Home Electrical Safety and Security:

Child Proof Outlets:

 

It is important to protect children with tamperproof outlets all throughout your home, as outlets are tempting toys for unsuspecting children. Sticking fingers or foreign objects into sockets puts them at risk of being shocked or burned. 

Is my child at risk of injury?

This year over 2,400 kids will be injured by placing metal objects into electrical outlets.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that over 95% of these injuries will involve burns. These burns range in severity, but many result in serious, even fatal injuries. Even minor injuries can leave a child emotionally traumatized. It is important to note that pediatric burns are more serious than adult burns because their skin is thin and offers little resistance to electric flow or heat. For this reason infant and toddler burns leave more serious burns and scars. Alarmingly 70% of the time adult supervision is present when an injury occurs. It only takes a second for a child to find danger by sticking a metal object or their finger into an outlet.

 

Note: To protect yourself from surges that originate within the house, it is a good idea to take extra precaution and continue to use power strip/surge protectors for extra sensitive or expensive devices.

Kitchen and Bathroom Lighting: 

The presentation of a person’s bathroom and kitchen are an essential part of the décor. With the right lighting in your bathroom and kitchen, you can change the way others view your home. This is why bathroom and kitchen lighting are among the top ways to boost a home’s resale value.

Create a sense of warmth, welcome and sophistication by lighting your bathroom and kitchen.

Transform your bathroom and kitchen with refreshing style and functional fashion. Use lighting to your advantage by making small rooms seem bigger and large rooms appear more intimate. Play up a room’s architecture, illuminate small spaces and use dimmers to create the perfect mood. 

Great Ways to Transform Your Bathroom Space

• Cabinet Lighting: Adding lights under your cabinets helps you to see the items on your countertops with clarity and ease. Cabinet lighting is a great way to highlight the colors in your countertops and cabinets. Lighting can also be added below your bottom cabinets to illuminate the walkway at night.
• Mirror and Vanity Lighting: Good lighting above your mirrors can give you optimum facial illumination. In addition good vanity lighting can reduce the amount of shadows in your bathroom giving the appearance of a larger room.
• Ceiling Fixture: You have successfully made the room appear bigger as soon as you draw a person’s eyes upward. A ceiling light fixture can be the personal touch that ties the whole room together. It provides extra light, adds the extra element of sophistication, and makes the room appear larger.
• Shower: Whether you are trying to relax before bed, trying to save energy or trying not to disturb your spouse early in the morning, having a light exclusively for the shower can be very useful. Having a light over your shower gives you the option to just turn an individual light on instead of turning on ALL the bright lights in the room.
• Bathtub: Like a shower light, the bathtub light allows you to specifically illuminate an area for ease of use. This is a great place to put a dimmer. Having a dimmer over the bathtub allows you to create the relaxing mood you desire while sinking into that warm bubble bath.
• Canned Lighting: If you do not have high ceilings, but would like over head lighting, canned lighting is a great alternative. You can place these lights in strategic parts of the room for a more intimate ambiance or a more open space.
• Toilet: Focused halogen or flood lights are a great idea over a toilet, especially if the toilet is separated by a wall or door. This is another great place for a dimmer. You can leave the dimmer on all night so that you or your children can find the restroom in the middle of the night. You can also switch the dimmer on at a lower setting so you don’t disturb your sleep pattern any more than you have to.
• Accent Lighting: Accent lighting is a great way to highlight artwork or architecture. Use accent lighting to draw your attention to what you enjoy most about the room.
• Indirect Lighting: Use hidden lights to add a soft and soothing touch to the room. Add indirect lighting to coves or nooks to illuminate your room with artistic elegance. 

• Adding lights under your cabinets helps you to see the items on your countertops with clarity and ease. Cabinet lighting is a great way to highlight the colors in your countertops and cabinets. Lighting can also be added below your bottom cabinets to illuminate the walkway at night. Cabinet Lighting:
• Mirror and Vanity Lighting: Good lighting above your mirrors can give you optimum facial illumination. In addition good vanity lighting can reduce the amount of shadows in your bathroom giving the appearance of a larger room.
• Ceiling Fixture: You have successfully made the room appear bigger as soon as you draw a person’s eyes upward. A ceiling light fixture can be the personal touch that ties the whole room together. It provides extra light, adds the extra element of sophistication, and makes the room appear larger.
• Shower: Whether you are trying to relax before bed, trying to save energy or trying not to disturb your spouse early in the morning, having a light exclusively for the shower can be very useful. Having a light over your shower gives you the option to just turn an individual light on instead of turning on ALL the bright lights in the room.
• Bathtub: Like a shower light, the bathtub light allows you to specifically illuminate an area for ease of use. This is a great place to put a dimmer. Having a dimmer over the bathtub allows you to create the relaxing mood you desire while sinking into that warm bubble bath.
• Canned Lighting: If you do not have high ceilings, but would like over head lighting, canned lighting is a great alternative. You can place these lights in strategic parts of the room for a more intimate ambiance or a more open space.
• Toilet: Focused halogen or flood lights are a great idea over a toilet, especially if the toilet is separated by a wall or door. This is another great place for a dimmer. You can leave the dimmer on all night so that you or your children can find the restroom in the middle of the night. You can also switch the dimmer on at a lower setting so you don’t disturb your sleep pattern any more than you have to.
• Accent Lighting: Accent lighting is a great way to highlight artwork or architecture. Use accent lighting to draw your attention to what you enjoy most about the room.
• Indirect Lighting: Use hidden lights to add a soft and soothing touch to the room. Add indirect lighting to coves or nooks to illuminate your room with artistic elegance.

Preparing the Perfect Kitchen

 

The kitchen is often times referred to as the heart of the home. It’s where family and friends gather for intimate conversations, cherished meals, holidays, and events. The kitchen is where people spend long hours cooking and entertaining. This is why one of the best ways to boost a home’s resale value is to update the kitchen. 

In order to maximize the beauty and functionality of your kitchen you need the right recipe.

Check out the following tips to create the smart and sophisticated kitchen you have always wanted.

• Sink Lighting: Many times the kitchen is connected to another living area and you do not want to disturb those in the other room. Simply turning on the light over the sink is a great way to direct the light only where you need it.
• Cabinet Lighting: Lighting cabinets is a great way to accentuate the architecture of your home. Putting lighting above the cabinets can showcase items displayed above and draw your eye upward creating a sense that the room is larger. Putting lighting below the cabinets can give you more lighting while you are preparing food. Installing both types of lighting will completely transform your kitchen.
• Accent Lighting: Artwork displayed in your kitchen could become a great conversation piece by simply adding accent lighting. Accent lighting is also a great way to highlight and illuminate family portraits that surround your eating area.
• Canned Lighting: This is a great alternative to the hum and glare of florescent bulbs. They are also more subtle and inviting.
• Island Lighting: Lighting the island is important because many people gather around the island to talk, eat, cook, or work. The type of lighting you choose can be decorative or discreet.
• Kitchen Nook Lighting: The life of the party and the result of all your hard work lies on the kitchen table. Display it properly with a chic fixture. Add a dimmer to create the perfect ambiance no matter what the occasion.
• Wall Sconces and Ceiling fixtures: Give your kitchen additional personality by adding wall sconces or ceiling fixtures. Create an atmosphere that defines your taste and style. Transform your kitchen with decorative lighting.
• Pendent Lighting: Make a statement by adding pendent lighting. This is a great way to make a kitchen feel more intimate and homey.

• Many times the kitchen is connected to another living area and you do not want to disturb those in the other room. Simply turning on the light over the sink is a great way to direct the light only where you need it. Sink Lighting:
• Cabinet Lighting: Lighting cabinets is a great way to accentuate the architecture of your home. Putting lighting above the cabinets can showcase items displayed above and draw your eye upward creating a sense that the room is larger. Putting lighting below the cabinets can give you more lighting while you are preparing food. Installing both types of lighting will completely transform your kitchen.
• Accent Lighting: Artwork displayed in your kitchen could become a great conversation piece by simply adding accent lighting. Accent lighting is also a great way to highlight and illuminate family portraits that surround your eating area.
• Canned Lighting: This is a great alternative to the hum and glare of florescent bulbs. They are also more subtle and inviting.
• Island Lighting: Lighting the island is important because many people gather around the island to talk, eat, cook, or work. The type of lighting you choose can be decorative or discreet.
• Kitchen Nook Lighting: The life of the party and the result of all your hard work lies on the kitchen table. Display it properly with a chic fixture. Add a dimmer to create the perfect ambiance no matter what the occasion.
• Wall Sconces and Ceiling fixtures: Give your kitchen additional personality by adding wall sconces or ceiling fixtures. Create an atmosphere that defines your taste and style. Transform your kitchen with decorative lighting.
• Pendent Lighting: Make a statement by adding pendent lighting. This is a great way to make a kitchen feel more intimate and homey.

Safety and Security:

Is Your Home Safe?

The safety and security of your family is our first priority. We also want to be sure that we take all the steps necessary to protect your home and property. The more information and knowledge about electrical safety we can provide our customers and the public, the better. This is why we partner with Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI). We want to ensure that we provide the consumer with accurate and up to date electrical safety and security information.

“Knowledge can save your life,” said ESFI President Brett C. Brenner. “If you know the signs of an overloaded electrical circuit or how to test a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet, you can prevent electrocution or electrical fires.”

Electrical fires, electrocution and electric shock injuries are the most common threats in regards to your electrical safety.

According to the Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC), there was an annual average of 104,500 (unintentional, electrical, residential structure) fires from 1999-2003, which resulted in about 500 deaths, 4,280 injuries, and nearly $1.5 billion in property loss.

CPSC’s latest data (2003) indicate that there were an estimated 160 electrocutions related to consumer products.

Taking proactive safety precautions is a great way to prevent injury and loss. Check out these easy ways to implement electrical safety and security in your home:

• Surge Protection
• AFCIs/ GFCIs
• Generator Installation and Maintenance
• Motion Sensors
• Wiring Upgrades
• Smoke Detectors
• Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Transfer Switches
• Dedicated Circuits

For additional information about Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) visit www.electrical-safety.org. ESFI’s website provides safety tips, in depth educational tools and much more. 

Wireless Lighting Controls:

One of the newest lighting solutions is wireless lighting controls. Wireless lighting controls are a great way to save money while being environmentally conscious. They allow you to wirelessly control lighting and small appliances in your home.

Imagine using a wireless, hand held remote to control overhead lighting, small appliances, outdoor lighting, holiday lighting, thermostats AND lamps. Imagine being able to time when your lights will turn on and off during the day. Envision being able to dim the lights down low or turn them up to full strength whenever you wanted. Picture a light that was smart enough to know when you entered and exited a room and turned the light on and off automatically. How convenient would that be?

Everyone can benefit from wireless lighting controls. It is convenient, efficient, economical, and provides an element of safety and security.

• Do you find it difficult to get up and down and wish there were an easier way to turn lights and small appliances on and off?
• Do you wish the bathroom light would turn on automatically when you entered?
• Do you wish that you could turn on your security lights from bed if you heard an alarming noise?
• Do you wish that you could preset your lamps, security lights, or holiday lights to come on at a specific time?
• Do you wish you could set the mood to entertain your guest with whatever intensity of light you desired?
• Do you wish you could turn the light off in the baby’s room without disturbing them?
• Do you wish you could turn the lights off from bed after you finish your book or your television show?  

You don’t have to wish anymore. Being able to control your lights when you want is no longer a dream, it is a reality.

Lights, Camera, Action!
Lighting Control Stations allow you to control a variety of whole-house lighting scenes from one central control station. They give you the ability to create a variety of moods with one easy touch of the button. Different scenes can be accessed by remote as well as the keypad. Lighting control stations make it easy to set the mood for whatever the occasion without walking through the whole house to set every individual light.

Time is on Your Side
Timers are an easy way to reduce your energy consumption. Timers can be used either indoor or outdoor. They are great for outdoor lighting, holiday lighting, and to leave preset while you are on vacation. Timers provide convenience and safety while saving you energy and money.

Sense and Sensibility
Room Occupancy Sensors enable lights to come one whenever motion is detected and turn off when motion ceases. Motion sensors are especially useful in bathrooms and bedrooms. They are especially useful in children’s rooms as children often forget to turn lights off after they leave a room or cannot reach the light when they enter. Room occupancy sensors are yet another great way to save energy and money.

Dim and Dimmer
Dimmers give you the ability to intimately control your lighting system. Lighting dimmers allow you to adjust the intensity of the light to meet each individuals needs. You may want to dim the lights to have a romantic dinner or you may want to brighten the lights to see better while working. Dimmers affect the warmth, depth, and ambiance of the room while providing energy efficiency.
Dimmers can be used in any room from the kitchen to bedroom, bathroom or office. Dimmers are a quick and easy way to make a big difference in the visual presentation of your home.