Outdated lighting can have a major impact on the visual aesthetic of a space and your garage is no exception! If your lighting needs an upgrade, you’ll likely notice high electric bills too. Once you’ve decided it’s time to upgrade your garage lighting, the real challenge begins – what lighting should you choose? The lighting selections at your nearby hardware store are sure to be overwhelming at first glance, so let’s break down your options in a way that’s easier to understand. 

Fluorescent

Fluorescent lights are a great option for garage lighting because they distribute light evenly and are very long-lasting. Fluorescent lights are energy-efficient and will help save money on maintenance in the long run compared to other bulbs since little to no maintenance will be required. The only downside to fluorescent bulbs is the disposal process. If you need to get rid of a fluorescent bulb, it has to be disposed of as hazardous waste because every fluorescent bulb contains mercury gas which is toxic if it’s mishandled. 

Incandescent  

Incandescent bulbs are the cheapest to purchase so if you’re in a financial pinch, it’s an option to consider. These bulbs will cost more over time due to their energy consumption and frequency of maintenance or replacement that’s required. Incandescent bulbs aren’t ideal for garage lighting because they aren’t good at lighting up a large space evenly. If you’re trying to do work or anything else that requires clear sight, incandescent bulbs will make it almost impossible. 

LED

LED bulbs are a great option for garage lighting. They have many of the same perks of a fluorescent bulb, without the need for hazardous waste procedures when it’s time to dispose of an old bulb. LED lighting is efficient at lighting a large space while keeps energy bills low. They have a long lifespan and will require little to no maintenance over the years. LED bulbs are typically very affordable, but not as cheap as incandescent lighting. 

How Bright Should the Bulb Be? 

Brightness is measured in something called lumens. The higher the number of lumens, the brighter the light. When you’re choosing garage lighting, it’s cost-effective to opt for bulbs with higher lumens. This allows you to light the entire space using fewer light fixtures.

Contact Brunelli Electrician in Franklin, MA

If you’re unsure what bulbs are right for your garage or need a hand in the installation process, contact Brunelli Electrician today! We have experience in a wide variety of garage lighting options and can help you choose lighting that will be efficient and long-lasting. From installation to maintenance and even disposal of old bulbs, we’ve got you covered! Give us a call at 508-400-5571 or fill out a contact form to start improving your garage lighting options!

It is the delight of every homeowner to find that his home has great value on the real estate market. This is why most people are willing to explore options that will raise the value of their properties. This can be quite a task if you do not want to spend too much money on upgrading a property you intend to sell-off.

How to Increase the Value of Your Home with Recessed Lights

How then can you increase the value of your home? Two words, Recessed Lighting.

Recessed lights are also called canister lights or pot lights. This lighting is different from regular illumination. The light fixtures and housing are usually in the ceiling. The bulbs do not hang from the ceiling but fit in it. The glow shines through the ceiling and it often gives ambiance to any room or hallway. It is all you need to complete a standard modern look in your apartment.
Here are more advantages of recessed lighting on home value:

Pot Lights give an Upgrade to Home Lighting

Pot lights always change the look of homes. You can place the bulbs in walls or cabinet doors or along the edges of your crown moldings. You can also use pot lights to light walls along stairwells or hallways.
The overall effect is sure to provide a facelift and impress potential buyers. 

They give your home a luxurious feel

Wouldn’t it be nice to have your building looking like it’s worth a lot more than it is? Well, here’s how it works.
Recessed lighting creates an atmosphere. They may be designed to make the room feel warm in a soft yellow or very bright white light. Being able to create an ambiance to suit your mood is the stuff luxury apartments are made of. 

They are environment-friendly

Yes, they are very eco-friendly. This is a good selling point to environment health enthusiasts. You should save up on energy consumption by using LED lights. The fact that your home offers impressive lighting at low energy costs is impressive.

They give the illusion of a larger space

Recessed lights also help to highlight certain corners or spots in a room. With the help of a dimmer, you can reduce the brightness or increase them. This will reduce the attention on the flaws of a room while its good features become pronounced.

Contact Your Local Franklin, MA Electrician

Installation of recessed lighting can make living in your home a better experience. It can impress potential buyers thus increasing property value on the real estate market. Getting the best out of your pot lights requires a professional touch. Such help gets also you to the goal of increasing value. Reach out to Brunelli Electrician to make the most of your recessed lighting. Give us a call at 508-400-5571 or fill out a contact form.

Homes should feel welcoming, and when a member of your family has a disability, you’ll need to make a few changes, so they feel at home. You can take it as an opportunity to test your creativity and make innovative changes to your home’s layout. You may already be aware of the wheelchair ramps, bedroom, and bathroom modifications. However, did you also know you can install lights and outlets for members of your family with a disability?

It is imperative to consider adding plugs and switches that are easy to reach for your differently-abled member, and here is how:

Lighting Elements

1. The primary objective must be to create an even light in the room and cut down on glare. The most recommended options for this are surface-mount, frosted fixtures. They create an even light without causing a headache-inducing glare. Hence, people in wheelchairs or mobility issues can navigate the home easily too. 
2. We recommend full-spectrum lighting for those rooms that lack natural sunlight. You must install the full-spectrum bulbs so that the disabled find it close to natural light. It has a calming effect on their mood because natural sunlight enlightens one’s mood.
3. The most important consideration when redoing a home for disabled members involves ensuring that all switches and electrical outlets are within their easy reach. If they use a wheelchair, they will not have to worry about calling someone to switch on lights for them. It is best to ask your electrician to install touch-sensitive or rocker switches in the home. Dimmer switches with handles, too, might be feasible. Also, consider remote-operated switches for easier access. Apart from the newer housing codes, it is also safer to retrofit outlets and switches for all of your family members. 
4. The earlier and more conventional designs often situate switches and electrical outlets in hard-to-reach, concealed places. You will usually find switches behind countertops, furniture pieces, under shelves, etc. With a disabled family member, it is imperative to create a space that feels accessible to them. You must update and relocate your switches with the help of an electrician so that your loved ones can maneuver conveniently to charge their gadgets, use appliances, etc. 
5. ADA requires appliance control and remote controls for lighting, ceiling fans, heating, and air conditioning. Apart from climate control, it does not further state requirements for the disabled, but you may want to consider it voluntarily for your loved ones. By installing convenient controls and accessible appliances, you will provide them a level of independence and safety. 

Contact Brunelli Electrician

Installing lights and outlets for disabled family members is an extremely thoughtful thing you can do for them. With such retrofitting, they can live more independent and safer lives. Here is where Brunelli Electrician can help you achieve the electrical convenience and safety possible for the special ones. Contact us today by giving us a call at 508-400-5571 or by filling out a contact form!

Babies are cute little beings, but their inquisitiveness can breed problems if not look into on time. One of such issues or risks associated with having babies in the house is electricity accidents and injuries. You can be cajoled to think the biggest risks to your baby are outside your apartment; you will be surprised to be wrong. 

There are many hazards a baby can encounter in the home, and how you will ensure you keep things right before any problem occur is what we will discuss in this piece.

Steps to childproofing your home’s electric system

Put kitchen appliances out of reach

For all the goodness that comes from the kitchen, your baby can also experience electrical hazards in there. So, here is what you should do: store your electric appliances in cabinets and keep the top spaces free. This will ensure wandering hands can’t drag anything to the floor.

If your appliances have to be in the open, then ensure that they are not at the edge of the counter. Make sure they are switched off at the wall, and the power cables are well hidden. When you are cooking, cultivate the habit of putting the handle of your frying pans facing the wall.

Inspect power cords

No thanks to the modern home setting, your home is probably riddled with power cords. And these cords are liable to wear and tear after usage for years. As these cords get twisted, their insulating sheath can be damaged and expose the conductive wires.

Bearing this in mind, you should inspect your power cables regularly for signs of fraying. If the damage is severe, you should change it. Other means you can childproof your home is to make the cables less accessible by putting them behind heavy rugs or furniture. If that isn’t possible, then you should use cable chips to reroute them.

Invest in electrical outlet caps

You can’t beat a child’s inquisitiveness; the best is to keep things out of their way. Power outlets, especially ones that are below the waist level, are susceptible to a child and can ultimately hurt them.

The right thing to do is to buy some electrical outlet caps. These protective outlet plugs are not costly and offer an easy solution to eradicate the chances of your child experiencing a severe electric shock.

Restrict access to some parts of the house

Despite all we have discussed earlier, it might still be difficult to keep a child completely from hurting himself. In that situation, it is best to restrict access to those parts of the house. The laundry room or garages for instance are places in the house with sharp and dangerous electric appliances. And your child has no business being there, so keep them off.

Conclusion

You need those electric appliances, but they are also dangerous to your child, so you must do all there is to do to ensure they both live in peace. If that includes employing the services of a professional like Brunelli Electrician to help you, please do. Brunelli Electrician will ensure you have protective gear and tools in place, and in the event of an accident, you will be informed on the right steps to take. Contact us today by giving us a call at 508-400-5571 or by filling out a contact form!

Light-emitting diodes, better known as LEDs, are ninety percent more efficient at light production than incandescent light bulbs. That is because LED lighting works by passing an electrical current through a microchip. As the current passes through the microchip, it illuminates the tiny LED light which produces the visible light. The absorption of its heat prevents performance issues of the LEDs lighting into a heat sink.

LED lights do not “burn out.” Instead, they experience “lumen depreciation” by their brightness slowly dimming over time. For this reason, the lifetime of the LED lighting is based on a prediction of when the output of light will decrease by thirty percent.

Now that you know a little more about how LED lights work, you may be wondering the best uses for them.  

 Uses of LED Lighting 

1. Everyday uses in the home

LED bulbs can be found in various shapes including recessed lighting as well as watts and lumens that have been converted for everyday uses. LED bulbs can replace a regular light fixture such as a lamp that has been burned out. They can also replace traditional bulbs in floodlights that light porches, driveways, patios, decks, and backyards.

You can also replace desk lights and reading lamps in your home office with LED lighting to provide better visibility. 

An advantage of the LED bulb is that it uses thirteen to fifteen percent of the electricity that a standard light bulb uses. Traditional bulbs may last hundreds of hours, but a LED bulb lasts tens of thousands of hours.

2. Workplace Lighting 

A study was conducted at the Harvard School of Medicine to determine if there were benefits of using LED lighting in the workplace. It was shown in the results of the study that the workers were more alert, exhibited better performance, maintained a more positive mood, were able to concentrate better and were more alert by the end of the workday when they were working in an environment that was lit by LED blue-enriched white light.

3. Community Places 

LED lights oftentimes replace public space lighting and streetlights. This saves the costs of lighting public places for the local governments. More than just the cost efficiency, LED lighting is brighter than traditional lighting and is, therefore, safer as well. Communities that are using these to light their streets, parking lots, stadiums, parks, and other public locations are benefiting not only from significant energy savings but also a considerable reduction in crime because of the increased visibility. 

4. Flashlights

The LED flashlight has made its arrival. LED flashlights are incredibly durable and reliable, they also consume low amounts of energy, making them the current choice of flashlight. These flashlights use the same size of battery as the traditional flashlights, but they last much longer. There are even LED flashlights that no longer need a battery at all, simply charge it by hand cranking. These flashlights are much more durable and will last a lifetime.

5. Automobile Lights

It is becoming much more common for car manufacturers to use LED lights for the interior and exterior lights of the car. The LED bulb takes only milliseconds to respond, whereas the incandescent bulb takes several tenths of a second to illuminate fully. Although it could seem as if a few tenths of a second are not very important, when you are traveling at highway speed, you will travel ten to forty feet before the brake lights up. Therefore, LED brake lights provide increased safety, as they warn drivers quicker. This makes rear-end collisions less likely.

If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of LED lighting or want to install LED lighting in your home or place of business, contact Brunelli Electrician! Give us a call at 508-400-5571 or fill out a contact form.

A home remodel can either be a simple affair, or it can entail a detailed transformation with complex parts and significant considerations. Careful planning is generally required if you are remodeling your home and would like to avoid certain mishaps that could prove costly. With your remodeling plans, one question that may be asking yourself is, ‘Do I need an electrical upgrade too?’ The answer to this question depends on your home and the type of remodeling project you plan on carrying out.

You Need an Electrical Upgrade at the Same Time as Your Home Remodeling Project

Chances are, if your home is an older structure, it may already be due for an electrical upgrade if one was not done recently or depending on the date of the last upgrade. If your home’s electrical demands have increased, but your current electrical system doesn’t appropriately support it, you should get an upgrade while doing your remodeling project. Maybe you need to get your electrical system updated to meet building codes and ensure that new appliances, outlets, and switches and other additions won’t pose a safety risk. It’s smart to upgrade your electrical system while doing your home remodel since it will save you time and money. The electrical work can be done while the home remodeling project is taking place and not afterward. You want to avoid reopening walls and panels that you just paid contractors plenty of money to put together.

If You Need an Electrical Upgrade

Keep in mind that it’s typically more cost-effective and far safer to perform an electrical upgrade on your home when tackling your remodeling project. Major remodeling projects usually require some consideration into electrical upgrades, but individual homes or remodeling projects differ. If remodeling specific spaces, like home offices, kitchens, entertainment rooms, and bathrooms, you should consider an electrical upgrade.

Need More Power

While kitchens and bathrooms are two of the most popular spaces that are renovated in the home, other spaces, like additional rooms, home offices, workshops, are spaces that you should also keep in mind when it comes to an electrical upgrade. It doesn’t matter if these spaces are entirely new or freshly renovated; it’s crucial to have an electrical system that adequately supports these different spaces. You may need new wiring and a new electrical panel. Kitchens tend to have several outlets and having an electrical system that is efficient enough to support the different appliances and gadgets and multiple plug-ins at the same time is crucial. If these outlets are not appropriately spaced – 6 feet away from obstruction or a break in the wall based on today’s building codes – this could create a hazard.

 

If you have a home remodeling project coming up, whether large or small scale, Brunelli Electrician can make your job a whole lot easier. We have a team of professionals that do exceptional work daily, providing customer satisfaction. Your remodeling project can be a success with our help. Contact us today by filling out a contact form or giving us a call at 508-400-5571.

Once you purchase a generator it’s important to keep up with the maintenance of it. By keeping up with the maintenance you’ll be able to extend its lifespan by years! Making sure your generator is well kept will also ensure that when you need to use it, it won’t have any trouble performing. Here are some tips to help you keep up with the maintenance of your generator. 

Make Sure You Have a Warranty

It’s certainly important to have a warranty for your generator so that you have that extra layer of protection. Be sure that you know the coverage, and whether it is full or partial. Purchasing a generator is definitely an investment that you’ll want to protect, so make sure you do! 

Invest In A Cover Or An Enclosure

This is an obvious one! Since your generator will most likely be spending all it’s time outdoors, you want to make sure it’s protected from the weather. If it is not protected many different elements may get stuck in it causing the generator to not work properly. If leaves, branches, dirt, etc. gets stuck in your generator it could also be hazardous to your home. Investing in a cover or enclosure is highly recommended so that your generator is always protected and you can reduce the risk of damage. 

Prevent Motor Burn-Out

Motor burn-out is when the motor of your generator dies out from overuse. To avoid this, it is important to adhere to the recommended voltage guidelines of your generator. Using heavy-duty cords for less voltage use can help premature burnout while lighter cords can help increase the voltage if necessary. Since generators can be loud, you might want to purchase a longer cord so you can position it further away from your house. 

Power Up Your Generator Every Few Months

It is commonly recommended to power up your generator every few months. Simply charge your generator for about 30 minutes every few months to make sure that the power needed to start the engine is there. By doing this you can avoid the scenario of your generator not starting when you need it to! 

Fill Up Your Tank

Make sure your generator’s tank is always full in order to avoid damage. If the tank is not full while in use, the power generation will stop. This will then cause your home’s electrical load to suck the magnetic field out from the generator itself.  

Contact Brunelli Electrician in Franklin, MA

Overall, generators are a fantastic investment as they are a lifesaver during power outages. However, you don’t want to run into the scenario of your generator not working when you need it the most! So make sure to keep up with these tips! Contact Brunelli Electrician if you’re looking to install a backup generator for your home or if you’re looking for help maintaining it. Call us at 508-400-5571 or fill out a contact form!

 

Is your yard dull and very dark at night? Whether you want to add some beautiful backyard lighting or light up a pathway at your home, solar lights are a great choice! Not only are they pretty lights that will make the ambiance of your home look spectacular but they are beneficial to the environment and much more! 

If you’re not familiar with solar lighting you might have a lot of questions related to the benefits of solar lights. Here are the benefits of installing solar lights in your backyard or pathways. 

Environmentally Friendly

Using solar lights instead of regular lights can save a lot of energy. Solar lights play a major role in reducing the carbon footprint that is created by producing energy from non-renewable energy sources. 

Cost-Effective

Solar energy is extremely cost-effective. While it may seem expensive at first to install, you will end up saving a lot of money in your electric bills that will make up for the cost of installation. Since solar lights run strictly from the sun’s energy, you won’t need to pay for them at all once they are installed. 

Solar Energy is Unlimited Source 

As long as you live somewhere where there is constant sunlight, your solar lights will stay working forever! The solar lights get their energy from the sun so they are able to charge up during the day, resulting in them staying on and working well at nighttime. 

Low Maintenance

As mentioned above, once solar lights are installed there is not much more you have to do. You’ll have to check up on them to make sure they are working properly as well as clean them once in a while, but other than that you won’t have to worry about them at all! 

Solar Lighting is Available in Many Styles

You can purchase and install solar lighting in many different types, shapes, sizes, styles, etc. You’ll be able to choose the perfect solar lights that look beautiful outside your home. Because there are so many options to choose from it is guaranteed you’ll find the perfect lights for you. 

Contact Brunelli Electrician

If you’re looking to install solar lights outside your home, contact Brunelli Electrician today! Our experienced and knowledgeable electricians will work with you to pick out the perfect solar lights for your home and install them quickly and efficiently. You won’t be disappointed with our work! Contact us today by calling 508-400-5571 or by filling out a contact form on our website.

Electrical power is necessary for most of the tasks we do in our everyday life. Appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, televisions, etc. wouldn’t be able to run without electricity. Because power strips are convenient and easy to get, we often plug multiple appliances into the same outlet.

Because we use these appliances in our everyday lives and usually don’t think twice about it, we often forget that we need to do safety checks. It’s important to touch our outlets here and there to make sure they are not warming up. If they are warming up it doesn’t necessarily mean they are broken or need to be replaced but its a sign that something is overworking and needs to be adjusted in order for the outlet to cool down. Here are some reasons as to why your outlets may be warming up and how you should go about fixing the issue. 

Too Many Devices are Plugging In

If you have many different things plugged in at once, the outlet may be overwhelmed and can’t keep up with the electricity demand. It is recommended to unplug a few things for a few hours or even days. If the outlet cools down you can then plug them back in but it’s probably best to only plug certain appliances in when you need them. If they don’t need to be plugged in all the time, don’t leave them plugged in. Another solution is to move some appliances to other outlets in your home. Don’t plug all your appliances into just one outlet for your convenience. You have a number of other outlets in your home for a reason. 

If you go back to the outlet after letting it sit unplugged for a while and the outlet is still warm, it probably needs to be replaced. 

Your Outlet Is Broken

If your outlet continues to get warm even if a lot of things aren’t plugged in it is likely that your outlet is broken and you’ll need to replace it. It is very common for outlets to break or wear down over time. So if you haven’t replaced your home’s outlets in many years, its probably time to do so. 

Damaged Wiring

There is a chance that if your outlet is constantly overheating that the wiring behind the outlet is damaged or worn out. Since the wiring is trying its best to work it will overheat and become very warm. If you believe your wiring is damaged it’s recommended that you call the professionals to come and replace the wiring as soon as possible. 

Your Fuse or Breaker is Incorrectly Sized

Older homes tend to run into this issue more than newer homes. The older electrical systems were not designed to handle some of the appliances and electronics we have these days. They were also not designed to handle how many things we plug into one outlet. Power strips nowadays can hold up to 10 appliances. If your outlets were created many years ago, it is likely they cannot handle power strips without overheating. 

Contact Brunelli Electrician

If you are experiencing warm outlets in your home it may be best and safer to call a professional to come to evaluate and fix the issue. The professionals at Brunelli Electrician will take a look at your outlet and wiring systems to find what needs to be fixed or replaced so that your home can remain safe. Don’t hesitate to contact us today by calling or filling out a contact form on our website!

In order to find out how to prevent high electricity bills, its important to know how much electricity each appliance in your home uses. Here are some tips to help you keep your home as energy efficient as possible in order to lower your electricity costs. 

Air Conditioning & Heating 

Your HVAC system that cools and heats your home is what uses the most electricity. This makes sense as it needs much energy to either heat or cool each room in your home. Some things you can do to reduce using your HVAC system as often include: 

• Using ceiling fans 
• Make sure your HVAC is regularly inspected
• Close your curtains during hot summer days or keep them open during the winter to get heat from the sun. 
• Replace your air filters so that your HVAC works properly
• Regularly dust and vacuum to prevent clogs
• Dress appropriately by wearing extra layers in the winter and fewer layers in the summer
• Use blankets for extra warmth in the winter.
  

Water Heating 

Water heaters are next on the list for things that use the most electricity. If you’re wondering how to use your water heater less, try these options:

• Set the temperature to 120F or lower
• Insulate the hot water pipes
• Wrap a water heater with an insulation jacket
• Turn down the water heater during the day when you are not home or when you go on a vacation
• Invest in water-conserving showerheads and faucet aerators
• Upgrade to a solar water heater

Appliances 

You may think that there’s no way of lowering the amount of electricity your day to day appliances use, yet, there is. 

Refridgerator 

While you can’t turn your refrigerator off, there are things you can do to reduce the electricity used. 

• Don’t put too many things in your refrigerator
• Keep the products you use the most in the easiest to reach place so your door is not open for too long
• Make sure your refrigerator is set to a recommended temperature
• Regularly clean underneath and behind the refrigerator to maintain airflow
• Invest in a newer refrigerator that is more energy efficient

Washer & Dryer 

When it comes to using your washer and dryer there are a few ways to lower the amount of energy it uses. 

• Do full loads at a time instead of half loads so that you are using the machine less frequently. However, do not overload as that will result in the washer needing more energy
• Wash your clothes with cold water to avoid having the water heater turned up
• Use drying racks as much as possible to avoid using the dryer
• Clear the lint in your dryer after each use

Electric Stove & Oven

Use these tips to reduce the electricity load from your electric stove and oven with these tips:

• Use a smaller appliance if possible such as a toaster oven or microwave
• Try to use the oven and stove during cooler hours of the day
• Only preheat the oven if it is necessary for the dish to cook the right way
•  Turn off the burners a few minutes before the dish is done and let the remaining heat finish the job

Lighting

The lights throughout your home do not use as much electricity as one may think, however, if they are left on for no reason they can rack up the electricity bill. Here’s what you can do:

• Make sure lights are off in rooms no one is in
• Use LED bulbs that are energy efficient
• During the day open the curtains so you can use the natural light instead of needing to turn on your lights
• Use motion detectors on outdoor lights so that they only turn on when someone needs them

Contact Brunelli Electric 

If you’re looking for an electrician in Franklin, MA, or its surrounding towns, contact Brunelli Electric! We are happy to assist you with all your electric needs. Check out all the services we offer on our website.