Electric System Experts

Serving the counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Riverside, Priority 1 Electric provides expert wiring and circuit breaker installation, repair, and maintenance services and is available 24 hours a day.

[electricsystemexperts]

Electric Systems Experts

Because Priority One Electric has served southern California homeowners for so many years, their electricians are adept at spotting potentially dangerous electrical situations and providing remedies.

[electricsystemexperts]

REPOST: Smart homes: consumers favor home security over efficiency

Increasing energy efficiency isn’t the only reason why people are drawn to the smart home concept. The article below discusses how connected-home devices help people control home security which leads to a higher standard of health and safety among users.

                                                   Image Source: theconversation.com

The message from the yearly CES consumer electronics extravaganza was clear: the list of gadgets that can be connected to the “internet of things” is growing rapidly. These smart-home technologies have the potential to save homeowners energy – but that may not be the primary feature attracting consumers.

Smart home gadgets include gadgets connected to the home network, such as thermostats and smart meters. By connecting with the electric grid, smart meters act upon real-time pricing to change home energy usage patterns, such as adjusting the air conditioner during times of high prices. By knowing and managing when electricity is being consumed, grid operators can maintain stability and lower energy usage during peak periods.

There is some data to back up the notion that smart-grid technology makes buildings more energy-efficient when used effectively. A US Department of Energy study showed smart-grid consumers were able to save up to 10% on energy bills.

A home with a comprehensive, centralized automation system has the potential to energy between 17% – 40% of its energy usage, according to a 2011 study by the Frauhofer Institute of Building Physics that used a RWE SmartHome. There are also smart refrigerators (LG ThinQ™) and washing machines (LG Twin Wash).

BI Intelligence projects the worldwide market for connected-home devices will grow faster than smartphones or tablets and will reach up to US$490 billion in 2019.

Is it all about energy?

The smart-home concept extends further to include aspects of occupant behavior, which can directly contribute to a higher standard of health and safety. For example, sophisticated security systems with networked cameras allow owners to peer into their homes from anywhere, including for elderly care.

Indeed, energy savings isn’t actually the prime reason for owning smart homes, according to 62% of the 2,000 adults surveyed in 2014 by Lowe’s. The main reasons were increased security and the ability to remotely monitor homes, according to the survey. So, a true smart home goes beyond controlling energy to controlling home security.

                                               Image Source: theconversation.com

In the future, a building can be equipped with multitudes of sensors and devices that can work in concert. This system is analogous to a healthy human body in that microprocessors embedded in these devices work like nodes in the brain to operate autonomously in pursuit of maximum efficiency.

What’s next?

The whole point of these smart home systems is to have the devices talk to each other. But with big players like Google (Nest Thermostats; Smoke + CO Monitoring), Samsung (SmartThings) and Apple (Homekit) joining the party on their own proprietary terms, interoperability among gadgets is a clear barrier to broader adoption. But the big elephant in the room is cybersecurity.

If you missed seeing The Interview last fall, don’t blame the N. Korean regime – the fault lies with the vulnerable ARPANET system, a precursor to the Internet and, of course, Sony’s own lacking protocols governing increased cybersecurity.

If Sony Corp. with US$24 billion market capitalization could not thwart a cyberattack on its servers that leaked mudslinging emails and more-than-you-want-to-hear news, how can a typical smart home owner prevent his or her home being attacked? Theoretically, hackers can disarm, unlock and graciously invite patrons via Craigslist or Twitter to break into homes, unbeknown to homeowners vacationing in a neighboring state or country.

So if a person is looking for ways to save energy, smart-grid technology, such as wireless thermostats, will help them. But a full-on home-automation system — at least for now — may not be the smartest way to go.

Priority One Electric has over 25 years of experience serving Southern California residents with high quality electrical diagnostic and repair services including circuit breakers and wiring upgrades and customized electrical work. Log on to this website to learn how the company can help you keep your home safe, comfortable, and energy-efficient.

[electricsystemexperts]

What to do when your electric baseboard or wall heater needs repair

When it's winter and co-o-o-o-ld, the last thing you want is for your heating system to fail. Electrically powered baseboard/wall heaters are normally extremely efficient, converting nearly 100 percent of their energy to produce heat and warming only the parts of your house that you choose. 

[electricsystemexperts]

Get more updates and tips from Priority One Electric this year by visiting this blog.

[electricsystemexperts]

Wishing you love and happiness this season and into the New Year

[electricsystemexperts]

Knob and Tube Wiring in Older Homes

http://rismedia.com/2014-11-22/knob-and-tube-wiring-in-older-homes/

[electricsystemexperts]

Electric Systems Experts

Priority One Electric knows that you need and deserve expert tradespeople.

[electricsystemexperts]

Effective energy management tips for the winter months

Winter is a costly season in terms of energy consumption, due to extensive use of heating systems in homes, offices, and other establishments. Expenses can further increase if energy is used irresponsibly. To keep costs at a manageable rate, a number of energy-saving strategies should be implemented. The following pointers can help in preparations for an energy-efficient winter.

                                   Image Source: blog.mass.gov

1. Optimize the use of heating systems. Setting the thermostat to 68 degrees allows for a comfortable room temperature while keeping energy use reasonable. Wearing sweaters and other thick clothing at home can also help maintain warmth without further raising room temperature.

2. Clean or replace filters. Clogged, dirty filters limit airflow throughout the house, causing the system to burn more energy than necessary. Proper maintenance of heating systems should be done before winter to avoid a chilly inconvenience.

                                    Image Source: massenergy.org

3. Check the house for leaks and holes. Heat leaking out of the house translates to higher energy costs. Again, checking for leaks should be done well before the winter months.

4. Use energy-efficient heating equipment. The best way to identify efficient heating systems is to check for the ENERGY STAR mark, the seal of approval given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

                                         Image Source: express.co.uk

A comfortable winter need not be a costly one, as long as adequate preparation and diligence have been undertaken to make sure energy is properly budgeted. For more tips on how to maintain energy efficiency in the colder months, one can consult the local energy provider.

Serving the counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Riverside, Priority One Electric provides top-notch energy solutions. Follow this Twitter account for more insights on energy efficiency.

[electricsystemexperts]

Tips to prevent electric shock

“Follow precautions for your protection this monsoon”

[electricsystemexperts]

REPOST: It’s not just how much electricity you use. It’s also when you use it.

In the following article from WashingtonPost.com, Jeff Guo discusses how household electricity usage, especially during the peak hours, affects power plant operations:

The power grid has one crucial shortcoming: It can’t store electricity. So as electric demand crescendos, especially in the late afternoon, more power plants have to be turned on.

This graphic, from the Energy Information Agency, illustrates how a typical utility company might ramp up energy production in response to demand from the grid. Nuclear and coal plants tend stay on all the time, as do solar and wind. (You don’t save money disconnecting solar panels.) The system is built so that these facilities, which provide what is called “baseload power,” can satisfy the minimum amount of electricity needed at any point during the year.

Image source: Washingtonpost.com

As demand increases, intermediate plants are brought online. And when everybody starts to fire up their gadgets and appliances, that’s when the peaking plants are called to service.

These peaking plants — the ones at the right side of this graph — typically burn natural gas or, relatively rarely, petroleum. They’re expensive to operate and they consume fuel inefficiently, but they can turn on or off quickly. They exist solely to make sure there are no brownouts when everyone comes home on a hot summer day and switches on their air conditioners all at once. Peaking plants are a crucial part of the electric grid, though they might only run for 5 to 15 percent of the year. They’re a big part of your electric bill too.

So it’s impossible to talk about energy efficiency in the electricity market without looking at the patterns of electricity usage. It would of course be great if everybody switched to more efficient appliances and got rid of their incandescent light bulbs. That would decrease electricity usage across the board.

But if there was some way to smooth out electricity demand, we wouldn’t have to rely on as many peaking power plants. Even if we used the same amount of electricity, the system would still be cheaper and cleaner overall.

Image source: Washingtonpost.com

This is where smart meters come in. About a quarter of American households have upgraded equipment that records how much electricity they’re using on an hourly or minute-to-minute basis. Getting precise information on when a household uses electricity is important because it lets utilities figure out who uses the most power during peak periods. Then the question becomes how to convince these people to ease off when the system is overloaded.

One way is through people’s pocketbooks. Many utilities have started to offer real-time pricing, which charges more when demand is high. Higher afternoon prices should convince people to, say, run their dryers late at night. Economist Hunt Alcott studied one program in Chicago, where he estimates that households benefited about $10 over the course of a year, or about 1 to 2 percent of their electricity bill.

Image source: Washingtonpost.com

Today, Jim Tankersley wrote about another way to reduce peak electricity demand: by asking customers directly. One concern about real-time pricing is that it takes a lot of effort to keep track of the fluctuating prices. Who has the attention span for that? Instead of expecting customers to keep abreast of power prices on their own, one company sought to remind them with e-mails, giving them immediate feedback when they did save money.

The company, Opower, estimates that peak power usage was reduced by around 3 percent on each day they sent e-mails. With some back-of-the-envelope calculations, they say that translates to nearly 50 peaking power plants that could be taken offline nationwide if every household with a smart meter participated in the program. But there’s a lesson here for everybody, too. It’s not just how much electricity you consume. It also matters when you consume it.

Priority One Electric offers solutions to homeowners’ electrical system needs. Visit its website to know more about its products and services.

[electricsystemexperts]

Priority One Electric provides professional electrical services to residential and commercial areas in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside and Los Angeles County. Visit the company’sofficial website to know more about its list of services.

[electricsystemexperts]

Still using a fuse box at home? Here's why you need an upgrade

A typical home’s electrical wiring system is protected from short circuit and circuit overloads by an electrical device called the fuse. This is installed to avoid electrical fire. And old homes usually have the fuse box as part of the electrical wiring system instead of the circuit breaker which is the required panel for newer homes.

Image Source: epshuddersfield.co.uk

The fuse box is easily identified due to its metal casing which is commonly seen indoors. When the box is opened, it contains fuses or filaments that melt when overloaded with electric current. If a fuse blows, it must be thrown out and replaced with a new one.

Image Source: all-free-download.com

The fuse is known for its sensitivity and can only handle the amount of amperage it is rated for. If a fuse designed for 30-amp capacity is passed through by a current more than 30 amps, the thin metal filament will melt causing the fuse to blow. Old electrical wiring with a fuse box cannot handle heavy use of electricity demanded by modern equipment such as simultaneous use of air conditioner, microwave, electric range, computer, etc.

Image Source: videojug.com

With the use of electricity that has significantly risen since the 1930s, homeowners of old houses who failed to keep their electrical wiring system up-to-date should consider an upgrade. The building code stipulates that the minimum distribution panel at home is 100 amps. But as the number and types of appliances continue to grow, a 200-amp panel is recommended for new housing and it must be a circuit breaker type.

Need an electrical upgrade? Priority 1 Electric provides complete and professional electrical services done by its team of licensed electricians. Contact the residential electrical specialists here.

[electricsystemexperts]

Electric Systems Experts

A Priority 1 Electrics blog

[electricsystemexperts]

Solar power: World's No. 1 electricity source by 2050?

Solar power could make up more than a quarter of the world's electricity supply by mid-century, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency. That would make solar power the world's largest source of electricity, providing more than fossil fuels, wind, hydro, and nuclear.

The IEA, which advises 29 national governments on energy policy, said PV installations have grown much more than agency had expected when it issued its first solar energy outlook in 2010. 

[electricsystemexperts]

8 critical home repairs you can't ignore

Here's one of the harsh realities of owning a home: Some problems just can't wait. You have to fix them now.

[electricsystemexperts]

Priority One Electric: Potential Causes of Flickering Bulbs

  Priority One Electric knows the underlying causes of many common electrical problems, such as flickering bulbs

[electricsystemexperts]

Fully Explained Home Electrical Wiring Diagrams with Pictures including an actual set of house plans that I used to wire a new home. Choose from the list below to navigate to various rooms of this home.