Archive for September, 2008
Cost of Electricity – What You Need To Know
September 25th, 2008 | 
Author: Utility companies often impose an additional charge into your electricity rate. This is know as a Demand Charge, that is the maximum rate at which electricity was used in your home (in kilowatt hours) during any 15-minute period in the billing month. So what does that mean? The concept allows the utility company to bill you at the highest demand of the day. If you plotted your demand usage throughout the day you’d probably see that it fluctuates, and peaks at certain time of the day, say for instance at night when you turn on the computer, run the dishwasher, run the washing machine all at the same time.
So how can you you reduce your peak demand? Running appliances one after the other rather than at the same time would reduce your demand. And better yet, running them when you’re not using much electricity for other purposes (such as at night when the air conditioner is off) will reduce your demand even more. But what about the times when you have a power outage or power surge. Ever notice that when power comes back on everything seems to cycle, like the refridgerator, furnace/AC, freezer, computer etc. This can all increase your peak demand and can also increase your monthly bill.
All this can be acheived by using a whole house surge protector and power conditioner such as the PowerwoRx e3. This device is physically mounted on a wall near the panel of choice and connected to the panel via conduit and a dedicated circuit breaker. It should be installed by a professional electrician to meet your local code. PowerwoRx e3 increases the power factor, the percentage of electricity delivered to a house and used effectively, compared to what is wasted. The average home in America operates at a .77 power factor. This means that 23% of the electricity being delivered to the home is being wasted by your electrical load. The PowerwoRx e3 unit increases that power factor, in most cases, to .97 or .98, therefore increasing the effective use of the electricity and lowering usage.
To get more information or get PowerwoRx e3 installed in your home, call Good Electric Service at (303) 455-5160 or visit our dealer website at Ecoquest here
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Call Before You Dig
Your safety is important. Dig safely by following these key steps:
1. Call 811 or your state’s utility notification phone number before you dig.
Colorado: 1-800-922-1987
2. Wait the state’s required time before you begin to dig.
3. Respect the markings or colored flags and dig with care around them.
In many communities, electricity and natural gas are delivered through cables or pipes buried underground. Knowing where to dig is critical when you are working in areas with underground lines.
Before you begin any project that requires you to move earth – such as digging fence posts, planting trees or excavating – call your state’s one-call utility notification center first.
Utility locators will come to your site to track, locate and mark all your underground utility lines. This service is free in most states and could save money, time and possibly your life.
Don’t take any chances with underground utility lines.
Energy Saving Light Bulbs – The Sensible Alternative
The lights in an average household use about 20% of the total electricity, so anything that will reduce that power consumption will help lower your energy bill while cutting down on pollution. Fortunately, it’s easy to save energy on lighting by simply installing energy saving light bulbs.
Regular incandescent light bulbs produce light by heating a small filament inside the bulb. This heat production accounts for 90% of the energy they consumer. Energy saving light bulbs are florescent, much more efficient because they don’t need heat to produce light.
How much energy do they save? On average, the energy savings are about 66%. But that is not the only way you save money using these bulbs. They also last much longer than regular bulbs, so although they cost more, you still save money when buying light bulbs.
Energy saving light bulbs last about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Even if the florescent bulb costs considerable more than the traditional bulb, the lifespan of the bulb combined with the energy savings adds up to substantial savings.
It has been conservatively estimated that you can save about $4 per year for each energy saving light bulb that you install in your house. If you replace 20 bulbs, that’s a savings of $80 a year.
Just imagine if every household in America took advantage of the savings that compact florescent bulbs provide. Not only would have more buying power, we would also cut down on the pollution caused by electricity generating plants.
Greenhouse emissions are one of the biggest concerns with burning fossil fuels to produce electricity. The average household produces more greenhouse gases than a car because of the amount of electricity consumed. Installing energy saving light bulbs is one way to cut down on those emissions.
Do your pocket book and the environment a favor by using florescent compact bulbs wherever you can. It’s the only sensible thing to do.
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Hans is author of http://www.alternative-energy-guide.com where he writes about energy conservation and affordable solar energy systems Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hans_Dekker |
Posted in Energy Saving Tips | 
Tags: compact florescent, electricity, energy saving tips, florescent compact bulbs | 
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The Services Offered by Electricians
When you are having problems with your electrical system, the best person to call is your electrician. Electricians are professionals trained in the proper care, handling, and maintenance electrical wiring, systems, and equipment.
Electricians are generally divided into two groups. The first group is the one in charge of construction of electrical systems. The second one is responsible for maintaining these systems. They are also responsible for doing repairs and upgrades to electrical equipment.
Electricians need to pass certain training before being certified as a qualified electrician. Most countries have regulations when it comes to the electrician profession due to the safety issues surrounding the nature of their job. Typically, they have to serve an apprenticeship program. The program usually takes about 3 to 5 years under direct supervision of a master electrician.
Electrical wiring systems in buildings are installed by electricians. Electricians are the only ones qualified to install, upgrade, and maintain electrical systems, equipment, and wirings.
Good electricians have undergone rigorous trainings and seminars to keep them updated on the current technology. For your safety, it is much better to let a qualified electrician do their job when you have problems in your electrical system. Electricity is very dangerous and can easily injure or kill a person when not handled well.
Electrical appliances are precision instruments and are very sensitive. Tinkering with one may damage or completely destroy your equipment. In most cases, it will even invalidate a warranty. A qualified electrician can work on your household appliances for you, fixing them while keeping your home safe.
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Want to read more of this article? You can read more tips on The Services Offered by Electricians Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mariz_Dela_Cruz |