Exterior Lighting Archives - Always on Electric Inc

Energy Efficiency: Simple Steps to Reduce Your Electricity Consumption

Posted on July 6, 2023 by rlong_admin

In today’s world, where energy demands are soaring and concerns about climate change are growing, adopting energy-efficient practices is crucial. By reducing your electricity consumption, not only can you contribute to a more sustainable future, but you can also save money on your utility bills.

Upgrade to LED Lighting

One of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce electricity consumption is by switching to LED lighting. LED bulbs use significantly less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and have a longer lifespan. By replacing your old bulbs with LED equivalents, you can achieve substantial energy savings while enjoying the same quality and brightness of light.

Unplug Electronics and Appliances

Even when electronics and appliances are turned off, they can still consume standby power. This is known as “vampire power” or “phantom load.” To eliminate this unnecessary electricity usage, unplug devices when not in use or use power strips with on/off switches. By cutting off the power supply, you can prevent standby power consumption and save energy.

Optimize HVAC System

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are major energy consumers. To improve energy efficiency, consider the following steps:

Regularly clean and replace air filters to ensure proper airflow and efficiency.
Use a programmable thermostat to regulate temperature settings based on occupancy patterns.
Seal air leaks around windows, doors, and ducts to prevent heat loss or gain.
Maintain regular HVAC system inspections to identify and fix any inefficiencies.

Maximize Natural Lighting and Ventilation

Utilizing natural lighting and ventilation can reduce the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning. Open curtains and blinds during the day to allow natural light to illuminate your space. Additionally, consider installing skylights or light tubes in areas with limited access to windows. For ventilation, use ceiling fans or strategically placed fans to circulate air and keep rooms cool.

Efficient Appliance Use

Appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers are essential but can consume a significant amount of electricity. Follow these tips to optimize their energy use:

Set your refrigerator’s temperature to the manufacturer’s recommended level and keep the coils clean.
Wash full loads of laundry and use cold water whenever possible.
Air dry dishes instead of using the dishwasher’s drying cycle.
Use energy-saving modes or timers on appliances, such as TVs and computers, to minimize their power consumption.

Insulate and Seal Your Home

Proper insulation and sealing can greatly improve energy efficiency by preventing heat transfer. Insulate your home’s walls, attic, and floors to reduce heating and cooling needs. Seal gaps and cracks around windows, doors, and electrical outlets to minimize air leakage. By enhancing insulation and sealing, you can maintain a comfortable indoor environment while minimizing energy waste.

If you’re looking for any electrical work, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Contact Always On Electric, Inc. at (970) 309-2616 today or visit us online for more information!

The Importance of Quality Exterior Lighting for Businesses

Posted on June 21, 2022 by Randy Long

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.

Outdoor Lighting Maintenance Tips

Posted on April 14, 2022 by Randy Long

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.

Lighting Your Home or Commercial Property

Posted on January 13, 2022 by Randy Long

Realistically, not many home or business owners think about the lighting outside of their properties. Many people are most concerned about their interior lighting and don’t often consider the importance of exterior lights. The reality is, though, that having bright and well-maintained lighting outside of your property can add safety and improve its overall appearance.

In terms of safety, landscape lighting can help keep a residential property, like an apartment complex, safer. For instance, if the walkway from your parking area to the building doors has steps or isn’t a straight path, someone could stumble and fall if there isn’t enough light that would allow them to see where they’re going.

This is equally true for commercial properties, although with these buildings – since they are often unoccupied at night – some troublemakers may want to cause property damage or spray graffiti tags. If the exterior of your building is well lit, however, it serves as a deterrent. Without shadows to work in, any person trying to deface your building could be more easily seen by passersby who could notify the police.

Lighting can make a huge difference around the home as well. Say you’re having people over for the first time. Not only do you want them to find your house, but you want them to feel comfortable upon arriving, as well. Outside lighting can help in both of those regards, as well as make your home look nice to anyone driving by. You can also use exterior lighting to brighten up a porch or patio, giving you more space to mingle with friends, family or other guests outside after the sun goes down.

Lighting at a commercial property can also improve its appeal. Having bright, well-placed lighting on the outside of your property can draw potential clients’ and customers’ eyes to the business as they drive by at night. If the lighting looks good, you very well could improve your overall chances of creating new business for yourself just by having a well-kept and attractive exterior appearance.

If you’re interested in adding exterior and landscape lighting to your home or commercial property, Always On Electric can help with our full range of electrical wiring and installation services. For more information or to find out more about how we can light up the outside of your home or business, call us today at 970-309-2616!

Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Do Your Own Electrical Work

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Randy Long

Home maintenance projects can be expensive, and it is often tempting to attempt a repair on your own. After all, many times a DIY repair will not only save money, but may also be satisfying. Electrical work is one area of home repair where you may want to reconsider doing it yourself. These are a few reasons why you should not try to do electrical work on your own.

Fire Risk

The risk of fire from faulty wiring or improperly installed electrical components is very real. Electrical fires are also frequently devastating as they may start inside a wall at night and be fully involved before a homeowner notices. A small mistake, like a loose wire or an overloaded circuit, may lead to a dangerous electrical fire.

Electrical Shock

Electric shock is another serious risk of working with electricity. Professional electricians have years of experience and training, as well as specialized tools that help them stay safe while performing electrical work in your home. It only takes one small mistake or one second of inattention to receive a dangerous electric shock. The risk of electric shock makes DIY electrical repairs a bad idea.

Building Codes

All electrical work must be done in accordance with applicable building codes. Trying to fully understand the electrical codes takes considerable effort and time. Electrical work also may require an inspection. Performing electrical work by yourself may result in work that does not meet building code and is not inspected. This may become an issue when you attempt to sell the home.

Always On Electric has you covered whether you need residential or commercial electrical work performed. We work on all types of buildings throughout the western Colorado region. Our electricians are fully trained and experienced, and we are licensed, insured, and bonded. You can have full confidence in electrical work that we perform on your home or business. Contact us today at 970-309-2616 to learn more about our services or to request a quote.

Leading Causes of Electrical Fires

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Randy Long

Although they may only account for a fraction of residential fires, electrical fires can be devastating and even fatal. To prevent your having any issues at your home, be sure to check the following areas of your house that are the most common places where electrical fires start.

Outlets

If you go to plug in an appliance and nothing happens, it could be a sign that the wiring leading to the outlet might be loose. In this compromised state, the wiring could be exposed behind the call, potentially leading to contact with wall insulation or causing sparking behind the outlet. To fix this situation, have an electrician come out and look for the cause of the outlet failure and make any necessary repairs to the connection or the outlet itself.

Appliances

Speaking of appliances, whenever a power cord becomes frayed or starts to fall apart, you should have the connection repaired or replace the cable, if possible. Exposed wires can be dangerous for anyone using the appliance and can allow heat transfer from the connection to combustible surfaces that the cord may be set on. In fact, faulty appliance connections and outlets are the leading causes of home fires. Also, if you feel a mild shock or tingle when touching an appliance, it often is a sign of a ground fault or incorrect wiring. Don’t simply ignore it – call an appliance repair professional or electrician to come take a look.

Circuit Breakers

Although circuit breakers are meant to prevent a circuit from overloading, sometimes they can do their job a little too much and that’s a problem. Modern equipment and technology often requires more power than devices even a few years ago, which can put extra strain on an outdated circuit breaker. If your breaker continues to trip, it is time to contact an electrician. An older breaker box can have wear that prevents the circuit from being thrown properly or allow an overload to start a fire. Be safe, not sorry, and call an electrician to investigate and replace your breaker box, if needed.

Light Fixtures

Make sure that all of your light fixtures have bulbs that meet the proper wattage capability of the fixture. If the bulb’s wattage is too high, it could lead to an electrical fire. If you aren’t sure about the proper wattage, a simple way to test is to check the area around the fixture once you put a new light bulb in. If you feel heat, switch to a lower wattage bulb as the current one’s wattage is too high for that fixture.

If you think your home might have faulty wiring or the wiring is in need of repair, let Always on Electric help. We offer residential and commercial electrical services to keep your home or business protected from electrical fires. For more information, call us today at 970-309-2616!

The Importance of Agricultural Electrical Maintenance

Posted on November 11, 2020 by Randy Long

Farming in the United States is one of the most important industries. Farmers work hard for many hours of the day making sure they can provide for several parts of the country. There are many negative factors that can impact farmers year-round. Some include weather related issues that can impact growth of crops and the timeline. Others can include electrical issues that can cause downtime. Like any other business or home, your utilities need to be working properly in order to live and make a living.

At Always On Electric, we have the electrical team to make sure your electrical is always on!

The Benefits of Electrical Service for Your Farm

Electrical services can prevent major problems from happening to your business. In the agricultural industry, electricity and energy is relied on heavily for the farm’s function and working ability. Without functioning utilities, the farm could introduce itself to devastating issues.

How we can help:

We have the experience and professional electric service team to provide a new electrical system, as well as electrical fixes and repairs.

Tough Heaters
Standalone Services
Barn/Shop Lighting & Equipment
Irrigation Pumps, Well Pumps, Etc.
Gas Pumps and Equipment

The benefits of having a professional electrical service come and repair your system or get it up and running are extremely helpful. When running a farm, you need to make sure everything is working properly for your business to run properly.

Renewable Energy for the Agricultural Industry

As the world continues to implement renewable energy into farms, there will need to be more electrical services to keep up with new technology that is implemented. We’re looking forward to the innovation of electrical equipment on farms.

If you’re looking for a new electrical system on your farm, or you need some electrical maintenance, contact Always On Electric at 970-309-2616 today or visit us online for more information!