Assurance Electrical Services outlines the benefit of a whole house fan for your Prescott home

Whatever the temperature is, inside or outside, you'll always want plenty of clean, fresh air circulating through the house. Assurance Electrical Services recommends the QuietCool whole house fan for your Prescott home.

Bring the cool air inside...
When the ambient air temperature outside is cooler than the inside of your home, the QuietCool whole house fan system will operate effectively and efficiently. During the summer months, this typically happens from late afternoon to early evening, and right on through the night.

Fresh air...
A gentle air current will flow throughout your home to each QuietCool fan being used. This begins your home's cooling process. When the QuietCool fan is turned on and one or two windows are opened, the cool breeze begins. The cooler outside air quickly begins to create a refreshing light breeze inside your home. You will instantly feel as much as 10 degrees cooler and sometimes more.

Maximize your comfort...
To enjoy the most comfort and maximum efficiency from a QuietCool whole house fan, we recommend you start by cooling your home's most lived-in areas. If you spend, for example, most of the early evening in the kitchen or family room area, focus your cooling on those rooms. Later, as the outside temperature becomes even cooler, you can open windows in other rooms. At bedtime, close all the windows except for those in the occupied bedrooms for a perfect, comfortable night’s sleep.

Are you considering a whole house fan for your Prescott home? Assurance Electrical Services can install a QuietCool Whole House Fan to increase your family's comfort. For more information, or to schedule an in-home consultation call us today at 928-713-2177 or visit us at http://www.myprescottelectrician.com.

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Industrial Electrical Services in Prescott
Prescott Residential Electrician
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Assurance Electrical Services discusses HID vs. LED parking lot lights at your Prescott business

In the past, high-intensity discharge (HID) fixtures have been the institution for lighting outside parking areas. More recently, LED have emerged and have become highly developed and efficient for parking lot illumination. LED stands for "light emitting diode." A diode is a component with two terminals which conduct electricity only in one direction. The diode emits a bright light around the small bulb. Assurance Electrical Services compares HID vs. LED parking lot lights at your Prescott business.

Product costs

• LED fixtures require a greater initial investment than HID Lighting. The question then becomes: Are there any financial benefits to going with LED lighting?

Life span

• LED fixtures can typically last 50,000 hours or more. This is approximately three times longer than HID bulbs. 
• While LED fixtures require a greater initial investment, they make up the cost difference in lifespan.

Maintenance costs

• The only maintenance LED fixtures require is periodic cleaning. 
• HID fixtures require periodic maintenance since they contain multiple components that need regular inspection and replacement.

Energy costs

• LED fixtures consume up to 80 percent less power than HID fixtures.
• Although LED fixtures require a greater initial investment, they more than compensate for this because of the difference in energy savings.
• LED parking lot lights save a huge amount of money in monthly electric costs.
• The energy consumption of LED parking lot illumination is less than half of what HID fixtures consume.

Assurance Electrical Services hopes this comparison of HID vs. LED parking lot lighting at your Prescott business gives you some food for thought. Regardless of the type of lighting you choose, it is important that you have your lighting considerations evaluated by a licensed and experienced professional. If the lighting fixtures are not properly installed in your parking lot, safety becomes an issue. If you have questions about lighting upgrades or professional lighting installation for your business or your home, contact Assurance Electrical Services. We provide the quality work you need and the friendly service you want. For information, call 928-713-2177 or visit us online http://www.myprescottelectrician.com.

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Residential Electrical Services in Prescott
Prescott Licensed Electrician
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Assurance Electrical Services comments on whole house surge protectors for your Prescott home

Are you wondering whether a whole house surge protector is something you need for your home in Prescott? Assurance Electrical Services shares some valuable information to help you decide.

If you ask electricians whether or not a whole house surge protector works, you may get conflicting answers. The reason? A whole house surge protector works on high-voltage surges, but doesn’t stop all surges.

How does it work?
Whole house surge protectors are designed for a specific VPR, or Voltage Protection Rating. There is a maximum amount of voltage that the surge protector will allow, and any voltage higher than the VPR will be “bounced”. Whole home surge protectors help protect in cases of lightning strikes and downed power lines, or even high energy appliances that cycle on and off.

Unfortunately lower voltage surges are allowed through, and some of those voltages may be harmful to your electronics. In order to fully protect your home’s wiring and electrical devices, you should consider a point-of-use surge protector.

Point-of-use
A point-of-use surge protector will absorb excess voltage before it can reach your electronic devices. It plugs directly into the electrical outlet, and your appliance or device is plugged into the surge protector. But point-of-use surge protectors are limited in that they aren’t designed to handle the higher voltages.

What is the answer?
Your best protection would be to have both a whole house surge protector and point-of-use protectors wherever your sensitive electronics are located. Surge protector strips are useful to protect computers, stereos, televisions, and any other sensitive electronics.

Assurance Electrical Services wants to make sure your sensitive electronics, and your home, are protected from surges and other electrical mishaps. For questions about a whole house surge protector for your Prescott home, or any other electrical needs for home or business, call Assurance Electrical Services at 928-713-2177. Learn more at http://www.myprescottelectrician.com.

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Prescott Professional Electrician
Commercial/Industrial Electrical Service in Prescott
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Assurance Electrical Services talks about GFI outlets and why you need them in your Prescott home

Are you thinking about replacing your outlets? Before you do, take a few moments to brush up on updated building codes to ensure you are installing the safest outlets. When you are at the hardware store selecting outlets that match your design aesthetic, you may not realize there is a difference between the outlets. After all, they may all look the same. However, certain parts of your house require particular outlets to help prevent electrical damage and fires in your home. Assurance Electrical Services talks about GFI outlets and why you need them in your Prescott home.

What Is a GFI Outlet?
A GFI or GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlet prevents electrical shock from faults in our electrical devices such as a faulty phone charging cable or hair-dryer. If the outlet detects a difference in current, it rapidly switches off protecting both you and the equipment from significant harm or damage.

Where Should They Be Installed?
The International Electric Code dictates areas of your home where GFCI must be installed. These areas include any space where there may be a higher concentration of moisture such as the bathroom, kitchen, or outdoors. Your local regulations may specify additional areas that should have a GFCI installed.

Safety is the highest priority when replacing outlets or installing anything that connects directly to the electrical system in your home. Before you begin, ensure that the appropriate breakers have been shut off. There are tools available that can determine if your wiring is live. Because of the danger involved in working with electricity, it is best to have a licensed and trained professional install and repair electrical devices and components in your home. If you are not sure what type of outlets you require or if you need outlets installed in your Prescott home, contact Assurance Electrical Services at 928-713-2177 or visit http://www.myprescottelectrician.com.

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Prescott Residential Electrician
Commercial Electrical Services in Prescott
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Assurance Electrical Services: Tips on safe use of extension cords at your Prescott home

The easiest solution to the problem of not having an outlet nearby is an extension cord. But even when you choose the proper cord, it is always just a temporary solution. Extension cords used over long periods of time are susceptible to damage and deterioration that can lead to electrocution or fire. Assurance Electrical Services has some advice about using extension cords to help ensure electrical safety in your Prescott home.

• Always use the appropriate cord. Look for indoor/outdoor use as well as the wattage rating to make sure you don’t overload it.
• Do not run cords through snow, water or through walls or conduit.
• Do not chain cords together; plug each one into an outlet.
• Do not attach more than one appliance to an extension cord.
• Never use a cord that has visible damage or that feels hot to the touch.
• Never alter a cord or bypass the security measures. Do not cut off the ground prong to make it fit or force a polarized plug into a non-polarized outlet. (Polarized plugs have one prong that is bigger than the other).
• Only use cords approved by Underwriters Laboratories. These are independent testing laboratories than ensure the product is safe for use.

If you have a lot of extension cords in your home or business, it’s an indicator that you have too few outlets to address your needs. Choose the safest option and call Assurance Electrical Services. We can install outlets wherever you need them and help you power everything you need in your Prescott home in a safe way. Call to schedule an appointment at 928-713-2177. Learn more at http://www.myprescottelectrician.com.

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Prescott Commercial & Industrial Electrical
Electrical Services in Prescott
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Assurance Electrical Services talks about light switches for your Prescott home

Is it time to change out your light switches? Possibly the most ubiquitous electrical device in homes today is the wall switch. We use them to control the flow of electricity to other devices throughout the house; this includes turning on lights, fans, outlets, garbage disposals, etc. Switches play a vital role in keeping a home functional, but very few homeowners know that not all switches are created equal. Assurance Electrical Services wants to make sure that Prescott homeowners are educated before changing their light switches.

Single-Pole
The single-pole switch controls lights and other devices from a single location. Its simple design is useful for a majority of situations. The single-pole has screw-terminals. One connector is used for the incoming power, and the other connector is used for outgoing power.

Double-Pole
The double-pole is typically used for commercial applications. This switch has four “hot” connectors for power and one neutral connector. The double-pole can handle significantly higher voltages and amperage, and it usually controls a 240-volt circuit.

Three-Way
If you have two switches in your home that control the same light, this is typically accomplished with the help of a three-way switch. These switches have three screw-terminals.

Four-Way
Four-way switches are probably the least common. They are used to connect three-way switches when you need to control the lights from more than two locations. Like the double-pole switches, they have four connectors plus a ground.

Depending on how your home is wired, changing light switches can be simple. However, working with your home’s electrical system is very dangerous, so proper safety precautions must be taken before beginning a project. It is highly recommended that you hire a licensed and trained professional for any electrical work for your Prescott home. If you are looking for a professional electrician that will get your light switches changed quickly and properly, contact Assurance Electrical Services at 928-713-2177 or visit http://www.myprescottelectrician.com.

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Electrical Services in Prescott
Prescott Commercial Electrician
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Assurance Electrical Services discusses the pros and cons of LED lighting for your Prescott home

In recent times there has been a big emphasis placed on the environment, so it follows that homeowners are turning to the “greenest” products they can find. LED lighting, with its energy efficiency and environmental friendliness, are making it the lighting of choice. Assurance Electrical Services shares the pros and cons of LED lighting for your Prescott home.

When it comes to any product, there are both pros and cons. LED is no exception.

Here are some of the advantages to using LED lighting:

Energy efficiency. An LED lamp offers between 80-90% energy efficiency in contrast to a traditional incandescent light bulb. In other words, when the LED lamp is turned on, about 80% of the energy used to illuminate actually goes into creating the light, while the other 20% is given off as heat. This results in a lot of savings, both in terms of the energy used and money being spent on electricity. As a bonus, the LED lamp emits much less heat making it a safer bulb as it's cool to the touch.

Less electricity to start up. A standard 60-watt incandescent light bulb will use about 525 kWh of electricity per year. However, a comparable LED lamp will only need to use about 65 kWh of electricity.

Long lifespan. A standard incandescent light bulb will last anywhere from 750 to 2,000 hours. A fluorescent lamp will provide about 20,000 hours of light. However, some LED lamps can last for as long as 100,000 hours!

Here are some of the disadvantages to using LED lighting:

Price. Even though over recent years the price point for LED lamps has continued to drop, it is still a bit pricier than incandescent and fluorescent lighting. This factor could potentially make the installation of LED lighting more costly than the budgets some people can bear.

Temperature. LED lighting has also been found to be sensitive in terms of temperature. How well an LED functions can be directly related to the temperature in which it is located. If an LED lamp is used in a warm environment, it may cause the lamp to overdrive and fail. Because of this, LEDs generally require a heat sink to help keep them cool and operating properly.

Color limitations. LED lamps generally create white light using diodes of different colors that when all are illuminated together makes white light. In the past, this has sometimes led to the color emitted by an LED lamp to be a bit too blueish or cool. Modern technology has corrected a lot of this. But sometimes the LEDs themselves can begin to diminish in terms of the color quality of the light produced.

Is LED lighting best for you? Weigh the pros against the cons and decide. Assurance Electrical Services hopes this discussion of LED lighting for your Prescott home is helpful to you. If you need any kind of electrical work or consultation, call Assurance Electrical Services at 928-713-2177 or visit us online at http://www.myprescottelectrician.com.

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Residential Electrical in Prescott
Prescott Commercial Electrician
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