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Spring is a busy season, and many tasks vie for your attention. One that you may have overlooked in the midst of everything else is changing the batteries in your home’s smoke detectors.

This won’t take much of your time, and it’s very important to you and your family’s safety.

Sometimes you can control things and sometimes you can’t. One area you can’t control is smoke in your home due to fire. But what you can control is whether your smoke alarms are working or not.

A properly working smoke detector is imperative to your protection, and it’s as easy as changing the batteries every so often. Let Watts & Holmes know if you need further help ensuring that your alarm is functioning well.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and you might not be sure what to give that will show your mom how much you appreciate her. Give her the gift of peace of mind knowing her electrical system in her home is safe and sound. Let the experts at Watts & Holmes conduct a Safety Audit to ensure that Mom is safe and your valuables, including expensive electronics such as computers and TVs, are protected from the dangers of fires caused by faulty wiring or electrical outlets.

Don’t trust your electric needs to just anyone — call Watts & Holmes to make this Mother’s Day special.

Here at Watts & Holmes, we provide a number of electrical services. But you may be wondering what exactly we can do for you. Our trained technicians who are licensed, ECCN qualified, and up-to-date with all code requirements come to your house equipped and prepared to get the job done right.

As part of our “Mystery Free” Guarantee, we will show you the price before we begin working to make sure communication is correct.

Residential and commercial electrical services we provide include:

• Appliance circuits such as dedicated outlets for refrigerators
• Proper ground fault protection (personal protection)
• Proper arc fault protection (fire protection)
• Proper smoke detection placement and function (fire protection)
• Proper service rating for service panels
• Whole house generators
• Lighting fixtures in any room
• Surge protection to protect all of your home’s electric items
• Troubleshooting for that mystery flicker or outage

Don’t trust your home’s electrical needs to just anyone. Contact Watts & Holmes to learn more about what we can do for you.

Surge protectors are important for keeping all of your home’s electric items safe. At first glance, you might think they simply serve to let you plug multiple components into one electrical outlet. But more importantly, they protect your electronics from surges in power.

So, what is a power surge exactly? It’s an increase in voltage far above the designated level in electricity flow. Standard voltage is typically 120 volts, so if the level rises above that, the surge protector keeps that problem from destroying your electronics.

The surge protector does so by passing the electrical current from the outlet to whichever electronic devices are plugged into the power strip. If there is a surge, the protector diverts the extra electricity into the grounding wire.

After the extra current is diverted, the voltage returns to a normal level, allowing the standard current to keep powering the electronics.

In effect, surge protectors do much more than allow you to use multiple electronics at once. They keep your electrical system as well as your electronics safe, preventing further electrical problems. Contact Watts & Holmes for all your surge protection installation needs.

St. Patty’s Day is celebrated this month, and as the month of March is also our “green” month, we want to share tips for going “green” and saving “green.”  There are many things you can do to achieve both of these, but here are some applicable suggestions for you and your family.

Reducing consumption is most important. It’s easy to leave appliances and lights on when you’re not actually using them, but this wastes a good amount of energy. Whenever you leave a room, simply turn off whatever you were using. Whether it be a fan, printer, hair appliance, television, or something else, you’ll be surprised at how much energy — and money — you’ll save when you flip the switch.

Use less lighting when you can. Turn on a lamp instead of an overhead light. Chances are, you don’t need every light in a room on at the same time, so consolidate when possible. Or just use natural light during the day, which is better for your eyes too.

Purchase energy-efficient light bulbs. If you can add a dimmer switch, that would be even better for conserving energy.

Make conserving energy a game with your kids so that they have fun while being responsible. You’ll start to see your electric bills decrease when you go “green,” which will in turn save you “green.”

For other ways to go green during March (and year-round), contact a Watts & Holmes professional.

When shopping for new electronics, the Energy Star label is something we recommend. But what does mean exactly? If you’re not familiar with the term Energy Star, it is a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that helps save customers money and helps keep the environment safer through energy efficient products.

For example, Americans who use Energy Star products saved enough energy in 2010 to decrease greenhouse gas emissions in the equivalent of 33 million cars and saved $18 billion on utility bills to boot.

The nice thing about Energy Star is that you don’t sacrifice comfort or efficiency in order to conserve energy and money. So, the next time you need to buy a new washing machine or refrigerator, look for the Energy Star symbol. Homes can also earn the label.

The Environmental Protection Agency also provides tools and resources to help you save energy and money when making home improvements.

Don’t hesitate to ask Watts & Holmes about why Energy Star is a good choice for your home electronic needs.

You may have no idea about the current state of your home’s electrical system. Well, as spring is approaching, and bringing with it thunderstorms, now is the perfect time to ensure the safety of the electricity that keeps you safe during storms.

Many homeowners are not aware of the problems that can ensue due to outdated electrical systems and panels. The older your electrical equipment is, the more dangerous and hazardous it can be. Things don’t always work as well as they once did. Older systems can even start dangerous fires without warning.

If you have a Federal Pacific Electric Panel, you should replace it completely. Specifically, this brand of panel can overheat and catch fire more easily than others. If you are not sure if this is the brand you have, simply contact us to find out.

The Zinsco panel can also be hazardous to your home. Though not used very often anymore, some may still exist in older homes. They have been shown to fail and increase risk of electrical shock.

Further dangers within your home’s electrical system can include flickering lights, an electrical socket that shocks to the touch or an outlet that has become discolored. If you’ve noticed any of these things, it’s time to have your system inspected to avoid any unnecessary household damage.

What does Safety Zone Certified mean, exactly? Well, what it means primarily is that Watts & Holmes takes safety seriously. More than 26,000 house fires begin due to electrical fires each year, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. With that large a number to contend with, we want to keep you and your home as safe as possible.

We train our technicians thoroughly and are on the forefront of ways to keep you safe regarding electrical problems. We don’t just stick with what we know — we research and devote time to finding new ways to make safety our top priority. And if in doubt, always let a trained professional inspect any electrical problems your home might have.

Here are some home safety tips for your use:

• Make sure your light bulbs are the correct wattage for your lamp or fixture.
• Unplug any unused appliances.
• Stay away from electric units and appliances if you are near water.
• Don’t attempt to repair an electrical cord yourself.
• Be careful around extension cords and use them sparingly.
• Check to make sure appliances are turned off before leaving the house.

Let us know if you have any questions or concerns about electrical safety!

Did you know that electric lighting uses up to 25% of the typical home energy budget? Normal light bulbs are expensive and not energy efficient.

That’s where LED lights come in. They are small, efficient bulbs that last longer than normal light bulbs too. One benefit of using LED lights is that they are extremely durable. They are solid and therefore are not easily broken.

LED light bulbs also do not get as hot as fluorescent ones, so you can touch them even when they’ve been on for a while. And since they reduce heat build-up in a room, air conditioning costs are lowered.

Besides being mercury-free and better for you, they are very efficient and use less electricity than fluorescent bulbs. Therefore, they are cost-effective because, although they might be more expensive to purchase initially, they last longer and make up the cost over time. LED bulbs also go well with small portable generators and can be lifesavers during power outages.

Contact Watts & Holmes to find out more about LED lighting and if it is right for your home.

Energy efficiency is becoming much more important in a world where we must be conscious of our resources. With the start of a new year, we can take this chance to refresh our outlook on energy usage. There are many small ways to change your energy usage around the house.

Refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and other appliances, in fact, may represent half of a household's electric bill. When upgrading these items, look for ones that have earned the Energy Star. They meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and US Department of Energy. As an example, Energy Star washing machines use about 40% less energy than conventional washing machines.

Maybe one of the simplest ways to be more energy efficient is to use a power strip for your electronics. Many electronic devices and equipment continue to consume unnecessary energy even when not in use. When you use a power strip, it is easier to flip the switch off when your devices are not in use. Always unplug chargers – for your phone, computer, etc. – as they use energy even when your gadget isn’t plugged in.