With the demand for housing at an all-time high, developers love “cookie cutter” homes because they’re quick and easy to build. But many homeowners still prefer to live in an older neighborhoods. There’s nothing like the craftsmanship, charm, and curb appeal that comes from a more traditional home, and like the old saying goes, they really don’t build them like they used to. Unfortunately, older homes weren’t subjected to the rigorous standards that must now be followed for new construction, and you can’t afford to assume that previous homeowners have made all of the necessary upgrades.

We all enjoy our air conditioning, home appliances, and electronic devices, but during certain times of year, the electric bill gets so high that you often expect to hear a drum roll when you open the envelope. Utility billing rates continue to climb, and there seems to be no end in sight: is there anything that we can do to get relief?

If you’ve recently had to replace a light bulb, you’ve already discovered that the standard incandescent bulbs that you’ve been using your whole life are rapidly disappearing from the shelves. The higher wattage bulbs have already been phased out, and the lower wattage bulbs will be the next to go. This leaves consumers with the option of choosing Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Bulbs or Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lights.

As homeowners, one thing that we all have in common is a love for our electronic devices. Between our computers, televisions, cable boxes, and gaming systems, our electronics are the way that we stay entertained and connected. Unfortunately, most homes don’t have enough outlets to plug everything in, which is why power strips are so useful.

Since 1978, our team at Gary Houston Electric has been Arkansas’ leading provider of premium commercial lighting and industrial lighting services, and you can’t go to too many places in central Arkansas without seeing examples of our work. When you have great design and quality installation, lighting is a great way to boost business, and we’ve always enjoyed partnering with small locally-owned businesses to help them grow.

Having electricity in our homes is a modern convenience that most of us take for granted until there’s a power outage, but the truth is that it’s one of the most important parts of virtually every aspect of our lives. We use it to heat and cool our homes, prepare food, power up appliances, and keep all of our electronic devices running. Another thing that we often take for granted is electrical safety! Our homes have circuit breakers to protect us from dangerous electrical overloads and power surges, but, it’s also important for us to take all the necessary precautions to protect ourselves and our families from accidents.

As we begin another brutal Arkansas summer, most of us are torn between setting the thermostat at a comfortable temperature, or trying to save money on our electric bills. But what if we told you that there are other ways to lower energy costs without sweating all summer long?