Electricity’s Effect on Humans

When working with electricity safety is very important. Safety should not be taken for granted.

 People are electrocuted when they become part of a circuit. If you are in the path of current flow you will get shocked. Your body can become part of the circuit in several ways:

1) Grounded This occurs if a person completes a circuit to ground. For example if you touch a light post that has not been properly grounded you become the one of the grounding path for current flowing back to the source.

2) Between two conductors in series This occurs when the body is the only path that current can flow through to return to the source. For example, a person coming in contact with two grounded appliances.

3) Between two conductors in parallel This occurs when the current divides among paths to return to the source, and your body is one of those paths.

Damage to the body is determined by the amount of current, intensity, the amount of time current flows thorough you, the person, and the path current takes through your body. In essence you become a giant resistor. Body resistance is roughly from 800-1500 ohms.

Lighting tips

A well lit home can lift your spirits and even make a gloomy space glamorous. The following are a few simple tips that can give your home a different look and feel.

1)Layering your lighting to include accent, task, and ambient light creates an even look and affects the mood and atmosphere of your home.

2)Use task lighting when details are important. Use ambient lighting to illuminate an entire room.

3)And use accent lighting to highlight certain features.

Lighting is important so use it to enhance your home and life.

Lighting Control

Imagine waking up, its 5:30am and still dark. With the push of a button you light a path to a softly lit bathroom that brightens several seconds after you enter. As the sun rises you look outside and notice the landscape lighting turning off automatically. As you enter the kitchen you press a button that adjusts the motorized shades to block the glare from the morning sun. As you leave for work you press a button that turns off all the lights and lowers the shades to block the heat from the daytime sun and keep the home cool. All of this can be accomplished by using a lighting control system.

 

         Lighting controls are electrical devices that are used to operate lighting to achieve a desired effect. Lighting controls can operate lighting by turning them on or off, adjusting the the light level to a desired brightness, or operate lighting in a pattern to match your lifestyle.

Simple Protection

Most homes especially older ones have 2 prong receptacles. This means that the receptacle can’t accommodate a 3 prong ground plug which most equipment  has. Instead of using one of those 3 prong adaptors you can install a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI).

 This is a receptacle that protects people by interrupting the flow of electricity when there is a fault in the circuit.

           

            A GFCI is useful and accomplishes several things:

                         It gives people circuit protection. It also protects equipment.

                         It accommodates 3 prong plugs.

                         It keeps you safe from shock.

 A GFCI can be found at any where electrical items are sold. They are easy to install, but if you are unsure obtain the services of a qualified electrician.

Safe Outlets

   Safety is important in your home especially when you have small children. Children are curious and love to explore. They will do things they are not suppose to do in a split second. Because most receptacles are on or near the floor they can be danger points where children can insert objects into them and get injured. In these cases tamper resistant receptacles are the solution. 

 

If a child inserts an object into one of the slots on the tamper resistant receptacle it will stop the flow of electricity by preventing a protective shutter inside the receptacle from releasing. This will prevent injury to children if they insert objects into one slot. They’re a better solution than using those plastics inserts. While this is a great solution accidents can occur so childern should be watched at all times. So be safe and use tamper resistant receptacles.

Layered Living

A well lit home can lift your spirits and even make a gloomy space glamorous.  

 

Layering your lighting to include accent, task, and ambient light creates an even look and affects the mood and atmosphere of your home. 

Use task lighting when details are important such as reading or doing paper work

Use ambient lighting for general illumination to illuminate an entire room or space.

You also can use accent lighting to highlight certain features in your home such as art or sculptures.

 

Lighting is important so use it to enhance your home and life.

Bye Bye Light Bulb

The Energy Independence and Security Act  passed by Congress in December 2007  will render the incandescent light bulb ( the regular plain screw-in bulb used everywhere) obsolete. However a lot of people are unaware of this. The Clean Energy Act as its called, requires new energy efficient standards for regular light bulbs, phasing out most of the inefficient bulbs today. This makes the incandescent bulb a thing of the past. The phase out will occur in stages: Jan. 1,2012 for 100w, Jan.1, 2013 for 75w, and Jan. 1, 2014 for 40w and 60w. 

This federal legislation forces people to adapt to more efficient  lighting technologies such as compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs).  As for CFLs a lot of homeowners were switching to them anyway. They’ve come a long way in recent years. There coming down in price and some are not giving off that harsh cool bluish light. These lighting technologies can play a big role in reducing electricity cost and power plant emissions.