Category Archives: Energy Savings

The Importance of Quality Exterior Lighting for Businesses

Posted on by

Exterior Lighting for Commercial Businesses Whether you realize it or not, your business presents itself to the public at all hours of the day. People will pass by your business even if it is closed, so it’s important to have quality exterior lighting, especially when it’s dark outside. When your business is open after the sun goes down and it’s really dark outside, people need to be able to see it in order to find it. Even when you’re closed, leaving the lights on has numerous benefits, including free advertising for your business.

Mood Setter

Did you know there are many ways to describe light? Soft or bright are typical adjectives used when describing light, but there’s also hue (shade), colorfulness, and saturation (intensity/chroma). Lighting helps set a mood for a place. Did you know red/orange light heightens people’s appetites? Or that nightclubs will use blue/purple light to help make people feel more comfortable and ready to socialize? Light is essential to business.

Encourage Business

With exterior lighting, your business should be lit up in such a way that it encourages “walk-in” business. The light(s) should literally attract customers. A great idea is to use path lighting, which literally lights the pathway to your door so customers know exactly where to walk in order to get into your place. Pathway exterior lights will also help draw attention to your business and its doors. Meanwhile, people feel more comfortable going into a place that’s well-lit. A bright storefront, for example, has better “curb appeal” than a dark one.

A Deterrent

One of the main reasons businesses invest in quality exterior lighting is to deter thieves. Safety, with businesses, is always a concern. Criminals and people up to no good love to find dark spots to make trouble– where they can’t easily be seen. However, when a building is well-illuminated, it looks, feels and literally is safer than a building that’s dark. Also, lights help security cameras create clearer pictures of exactly what’s going on outside of a business at night, whether it’s on the sidewalk in front, in the nearby parking lot or wherever people tend to congregate.

A Touch of Panache

Finally, lights add personality to a place. Think of the unique businesses and their exterior signs that stand out in your memory. Lighting can add new decor elements to your building, making it even more attractive. Lighting can also double as signage.

Always On Electric handles exterior lighting for many businesses in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado; please call 970-309-2616 to discuss your exterior lightning needs/wants today.

4 Ways to Save on Your Electric Bills This Summer

Posted on by

Summer is right around the corner, and as the heat rises, so can the cost of bills. Many people enjoy the outdoors during the summer, but for some, the only way to beat the heat is to stay inside, out of the sun. Here are some ways to ensure you can have a cool, relaxing summer, while also saving money.

Woman cooling down in home from heat of summer

1 – Swap the AC for Some Fans

It’s tempting to crank the air conditioning at the first sign of summer- but holding off and using some fans provides relief from the heat, and relief on your wallet. A box fan in a window can blow cool air in at night, or, if you prefer less wires, consider getting some ceiling fans installed to get a nice breeze throughout your home.

2 – Upgrade to Energy Efficient Appliances

It may be time to look at some of your most used appliances and see if they could be the culprit of a high bill. Is your stove Energy Star Certified? What about your AC unit? Making the switch to Energy Star Certified appliances ensures you have the most energy efficient appliance- which allows you to rest easy knowing that you’re saving money, even when using them.

3 – Invest in Light Blocking Curtains

While long hours of sunlight are a bonus of the summer, it also adds more hours of heat to your home, particularly if coming from southern and western facing windows. There are many curtains that not only block bright light, but keep rooms cool as they block heat. Consider installing these curtains and keeping them shut throughout the day- even if you keep some curtains open, it will still make a dramatic difference in the overall temperature of your house!

4 – Get an Evaluation

Above all else, safety is the most important thing when considering any upgrades or electrical changes. Always consult with professionals to ensure you’re maximizing your savings this summer. At Always On Electric, we provide evaluations, as well as assistant in repairs, or do total installations. Let us help you get ready for a relaxing summer, today! Give us a call at (970) 309-2616 for a free estimate!

 

Outdoor Lighting Maintenance Tips

Posted on by

Exterior Lighting There are many benefits that come along with installing residential and commercial outdoor lighting. You can make properties safer and more attractive by doing it. However, in addition to installing outdoor lighting, you also must take steps to maintain it so that it continues to work both now and in the future. Here are some tips for doing basic outdoor lighting maintenance.

Replace any lights that have burned out immediately.

Outdoor lighting can really brighten up the exterior of a home or business. Nevertheless, it’s obviously not going to be able to do it if you have bulbs in your lighting fixtures that have burned out. You should replace any burned-out bulbs with new ones right away. You should also consider using long-lasting LED bulbs that won’t have to be replaced every few months. It might cost a little more to purchase these bulbs, but they’ll pay off in a big way when you don’t have to worry about replacing them for years to come.

Clean lighting fixtures that are covered in dirt, cobwebs, and more.

Are the lighting fixtures that you use to light the outside of your home or business filthy? If so, they might be bringing down your curb appeal significantly. You also might be putting them at risk for mechanical failure at some point in the future, and they just won’t work as well when they’re covered in gunk. Every so often, you should make it a point to sweep cobwebs away from outdoor lighting fixtures and clean your fixtures thoroughly. It will keep them shining and ensure your lights always turn on.

Fix any lighting fixtures that have been broken.

It’s not all that uncommon for a lighting fixture to break. An errant baseball or a large tree branch can come through and wreak havoc on outdoor lighting. If you ever notice that one of your lighting fixtures has broken, you should have it replaced right away. It can prevent further electrical problems and keep your outdoor lighting system up and running.

Do you need maintenance done to your outdoor lighting? Always on Electric can set you up with services that will take care of all your outdoor lighting needs. Call us at 970-309-2616 to schedule an appointment with an electrician.

Making Sure Your Electrical is Functioning Properly on Your Farm

Posted on by

It’s still the winter season, whether we like it or not. Here in Colorado, the agricultural industry is extremely important. All over the country, farmers depend on their fully functional farm to earn a sustainable living and deliver food and services to the entire country. When it comes to electrical, it’s important to make sure the farm is running properly before the season begins.

Energy savings in Colorado

Before the busy season begins, there are a few things you can do to ensure that your electrical is working and functioning properly on your farm.

Energy Audit from Always On Electric

An energy audit allows a professional electrician to come in and test for energy usage on your farm. Testing your electrical equipment can determine if everything is working properly. If you notice energy bills and electric bills increase, there is a good sign it can be because some of the equipment isn’t running properly. When this happens, electrical can be working harder than usual.

Always On Electric can give you an energy audit to determine how your electrical is running.

Maintenance and Repairs

If you do notice your electrical not working properly, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

All of our Agricultural services include:

  • Trough Heaters
  • Standalone Services
  • Barn/shop Lighting & Equipment
  • Irrigation pumps, well pumps, etc.
  • Gas pumps and equipment

Don’t go this season without proper electrical function on your farm. It’s important to tackle maintenance and repairs before the busy season of farming in Rifle, Colorado. Without proper electrical equipment working on your farm, the work will suffer and cost much more than you want. Saving money on energy bills can help you focus on the agriculture and what you do best.

Contact Always On Electric at 970-309-2616 today or visit us online for more information!

 

 

Electrical Safety Tips for Kids

Posted on by

Electrical Tips for Children If you have kids in the home, whether they’re always there because they’re yours or they’re just visiting, it’s a good idea to go over some electrical safety basics with them.

Electrical Safety Precautions to Share With Your Children

For instance, tell kids not to plug too many things into one outlet or overload an extension cord. As much as it seems like “no big deal” to do so, the truth is that having too many things plugged into one or two outlets can end up overwhelming the circuit. At worst a fire could result, and nobody wants that to happen.

Speaking of outlets, with kids around it makes sense to have parents or the adults-in-charge put safety caps on all unused electrical outlets. Not only does this help save energy by stopping cold drafts, but it also prevents babies and toddlers and others from sticking their fingers into the outlet area where they could get a bad shock or worse.

Teach kids not to yank cords from the wall. Instead, teach them to literally go up to the outlet and pull the cord out from it right there. If and when a cord is pulled from anywhere besides its head, damage can be done to the plug, the outlet and/or the appliance.

Another thing: cords need to be kept out of the way so people don’t trip over them. Furthermore, if a cord can be placed in such a way that a pet can’t easily get to it, that’s great– too many dogs and cats have chewed cords and gotten shocked– not good. With little kids around, too, it’s best to find ways to keep them away from cords whenever possible– they’re not toys to be played with.

Kids also need to be taught that water and electricity don’t mix. So, for instance, they have to be extra careful in the bathroom when using things like a hair dryer near the sink, toilet or bathtub.

Finally, with regards to electricity outdoors, kids should know not to play on or near electrical boxes/substations. They need to stay away from power lines. And if they fly a kite, which kids like to do, make sure they’re not flying the kite anywhere near power lines.

If you need help repairing the electrical lines in your home, contact the experts at Always on Electric, Inc. today.

When is it Time to Upgrade Your Electrical Wiring?

Posted on by

Electrical Wiring Most people don’t think much about the electrical wiring in their home, unless or until something goes wrong. For instance, the big football game is coming up on TV and people are gathered at your house to see it. A couple minutes before the game starts the TV inexplicably turns off. Nothing seems to work to get it back on. Maybe it was a blown fuse? Maybe it was something else? Whatever it was, it’s frustratingly irritating!

Signs You Need to Upgrade Your Electrical Wiring

When is it time to upgrade your electrical wiring? For most people, if their house is over 40 years old, then it’s time. Things have changed a lot since the original electrical work was installed. Think about how much different our world is today– back then, they didn’t have the kind of devices and appliances we have now, like microwaves, desktop computers, and tablets. Furthermore, if you have several people living in a house trying to plug all their stuff in at once, you might have run out of outlets– so it’s time to expand the number of outlets in your home to properly accommodate the power needs of all the people who live there.

One thing that might scare you– and it should– is that faulty wiring is a leading cause of house fires. The older your house is, the more likely the wiring is outdated and/or unsafe… which could very well lead to a fire. You don’t want that. You want wiring that’s “up to code,” or, more importantly, up to the current code.

Hire a Professional Electrician

When’s the last time your wiring was professionally inspected? Most of you would say, “I have no idea.” Others might say, “When we first bought the house.” If it has been “some time” since it was checked, make it a priority this year to have a company like Always On Electric come take a look at what’s going on in your house with your electrical wires.

You’ll especially want to have your wiring checked if you’ve noticed fuses are blowing repeatedly, lights are flickering or dimming, you smell burning coming from a certain room or appliance, or– don’t laugh– you get a tingling sensation when you touch a certain appliance.

Your wiring should also be inspected if you’ve noticed particularly warm outlets or ones that have become discolored or spark when you plug things into them.

Call 970-309-2616 to connect with Always On Electric.

Ways to Save on Your Commercial Electric Bills

Posted on by

Businesses looking to save on their electric bills can make several simple changes that add up to big savings throughout the year. No matter if you operate a small office with a few employees or have a bigger business that requires a larger number of electrical devices, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the amount of money you can save with minimal effort.

Saving money on electricl bills with LED lighting

Get an energy efficiency audit

A great way to get started with lowering your business’ electric costs is by hiring a professional electrical company to come and look at your site. The electrician will spot a few ways in which you can be saving on your energy usage and will give advice on what you can do to fix the issues.

Common things that can be found in an energy-efficiency audit include air leaks, insulation issues and inefficient lighting.

It is suggested to also do an after-hours audit on your own once you have gotten an energy audit from an electrician. It’s best to do the audit a few hours after workers have gone home, or even on the weekend, to see what devices and lights stay on when people are out of the office.

Switch to LED lighting

Another way to save big on your commercial electric bills is by making the switch to LED lighting. This lighting not only emits less heat that incandescent and halogen lights, it uses roughly 75 to 80% less energy overall.

After you’ve made the switch to a LED system, you can save further by installing motion sensor lighting or by simply reminding people to turn lights off once they leave a meeting area or lunchroom. Creating more natural light can also create big savings by encouraging workers to leave lights off during the day.

Choose laptops over desktops

Replacing older desktop computers with laptops is a great way to save money. When you need new computers at your commercial site, be forward thinking and choose this energy-efficient option.

Laptops use less power than their clunky counterparts and many workers will even take the laptops home at the end of the day, avoiding overnight energy costs for your business. Even better, laptops allow employees to work from home with ease, which can create greater savings.

When you want to save on your business’ electric bills, we are the licensed and certified commercial electrical team to choose in Western Colorado at Always On Electric. Our electricians will be happy to come to your commercial site and offer our opinion on ways to save on your energy bills. We can also assist with any LED lighting installation, service upgrades, building lighting and more. Call our experienced electrical team at 970.309.2616 to get started!