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?

Central Arkansas is home to many highly qualified electrical contractors, which is always great news for the consumer. Competition keeps prices affordable, and every company that you contact knows that you can pick up the phone and can easily get more estimates. But once you get those bids for your project, what’s the best way to make an informed decision?

When it comes to selecting a residential electrical company, you might ask “are there any quality electricians near me?” The answer is yes! There are many quality electrical companies in central Arkansas to choose from, and when it comes to doing your homework, you have your choice of word-of-mouth advertising on social media, the Better Business Bureau, and sites like Angie’s list. And don’t forget that any reputable company will gladly provide you a list of recent references on request.

There are two times of year that homeowners and businesses really get to thinking about the high cost of energy. During the winter, your heating costs can skyrocket. And our summers keep getting longer and longer which means triple digit temperatures, and triple digit electric bills. The good news is that if you take a proactive approach to cutting energy costs around your home or business, you can often find small, but significant ways to lower your bills.

When you need quality electrical service, you have a lot of choices of residential and commercial electricians, and finding the one that’s the right fit can be a daunting task. You should always request bids from multiple contractors and see how they compare. You should also never be afraid to ask questions, particularly if a bid comes in substantially lower than the others: what corners are they prepared to cut to offer you that rock bottom price?