If you want a more energy efficient home, consider a easy step like replacing your light bulbs. By simply replacing traditional bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), you can reduce your energy usage and save money.
Amps (or ampere) are measured in the number of coulombs that pass through an electric circuit in a second. Coulombs are a unit of measurement named after Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, best known for Coulomb's law. A coulomb is 6,241,000,000,000,000,000 electrons.
By having an energy monitoring device installed in your home, you can really get a handle on your energy use. These devices can help you track your energy usage, so you know your overall trends, peak times, and hot spots.
Typically, state regulations and local ordinances require the electrical work on a new house to be done by a licensed electrical contractor, and inspections are required for electrical installations in all newly built housing.
Older homes, especially those built from the 1920s up through the late 1950s may still have knob and tube wiring if no upgrades have been made. One of the main dangers associated with this type of wiring is that it has no ground path, creating a serious shock and fire hazard.
An electrician can make recommendations to help you improve the electrical safety in your home. Some common recommendations include being sure to install circuit breakers instead of fuses and having ground fault interrupters, especially in the kitchen.