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David Heintz
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A & H Electric Co.
3505 N. Loop 336 West
Conroe, Texas 77304
Office: (936) 756-0442

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Curb Your Household Energy Use

A&H Electric, Energy Saving

household energy use

The average home uses a lot of electricity. In fact, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average electricity cost per Texas household is $1,801 annually or around $150 monthly; among the highest in the nation. On average, the typical Texas household uses 41% of their energy on appliances, electronics, and lighting; 19% on water heating; and 18% on air conditioning. Another 22% is used on space heating, making heating and cooling the second to largest expense, at 40%.

Here’s everything you need to know to curb your household energy use.

Monitor Your Electricity Use

To monitor and manage your household’s use of electricity, you only need one tool; an electricity usage monitor that provides electricity data in real-time. For example, the P3 Kill a Watt EZ, displays eight critical units of measure. Simply connect your appliances – supports 110 to 120-volt systems – to the unit to assess the efficiency of that appliance. The large LCD display will count consumption by the kWh, letting you calculate your cumulative electrical expenses and forecast by the day, week or month.

Put a Stop to Energy Vampires

Along with large appliances, which are the main culprits, electronics account for about 41% of home energy use. Even when switched off, they draw as much as 25% of their full power, so it’s a good idea to unplug them when they’re not in use. Power strips and surge protectors can also cut off electricity, on demand, or via a timer. To reduce your standby power loads and save money, consider using ENERGY STAR products, which draw less power when “off” than comparable non-energy-efficient products.

Take it Down a Notch or Two

Water heating accounts for roughly 19% of home energy use. Choosing an ENERGY STAR certified water heater over a standard model can save a family of four more than $3,400 in electricity costs over the water heater’s lifetime. Tankless and on-demand water heaters are both good options to consider. Other ways to save include reducing your water use, employing energy-saving fixtures, and dropping the temperature from 140 degrees to a still-steamy 120 degrees.

Be Smart with Your Thermostat

In Texas, air conditioning accounts for 18% of home energy use; more than double the national average. Installing a programmable thermostat is an easy way to efficiently control the climate in your home. Once programmed, the thermostat works to adjust temperature settings to different, desirable levels during set times throughout the week. For automatic comfort, smart thermostats learn your comings and goings within a week. They can save you up to 10% on cooling and heating costs.

Resolve to Save Energy in 2018

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), Electrical Safety, Energy Saving, Home Automation Systems, Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs), Programmable Thermostats, Smart Home

save energy

The beginning of a new year provides the perfect opportunity to update your home. When setting goals for your home, it’s a good idea to start by looking at your home’s energy efficiency or possibly, lack of. One goal that is easy to keep and will put money directly back into your wallet is to resolve to save energy.

Here are some ways to save energy in 2018.

Seal any air leaks. Sealing air leaks is a cost-effective way to cut heating and cooling costs, improve system durability, and increase comfort. It can also help to create a healthier indoor environment. The Department of Energy recommends using caulk and/or weatherstripping to seal leaks arounds doors, windows, and where any plumbing or electrical wiring comes through the home’s envelope.

Choose energy-saving lighting. LED lighting doesn’t just use less energy than traditional incandescent lighting, it also lasts up to 25 times longer, and turns on at full brightness almost instantly. LEDs are quite affordable – you can pick up a box of eight for under $20 at your local home improvement or hardware store. LEDs can also be controlled via a smart switch, or if using smart LEDs, a hub.

Install and set a programmable thermostat. It’s no secret that heating and cooling costs account for more than 40% of a home’s energy use. Switching from a manual to a programmable thermostat is one way to save up to 10% a year. The most basic programmable thermostat can be self-installed in under an hour, allowing you to easily set temperature settings for different times of the day. The best programmable thermostats come with a built-in application that can be controlled from a smartphone or tablet allowing you to control and monitor the temperature even when you’re not home.

Use a surge protector for your electronic equipment. Surge protectors (also called surge suppressors) protect your electronic equipment – home theater systems and gaming computers included – from damage in the event of random power spikes or surges. When shopping for a surge protector, it’s a good idea to get one with more outlets than you currently need, so you can add more components later. You can save $100 a year just by plugging your devices into a surge protector and turning it off at night.

Hire a professional to inspect and maintain your electrical system. A certified and licensed electrician will do a comprehensive audit of your entire electrical system, ensuring all wires, systems and components meet legal safety standards. Upon completion of the inspection, you will be provided with a detailed checklist, which includes areas in need of immediate attention and recommendations for improvement. The Electrical Safety Foundation recommends having a professional inspection done:

  • When purchasing a home
  • When a home is past 40 years old
  • When adding or upgrading an appliance
  • When completing major home renovations

Outdoor Holiday Lighting Tips

Electrical Safety, Energy Saving, Holiday
outdoor holiday lighting
Image Courtesy of Pixabay

Make the season really sparkle with outdoor holiday lighting. Here are some tips to get you started.

Holiday Light Planning

Whether decorating your house with one string of lights or multiple, planning is one step you can’t miss. Decide how many lights sets you’ll need by measuring the locations where they will be used. This will likely be along your home’s rooftop and around patios or porches. You can also find net lights for use on bushes and trees. Determine whether you want all white or all color light sets.

Inspect Light Strings

Carefully inspect previously used light strings and extension cords. Frayed or otherwise damaged electrical cords should be responsibly disposed of. There should also be no broken sockets or loose connections. The lights could short out and cause a fire.

Always Choose Weather-Resistant Lights

Any lighting you plan to use outdoors must safely stand up to the elements. Look for holiday lights that are UL-rated for outdoors. The same holds true for extension cords used outdoors. When unpacking last year’s decorations, if you find a set of holiday lights or an extension cord that you aren’t sure is rated for indoor or outdoor use, toss it and buy new ones.

Purchase LED Lights

Incandescent holiday lights are terribly inefficient, and despite careful storage, often emerge damaged. LEDs, while a bit more expensive, are a much better option. They use up to 75% less energy and last 25 times longer. Because they also produce very little heat, they are much safer to use for indoor and outdoor lighting. In addition, up to 25 strings of LEDs can be connected end-to-end, without overloading the socket.

Automate Your Lights

Eliminate the headache of having to remember to turn on and off your holiday lighting displays with a timer or wireless remote control. Keep in mind that you should never leave your lights on while you’re asleep or away from home. Holiday timers are available in a variety of styles, and for a variety of uses (e.g., outdoor or indoor), so it’s a good idea to read the packaging to find the right timer for your specific needs. Most timers are designed for a certain wattage. Make sure you don’t overload yours.

Be Cautious When Installing Lights

Use a good ladder when installing your lights. Also make sure someone is helping you with your display – one person on the ground to hold the ladder steady and the other hanging lights. Secure them with insulated holders (never use tacks or nails). Plug them into ground-fault circuits, which will turn off automatically in event of a short, or spike in power. Consider having your electrical system inspected by a professional electrician in Conroe annually to ensure safety.

Properly Store Holiday Lights

At the end of the season, store your holiday lights using cord holders or make your own using cardboard so that next year you don’t have to spend countless hours untangling them. It’s also a good idea to store them in a well-sealed container to avoid possible water or rodent damage. This will save you money on replacement costs.

Halloween Lighting Ideas

A&H Electric, Energy Saving, Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

Halloween lighting ideas

Halloween is just a week away. That means it’s time to get your spook on. Between eerie tunes that cause spine tingling chills, decorations like hanging skeletons and faux spider webs and spooky Halloween lighting, there are plenty of ways to make your house the scariest on the block.

Here are few ideas for Halloween lighting and DIY decorations.

Halloween Lighting Ideas

Color Changing LEDs

Can’t decide on a color scheme for your Halloween décor? Try installing a couple color-changing bulbs to give your house a creepy hue. LEDs use 75% less energy than incandescent of similar brightness – so you won’t be surprised with a scary electric bill come November – and are designed to last 20-years.

Halloween String Lights

These lights practically scream Halloween. LED lights in the shape of Halloween icons, such as orange pumpkins, black cats and white ghosts shine bright indoors and out. You can hang them from your porch, fence, and trees or bushes to spook up your front yard. Make sure to inspect light strings for safety.

Colored Flood Light Bulbs

Ditch traditional white bulbs in your flood and spotlights for colored light bulbs. Orange and red colored light bulbs will create an ominous glow across your lawn, while blue and green hues are perfect for creating creepy cemetery scenes. These colors will also provide broad light ensuring the safety of trick-or-treaters.

DIY Halloween Decorations

Paper Silhouettes

Make cutouts from black paper, stick them in your windows, and back them with translucent white paper to create creepy shadows that are backlit with LED lights. Need artistic inspiration? Click here to download silhouette templates.

Pumpkin Porch Light Cover

Buy a pumpkin trick-or-treat pail – you can find these at your local dollar store or big box retailer – and using scissors, cut down the back’s center from top to bottom. You’ll also want to cut off the bottom. Pull the pumpkin down over the top of the light, ensuring the handle is secure, so that the pumpkin doesn’t fall off.

Halloween Mason Jar Luminaries

To make, simply place a sticker on the front of the jar, and spray the entire jar with primer and then paint in your choice of color. Allow time to dry between coats. Once dry, carefully peel the stickers off, and place a flameless LED tea lights inside.

Energy-Saving Tips for the Office

A&H Electric, Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), Energy Saving, Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs), Programmable Thermostats

We have talked extensively about ways to save energy at home; now it is commercial business owners and managers turn for energy-saving tips. The following tips can yield significant savings.

Lights Off

Turn off lights when not needed. Turning off fluorescent lights when you plan on being out of a room for more than 15-minutes saves energy, extends overall lamp life, and reduces replacement costs. Contrary to popular belief, turning lights on and off does not use more electricity than leaving the lights on.

Improve Lighting Systems

Lighting consumes 25 to 30% of energy in commercial buildings (ENERGY STAR). Replacing incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient LED or fluorescent bulbs can reduce electricity consumption and improve your employee’s comfort. You may also want to consider replacing inefficient or outdated lighting fixtures.

Use Programmable Thermostats

When programming your thermostat, consider your normal business hours. During these hours, program the thermostat to 68˚F in the winter, and 78˚F in the summer. Depending on the season, program thermostats up or down outside these hours. Consider installing locking devices on thermostats to maintain desired temperature settings.

Establish a Preventative Maintenance Program

Establish an effective preventative maintenance program for your electrical system and equipment. Benefits include reduced repair costs, minimized or eliminated downtime, extended system and equipment longevity, and personal safety. Contact a certified electrician who services commercial offices in your area to get started.

Purchase ENERGY STAR Certified Office Equipment

When purchasing new office equipment, look for the ENERGY STAR label. The ENERGY STAR office equipment program promotes energy-efficient computers, monitors, imaging equipment, enterprise servers, data center storage equipment, small and large network equipment, and uninterruptible power supplies.

Getting to Know Your Breaker Panel

A&H Electric, Circuit Breakers, Electrical Safety, Electricity 101, Power Outages

Your breaker panel is just one big switch, filled with other smaller switches, called breakers. As a homeowner, you should only need to access the panel for these three tasks:

  • to reset a circuit breaker after it trips
  • to shut off power to the whole house if needed
  • to turn off power to individual circuits when installing a ceiling fan or replacing an outlet

What am I looking at?

Electrical main: You can, in the case of an emergency, shut off electricity to your entire home using this switch. Located at the top of most boxes, it’s the biggest breaker, usually 100 to 200 amps, depending on the house’s square footage.

Single-pole breakers: These general-purpose breakers likely make up most of the breakers in your box. They can handle 120 volts and are either 15 amps or 20 amps (reference the numbers on top of the switches for proper amps).

Double-pole breakers: Like the electrical main, they look like two switches joined together. They can handle 240 volts and are usually between 15-125 amps. These are for your large appliances, such as stoves, dryers, HVAC units, and water heaters.

Expansion (empty) slots: Many breaker boxes have empty slots, so that you can have a licensed electrician add additional circuits, as needed. This comes in handy if you add a suite of new appliances to your kitchen or want to install covered outlets outdoors.

There are also other types of special purpose breakers, such as Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI) and Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) that are designed to provide additional safety protection from fire (AFCI), and electrocution (GFCI).

Why do circuit breakers trip?

A circuit breaker “trips,” shutting off the flow of electricity, ensuring your appliances and/or home don’t become damaged due to an overheating circuit. Before flipping the switch back, it’s important to determine what caused the circuit breaker to trip in the first place. The number one cause is circuit overload (discussed below), however, other, more serious causes, include:

  • Short circuits
  • Ground faults

Overloading occurs when you power on too many devices at the same time on the same circuit. For example, if you have a 15 amp circuit powering your TV, microwave, and lights all on at the same time, then the circuit breaker will trip to prevent overheating because you’ve exceed the capacity of the electrical wiring. Overheating appliances can also cause a circuit to overload.

The solution? Hire a licensed electrician to come and replace the circuit breaker. You should also consider redistributing some of your lights, appliances, and other devices to another outlet to avoid overloading the circuit. Having a properly labeled panel is important, as well.

Only You Can Prevent Electrical Fires

A&H Electric, Electrical, Electrical Safety, Tamper-Resistant Receptacles
electrical fires
Image Courtesy of the NFPA

Electrical failure or malfunctions account for more than 45,000 home fires per year and result in 420 deaths, 1,370 injuries, and $1.4 billion in direct property damage per year according to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). To help reduce your risk of electrical fires, keeping you and your family safe, follow these simple safety tips.

Start with an inspection

The electrical system in your home may need to be rewired if your home is more than 40 years old, you’ve made major home improvements or added major new appliances, if your home has two-prong outlets, you frequently trip breakers or blow fuses, or if your home has aluminum instead of copper wiring. Even if none of these situations apply to you, you can’t go wrong with an expert electrical inspection.

Don’t overload your outlets

Overloading is a common cause of electrical fires. This happens when you plug too many appliances into the same outlet using an extension cord or power splitter. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends buying power strips equipped with internal surge protection. This ensures that a strip shuts off as soon as it becomes overloaded. Keep in mind that strips and extension cords are a temporary solution, not a permanent one.

Don’t DIY It

If you want turn off the electricity to your home, and install dimmer switches or replace an old ceiling fan, go right ahead. However, when it comes to installing additional outlets or rewiring your home, always contact a qualified electrician. DIY electrical work is not advisable because of the potential for danger: electrical shock or fire. All aspects of electrical work are governed by very strict codes.

Additional Safety Tips

  • Install smoke detectors on each level of the home, and inside each bedroom
  • Test smoke detectors monthly to ensure that they are working properly
  • Establish an emergency evacuation plan, and practice with your family
  • In homes with small children, install tamper resistant receptacles
  • Use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage on the fixture
  • Ask a qualified electrician if your home would benefit from Arc-Fault protection
  • Never use extension cords to power major appliances, always plug into an outlet
  • Have a qualified electrician add outlets to reduce your use of extension cords

How to Properly Clean Your Electronic Devices

A&H Electric, Electrical, Helpful Tips, Home Appliances

Do you spray Windex on everything and rub it down with a paper towel? While this may be okay for countertops, mirrors and if you’ve seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, cuts and abrasions, it can cause all sorts of damage to your electronic devices.

I know what you’re probably thinking, and the answer is no, you won’t have to spend more time or money cleaning them. In fact, they are remarkably easy to clean if you do it right, and with the right cleaning solution.

Here’s how to properly clean your electronic devices.

Dusting

One of the biggest enemies to your electronic devices is dust. Dust settles, thickens and eventually blocks the airflow of fans, vents and other critical components. Overheating can occur without airflow. Attract dust particles using a microfiber cloth.

Screens

More than most electronics, flat screen TVs, touch screens and computer monitors are vulnerable to damage from harsh or abrasive cleaning products. The ideal cleaning solution for these screens is two parts water to two parts white vinegar. Apply this solution to a microfiber cloth – never to the screen – to gently buff out spots. Be careful not to apply too much pressure.

Disc Players

The disc readers inside DVD players, Blu-Ray players, and video game consoles are extremely delicate and may start generating errors if dust thickens on or in them. Look for disc cleaner kits that can clean both your devices and discs. Make sure it’s compatible with your device. Gently dust the device’s exterior using a microfiber cloth.

Keyboards

Keyboards get a ton of use, so they get dirty, fast. Before cleaning, be sure to unplug or otherwise disable them. Start by using a can of compressed air (found at your local office supply store) to blow out any debris. Then remove any buildup using cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Remote Controls

Remote controls are a magnet for germs and dirt, conveniently delivered by your, your family’s or your guest’s fingers. Spray compressed air between the buttons to loosen any embedded dirt and debris. Disinfect by wiping with an antibacterial wipe. Hit your video game controllers the same way.

Make cleaning your electronic devices part of your weekly cleaning routine to ensure dust, dirt and debris don’t wear them down, causing them to fail prematurely. If you need help powering your electronic devices, however, contact A&H Electric at (936) 756-0442.

Protect Your Home with a Whole-House Surge Protector

A&H Electric, Electrical Safety, Home Appliances, Power Outages, power surges

Each electronic device in your home, from your HVAC unit to your large screen television, and high-tech audio equipment has a microprocessor. Without adequate protection, power surges can destroy these microprocessors, rendering your home electronics and/or appliances completely useless. The cost to replace each damaged device is much more expensive than installing a whole-house surge protector.

Where do surges come from?

Power surges can originate from external and internal sources. External sources include lightning striking nearby circuits and the electric utility company switching power grids. These surges can enter the house through several pathways. Internally, power surges result when large appliances like air conditioners and refrigerators turn on and off their motors, decreasing the flow of power. Static electricity can also cause power surges.

Whole-House Surge Protectors

Type 1

A Type 1 Surge Protection Device (SPD), also known as a secondary surge arrestor, protects against external power surges, such as those caused by lightning striking utility equipment, tree limbs touching a power line or your power company switching power grids. They are typically installed on the line side of the main service entrance. They are your first line of defense against potentially damaging power surges.

Type 2

A Type 2 SPD, also known as panel protector, is installed at your branch panel (more commonly referred to as your breaker panel). Wired directly to a dual-pole breaker in your panel, type 2 surge protectors protect all the circuits in that panel, as well as any subpanels that might be connected downstream. They generally provide protection against surges originating from inside your home.

Type 3

This category is one you are probably already familiar with. Devices, such as power strips and battery backups with built-in surge protection, suppress the lower level voltage spikes that can be especially damaging to high-tech electronics (e.g, computers, audio components, Smart TVs, and other household electronics). Power strips should specify that they have surge protection capabilities to be considered an SPD.

A full-featured whole-house surge protector diverts power surges away from your home and into the ground. Look for an SPD with a minimum rating of 50kA (1kA equals 1,000-amps). You will also want to make sure the device you choose complies with the most recent UL rating. Contact a licensed electrician in your area for professional whole-house surge protection device installation.