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Helpful Tips

Improve Safety And Use Less Energy With Motion-Activated Lighting

May 2, 20140

Outdoor lighting is essential in both urban and rural areas, but keeping on a high-intensity flood light all night uses up a lot of power. Many homeowners have had to switch off their outdoor lights to keep electricity bills under control. However, there is a simple solution that increases the safety of your property without using up too much power.

Try Motion Activation

By swapping your switch controlled outdoor lights for motion-activated lighting, you can get the illumination you need with an intruder or stray animal immediately. These detectors have quite a range. With proper spacing and installation, you can surround your entire yard with inexpensive fixtures that give enough light to highlight anything unusual when movement triggers the switch.

Saving Power

These motion activated options are energy friendly because they keep the lights off when they’re not needed. Since most homeowners turn to halogen or other high-draw bulbs for exterior use, these lights cost more to run constantly than a bulb you’d use indoors.

For more helpful tips on cutting your energy usage in Conejo Valley, pick up the phone and call Fornoff Electric.

Protect Your Family With Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

April 25, 20140

Your home is a place of refuge and somewhere you should feel safe, but fire and carbon monoxide poisoning are two hazards that can destroy your sense of safety and put your life in danger. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, four out of five fire-related deaths occur in the home. Fortunately, installing fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your house is a simple way to keep yourself and your family safe from potentially deadly situations. Smoke detectors, also known as fire alarms, come in two forms. Ionization smoke detectors can detect open flames that produce heavy smoke, while photoelectric smoke alarms can detect smoldering fires that produce little smoke, such as electrical fires inside the walls. Some smoke detectors include both types of technology to cover all types of fire. Carbon monoxide detectors scan the air for CO, a colorless, odorless gas similar to the carbon dioxide your lungs produce but with a different, more deadly chemical structure. This gas is produced by any type of fuel that burns, including natural gas, heating oil and firewood burning in a fireplace. It can cause you to fall unconscious or even die if high levels build up in your home. If you have both a fire alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm, you can rest easy that you’ll be alerted to any potential problems in time to safeguard your life. Also make sure to keep an eye out for potential fire hazards in the home, such as damaged wiring or appliances that feel hotter than normal.

For more information about local electrical repairs in the Conejo Valley area, contact Fornoff Electric today. We’re also available to answer questions about electrical problems that could lead to fire.

 

Decorating with Recessed Lighting: The Better Look

April 21, 20140

Recessed lighting is perceived as the better look in decorating because without bulbs hanging down from the ceiling, the look is more streamlined.  The amount of light is increased and this type of lighting helps to focus on a particular area such as hung artwork, or recessed lighting can make a room seem bigger. It is best to install this type of lighting when building a house.

 

The ideal time to install recessed lighting is when a home is being built.  The lights are placed between the ceiling joists and are part of the original install. When updating an existing home, adding recessed lighting can be quite challenging and a licensed electrician should be consulted.  It’s important to choose the right fixtures; for example, if used near insulation, the lighting fixtures should be rated (IC housing rated). There are safety factors to consider and it must be decided what size bulbs to use.

Recessed bulbs come in basic sizes of 4, 5, and 6 inches in diameter. The smaller sizes have a sleek, modern look, and are perfect for smaller spaces.  The 6 inch size works best in entryways with a tall ceiling.

Recessed lighting is a great look for the home whether in the planning stages of building a home, or for an updated look in one room or many.

Contact Fornoff Electric for advice on your next decorating project.  We are available to answer all your questions because we care about your results being stellar and safe. Electricity runs through our veins at Fornoff as we are three generations strong. A family of electricians, we have been serving the area of Conejo Valley and beyond since 1968 and have earned the reputation of being honest and able. Contact Fornoff Electric for your local residential and commercial needs.

Celebrate Mother Nature: Earth Day facts and energy saving tips

April 18, 20140

On April 22 billions will celebrate Mother Earth for Earth Day in 190 different countries around the globe. Earth day is a time to celebrate being green and preserving our natural resources, such as water, trees and the animals.

The start of Earth Day goes back to the protests during the Vietnam War in the 1960s, when the grassroots movement wanted to raise the awareness of environmental issues. It was not until April 22, 1970 when Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day and the world started to pay attention to environmental concerns. The increase in environmental awareness has many organizations and political projects have been created, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Water, Clean Air and Endangered Species acts.

In addition to raising environmental awareness, Earth Day-related initiatives, including recycling, reusing and remanufacturing of items has created more than three million jobs in the United States. Plus, recycling saves three to five times the energy used to incinerate waste.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, there are multiple ways to save energy right in your own home. Some of these energy saving tips include:

  • Unplug unused appliances
  • Set computers to sleep
  • Control temperatures
  • Turn off lights

For answers to your electrical-related questions or for ways to conserve energy in the local Conejo Valley area, contact Fornoff Electric. We are available and ready to help you become more green this Earth Day.

Circuit Breakers: What You Should Know

March 17, 20140

For many decades, the only line of defense between the power grid and an electrical problem in the home was a fuse. Without these fuses, an electrical issue such as a short or other problem could easily degenerate into a fire. However, with fuses, if a short took place, the fuse would overload and burn out. Sometimes, a fuse would blow for no apparent reason, leaving the homeowner quite literally in the dark.

The drawbacks to fuses are they’re one-shot devices. Once it burns out, it has to be replaced with a good one. If you didn’t have one to replace it, this meant you had to make an emergency trip to the store to buy some. Another drawback is the fact that there are many different types of fuses. Each fuse was designed to support specific amperage. If you consider electricity like water, then the higher the amperage of the fuse, the more “water” can flow through it before it blows out.

This meant a homeowner had to keep track of 10, 20 and 30 amp fuses and, to add insult to injury, “stick” fuses for the main fuse block designed to control how much electricity would flow into each sub-block had to be kept on hand as well. Not only was this an added, often unwelcome, expense but was confusing as well. Even though the fuses were different amperages, they were all the same size which could cause even more blown fuses.

Today, with the proliferation of inexpensive circuit breakers, the fuse box is no longer the hassle it used to be. With the simple flick of a switch, you can reset your circuit breaker if the circuit “blows” which means no more trips to the store in the middle of the night. If you’re home still has the old fuse boxes, and you live in the Conejo Valley area, contact Fornoff Electric in Thousand Oaks, California and have it replaced with a modern breaker box. Breakers are more effective, easier to deal with and, in the long run, much cheaper than fuses.

Reduce Electricity Consumption

February 12, 20140

Modern life is packed with conveniences that require a steady supply of electricity.  As comfort seekers, Americans demand optimal levels of light, heat, cooling and entertainment.  Once the electric bill arrives, pain in the household budget requires significant adjustments to daily habits to realize savings.

  • Update appliances – HVAC equipment has been upgraded with each new model since furnaces and air conditioners were invented.  Older appliances that are responsible for heating and cooling the living space will consume much more electricity.  Refrigerators and freezers use less energy than ever before.  The homeowner is wise to maintain full food storage areas to enhance efficiency.
  • Look for hidden consumers – Computers, stereo equipment and LED televisions will draw power whenever the plug is in the outlet.  Surge protectors should be turned off when these power consumers are not in use.  Unplug all appliances when not in use.
  • Insulate against the elements – Heat and cold outside should be prevented from entering the house around pipes, windows and doors.  Efforts to caulk and insulate can improve living comfort while reducing the amount of electricity required to maintain a consistent indoor temperature.

For more ideas about reducing electricity consumption in Conejo Valley, Westlake Village, or Thousand Oaks, contact Fornoff Electric, today!

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