Blog – Page 12

Lighting and Wiring Tips in Your Bathroom

Are you planning to renovate your home? If yes, then there’s also a strong chance that one of the bathrooms will be updated as well. In the old times, the bathroom was just one of those sad damp places where people just go in and out hastily as they could. The focus was not on ambiance, tranquility nor very welcoming. However, as time has progressed, bathrooms have also evolved into a place of luxury, relaxation, and cleanliness. Of course, with that in mind, you may be inclined to focus more on the aesthetics of your bathroom, but, the functionality of the bathroom should not be overlooked as well, especially if you plan to have a hot tub installed, as it is a room where electricity and water are going to be sharing space.

Consider Light layering

When it comes to light layering, there may be a lot of options out there, but reliable licensed electricians will always recommend that you stay with the LED bulb options. This is because LEDs usually last longer and are more energy-efficient than the others, thus making LED lights a good thing, not only to your bathroom but to your home in general.

If you are applying makeup in your bathroom, then you know how important lighting is. Because nobody wants to put on too much foundation and end up having a clown face. For electrician services, Your Arvada electrician can help install an overhead light for you as this will be good for the lighting of the entire bathroom. On the other hand, by putting on a side lighting over the vanity, this will also help in light your face better as well.

It is also important to note that LEDs possess the widest range of lighting options, this includes those that will match a somewhat sunlight warm glow. You will also have the brightest options available with LEDs.

Be Cautious with Wiring

Bathrooms are places that have high levels of moisture and humidity, this is the reason why all bathrooms in Colorado are having special considerations when it comes to hot tub installation and light wireworks. You will not only need to have a dedicated ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) circuit in order to prevent circuit overload or fire, you will also need to have two grades of wiring when it comes to the lights in your bathroom – wet and damp.

In some cities, any lighting within a 3-foot horizontal radius and an 8-foot vertical radius of the shower and the bath are mandated to be graded with moisture resistant or damp-rated lights and fixtures. Take note that this also applies to lights in other adjacent rooms, not just in the bathroom.

Always Keep Your Safety in Mind

Even though you don’t really need to consult with a licensed electrician when it comes to choosing the fixture, it is still important to read up on them and ensure that they are properly marked for wet or damp so that you will know where they belong when you are going to wire them in.

However, if you think that you are not that capable of doing it all alone, then give us a call at ElectriCall. We are the most trusted professional company when it comes to electrician services in and around Arvada, Colorado for a reason. Your safety is our topmost priority.

If you are in need of a highly reviewed electrician services in the Denver metro area, then give ElectriCall a dial at 720-879-2253. We would love to hear from you!

How to Fix a Loose Electrical Outlet?

electrician inspection — loose electrical outlet on white walls

Loose electrical outlets are a common nuisance in households and business establishments which occur with age. More often than not, this is what happens when contact points of the outlet wear out, making the materials less durable and prone to damage. Unfortunately, a loose electrical outlet can be intensified with sparks because of faulty wiring, which can significantly increase the risks of fire and other serious electrical incidents. Depending on the severity of the situation, you can choose to make DYI repairs or to seek a licensed electrician inspection nearby to check and fix the problem.

Nonetheless, as the property owner, it pays to know what to watch out for when checking your electrical outlets in order to stay on top of the situation and to prevent potential dangers for your Arvada, Colorado household.

Electrical Outlets Inspection 101

The rule of thumb is, if an outlet is heavily used, then it is more prone to getting loose. However, that does not mean that you should care less about the rarely used ones because even the outlets installed behind your fixtures or cabinet might be loose and hazardous too. When inspecting, these signs are what you should watch out for:

Burns or scorch marks
Frayed wires
Loose outlets, wires, and faceplates

If your outlet is not showing any scorch marks or frayed wires and the repair will not be exposing you to direct danger, i.e. the loose outlet is where your hot tub’s power is sourced, then you can proceed with your DIY repair. Experts will not recommend it though. If you want to ensure the quality of work and your safety most importantly, it is always best to seek help from a certified electrician nearby who is armed with the knowledge, skills, and experience to get the job done right.

Tightening a Loose Outlet

As per the experts, tightening a loose outlet is so easy but it can expose anyone to serious hazards and can even be fatal. As a safety measure, licensed electricians from a professional electrical service company usually begin the task by turning off the property’s power breaker. Then, the tightening job will start.

The faceplate gets removed with the right kind of screwdriver
The screws that link the outlet to the wall box, i.e. those from the middle, top, and bottom parts, will be tightened up.
The loose wires will have to be screwed back onto their respective terminals until they become well seated.

Once all is tightened, your licensed electrician in Arvada will screw the faceplate back on.

Clearly, a loose outlet is not an ordinary electrical issue that you can easily decide to fix. It is extremely perilous especially if you do not have the right tools and skills necessary for it. Your safety is our topmost priority. Give us a call at ElectriCall and we will be glad to dispatch our seasoned licensed electricians right away to fix your problem with quality and reliability. You should not be dealing with such dangers in the first place. We can conduct a general electrical inspection for your peace of mind. All it needs is your go signal.

We’ve got your electrical concerns covered. Call us today!

Ways to Look for an Affordable Electrician

Although a select few electrical companies charge cheap rates, not all homeowners are willing to spend money on repairs, rather opting for DIY electrical projects. It’s important to remember that most electrical projects can be unique and relatively hazardous; one false move can be detrimental to your home. DIY electrical work is never worth it.

The good news is; an affordable licensed electrician is now available in Colorado. You just have to be able to spot which ones are expert enough to be trusted on; like ElectriCall for example.

Quality of work is extremely important when it comes to wireworks. It is what guarantees you, your family, and your property’s safety after the electrical repair. So, to ensure your safety while staying within your budget, below are ways to remember in deciding which affordable electrician to hire:

1. Listen to referrals. At some point in our lives, we’ll need an electrician to take care of the wireworks in our home. That said, the chances of your friends or family hiring a reliable trusted electrician in the past are high. You should take advantage of that. Before giving any electrician a call, consider potential referrals first and inquire about each electrician’s price, quality of work, and their overall experience. Such recommendations are safer and better than what you can find on the web.

2. Take online reviews and feedback into account. A lot of affordable but trustworthy electrical service companies like ElectriCall have established their online presence through their official website or social media accounts. In this digital age, not only appointments are made on the web; clients easily post their feedback and reviews there too. With that being said, you might want to make sure that the electrician you hire has gained high ratings. It will give you a hint of what kind of service you will be getting for your money.

3. Find an experienced one. Affordability can be scary as one way or the other, some things, i.e. quality of work or service, will be compromised. But this will not be the case if you hire an affordable but seasoned professional electrical service company that has rendered at least a decade of experience in delivering superior electrical repair service. Keep away from cheap electrical companies that are fond of dispatching apprentices to do the crucial job. When it comes to hiring electricians, affordable opportunities are only worth grabbing if they are truly fully vetted and highly trained. While you look for the best price for the service carried out, you should not forget about ensuring its overall quality.

Here at Electricall, we are a team of seasoned electricians who care about our work and your safety. We are invested in ensuring you are 100% safe and satisfied with our electrical services. Call us today and see why other Coloradans have been entrusting us with their electrical concerns since 2011. It’ll be a decision you will never regret.

5 Tips to Save on Your Summer Electric Bill

Just like that, summer is just around the corner. It’s the season where temperatures are expected to be at their peak and people will find themselves frequently dripping in sweat, resulting in a spike to the summer electric bill.

People are likelier to turn to their cooling systems to alleviate heat stress, summer is also the season where common spikes in electricity bills can be seen. Although a lot of consumers tend to be in denial that the culprit of the rise in their electricity bill is their usage behavior, the inevitable spike during summer is actually a result of various factors coming into play.

With summer being just a few weeks away, below are five electric bill-saving tips you might want to bear in mind to avoid that post-summer bill shock:

1. Keep your cooling systems in great condition.

Besides ensuring that your air quality is okay, having a well-maintained cooling system also means less money spent on electricity and cooling costs as it helps ensure that your HVAC system is properly insulated and is running efficiently and smoothly. Moreover, a well-maintained cooling system will also help you prevent the need for major electrical repair and replacements. That’s another maintenance cost off of your budget. In other words, hiring an HVAC technician and a professional electrician nearby may require you to shell out for maintenance costs but it will most likely pay off, in the long run, knowing your HVAC systems are working at an optimum.

2. Set your air-conditioning unit’s thermostat for optimum efficiency.

While many people commonly experience a spike in electricity bills during summer, consumers who use air conditioners most of the time tend to suffer more, especially those who are not mindful of how cool they are setting their AC units. Learn from their mistake by knowing how to set your thermostat at an optimum. As per the experts, an ideal setting in the summer would be at 70 degrees and it can potentially reduce your energy cost by as much as 10% annually. Now, if 70 degrees sounds too warm for you, you can lower it for interim periods of time. Every degree, they say, equates to a 3% increase or decrease in your cooling budget – that’s something you should also take into account.

The good news is, in this digital age, programmable thermostats are already widely available. The technology enables people to set a warmer setting whenever they leave their homes and programs it to resume cooling before they arrive. As for the installation, experts say a DIY-er has to be seasoned to be able to install a programmable thermostat successfully. So, unless you’re a homeowner with fundamental electrical knowledge, you might want to hire a licensed electrician instead to ensure safety and quality of work.

3. Keep your doors and windows closed during the scorching daytime heat.

Human instinct would tell you to open your doors and windows on a hot day to let the breeze in. Unfortunately, it might turn out to be a costly mistake under the hottest temperatures which can heat up the walls of your home because in such cases, it will do little good for air circulation.

In other words, unless the temperatures outside are low enough, keeping your doors and windows open will not be a sensible option as it will only signal your cooling appliances to work harder. Ironically, one of the best practices to manage the heat efficiently is to run your AC units during the hottest hours. It is what they are made for anyway.

4. Have your ceiling fans ready.

Using a ceiling fan never goes out of style in combating the heat during summer. They do not cost that much but they can effectively help in reducing your energy cost provided that a proper ceiling fan installation and maintenance service from a reputable electrical service company like ElectriCall has been carried out.

Ceiling fans do the job by helping your AC unit in cooling a particular area even at a lower thermostat setting as long as they work together. However, since they only act as support that intends to cool the people in an area, you also have to be mindful of turning them off if there is no one using it. That way, you will be able to save more on your energy consumption.

5. Prioritize switching to LED bulbs.

Compared to halogen bulbs, LED lights consume 75% less energy. That may initially sound like an insignificant saving but if you multiply that to the number of bulbs you are using in your home, you will be surprised at the decrease in your electricity bill because of it. Besides that, LED bulbs are also known to be a lot more durable. That said, aside from curbing your power consumption, they are also a cost-effective solution on a long-term perspective.

The switching is something most homeowners in Colorado can do on their own. However, if you noticed your bulbs flickering and leaving a buzzing noise every time they are turned on, or they’re in hard to reach places, consider calling an electrical service near Denver. A professional electrical service company like ElectriCall is affordable and just a quick phone call away.

There is nothing sweeter than being able to enjoy the summer without hurting your wallet. You can follow the tips above or seek help from reliable electricians who can help you optimize your energy consumption the right way. ElectriCall will be more than glad to assist you. Give us a call today!

How Decorative Lighting Design Can Help Your Business

While it may initially seem unnecessary, one of the most essential areas to tackle in planning the layout of your business is its decorative lighting design. As lights can affect the mood, your establishment’s lighting can either invite and retain your customers or push new ones away. For instance, if your business is selling RTW garments, you will want your customers to feel like the clothes look good on them and you can achieve that better if you install the right dressing room lights; of course, not the fluorescent ones.

Indeed, retail lighting can go as far as setting the ambiance of your Denver-based establishment. With that said, as the owner, it pays to know what types of lighting are most beneficial to your business and how each type can contribute to your profitability. ElectriCall are licensed electricians in Arvada who can carry out the job with the best quality and durability is also important.

Here are a few most essential types:

General Lighting. Also known as ambient lighting, general lighting pertains to overhead lights that give the right illumination for an establishment. The goal of general lighting is to invite customers to come in and make them feel welcome and safe.
Accent Lighting. The goal of accent lighting is to highlight your establishment’s best pieces and make the entire area aesthetically pleasing. Accent lights aren’t only for the ceiling but can also be used in shelves, windows, and other strips. If your business is under the spa, beauty, or hotel and restaurant industry, the right accent lighting will help you mark a good reputation.
Task Lighting. As the name suggests, the aim of task lighting is to assist staff in performing their tasks by ensuring the required light. Areas like checkout desks, service desks, backrooms, kitchens, etc. should have the right task lighting to keep employees highly motivated to work without interruption.
Decorative Lighting. Besides general lighting that helps create the ambiance, decorative lighting design is also necessary as it’s what can touch the customers’ emotions. Several businesses invest in bold colored lighting, twinkle lights, and most commonly, elegant chandeliers, to establish their brand message and invite their target market. But besides its decorative purposes, the lighting can also do the role of general lighting efficiently.

However, light fixture installation will most likely necessitate the help of a licensed electrician to ensure the quality of work and to avoid unnecessary damages or electrical-related injuries. Although generally speaking, anyone can carry out light fixture replacement, if the amperage is not compatible with the light’s wattage, an additional wire may be needed to be connected from the circuit breaker. This is something only a qualified electrician can safely and knowledgeably perform.

Smart Lighting to Enhance Your Business’s Reputation

In this digital age, businesses are willing to invest in technology just to be on top of the competition. When it comes to lighting, a lot of establishments nowadays, mostly corporate ones, invest in smart led fixtures that feature advanced sensors that trigger the light to turn on or off based on traffic patterns, room occupancy, and more. If you are a type of owner who wants to gain control over every aspect of your establishment’s lighting system while leaving your customers in awe with how advanced your system is, then you should consider investing in smart lighting. Yet again, this involves a lot of intricate electrical works that only qualified and seasoned electricians should handle.

For your light fixture installation and other electrical service needs, do not hesitate to give us a call at ElectriCall. We are a team of seasoned licensed electricians who have mastered our craft over years of excellent service. We’ve been the most preferred electrical contracting service in and around Arvada, Colorado for a reason. Call us now; you will be thankful you did.