How to Save on Your Summer Electricity Bill

Summer is almost here! For most geographic areas in the United States and especially around Houston, that means we will be turning on our air condition units, opening pools and spas, using outdoor lighting for entertainment, and so on.

The summer months' activities may put a smile on your face until you see your electricity bill. This post provides a few useful money-saving, electric conservation tips, so you won't have to turn that smile upside down.

- Consider using compact fluorescent lights or CFLs. CFLs use up to three-fourths less energy and last up to ten times longer than incandescent lights.

- Turn off your lights during the day and take advantage of natural sunlight - especially when you leave a room!

- Consider using three-way lighting in particular rooms especially during certain times of the day when ample sunlight is present.

- Use a bulb of higher wattage rather than multiple of a lesser wattage whenever possible. For instance, use one 100 watt bulb rather than two, 60 watt bulbs.

- Rather than room lighting, try using 'task' lighting entities such as desk lamps.

- Use ceiling or portable fans whenever possible rather than pumping the air condition unit to full blast.

- Use blinds and shades to keep the heat out during the day, yet open doors and windows at night when it is cool to let in some colder air.

- Clean or replace your air condition filters regularly.

- Keep external air condition units free from leaves and other debris.

Light up the Grill and the Patio this Spring

The average temperature here in Houston is 70 degrees. So when we get snow, you know it’s a crazy winter. And this winter, we saw snow twice! Our usually mild winters were replaced with a lot of cold, windy days, leaving us salivating for spring.

Now that it’s starting to heat up again, we are ready to help you throw the best spring barbecue in the neighborhood with great patio lighting solutions. From dimmer switches to ground lamps, we can put it all together at one grand command center so all you have to do is flip a switch to turn your patio or deck into the new spring hotspot.

Unlike the sunny weather the last few months, Mr. Sparky is easy to find here in the Houston area. We have Bell Air electricians, Bunker Hill electricians, Clear Lake electricians, Conroe electricians, and many more.

Since we know you can’t wait to get your patio party started, our electricians are guaranteed to show up on time every time. As our slogan says, “We’re on time, you’ll see or the repair is free.” In fact, we are the only electricians in the nation to make such a guarantee.

At Mr. Sparky, we know you can’t sit back and relax this spring if your outdoor electrical work is giving you unnecessary headaches. So give us a call for the best landscape lighting service in the business. Then light up the patio, light up the grill and settle in for a beautiful backyard experience this spring.

The Importance of Residential Generators

Have you ever considered what your predicament may be like if you lost power in your home? Stop and think about it... - it would be quite an inconvenience. Refrigerated food would spoil. The heating/cooling of your house would cease. Home security devices would fail. Certified electricians can help you before this misfortune occurs.

A standby residential generator can be a valuable investment and safeguard against the inconveniences of a power failure. It will restore the source of electricity to your home and keep your appliances and utilities running. When the main electrical source is interrupted, your residential generator can keep your home in order by running on its own source of natural gas or propane-fueled energy.

How is a residential generator activated?
Your home generator gets alerted via an electrical transfer switch. The switch keeps a vigilant watch on the home's electrical energy source. If the main source of electrical power is interrupted, the switch sends a signal to the residential generator, alerting of its need and allowing it to activate. When your original, main source of power is reactivated, the switch will send another signal to your residential generator, which will shut it off. The switch allows for only one source of energy to power your home at once.

Residential generators are sized by kilowatts. You must think about the square-foot size of your home to determine the proper size of a generator. Refer to our residential generator chart for a better idea of your needed dimensions.

Thinking about installing a residential generator? Let electrical contractors help you. Think of the following two, main benefits:
- Continuous, uninterrupted supply of electrical energy to your home
- Maintaining peace of mind, knowing that food, refrigerated medical supplies, and other vital needs are not endangered

Purchasing a Flat Screen TV?

With the holiday season in full swing, many people are searching for deals on Flat Screen TV’s. It is the perfect time to buy a flat screen as a gift for a family member or friend. Furthermore, it’s a great time to take advantage of the deals and purchase a flat screen for your own home. With the increased purchasing, we thought it would be a great time to go over some specifics and pointers on purchasing a flat screen.

Basics
High Definition flat screen TV’s are available in Plasma or LCD. The difference between the two is the technology behind projecting the picture. Although advances have been made to make the two comparable in quality and value there are some general factors to consider.

• Plasma TV’s offer accurate colors and great contrast. The picture can be seen from just about any angle. The down side is that viewing in bright rooms can cause reflections to appear. Static images can also create burn-ins if the same screen is viewed frequently.

• LCD TV’s show less glare or reflection in bright rooms. They can be viewed in just about any lighting and they do not create burn-ins. A negative is that the viewing range is limited. Viewing from an angle will cause the picture to lose contrast.

Sizes
In general Plasma TV’s can be purchased in 42inch to 60inch sizes. LCD TV’s come in 23inch to 60inch sizes. Typically a Plasma quality shines through on a larger screen. This is why the smallest they make is 42inches. When purchasing a Flat Screen TV, you should be conscious of where you plan to use it. If you are putting the TV in a living room area, you would want a TV big enough for you and guests to view. Usually, 37inches is a minimum for a living room or family room. Judge the size by how far back viewers will be. You would need at least 4 or 5 feet for a 40-47inch TV. An average of 6 feet or farther is recommended with a 50inch or larger TV.

Budget/Pricing
The price of the TV depends on the screen size, the features included, and the brand. Plasma’s were once much cheaper then LCD’s but this conception has since been proved wrong. LCD’s have become much more competitive with their pricing. A plasma can be purchased typically as low as $600 for a 42inch and go as much as $6500 for a 60inch. An LCD is not much different. The average low for a 23inch is $500 and a 52inch runs upward of $4000. It really depends on the features and brand. It is good to view a TV first to get an idea of the quality and then compare it with others of its size.

Mounting/Installation
The slim light weight characteristics of Flat Screen TV’s make them perfect for hanging on a wall. Mounting cuts back on the expense of purchasing a stand or piece of furniture to set the TV on. The difficult question is how do you go about the process? Mounting and connecting a High Definition TVs can be a bit trickier than installing a standard cable version. Most likely the TV cost you a considerable amount so you want to be sure to mount it safely, without destroying the wall that you chose to hang it on. You also have to consider the added connectivity having a high definition product. HD signals can be connected to most cable, satellite, or DVR boxes but doing so requires some electrical knowledge. A great consideration when buying your TV is to have the installation included in the purchase. Companies, like Mister Sparky, specialize in TV mounting and connection. They are certified electricians that know how to work behind the walls. The technicians do some of the most difficult installations there are and make it look like we were never there. Mister Sparky takes the headache out of your flat screen TV purchase so all you have to do I sit back and relax!

Master Electrician Lighting Information

Lighting is not only necessary for practical purposes, but it enhances the beauty of your home. In addition, accent lighting can really augment a room's personality and warmth, and lighting enables a room to be multiple things at different times for various purposes. With the right, timely lighting, a room can be a quiet place to relax with a favorite book or magazine, yet the same room (with a little change in lighting), can become a lively venue for nighttime entertainment.

Often, people do not consider the impact accent, landscape, and specialty lighting can make. It is suggested to call upon a master electrician regarding suggestions and proper installation.

Let's consider two types of lighting:

Accent lighting
Accent lighting adds 'flavor' to a room by adding to visual intrigue. It can be used to accentuate paintings, sculptures, plants, etc. In addition, specialty lighting can outline other aspects of a room such as walls and drapery. Accent lighting is performed via track, recessed, and wall-mounted fixtures.

Landscape lighting
Landscape lighting is usually situated outside of the home. It is used to illuminate and visually augment exotic plants, trees, bushes, etc. In addition, landscape lighting enhances the look of doors, bay windows, columns and other visually-stimulating elements found outside of the home.

The brand name of Mister Sparky can be found throughout America, yet our Houston-based affiliate serves as a greater-Houston area electrician. Visit our Web site at (www.mistersparky-houston.com).