargers are relatively inexpensive and ensure your phone, laptop and tablet will get charged.

*Put together a little box of goodies that you can eat without worrying about heating the food up. Things like crackers, energy bars and a couple cans of beans will give you something to munch on while you wait for the power to be restored. Don’t forget the manual can opener.

Power outages are rarely very long, but even an hour without electricity can throw you off a bit. Avoid dealing with it by talking with an electrician. Beverly Hills homeowners who invest in a standby generator will never have to worry about eating cold beans for dinner. Give The Electric Connection a call today to learn more about generators and preparing for power outages.

Fall Outdoor Lighting with Beverly Hills Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

electriccon_09_2The air is changing, the kids are back to school and it won’t be long before we embark on the busy holiday season. With the rush to get the kids to school, attending various sports events and keeping up with life in general, your landscaping and upkeep will likely take a back seat. With summer coming to an end, outdoor barbecues and family football games will be few and far between. However, on those rare events when you do have some downtime and want to enjoy the outdoors, you will need outdoor lighting. Your electrician in Beverly Hills can help you with that. The team at The Electric Connection knows how important your time is and is ready to help you take care of your outdoor lighting project.

With the fall and winter seasons, daylight is in short supply. Having adequate outdoor lighting becomes a necessity. It isn’t something you can actually do without. A Beverly Hills electrician can complete the installation of electric lights around your landscaping and in areas where there is high traffic. Your front walkway area, driveway and back patio or deck are all places that will be a little safer and more inviting with light. Lighting up your shrubs is also a safety measure that ensures animals and humans are not lurking in the darkness.

Solar lights are quick and easy, but they simply do not provide the steady, bright electric lights that are installed by an electrician. Beverly Hills homeowners will appreciate the clean look a professional installation brings. The ease of having a timer installed on the lights is another benefit to hiring an electrician. A timer ensures the lights are on when you get home. You don’t have to walk through the dark to turn them on. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your outdoor lighting installation.

Save Money and Save the Planet with an Electrician in Los Angeles

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

electriccon_06_1Every month we hear more about our failing earth. Whether you buy into all of the theories or not, it isn’t hard to deny the abuse we impose on Mother Earth. We know things are reaching a breaking point. It is time to make some changes before things get so bad, there is no going back. Although it may seem like a daunting task to save the world, you don’t have to look at the big picture. Focus on your little corner. Focus on making a few changes around your house and you can save the planet that way. Every little bit helps. An electrician in Los Angeles has some tips to help you do just that. The team at The Electric Connection wants to help you do what you can by providing electrical services.

Check out some of the ways you can save money while saving the planet.

1-Switch to CFLs. Don’t put it off. Using less electricity will save you money while reducing the demand on natural resources.

2-Look into having your home switched to solar power. There are numerous tax breaks and incentives for homeowners who are willing to make the change. A Los Angeles electrician will hook up the system and you will start saving money on your electric bill in the first month.

3-Make your home heating and air conditioning more efficient by sealing up cracks around your windows and doors. Have a ceiling fan installed by an electrician. Los Angeles homeowners can reduce the demand on their furnaces and air conditioning units with ceiling fan installation.

4-Be conscientious when showering, brushing your teeth or running the washer or dishwasher. Conserve water by taking shorter showers, turning off the water while brushing and only running the washer when it is full.

Be kind to the planet and your wallet. Follow these quick and easy tips. If you need a ceiling fan installed or have questions about solar energy, call The Electric Connection today.

Updating Landscape Lighting with Santa Monica Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

blog_electricianIt is that time of year again! Spring is here and the flowers are starting to bloom as well as the trees. You are probably already dusting off your lawn furniture and getting ready for another season of mowing the lawn and trimming the hedges. Don’t forget to take a look at your landscape lighting as well. There are probably some lights that need replacing or maybe you are considering adding more lights or replacing your solar lights with electric lights. No matter what the case is, you will want to hire an electrician in Santa Monica to get the job done right. The team at The Electric Connection is ready to help you get your landscape lighting in tip top condition so you can be proud of your yard this summer.

Landscape lighting has come a long way in the last decade. There are so many different kinds of lights to choose from you are sure to find something that fits your personality and style. You don’t have to stick with the typical lantern-style lighting lining your walkway. Go bold and add a little flair to your landscaping by choosing lights that are a little different from the norm, but still just as effective. Once you have chosen your style of lights, call your Santa Monica electrician. You will want to make sure the lights are installed properly and will work throughout the season. Electric lights tend to be more reliable than their solar counterparts. They can also be placed in shady places under shrubs and on the shady side of the house.

Because there are some electrical wires associated with electric landscape lights, it is best to have the job completed by a professional electrician. Santa Monica homeowners will feel better knowing it was done right and their home’s safety has not been compromised by incorrect wiring. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your landscape lighting install or upgrade.

Outdoor Lighting Options by Electrician in Santa Monica

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

photo_23_20050923We love to decorate our landscaping with various ornamental trees, gorgeous flower beds, fountains and various statues. Unfortunately, with the daylight hours already getting shorter, it isn’t always easy to showcase your hard work without adequate outdoor lighting. Homeowners have several choices when it comes to finding the perfect way to highlight various areas in the landscaping. An electrician in Santa Monica has some tips for you to use when choosing the right lighting for your yard. You can call The Electric Connection to learn more about outdoor lighting options.

Solar Lighting

Solar lights are great for those areas of your yard that need soft lighting and get at least 8 hours of full sunlight a day. They are easy to place and are free of wires. Outlining a flower garden or pathway through the backyard or from the driveway to the front door are great ways to use solar lights. However, this particular type of light is not a good idea for areas that are shady or close to the house where they will not get full sun exposure.

Electric Lighting

Electric lights come in a variety of styles and sizes. They can be placed throughout the landscaping, but it will be necessary for you to pay close attention to the Santa Monica electrical requirements. Electric lights in the landscaping are perfect for shady areas that the solar lights are not ideal in. You will need to bury the wiring and have it wired into your home’s main power. A switch can be installed that allows you to turn the lights off and on manually or you can opt to have a timer installed that will take care of everything.

If you would like to have electric landscape lighting installed around your home, give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your installation.

Outdoor Security Enhanced with Spotlights with Electrician in Glendale

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Outdoor lighting is often overlooked by homeowners who are more focused on their indoor lighting needs. A few lights set in the landscape are nice, but it doesn’t often do enough to properly light an area to provide adequate security. Many people will settle for a security light over the front door or the garage door and call it good. That does little good for the far corners of the yard or pathways around the garage or what not. An electrician in Glendale can help you enhance the security of your yard. You can count on The Electric Connection to make sure your yard is well lit.

Spotlights can be placed in the yard to shed light on a specific area like a fountain, a gorgeous rose bush or even a statue. The spotlights can be solar or electric-powered. The latter is preferable, especially for areas that are shady. The lights are brighter than a standard pathway light and light up a broader area. A row of spotlights along a pathway in the backyard is perfect for adding a layer of safety.

Patio areas will benefit from additional lighting. The standard porch light tends to only light up the area closest the door, while the rest of the patio is swathed in darkness. String lights are a popular choice and can enhance the overall look of the patio. You can add festive-colored light strings or romantic twinkle lights. In either situation, you will need to have your Glendale electrical system beefed up a bit to accommodate the light strings. Your electrician can install an extra outlet for you to plug the string lights into. This ensures you are not overloading an existing outlet and still have an outlet available to plug in a fan or other electrical device. Give The Electric Connection a call today and help make your outdoor area a little safer.

Landscape Lighting Addressed by Glendale Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Doing your own yard work is a rewarding experience. While there is always the option of hiring a landscape company to take care of your lawn needs, it is often a job many homeowners would like to take on themselves. It is an excellent way to get some exercise while working with your hands. One of the biggest motivators to taking care of your own yard work is the cost savings. The money you save by taking care of your own landscaping needs gives you more money to put back into the landscaping. Landscaping is not complete without adequate lighting. Although you may want to do all the work yourself, landscape lighting is one job you will want to hire a Glendale electrician to take care of. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help you.

Many homeowners who tackle their landscaping needs on their own will usually opt to install solar lights. These lights are quick and easy to install and require very little effort. They can be placed anywhere in the landscaping, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will work effectively. Solar lights need at least 8 hours of sunlight to recharge. If the lights are placed under trees or thick shrubs that get very little sun, the solar lights will not recharge and will not light up when darkness falls.

Electric landscape lights require a little more effort to install, but they will remain lit throughout the night whether the sun shone on the lights or not. Because the lights will require electrical wire, you will want to hire an electrician. Glendale residents will appreciate the reliability of electric landscaping lights. Your electrician will wire the lights into the home’s electric panel. You can opt to have a timer installed for the lights or a manual switch for you to control when the lights are turned off and on. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your landscape lighting installation.

Serenity Space Aided with Electrician in Beverly Hills

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

If you are looking for a spring project that will get you outside, look no further. A fun, rewarding project you can take on with just a little effort and creativity is an outdoor sitting space. The area will be a private retreat in your own backyard.
Imagine a stone bench surrounded by lush greens, pretty flowers and a few hand-picked lawn ornaments. Your retreat will be the perfect place to rest after a long day or first thing in the morning. Because there is a good chance you will be enjoying your space in the twilight hours, you will want to make it safe. An electrician in Beverly Hills, like those at The Electric Connection, can help you add light to your place of serenity.

A common feature that will add beauty to your little haven is a fountain. The sound of water falling is very relaxing and will make the space even more appealing. Fountains require electricity to operate the pumps that keep the water flowing. You will need to have an outlet available to plug the fountain pump into. Any Beverly Hills electrical work should always be completed by a certified electrician who is familiar with current codes.

Along with an outside outlet, you will want to have proper lighting installed so the space is safe as well as beautiful. Your corner of the yard will likely be shaded so it is cool enough for you to enjoy. Solar lights will not do well in a heavily shaded area. Electric lights are a better option and more reliable. Your electrician will go about installing the lights and the wiring needed to operate them. If you would like to schedule an appointment to add the finishing electrical touches to your corner of serenity, give The Electric Connection a call today.