Category: Lighting

LEDs Are the Future says Los Angeles Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

It is no secret the cost to run anything electrical in your home is increasing. Coming out of winter often gives you a slight break on your electric bill, but is it enough? Could you be doing more to save yourself a little more money every month? The answer is yes. However, you may not want to change your habits or maybe you are already scaled way back on your energy usage and are not up for doing too much more. That’s okay. Your electrician in Los Angeles has another solution that requires nothing more from you than changing out a light bulb. The team at The Electric Connection wants you to save a little extra money on your electric bill and has some great news.

LED light bulbs are available in all shapes, sizes and even colors. Before, you had to have a specific kind of light fixture that would accommodate the bulbs, but that is no longer the case. Nowadays, they look very similar to the old school incandescent lights. They are not the same! A single LED bulb is going to cost you more. You can expect to pay $4 to $20 for a bulb, depending on the wattage, brand and type explains an electrician. Los Angeles residents who are not sure why LEDs are all the rage can head to a home improvement store and check out the displays set up that allow you to see the difference.

LED bulbs use a fraction of the electricity, but provide the same amount of light. For example; you can get the same amount of light as you would with a 100-watt bulb and only actually use about 12 watts (this will vary). The LEDs are very bright and you will discover you only need about a 60-watt bulb to provide plenty of light in an area. Your Los Angeles electrician explains the best part about these bulbs, besides their energy efficiency, they last for years! If you have any more questions about LEDs and how they can help you lower your electric bill, give The Electric Connection a call today.

Office Lighting Solutions by Santa Monica Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins
Interior of the empty modern business office

Employees that spend their time indoors for a large portion of the day, may get a little cabin fever. The walls can feel like they are closing in and it just feels stuffy. Humans that long for bright sunlight will suffer when they are cooped up all day. While it doesn’t make sense to have the workplace outside and a wall of windows isn’t always an option, you can give the appearance of a bright and cheery space with the installation of new lighting. If you are looking for an office lighting solution, give your Santa Monica electrician a call. The team at The Electric Connection can help you come up with a lighting scheme that can eliminate the employee doldrums.

The boring, yellow fluorescent tubes that are commonplace in office spaces are out. They are yesterday’s news. It is time to get with the times. There is a fine balance between being bright and airy and being overly bright to the point it causes glares on computer screens. Different areas in the office will have different lighting needs, which your electrician in Santa Monica can help you accommodate.

Not only do you need to consider the type of lighting you will use, but you also want to take a good look at the fixtures. Recessed lights are a great way to help keep halls and other small areas from appearing cramped. A fixture hanging into the space makes it look smaller. You are not limited to the standard light fixtures that have been installed in offices for decades. Change it up with the help of your electrician. Santa Monica business managers will appreciate how much change a lighting upgrade can bring to an office space. Give The Electric Connection a call today and see what they can do for you.

Fabulous Kitchen Lighting by Pasadena Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

A bright, well-lit kitchen is a must in every home. It is simply more inviting and more appealing in general. There is also a layer of safety added when you can see well when you are handling hot foods and sharp knives. A dim kitchen can make it difficult to properly judge seasoning or whether or not a particular dish is fully cooked. You don’t see dark kitchens in restaurants or gourmet setups. If you would like to bring your kitchen into the light, call your electrician. Pasadena homeowners can count on The Electric Connection to provide a qualified electrician to successfully complete the transformation.

Track lighting is certainly a better choice than a single fixture in the center of a room. The track can be in a variety of shapes and include as many or as few lights as you need. The lights can be directed into work areas to provide more focused light. The track lighting fixtures should be installed by an electrician in Pasadena to ensure it is done right. The fixtures are a favorite because they tend to make a kitchen look much bigger. You don’t have to worry about a fixture hanging in the space and giving it a cluttered look.

Another favorite in the world of bright kitchens is recessed lighting installed by a Pasadena electrician. Again, you can have as many or as little as you would like. Adding LEDs to the fixtures is a great choice. You will get a lot of light with very little wattage. A 100 watt LED bulb looks like several bulbs but only uses a fraction of the electricity. You can choose between a variety of styles to provide just the right light in your kitchen. Give The Electric Connection a call today to schedule your kitchen lighting upgrade.

New Bathroom Vanity Lights Installed by Burbank Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Bathrooms tend to be one of those places you don’t really want to hang out it with your friends. You don’t often think too hard on what the bathroom looks like. The main goal is that it is clean and functional. An added perk is making it look nice. There are plenty of extra perks you can add to a bathroom to make it more inviting and even more functional. An electrician in Burbank can help you with the installation of those extras. All you need to do is give The Electric Connection a call to transform your boring bathroom into a luxurious spa.

Some ideas that you may want consider include the lighting scheme. The light in the room can be a standard fixture or a combination of lights. Recessed lighting is a nice choice. A bath fan with a heated light is a nice luxury and can help take the chill off the room when you are stepping out of the shower. This is something your Burbank electrician will need to install for you. A heated towel bar is another sweet luxury you can enjoy. The warming racks are typically hard-wired, which means they are wired into the home’s electricity and not plugged in.

The vanity lights that are over the mirror are a must. There are plenty of styles to choose from. The latest models on the market are designed to be used with LED bulbs. You can choose bulbs that give you a bright, white light that is similar to the natural light outdoors. This is an ideal choice and gives you plenty of light to see exactly what is in the mirror. Vanity lights can be fun and whimsical or traditional. Do some shopping, then call your electrician. Burbank homeowners will love how a few minor changes can make a huge difference.

Colorful Lighting Installed by Los Angeles Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

It is amazing to see the difference a light fixture can make to the overall look and feel of a room or living space. In the past, you were stuck with a one-size-fits-all approach to home lighting. Today, that is no longer the case. You have the freedom to choose just how you want a room to feel when you step in. You get to choose what kind of light you want shed, whether it is clean and bright or subtle with a nice glow. An electrician in Los Angeles can take care of the installation of the light fixtures once you have come up with a decision. The team at The Electric Connection is always ready to help.

With the numerous options in styles of fixtures and an equally wide selection of light bulbs, you can really create a dramatic room. Right now, LEDs are growing in popularity. They are going to cost you more money to buy than CFLs or incandescent lights, but think of it like this; you won’t be changing that bulb for years if you don’t want to. Your Los Angeles electrician encourages you to browse the lighting aisle at your favorite home improvement store. You will find some very unique fixtures that really help create a statement or you can stick with the tried and true classical fixtures.

Rooms that don’t really need a lot of light can benefit from fixtures that use the smaller bulbs. Try having some fun with the space by going with a colored bulb. Blues, pinks and greens can create a fun space while providing plenty of light. What if you could paint a room without ever applying a drop of paint? You can with a colored bulb. All you need to do is have your new fixture installed by an electrician. Los Angeles homeowners can change the colors of bulbs with their mood, the season or to support a cause. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your new light fixture installation.

Brighter Bathrooms with Beverly Hills Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins
Corporate restroom. Shot with Canon 30D and Canon 24-105L lens.

If you own a business or are the manager of a business that has customers that come through the door, you know the importance of lighting. Lighting is something that can be easily overlooked, but it plays a crucial role in the overall impression of an establishment. Poor lighting or lighting that washes out the features in the room are going to leave a negative impression. An electrician in Beverly Hills, like those at The Electric Connection, can help you revamp the way customers and clients see your business.

One of the most frequently overlooked areas in an establishment is the bathroom. It may not be pretty, but they are a necessity. Many people will judge an entire business by the look of a bathroom alone. It sounds harsh, but a client has some reasonable expectations and a clean, well-lit bathroom is one of them. Your Beverly Hills electrician can quickly and effectively change out those old, dreary features and replace them with new ones that provide plenty of light. Lighting can make a small room look bigger, cleaner and more inviting explains an electrician. Beverly Hills business owners can make some dramatic improvements without spending much money at all.

When a person visits the bathroom, they want to check their appearance in the mirror. The last thing they want to do is have to strain their eyes or wonder if they have a yellow pallor or if it is just the poor lighting. Along with brightening up the bathrooms, think about the reception area and other places your clients and customers are likely to see. Really look at the area and try talking with your customers to get their honest opinions. You may be surprised at what you hear. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your lighting makeover.

Updating the Dark Basement with Los Angeles Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Basements are excellent spaces for storing things you don’t want taking up space on the main floors of your home. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long before the basement becomes a bit of a catch-all and gets crowded. The lack of proper lighting and the walls in general don’t make the space very appealing, so it seems like the only thing it is really good for is hiding your storage. What if you could add spruce up the basement, even just half of it and make it a little more inviting? Would you do it? An electrician in Los Angeles can help you transform the dark space into one that looks beautiful and is filled with light. The team at The Electric Connection wants to help you do just that.

One of the biggest problems you will find in a basement is the lighting. It is either way too dark or way too brightly lit with some garish shop lights that will blind you if you look directly at them. The lights tend to leave a yellow glare on everything and it is just unpleasing overall. Imagine being able to step down those stairs into a room with carpeting or vinyl, paint on the walls and beautiful lighting that gives the room an inviting feel. Your Los Angeles electrician can really do that—the lighting part of it anyways. Really, the lighting is one of the most important details. It can make or break a space.

Basements are tough to work with because of the lack of natural light and the low ceilings. In order for the space to look big and bright, recessed lights should be installed by an electrician. Los Angeles homeowners will love how much light there is in the space. Another perk is they are not going to lose any ceiling space. The lights are recessed right into the ceiling so you don’t have to worry about your tall friend hitting his head. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your basement lighting installation.

Prevent Holiday Lighting Disasters by Santa Monica Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins
Overloaded electrical power strip with Christmas lights in background
Overloaded electrical power strip with Christmas lights in background

If you are a fan of a certain holiday movie that focuses on one man’s goal to have the brightest house in the neighborhood, you probably remember the web of electric wires and cords that posed a serious risk. In the movie, it was funny. In real life, it is no joke. It can be deadly or at the very least cause a home fire that could destroy everything and even spread to other homes in the neighborhood. Electricity should always be handled with the utmost care explains an electrician in Santa Monica. The team at The Electric Connection has a few tips to ensure your holiday lights do not cause a blackout or a fire.

1. Check the cords before you wrap them around a tree or put them outside. Make sure there are no broken areas that expose the wiring and could let moisture in.
2. Only use the proper extension cords designated for outdoors.
3. Do no overload an outlet by plugging in more than a few sets of lights. If you notice some of the lights are not working after you tested them, there is a good chance the outlet is overloaded explains an electrician. Santa Monica residents can call to have more outlets installed if their electric panel has the room to accommodate additional outlets.
4. Do your best to keep your cords out of the way. You don’t want them become tripping hazards or being wore done and posing an electric hazard.
5. Keep the number of strands you connect together to a minimum. Ideally, you should never connect more than three strands.

Your Santa Monica electrician suggests you invest in LEDs that are very bright, but use very little electricity. This is a way for you to get the full effect of a thousand lights, but only have to use a few hundred that use the energy of maybe 100. Your electric bill and your house’s power will thank you. You will also feel safer knowing you are not creating an electrical hazard. Give The Electric Connection a call today if you need extra outlets installed or have other questions.

New Chandelier for Holiday Entertaining by Burbank Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

electriccon_11_3Wouldn’t it be nice to really step up your game this holiday season? This is the time of year when friends and family are sure to visit your home. Maybe it will be for an evening of fun and entertainment or maybe it will be for a lovely dinner. No matter what your plans are for the holidays, wouldn’t it be nice to have a little something extra to help set the scene in your home? A new chandelier is the perfect, functional idea. An electrician in Burbank, like those at The Electric Connection can get your new chandelier installed just in time for holiday entertaining.

Gathering in the sitting room for cocktails, games or good conversation is a great way to reconnect with old friends and family you haven’t been able to spend quite as much time as you would like with. Having the right lighting can help set the mood. Bright and festive or dim and intimate can all be achieved with a new chandelier complete with a dimmer switch installed by an electrician. Burbank homeowners who want to be able to set the mood with the flick of the switch will love the beauty and flexibility a new chandelier gives them.

Many of the new chandeliers available on the market today are equipped to use energy-saving lightbulbs, which can ultimately save you money in the long run. LEDs are the perfect way to brighten up a room by using just a few bulbs. The look and feel of a room can be completely transformed with the installation of a new chandelier by a Burbank electrician. Chandeliers offer unique lighting options for a foyer, dining room or a den. Have fun and shop around for the perfect fixture. Give The Electric Connection a call today and get your appointment scheduled before your next big gathering.

Electrician in Los Angeles Explains Light Control

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

electriccon_10_1Lighting has come a long way in the last several decades. We are no longer forced to endure the same, boring light fixtures and bulbs. There are plenty of new designs that provide more light while using energy efficient bulbs. In fact, the lights are so much brighter than the old-fashioned incandescent bulbs, it can be a little too much for some situations. Bright light is great at times, but other times you don’t need to see every inch in the room and just need a soft light to allow you to watch television, eat a meal or relax while surfing the net on your laptop. This is a downside to the CFLs and LEDs that are trending in the lighting world. An electrician in Los Angeles has a solution for your lighting needs. The team at The Electric Connection can help explain it a little better.

Now, you probably remember the dimmer switches that were very standard in construction throughout the 70s and into the early 2000s. Those switches lost some popularity as the CFL bulbs gained in popularity. CFLs are not meant to be used with a dimmer switch in most cases. Keep in mind, there are some that are specifically labeled as dimmer switch capable. This meant people were stuck with the bright light or no light at all, explains an electrician. Los Angeles homeowners can upgrade their old lighting fixtures to those that use LEDs and take advantage of the cost savings and flexibility of dimmer switches once again.

Dimmer switches are an excellent way to save money on your lighting bill says a Los Angeles electrician. Combined with energy efficient LEDs or CFLs and you can make a dramatic difference on your electric bill each month. It is important you only buy bulbs that are specified for use with a dimmer. Your electrician can explain more about the risks of using non-approved lights in the fixtures attached to a dimmer. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your dimmer switch installation and take back control of your lighting.