Blog

Active Electric Tip About How To Reduce Your Electrical Bill

Few people enjoy spending money unnecessarily but many of us spend money on our electrical bill that could have been saved by making a few simple changes.  Many of us are using more power than ever, with kids back and forth from an online school or you working possibly from home.
That is why Active Electric, has provided these easy-to-follow licensed electrician tips for lowering your electric bill.  Active Electric is passionate about keeping our clients safe and saving them money on electrical services, which is why they offer a variety of residential and commercial electrical services. Reducing electricity usage has the added bonus of being good for the environment, so you can save money and feel good about doing it!

Tips to Conserve Electricity

While there are some big changes that you can make to your home that will save on electricity, like upgrading to energy-efficient appliances or installing solar panels, there are also many smaller changes and tricks that can be employed to conserve energy. Some tips to reduce energy usage include:

Switch to LED Lighting

LED bulbs use much less power and last longer than conventional light bulbs and they are available in a variety of colours and styles.

Optimize Operation of Dishwashers and Laundry Machines

Most electrical providers decrease the cost of electricity during off-peak hours, like early morning or nighttime. Running heavy power-using appliances during this time, rather than at peak hours, can save you a lot of money. Also, only run these appliances when you have a full load to reduce the time that they are operating.

Keep Your Thermostat Steady

Drastic increases or decreases in temperature create an unnecessary electrical strain. Keep your thermostat steady within two or three degrees.

Use a Thermal Wrap on Your Water Heater

Water heaters are one of the biggest consumers of electricity, so insulating your water heater to prevent heat loss will reduce electricity expenditure.

Clean and Replace Filters

Air filters on appliances and ventilation gather dust and debris and the more clogged they get, the more power it takes to get air moving. Clean the filters on your dryer, furnace, fridge, and air conditioner to help them use less electricity.

Turn Off the Lights

Just turn off the lights every time you leave a room. Leaving any electrical device or light on when you are not in the room is wasteful.

Insulate Doors and Windows

A lot of heat can move through doors and windows, even when they are closed. Be aware of open doors or windows and install the proper weather stripping and insulation to minimize heat loss.

Read a book or get outside

What we do for entertainment can have a massive effect on our electricity bills. A television consumes more electricity than a reading lamp. Pursuing hobbies that do not use as much electricity will also typically help you to stay healthier!

If you are interested in finding out more licensed electrician tips for home electrical safety for winter, or If you are ever uncertain about a potential electrical issue in your home please Contact Active Electric.  and one of their qualified professionals would be happy to help.  They also provide free quotes! 

Active Electric Shares a Tip About Home Electrical Safety for Winter

We all know in Saskatchewan the winter season comes with difficulties and hazards. Winter brings weather that can create further dangers in the form of electrical hazards. Active Electric wants to ensure that everyone is equipped with the right licensed electrician tips for home electrical safety for winter to keep them safe and warm.

Electrical Winter Safety Tips

When winter comes around, it is important to be prepared for the difficulties that can come with the cold, wet weather. Some tips to keep in mind to make sure that you and your home stay safe this winter include:

Heater Safety

If you are using a space heater in your home, make sure you place it at a safe distance from furniture, walls, rugs, curtains, and other belongings. Space heaters are a great way to keep specific rooms warm without ramping up monthly heating bills but, because of the high heat output of electrical heaters, it is important to keep them away from flammable material. If you feel objects around the heater becoming hot, move the heater. Fires can easily be started by an unattended heater. Always turn off the heater when it’s not in use.

Prepare for Power Outages

The increase in snow and icy weather can cause downed tree branches and car accidents, which can damage power lines and cause electrical outages. In the event that there is a power outage, you should be as prepared as possible. Sometimes power can be out for hours; other times, it can be out for days. If an outage occurs at night, you cannot rely on space heaters to keep you warm. Be prepared for extended power outages with an emergency kit. 

The emergency kit should be readily accessible and contain batteries, flashlights, blankets/sleeping bags/warm clothes, non-perishable food, a first aid kit, and sufficient water for your family. This will help to keep your family warm, fed, and safe during an emergency.

If you have a backup generator, ensure that it is ready to go. The start of winter is a good time to have regular maintenance and check-ups done on your generator. Have a professional inspect it to ensure that oil and gas levels are correct and that the connection to the home or business is safe and secure. If a power outage occurs, you want to be confident that you can rely on your backup power supply.

Avoid using candles during power outages. Many people use candles to light their rooms during power outages and, while this can deliver a nice ambience, it is very dangerous. If the candles are unattended or wax drips and causes build up around the candle, it can result in a fire. Instead, use flashlights or LED candles.

Preparing Your Home’s Electrical Setup

Power outages can do damage to your home, and harsh weather can be a hazard to many of your home’s electrical components. There are a few ways you can defend your home’s electrical setup against winter:

Be aware of water and exposed wires. With freezing and thawing occurring repeatedly, it is possible for water to find its way into some of the nooks and crannies of your home. Walk around your home’s interior and exterior walls and look for any exposed wires that could come into contact with water. Make sure any problems are addressed quickly.

Having a home surge protector will help suppress surges to prevent electrocutions and damage to appliances and electronics.

You can also protect your appliances and electronic devices in your home with surge protectors. Review your home setup to check if surge protectors are active and still functional.

During an extended power outage, unplug your major appliances (oven, fridge, freezer, television) and turn off light fixtures (although you can leave on some lights so that you know when the power returns). This can prevent power surges from occurring and damage the appliances when power returns.

Keep Away from Downed Power Lines

If an icy tree branch knocks down a power line or if a car hits a power pole and the electrical wiring falls down, keep at least three metres or 10 feet away at all times. Power lines are very powerful and can cause serious electrocution if you are not careful. Keep your family and children educated, as they could come across a downed power line during their daily commute. 

Always call 911 when you see a power line down.

If you are interested in finding out more licensed electrician tips for home electrical safety for winter, or If you are ever uncertain about a potential electrical issue in your home please Contact Active Electric.  and one of their qualified professionals would be happy to help.  They also provide Free quotes! 

10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD GET GEMSTONE LIGHTS IN REGINA 

Gemstone Lights offer many fun ideas and opportunities to make your home or business more awesome. Below is a list of 10 reasons we think you should consider when purchasing our Smart Outdoor Lighting Solution.

1. North American Owned & Manufactured

Gemstone created their own proprietary products that you cannot find or buy off the shelf. They aim to be the best lighting company the market has ever seen. At Gemstone Lights, they constantly strive to make their products better each time which the team at Active Electric love because we get the best of the best.

2. Mesmerizing Animations- 11+ Patterns

Currently, they are 11 different types of patterns you can choose from that will make your home look awesome. Within each of those patterns, you have limitless options to create almost anything you want.

3. True Warm White!

This is an absolute customer favorite! LEDs are phenomenal and powerful, but even more amazing is the ability to use a soft white that can give your home a subtle ambiance. This color is perfect for a warm summer evening playing in the dark!

4. Individual Waterproof Connectors

You probably have seen the strip light look on hotels or restaurants which is showing up on homes now. From a tech standpoint, the long strip of lights is exactly that, strips connected to each other. What sets up Gemstone Lights differently is that they don’t utilize the strip set up for a few reasons. Gemstone lights are waterproof and individually connected to handle the seasons, but more than that, they are easy to replace should one become faulty. It usually takes longer to put a ladder up than to change the actual LED! Waste is minimized this way and customers love that they know they have more control.

5. Architectural Lighting

Each LED on your home is individually controlled which gives you more control and versatility. This allows you to create some awesome lighting patterns with endless ideas. Now you can create an amazing architectural look and feel using any colors you desire.

6. Set Multiple Timers

Gemstone Lights has created timers for your system that can turn on and off your lights or patterns whenever you want. You simply choose the date, time, pattern and turn it on. Customers like being able to turn on lights at a certain time during the mornings and turn off when they want. You can even use the architectural lighting options to turn on certain lights at certain times which gives you lots more control.

7. Low Profile Design

It is very important to create a look that blends into your property. Gemstone thought long and hard about how the LEDs show and we believe that they created the best low profile design available on the market. When your lights are turned off, you don’t get the hang-down look out of place like look like others.

8. Bumper to Bumper Warranty

Gemstone Lights offers a strong 2-year warranty. Their LEDs are graded to 50,000 hours which will give you a longer shelf life than other lighting products by a large margin. They stand behind their products 100%.

9. Custom iOS & Android App

Use custom programmed iOS and Android apps designed specifically for the Gemstone Lights system. The investment customers make to get into a Gemstone Lights system outweighs the alternatives. For example, the average person who buys LED lights for Christmas will spend around $200+. Those lights will give you a specific shelf life as the manufacturing is not designed to last long term. Those companies want you to buy more lights over and over!

The cost to replace the bad “strands” of lights is not worth it so customers, feel obligated to buy more lights, and by then, the colors don’t match. Customers will get into the trap of buying them all over again.

Factor in the cost to pay someone to hang them AND take them down for you each year. That can range from $300- to $800+ depending on the size of your home. That’s just Christmas too!

With Gemstone Lights, having lights year-round with our permanent solution gives you way more use and time to use it to the fullest. Now you can add in additional holidays, seasons, birthdays, architectural lighting and more!

10. Your lights will be cooler than your neighbours!

Lol. Fact. Far too often we hear from customers’ neighbours who finally say, “my neighbour has them and we want them too!”

Bonus! Control your system from anywhere using Gemstone Cloud technology!

Whether you are on vacation or at home, you can control your lights remotely on your mobile device  

If you’re interested in a free no-obligation quote for Gemstone Lights, contact the team at Active Electric today! 

Letter of Recommendation

To Whom It May Concern,

I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Active Electric. We have been working with this company for approximately 3 years now. The service we receive from Brad and his crew is exactly what we need for our business. They are quick to respond to our needs. They are always at our jobs when they say they will be. And there have been countless occasions we have called them on very short notice, and they are still able to react to problems within the very same day. Working with insurance claims as we do, we encounter all different types of jobs big or small, complicated or simplistic. Active Electric is always there to help us trouble shoot whatever electrical issues we face, and to help us provide a sound opinion and recommendation to our insurance partners and home or business owners. I can honestly say our company would not be where it is at today, without the strong partnership we found with Active Electric. As far as working relationships go, Brad and his team at Active Electric are an example of one of our very best partnerships. We look forward to working with them in the years ahead and wish them nothing but continuous success in whatever future endeavors they encounter.

THANK YOU, Richard Schofer, for taking the time to share your experience and thanks Active Electric for truly showing you deserve the trusted status!

Tips About Common Circuit Breaker Issues

Active Electric are Trusted Regina Electricians and they get it right the first time, delivering all electrical services including installation, upgrade, and repair solutions.
Whether it’s hanging a ceiling fan, installing a custom-designed landscape lighting system, installing a state of the art home theater system or rewiring a commercial structure, or other electrical services, you can call Active they are here eager to help and no job is too small! Customer service is always their top priority and they should be your first call for a Regina Electrician!
Why Do My Breakers Keep Tripping?
There are a variety of causes that could trigger a circuit breaker. Some of these causes are fairly harmless but others could be putting your home in danger. For this reason, it is important to know the common causes of a tripped circuit.

Breakers can trip for a variety of reasons, and it is always important to know the cause of a tripped breaker. If your breakers are continuously switching, make sure that you contact an electrician. Some of the most common causes of tripped circuits include:
Overloaded Circuits
The most common cause of a tripped circuit breaker is an overloaded circuit. Circuit breakers are designed to trip when too much power is being drawn, as this can cause overheating and lead to a fire or damage all of the electrical devices plugged into the circuit. When something is plugged in that draws too much power or when multiple appliances are plugged in that overload the circuit, the breaker trips. If your breakers are tripping, check to see what is plugged in.
Problematic devices could include vacuums, air conditioners, space heaters, hairdryers, and corded tools.

Short Circuits
A short circuit occurs when a hot or live wire comes in contact with a neutral wire somewhere in the circuit. This usually occurs at an outlet, light fixture, or switch. Short circuits can be incredibly dangerous, as they create massive amounts of heat.
Short circuits are the most common cause of electrical fires.

Ground Fault Surges
Similar to short circuits, ground fault surges occur when two wires cross when they are not supposed to. When a hot or live wire comes into contact with a ground wire, the edge of the box, or any other grounded source more power than the circuit can handle will begin to flow through the system and a ground fault surge occurs.
If not handled properly, this can lead to electrical fires and electrocution, so a licensed electrician should always be called.
If you are ever uncertain about a potential electrical issue in you home please contact Active Electric and one of their qualified professionals would be happy to come out and take a look. They Also provide Free quotes!

ACTIVE ELECTRIC are TRUSTED REGINA ELECTRICIANS – Check out his listing here in REGINA ELECTRICIANS on the Regina Directory of excellence!

Information provided by:
Expert Electric Blog – Common Causes of a Tripped Circuit – October 3, 2019

All In This Together

Trusted Regina Electrician Shares a TIP on Why You Should Install a Generator

When most people think of generators, they tend to think about things such as construction sites and those who are turning to off-grid solutions for everyday living. The fact is, however, that more and more people are choosing to install generators in their homes and businesses.

A generator will power your home through power outages caused by storms, other weather, or man-made problems. Generator installation is on the rise, be apart of the community and be prepared. Below are a few reasons home generators can be a practical, cost effective solution at your home or business.

Emergency Preparedness
Storms not only have damaging wind and rain that can knock down power lines, in some cases, but they also spawn tornadoes that can do even more damage to the power grid. Power generators ensure you have access to electricity in emergency situations. Storms, rolling blackouts, and damage to power lines are just a few of the things that can come about when you least expect them. Having a power generator in place before these problems occur means you never have to worry

Furthermore, if a disaster were ever to occur, scrambling to find a power generator may be the last thing you want to do.

Backup Power For Home Appliance & Medical Devices
When the power is out, appliances shut off. Usually worst case scenario is having to reset clocks and power devices back on when electricity becomes available. Some appliances however have consequences. Food storage for instance can constitute a problem if refrigerators and freezers become inoperable for any substantial amount of time, as many items can spoil in just a few hours at room temperature.

A much more serious reason to have a power generator on standby is the need for home medical devices. Equipment such as a CPAP machine for those suffering from sleep apnea, electrical hospital beds and chairs for those with mobility issues, heart monitors, dialisis machines and more are all dependent on electricity without fail. When you depend on one of those, you cannot tolerate the risk of a power outage.

Using a generator in a storm can preserve food, it can keep damaging mold from growing in your house from a lack of air-conditioning. A generator can let you operate pumps to keep your home from succumbing to water damage from flooding. It can allow your business to keep running during a power outage and prevent profit losses.

In cases where these devices are present, it is a good idea to have a power generator on standby that is dependable and will not let you down. This is a situation where you will want a professionally installed system that you know you don’t have to worry about.
Safety and Security
As many security experts in Regina will tell you, one of the first things many home intruders often due with the increasing presence of home cameras and security is cut a homes power. In the absence of back-up power or batteries, this will not only turn off the lights, but shut down cameras and alarms preventing anyone home or away that there may be an intruder.

Permanent power generators that automatically turn on with power loss can mitigate these concerns, and ensure continued security and monitoring in the event of a blackout or loss of power.

What type of generator do you need?
If you are only interested in keeping a refrigerator going and perhaps a few small appliances, a portable generator is the best. If you have a home or business and want to keep the air condition and all the electric powered items going, then a stationary (standby) generator is best. This generator should be installed by a licensed electrician to ensure it works correctly when a power outage occurs.

Portable Generators
These types of generators are much less expensive than their permanent counterparts. However, they are completely dependent upon your presence.

You have to manually start the generator and, if you have to use it for any length of time, monitor the gas consumption.
Furthermore, a portable generator must be no closer to your home than ten feet, because of the carbon monoxide emissions. At the same time, you will want to house it in an enclosure that keeps it safe from the elements but also allows for free movement of air.

If you are using a portable generator in an emergency situation, it’s likely that it will only be able to power the most important appliances in your home. They simply are not big enough to handle the brunt of everything from appliance, televisions, lighting and everything else. Plan to downplay your energy output if you will be depending on a portable.

Permanent Placement Generators

You can find these in many different sizes, but all in all the expense will be more. The main reason for this is that you are paying for more peace of mind. Should you need to leave your home for vacation or business for a few days, you can rest assured your generator will take care of any random power outages.

They are very quiet, much safer than a portable generator and, should you decide to sell your home, they can bring about 50% of their original cost in the sale.
The downside to permanently placed power generators is that they need maintenance every two years. However, with that maintenance, the reliability can be determined, and if there are needs such as medical equipment involved, the peace of mind is absolutely priceless.

If you are considering a home generator, and need assistance with electrical or infrastructure to ensure the safety and reliability of your investment, feel free to contact us for cost estimates and recommendations.

If you are ever uncertain about a potential electrical issue in you home please contact Active Electric and one of their qualified professionals would be happy to help. They Also provide Free quotes!

ACTIVE ELECTRIC are TRUSTED REGINA ELECTRICIANS – Check out his listing here in REGINA ELECTRICIANS on the Regina Directory of excellence!

Information provided by:
Trusted Regina Blog – Experiencing Power Outages? Active Electric Shares A Tip on Why You Should Install a Generator – Juner 18, 2020

"Getting it right the first time"
Active Electric Ltd. | | 306-525-0300 | admin@activeelectric.com