Best Lighting Types and Arrangements For Your Bathroom

July 20, 2020

It’s almost impossible to use a bathroom in the dark. Thankfully, there’s a variety of lighting arrangements on the market suited for different rooms and uses. Let us take a closer look at some of the best lighting types and arrangements for your bathroom. Mood Lighting Mood lighting is becoming increasingly popular for bathrooms. There’s no reason that your bathroom can’t have a bit of a personality of its own. Mood lighting tends to be a bit softer and accented around the edges. Consider lighting the edges of your mirror or sink for an awesome effect, and you can also add a dimmer for ultimate control over the lighting. Matching the mood lighting of your bathroom with the rest of your home is stylish as well. LEDs Next, LEDs are a great option due to how budget-friendly and energy efficient they are. You can purchase LEDs for your entire bathroom without breaking your wallet. At the same time, they are extremely reliable for lighting arrangements that can take a variety of shapes and sizes. You can add an LED strip on the ceiling to illuminate every square inch of your bathroom. On the other hand, concealing LED lights behind a...

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Why Do My Lightbulbs Keep Burning Out?

July 10, 2020

It can be frustrating to have bulbs burn out after just installing them a few weeks or months before. Here are some common reasons this happens and what to do about it. The Bulbs Are Screwed in Too Tightly You want to screw bulbs in well enough that they have good contact with the base but not too tightly that it ruins the connection. If you screw one in too tightly, it bends the brass tab at the bottom of the socket. To fix this, flip the circuit breaker for the light fixture and use needle-nose pliers to pull the tab back up. Too Much Heat Excess heat can build up in recessed or covered light fixtures, which burns out the bulb. To prevent this, use lower wattage bulbs in these fixtures or replace the fixture with a larger one. Too Much Vibration Vibration can cause bulbs to fail. This can happen in a fixture in a child’s playroom, for example. Use LED bulbs since they don’t have a filament that will break due to vibration. The Dimmer Switch Isn’t Compatible With New Types of Bulbs Older dimmer switches may not work with CFL or LED bulbs. In these instances,...

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How Do I Know if I Need an Electrical System Upgrade?

June 20, 2020

Although the appliances in your home are top models from name-brand manufacturers, perhaps they aren’t working well. “They” means the problems seem consistent among several appliances. The issues you’re experiencing might include problems with appliance lighting, fans that don’t work quite right, unusual noises or maybe something else. If said appliances are just a few years old and especially if they’re new, it’s unlikely you need an updated model. Maybe you’re experiencing other electrical issues in your home unrelated to appliances. This might be a sign that your electrical system needs serviced or even upgraded. If so, you’ll want to turn your attention to the electrical panel. Upgrading the panel might be essential to straightening out any electrical issues around your home. How do you know when it’s time to do so? The Panel Is Old The expected lifespan of an electrical panel is 20 to 30 years. If years and years pass without an upgrade, like any other device in your home, the panel will inevitably become old and outdated. Did you buy an old house, or have you lived in your home for decades? Either way, if the panel becomes old and you begin experiencing electrical problems, a...

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The Best Lighting Types and Arrangements for Your Bedroom

June 10, 2020

Although you sleep every night in your bedroom, you probably don’t want it to be dark all the time. Fortunately, it doesn’t need to be. There are several options for lighting a bedroom suited to different activities, including, for instance, reading a book or getting dressed. Below, we present a few of the lighting types and arrangements that work best for most people. Recessed Lighting Fixtures Recessed lights, also known as downlights and sometimes as can lights, shine down into the room from fixtures hollowed into the ceiling. The lighting itself appears to come from a hole in the ceiling. Stylistically, recessed fixtures don’t offer as much variety as other lighting types, but they’re a solid choice for general bedroom lighting. They can also be used for accent lighting, and they go well with other types of lighting styles for added aesthetic appeal. Choose a dimmable variety, and you’ll get greater flexibility by being able to adjust lighting levels according to time of day and/or specific activity (e.g., you want a darker room before bedtime). Ceiling Fan Lighting A ceiling fan with a light serves to both provide light and help you feel cooler when spending time in the bedroom,...

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The Right and Safe Way to Clean Lighting Fixtures

May 29, 2020

Light fixtures are a magnet for dust and dirt. There’s a correct and safe way to clean them. Here’s how to clean fixtures so you stay safe and keep lighting from becoming dim. Take Your Time First, gather your supplies. You need a soft cloth, warm water, glass-safe detergent, and a towel for deep cleaning. For regular cleaning, use an extendable duster so you don’t have to stand on a ladder. You shouldn’t try to rush through cleaning your lighting fixture as that is how accidents can happen. Turn off any lights you will be cleaning an hour before you get started. Glass Dome Light Fixtures If you have fixtures with a glass dome, remove the dome to make cleaning easier and safer. You should dump out any dead bugs and dirt before soaking the glass in warm, soapy water for a few minutes. Gently clean and rinse the dome so it doesn’t break. Dry the domes completely with a towel before putting them back in place. Recessed Lighting Recessed lighting is easy to clean. You should remove the light bulbs and then wipe down the inside of each recess with a damp, soft cloth. If the recessed lighting has...

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The Best Lighting Types and Arrangements for Your Kitchen

May 10, 2020

Your kitchen needs to have the right balance of lighting to fulfill all the purposes it serves. Kitchens are used for many things besides cooking and eating such as homework, work and entertaining. Here’s how to properly light up your room, so it fits the needs of you and your family. Three Types of Lighting The three types of lighting are ambient, task and accent. Ambient lighting is your home’s main source of lighting, but it shouldn’t be the only one. Task lighting should be used to help you navigate your kitchen, as ambient lighting leaves shadows in many places. Task lighting helps you read recipes, prepare meals and find things in your cabinets. Accent lighting should be used to accentuate the elements of your kitchen you most enjoy. It can also be used to highlight things like art or a buffet area for dinner parties. Consider Your Space Different layouts and sizes of kitchens call for different measures. If you have tall ceilings and dark cabinets, for example, your kitchen will need more lighting. Put task lighting over your stovetop, sink and counters. Task lighting should be around two-and-a-half feet above the surface you need to be illuminated to...

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What is Whole Home Surge Protection and Why Do I Need It?

April 20, 2020

A power surge can happen any time. Such mishaps can result in major damage if you don’t have proper protection. At GVEC Home, we suggest that all South Central Texas residents consider investing in a whole-home surge protection system. These systems can withstand large spikes across your home electrical system. What Causes Power Surges? Many people are surprised to know that power surges happen all the time; however, most of those spikes are relatively small. They can be caused by a variety of issues outside of your home, like electrical storms but surges can also be caused by issues from within your home’s electrical system; such problems include overloaded outlets, old wiring, damaged circuits and more. Understanding Whole-Home Surge Protection While many modern devices include some degree of built-in surge protection, we suggest that you still consider protecting your home’s electrical system from surges with a whole-home system. Whole-home surge protection automatically limits the amount of electricity coming into your home when a power surge occurs. These systems are generally tied into the home’s breaker box and GVEC Home electricians can usually complete installation and set-up of a whole-home protector in a few hours. Every home is different, of course,...

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How Do I Know When It’s Time to Call a Professional Electrician?

April 6, 2020

An electrical system that’s overloaded or otherwise not functioning properly could put you and your family in danger. If you notice the lights in your home are flickering or buzzing, it may be a good idea to call a professional electrician to inspect your home electrical system and repair any issues they might uncover. What are some other good reasons to contact a professional electrician? Here are a few to consider. You Smell Something Burning Outlets should not smell like a pizza kept in the oven too long. In many cases, this is an indication of a melted wire or the overheating of some other important electrical component. If left unchecked, there’s a good chance such problems could lead to a fire in your home. Lights Won’t Come on at All If lights won’t come on at all in your home, there’s a chance something hasn’t been correctly plugged or screwed in. There is also the possibility a fuse needs to be replaced or a switch on the circuit breaker needs reset. If you’ve tried troubleshooting the issue yourself without success, it’s probably time to call a professional electrician for help. You Don’t Feel Comfortable Resolving an Issue on Your...

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The Best Lighting Types and Arrangements for Your Kitchen

March 18, 2020

For many homes, the kitchen is the hub of the entire house. Kitchens are no longer just areas for preparing food. Rather, the kitchen is now the center for social gatherings, family time, and just relaxing. Because of the variety of tasks that transpire in a modern kitchen, the lighting requirements may be complex. Having the proper lighting can be the difference between a beautiful and enjoyable space or a dark and depressing distraction. Luckily, the experts at GVEC Home® know that with just a few simple tricks, the lighting in your kitchen can make it your family’s favorite place. Task Lighting Is Crucial Whether you are decorating sugar cookies or doing homework, detail-oriented work often takes place in the kitchen. Because of this, it is extremely important to provide proper task lighting. Traditionally, kitchen task lighting was achieved using “can” lights or track lights that could be aimed at work surfaces as necessary. Today, the hottest trend is under-counter strip lighting. Using efficient LEDs, under-counter lighting provides clear and direct light exactly where you need it most. Floodlights Eliminate Shadows While task lighting is unquestionably important, it is not the only style of lighting needed for proper kitchen illumination....

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Why It’s Important to Get Your Home Electrical System Regularly Inspected

March 10, 2020

Electricity plays an integral role in supplying power to the many devices you use in your home on a regular basis. Electrical issues are a major source of property damage due to fires. Without regular maintenance, you could run into a variety of electrical problems that might put your family’s safety at risk. Regular electrical inspections can provide you with the peace of mind that everything is working in proper condition. Read on to learn about four reasons why it’s important to get your home electrical system regularly inspected by trained professionals like the ones at GVEC Home®. 1. Electrical Surge Protection Electrical surges can be caused by a number of things such as the operation of high-powered appliances, faulty wiring, downed power lines and major storms. An electrical surge can cause significant damage to your appliances and create short circuits throughout your house. During an electrical inspection, your technician can check for different points in your wiring that could contribute to a dangerous electrical surge. They can also advise if Whole-Home Surge Protection, offered by GVEC Home, would be useful to help protect the electronics and appliances in your home. 2. Fire Prevention Electrical short circuits are often the...

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