Smoke Detectors

This is the perfect opportunity to check all smoke detectors in your home. Change the batteries at this time each year to ensure each unit is fully functional in the event of a fire.

You should also take advantage of this opportunity to test your carbon monoxide alarm, since this time of year means your heating system will likely be in use.

Outlets

Make sure each outlet in your home is operational. If there are problems, it’s time to investigate whether or not a breaker switch has been flipped. If additional or advanced troubleshooting is required, it’s best to call a licensed electrician for answers. The same story holds true for your light switches and fixtures.

Don’t forget to check faceplates for visible signs of damage. It’s fairly simple to replace faceplates and this prevents things falling into the wiring while also helping spruce up the look of rooms where damaged faceplates can be found.

Lighting Timers

During the summer months, you set timers to later hours. However, as the days grow shorter, sunset comes earlier. Perhaps now is the time to reset timers in preparation for the winter months ahead.

Exterior Lighting

Check all exterior motion sensor lights to insure they are operating properly and turning on when they sense motion of cars or persons walking on the property.

Ceiling Fans

Now is the time to reverse the direction of your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise. This will distribute the rising, warm air and help save you on heating costs.

Time for a Bright Idea

While you’re working with interior and exterior lighting, now is a great time to consider making the move to a greener lifestyle.  Start with the bulbs you use.

You may want to consider supplementing your exterior lighting with solar powered options while switching other exterior lights to LED lights. There are many new options available for homeowners to use inside the home for lighting, and LED provides many benefits worth considering.

The up-front costs of LED bulbs for the interior of your home are a little higher than CFLs or standard light bulbs. However, the long life of these bulbs combined with the energy savings they deliver more than makes up for the difference in cost in a short amount of time.

There are battery-operated lighting strips available that are perfect for task lighting under cabinets or inside cabinet doors and drawers. Look for new ways to avoid turning on the lights for quick trips to the kitchen and bathroom and your energy savings will increase.

If you need help with something more than changing a light bulb or faceplate, give us a call. Our team of expert electricians is ready to help you at 914-621-4482.

In temperate months, people are naturally more inclined to move their lifestyle and activities outside.  Whether it’s dinner on the deck or a Labor Day BBQ, you’ll need to consider some type of lighting options. Landscape lighting is an inexpensive way to give your home an inviting look. Before going to the home improvement store, however, here’s some advice for choosing the right landscape lighting for your needs.

LED Lights vs. Incandescent Lights

The incandescent light bulb isn’t dead…they’ve just become more energy-efficient, and a lot more expensive. LED lights are the more popular choice of bulbs for many reasons, mainly because they have a longer life, are more ecologically-friendly and operate well in extreme temperatures.

LED lights have a life of about 40,000 hours, equivalent to 20 years, while incandescent or halogen bulbs last only about 2 years on average.

LED lights are also energy-efficient, using 1 to 11 watts on average while incandescent bulbs use 20 to 60 watts.

When purchasing a set of LED landscape lights, always choose a manufacturer that offers the best warranty for your money. Some companies offer lifetime warranties and though you will pay more at the outset, if something should go wrong with the fixture, the company will replace it for just the cost of shipping it back to them. Two of these manufacturers offering lifetime warrantees are Cast Lighting and Aurora Lighting.

However, if you already have outdoor fixtures that still work, you might be able to find replacement LED bulbs instead of replacing the whole fixture. We have found that it is more cost effective to replace a bulb than an entire fixture.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Sometimes home owners try to incorporate every single form of outside light into their landscape. Landscape lights are meant to add ambiance along with some extra lighting, not to make your home spotlighted for all the neighbors to see. Start with one form of outdoor lighting, get it installed and then determine if you need more.

• When installing path lights, it’s important that you DON’T overdo it. You want to create an inviting pathway to your home, not land airplanes.
• Use indirect lighting when possible to avoid getting that glare in your guests faces. No one wants to feel like they are being interrogated at a get-together.
• Not every tree needs a light fixture. To create a nice up light, try to use a light that will be hidden from view. Another way to create drama is using a “moonlight” at the top of the tree.

Know When to Call an Electrician

Low voltage lighting can be a DYI installation and offers more choices of fixture designs. Line voltage lights are often used in commercial or public settings but they can give you more options in terms of wattage. Low voltage lighting is less expensive because there is no need to bury lines as deep as with line voltage and the wire is less expensive than line voltage wire.