Denver CO, Electrician

Fall Electric Maintenance Tips

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As the leaves change colors and the temperature starts to drop, it’s a clear sign that fall is here. Along with cozy sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes, this season also brings specific challenges for homeowners. One often overlooked aspect of fall preparation is electric maintenance. To ensure your home remains safe and functional during the autumn months, it’s essential to take some proactive steps. In this blog, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive guide to fall electric maintenance tips.

Tip #1 Inspect Outdoor Lighting

As daylight hours shorten during the fall, outdoor lighting becomes increasingly important. Check all your exterior lights, including porch lights, pathway lighting, and security lights. Replace any burnt-out bulbs and consider upgrading to energy-efficient LED lights. Ensure that outdoor outlets and wiring are in good condition, as exposure to autumn weather can cause wear and tear.

Tip #2 Clean Gutters and Downspouts

Falling leaves and debris can accumulate in your gutters and downspouts, potentially causing electrical issues. When wet leaves and debris pile up, they can create a fire hazard, especially if they come into contact with electrical wires or outlets on your roof. Regularly clean your gutters and downspouts to prevent this from happening.

Tip #3 Test Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

With the heating season approaching, it’s crucial to ensure that your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are working correctly. Replace batteries if needed and test each device to make sure they can provide you with early warnings in case of emergencies.

Tip #4 Check Heating Systems

As the weather cools down, your heating system will see more use. Schedule a professional inspection and maintenance for your furnace or heat pump to ensure it’s running efficiently and safely. Dirty or malfunctioning heating systems can be both a fire hazard and a source of electrical problems.

Tip #5 Seal Windows and Doors

To keep your home warm during the fall and prevent overworking your heating system, check for drafts around windows and doors. Seal any gaps with weatherstripping or caulking. This will help maintain a consistent temperature and reduce the strain on your HVAC system, ultimately saving you money on your electric bill.

Tip #6 Clean and Inspect Appliances

Autumn is an excellent time to clean and inspect your household appliances. Check the wiring on your washer, dryer, refrigerator, and other major appliances for any signs of damage or wear. Ensure that cords are not frayed, and outlets are properly grounded.

Tip #7 Prepare for Storms

Fall often brings heavy rains and storms. Safeguard your home by installing surge protectors for sensitive electronics and appliances. Trim any tree branches that could potentially fall on power lines, causing electrical outages or damage.

Tip #8 Review Electrical Panel and Breakers

Inspect your electrical panel and circuit breakers for signs of overheating, such as discolored or burnt spots. If you notice any issues, contact a licensed electrician to address them immediately. Regularly resetting tripped breakers can also help prevent electrical problems.

Taking the time to perform fall electric maintenance is essential for ensuring the safety and functionality of your home as the season changes. By inspecting outdoor lighting, cleaning gutters, testing alarms, checking heating systems, sealing gaps, cleaning appliances, preparing for storms, and reviewing your electrical panel, you can prevent potential hazards and enjoy a worry-free autumn. Remember that if you are ever unsure about any electrical maintenance tasks, it is best to consult a qualified electrician to ensure your home’s electrical system remains in top-notch condition.

High West Electric is based in Denver, CO, and serves the entire metro area. Our customer service-based approach ensures that each client enjoys the process from installation to the end product – no matter the size of the job. Our goal is to be YOUR electrician and offer an experience that goes Beyond the Wires. Visit our website to learn more.

watts and lumens

Watts Versus Lumens

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We often get asked the difference between watts versus lumens. There have been some major changes in lighting in recent years due to the introduction of energy-efficient CFL and LED bulbs. Incandescent bulbs are becoming a thing of the past, as both their energy-hogging habits and their “wattage” rating become obsolete. In place of them are high-efficiency bulbs with a much more accurate “lumens” rating. This blog will help you understand the differences and navigate the changes.

Watts

A watt is a unit of power, measuring the amount of energy that is used over a period of time. When talking about bulbs, a watt measures how much electricity the bulb requires per second. This is not an indicator of how bright the bulb is, but the old-school incandescent bulbs are so similar that when we bought a 100-watt incandescent light bulb, we had a general idea of how bright it would be.

With newer types of bulbs, it takes far fewer watts to create just as much light, so wattage ratings are no longer very useful. Each type of bulb is different, and the whole idea is to develop bulbs that use fewer watts to make more light.

Lumens

Lumens determine how much light a bulb will provide. A lumen is the direct measurement of light output. The number of lumens can tell you the degree of brightness, regardless of whether it is emitted from an incandescent, halogen, or energy-efficient LED bulb.

One lumen is approximately equal to the amount of light put out by one birthday candle. To help you get an idea of the lumen scale, a standard 60-watt bulb puts out around 750-850 lumens of light. If you’re choosing bulbs for task lighting, look for bulbs with 1000 lumens or more. Under the new system, when shopping for a light bulb, you should first look for the bulbs that produce the number of lumens you need. Once you know the right brightness, you can then look at the lumens-per-watt rating to find the bulb that’s the most energy efficient. Note: lumens-per-watt rating is an average since light bulbs become less efficient over time.

Selecting The Brightness Of LED Lights

Until you’re more comfortable using lumens to gauge how much light a bulb will produce, use these guide:

40W = 450 lumens

60W = 800 lumens

75W = 1100 lumens

100W = 1600 lumens

150W = 2600 lumens

High West Electric is based in Denver, CO, and serves the entire metro area. Our customer service-based approach ensures that each client enjoys the process from installation to the end product – no matter the size of the job. Our goal is to be YOUR electrician and offer an experience that goes Beyond the Wires. We offer free estimates. Visit our website to learn more.