The most successful ways to save electricity don’t require a big investment of time or money. Here are a few practices that could lower a cumbersome electric bill this spring and summer:

1. Seal up the house. Many homes and apartments have money leaking through cracks around the doors and windows. It’s simple enough to buy caulk and weather-stripping to seal cracks — in fact, you may already have caulk left over from other projects. According to Consumer Reports, sealing leaks can reduce energy costs by 15 to 30 percent.
2. Use heat-generating appliances at night. I know this should be a no-brainer, but if you cook or bake, use the electric or gas oven at night. A hot oven in the heat of the day forces the air conditioner to work harder to keep the house at a comfortable temperature. The same goes for clothes dryers and dishwashers. Use these at night when outside temps are cooler.
3. Wash laundry with cold water. According to Michael Bluejay, A.K.A. Mr. Electricity, washing clothing in cold water instead of hot can save $152 per year.
4. Go retro with a crock pot. Speaking of ovens, there’s nothing that heats up the house faster than a preheating oven and a few pans on the stove top. Slow cookers, on the other hand, use less energy and won’t turn your kitchen into, well, an oven. I think the crock pot often gets a bad rap thanks to the old way of slow cooking: bland recipes created from canned and prepackaged ingredients. But the slow cooker is enjoying a quiet revival, and with it we’re seeing better recipes, including chicken cacciatore. http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/08/30-easy-crockpot-recipes.html
5. Air-dry clothing. I like this idea in theory. Anecdotes credit line-drying laundry with reducing a family’s average daily electricity cost from $2.50 to $1.75. I’ve yet to try it because I’m concerned about allergens in the air getting into our clothing, and in Georgia it seems that it is always allergy season. But if you have the room to spare, you could dry clothing inside on hangers. We have  enough space in our laundry room to hang quite a bit of clothing, so I’ll start air-drying more.
6. Turn on fans. Fans make a room feel cooler, especially big ceiling fans. Bluejay says a few well-placed fans can save more than $400 per year if they take the place of ACs.
7. Unplug electronics. I know, I know. It should go without saying. Everyone seems to forget about phone chargers and camera battery chargers, though. Because of this, they stay plugged in, sucking change from our bank accounts. By using power strips, one could shut off electricity to these devices all at once. Consumer Reports also found that you can save $25 to $75 each year just by putting your computer on standby.
8. Consider your light bulbs. Bluejay says you can turn off lights you aren’t using to save $274 a year; turn off a single 100-watt light bulb from running constantly to save $131 per year; and replace ten 60-watt light bulbs with compact fluorescents to save $123 per year (upfront cost estimate: $32).
9. Don’t cool an empty house. If you have a programmable thermostat, program it! We don’t have one, which means I have to make it a habit to raise the thermostat every time I leave the house. Close off rooms you aren’t occupying, as well.
10. Replace air filters monthly. We’re pretty good at replacing our filter, but we could be more diligent. Dirty filters restrict airflow, causing the AC system to run longer and use more energy. I’ve added a recurring task to my calendar to make sure the air filter gets replaced each month.

All of these tasks should add up to noticeable savings and don’t require much time or money. (Fingers crossed that the ceiling fan will be an easy fix!)

In October we gave safety tips for Halloween decorations. While Halloween displays have gotten more popular, Christmas is still the top holiday for home lights and decorations. We’ll review the previous tips, in addition to going over do’s and dont’s for indoor/outdoor winter wonderlands.

Outdoor Lighting

The first step in hanging holiday lights and decorations is to get rid of weak tree branches, pick up yard debris, and clear out house gutters. Depending on where you live, ice, snow or wind could play havoc with the nicest yard panorama. Lights can be dragged down by extra weight and debris can damage expensive yard decorations.

As noted in our October post, it’s important to be certain that your lights have the UL (Underwriters Lab) mark, or one from another trusted facility. OSHA has a list of recognized light and electronic testing laboratories here.

Did you know that there are indoor/outdoor lights? But not every light is. For indoor/outdoor lights, look for a red label. A green label indicates the light is for indoor use only.

As always, check old lights for frayed cords, bent prongs, or exposed wiring. These are potential fire hazards, and clues that the lights should be discarded. With the South in a drought, it’s worth spending extra money to avoid a fire.

A GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) as an absolutely necessary outlet for outdoors. A certified quality electrician can install a permanent one for you, or you can pick up a temporary one from your local hardware store. This interrupter (also called a residual-current device) will shut down the circuit if there’s an overcurrent. Simply put, it prevents short circuiting. A safe, simple tool to avoid holiday headaches.

You also want to avoid overloading your home’s circuits. Overloading is when there is more  current being drawn than the circuit can supply. This can lead to overheating, system shut-downs, and even fires. Avoid this by checking the wattage of all lights and plug-ins (the watts should be printed on each device). Adding more extension cords and power strips does not spread out and reduce the wattage; each device will draw the power it needs.

A single outlet can handle 1,500 to 1,800 watts. So add up the wattage from every item, and make sure not to go over. Don’t bite off more than your house can handle.

Basically, if your garage outlet looks like Clark Griswold’s, you may want to cut back on the lights.

Indoor lighting

The rules for indoor lights work the same as outdoor lights. Check labels for safety and proper usage, and check for frayed cords, exposed wires, etc. Avoid overloading your home’s plugs.

Plug your lights in before hanging them up. This lets you know which bulbs are burnt out, and gives you a chance to check for broken sockets. Most boxed lights come with replacement sockets, and you can pick up extras at your local store.

When running wires indoors, please keep foot traffic in mind. Keep wires along walls, but do not hide under rugs, string across doorways, or wrap around table legs.

Nowadays, most lights are LED, which means they don’t heat up like the old-school lights. Don’t be cocky about leaving them on 24/7, though. An under-watered tree and a hot set of lights can cause a fire in minutes. All those precautionary measures on wires, sockets, and certified testing labs are to prevent this tragedy. So remember: keep your tree watered and unplug all lights before leaving the house or going to bed.

This is not electrical, but still important: Make sure all chimney flues are clean and clear before lighting fireplaces. If you’re using candles as decoration, do not place on a tree or anywhere near flammable decorations. Keep candles off any surfaces subject to spills and bumps from guests, and make sure they are not within the reach of young ones. And properly extinguish all flames, even little ones, before bedtime or leaving the house.

With the variety of winter-and-holiday displays growing, and too many television specials covering the biggest, loudest, and brightest displays, the temptation to make your own Winter Wonderland festival is a huge temptation. Following these steps will help you create the best for your home, and make sure it’s around for many future holidays.

Happy Holidays from our Radco Electric family to yours!

**sites used for reference:

• http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/16-tips-to-avoid-a-holiday-decorating-disaster-this-season-pictures 
• https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-shortcircuit-and-overload#
• https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/nrtllist.html

October is here, and homes are decked out for the holiday season — with Halloween decorations. Combining lights, inflatable monsters, tombstones, and spooky creatures, anyone can now turn their front lawn into a corner of Transylvania.

Here are some safety tips when transforming your place. Follow these and your Halloween will be scary, but not in an unsafe way:

• Check for the UL (Underwriters Laboratory) label on your lights. The UL label means the lights have been safety tested and are approved for use.
• Check your strings of lights for missing or broken sockets, faulty plugs, and frayed cords. Replace burnt-out bulbs and damaged strings. When in doubt, throw it out! You don’t want to risk a fire due to a bad plug or other electrical issue.
• Watch where you lay your wires! Some cords can blend into the lawn during the daytime, and become almost invisible at night. Keep in mind, a lot of trick-or-treaters are wearing masks and cumbersome costumes and may not see thick cords snaking across the lawn.
• Likewise, make sure your pathways are well lit. Many stores sell solar-powered lights you can lay alongside a walkway to guide trick-or-treaters.
• If you need an extension cord, please make sure it has passed the UL test. Also, use the correct extension cord for your plugs. If your plug has three prongs, do not “MacGyver” it into a two-pronged extension cord.
• If you must secure your light show to trees, walls or other supports, please use insulated staples and do not staple through the wires. Also, do not attach lights to metal objects.
• On that note, use only lights and cords made for the outdoors!
• Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) are used for outdoor equipment to protect from shock. If you don’t have one, check your local hardware store for a portable one.
• Finally, make sure to unplug your decorations before going to bed or leaving the house. That two minutes could make the difference between safety and fire.

Above all, enjoy! This is a holiday where anyone can be whoever they wish for one night. But even Dr. Frankenstein had to follow safety procedures. Follow these rules and you’ll be good to ghoul every year.

Radco Electric offers low priced safety inspections by licenced contractors to ensure your safety year round, give us a call today.

A home is one of the most important things you can own. Without it, there would be no sanctuary from the 100+ degree heat we Georgians know as a typical summer day. It is essential to make sure that you take the time to update your home.

Whether it be something small like a cosmetic touch up, or trying to make sure the home is as efficient as possible in its energy usage, there are many things to consider.

Before you pick up a power saw and try to knock down that pesky wall that seems out of place, here are some things you want to ask yourself before undertaking that new project:

1. How much will this cost? Before you pick up a tool, you should at least have an idea of this number.  What are the cost of tools and materials? How many people are needed for the project? These seem like obvious questions, but how long will you be without the area you are having repaired? A closet space or basement may not be a problem, but what about your kitchen? If you don’t plan on finishing it in a day, you’ll need make other arrangements.  A major renovation such as a kitchen or bedroom will require planning. Bringing in a professional can at the very least give you an idea of what your costs and time requirements are.
2. Do you know what you are doing? I know, this seems like a common sense answer and you can move on to step 2, right? Well, before you do, consider some of these questions: Is your project going to effect the structure and stability of your house? Does your project require any permits from the county? What exactly is “up to code?” Do you have the right tools for the job? Cosmetic changes can typically be handled DIY, but things like additions to existing structures, plumbing, or electrical work should be left to the professionals.  All it takes is one live wire or one open water valve to be a serious hazard. What’s great about this day and age is that so much information is on the internet. The problem is, there is so much misinformation on the internet.  What can seem like a one size fits all solution on YouTube could result in even more damage to your home.  Knowing what is and isn’t sound advice is paramount, which leads into…
3. Do you trust who you’re talking to? There’s no shame in asking for help, but finding the right people to ask can seem daunting.  Word of mouth and asking friends is great, but sometimes you’ll run into a unique problem. Sites like Angieslist.com or Houzz.com are great sites to find local pros who can help you with any problem you may run into. Check their ratings. Check their reviews. No one will be more honest with you than someone who has had work done from that professional. Lastly, there is nothing wrong with asking someone for their credentials.  In fact, this is encouraged. If someone is honest and deserving of your work, they will have no problem putting their money where their mouth is. If they aren’t able to demonstrate years of great work and reliable results, they don’t deserve a dime from you.

DIY projects are exciting undertakings that give one of the best feelings of accomplishment. However, not all projects are DIY, and that’s okay.  Knowing when to call in the pros is as important as knowing what you can do, and calling them in can be the difference in a single day project or an ongoing disaster.

When in doubt, ask for help. And if they’re the right kind of people who know the job, who know the area, and can show that time and time again they get the desired results, that’s the kind of people you’ll want for this project and the next one.