ECH Electrical

Installation of Pot Lights Toronto

echagent — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 15:09:14 +0000

Pot Light Installation In Toronto, Markham, Mississauga and the surrounding GTA

Everything You Need To Know

Pot lights are increasingly gaining fame for their unique lighting and ability to provide a luxurious ambiance to homes and offices. People install pot lights for many reasons, and most pot lights earn their place in personal spaces like kitchens, bathrooms, study rooms or offices.

Pot lights can offer subtle yet brilliant lighting while not compromising on energy efficiency compared to other light types. There are numerous styles and types of pot light housing. The housing is the piece of a pot light that is mounted to the ceiling, and the bulb is mounted in the housing.

Numerous pot light housing designs are available in the market for new construction, home or office renovation, and inclined ceilings. There are countless styles of pot light housing available for your lighting project, even some with no housing for extensive lighting projects at sophisticated properties.

Here are the top inquiries we found posted and the solutions.

Is it a good idea to install pot lights myself?

People ask this question fairly frequently. DIY projects can be great if you have a minimum level of knowledge and expertise on the subject. If not, things won’t go the way you expect. Electric circuits can be dangerous if you are careless. Besides, it requires knowledge of local electrical codes for pot lights installation.

If you are keen on doing it yourself, start by learning about your location’s electrical code and practices. As long as you don’t have to install a new power source or wiring, you are good to go. Most pot light housing comes with extensive instructions, so it won’t be a problem to do it yourself. However, if you have doubts, it is best to get professional help.

Where can we install pot lights?

Since Pot lights require only a little leeway, you can install them in any room. However, kitchens, restrooms, study rooms, and office rooms are some common places people install pot lights. Some people use hanging pot lights in their patio, deck, outdoor kitchens, walkways, and driveways.

If you manage to pick the right style and housing, you can even install it over a shower. Most electricians can easily find a way to install pot lights the way you like it, so try it if you like the idea. A cellar can be a good spot as they, usually, lack lighting. A perfect pot light setup can revamp a dull storm cellar into your most favorite place.

Can I install pot lights outdoors and what is needed?

Installing pot lights outdoors can be done with proper housing and wiring. If you want to do so, make sure the lights comply with UL or ETL damp location rating. The UL or ETL rating is issued based on the product’s ability to prevent water from reaching electrical frameworks.

When installing lights with UL and ETL ratings, you can rest assured that the harsh weather won’t affect your home’s electrical infrastructure. Safety parameters are vital for any property, so be careful while buying pot lights for outdoor usage.

How to determine the size of pot light I need?

Given the countless housing designs and sizes, choosing the size could be confusing. More often than not, installation location determines the size you need. Large spaces might need bigger and more lights than confined spaces. Besides, you should pick a pot light that suits your property’s interior design.

A 3” pot light should do the job if you have a modern and stylish interior. If you prefer a traditional look and massive lighting, you might need a 5” or bigger pot light and relevant housing. In both cases, the primary objective is to get the best lighting. So, make a decision based on how much light you need.

How much does it cost to install pot lights?

According to industry experts, it may cost between $100 to $480 per light when a professional electrician installs them. Let’s assume you install six potlights at standard cost. The total installation would cost you around $2000.

This cost may vary depending on your house structure, interior design, electrical framework, light sizes, and the number of electricians that work on the project. If you can DIY, you can buy pot lights for as low as $10 and reduce the cost significantly.

Is it possible to change a pot light to a hanging-style pendant light?

You may have to buy converter packs based on the pot light design you need to convert. To hang a pendant-style light, you would have to ensure adequate support for the new light. So, it is best to take professional help in such cases. Also, an expert will help you save money as they know how to get the job done at a minimal cost.

What sort of switch would be the best to use with pot lights?

In most cases, all the pot lights in a room tend to be on one circuit and controlled by a single switch. Having a dimmer switch can significantly build the adaptability of the lighting, giving you many choices and stunning looks.

Primarily, there are four types of dimmer switches available in the market. The four styles are rocker style, slider without a switch, slider with switch, and computerized style. A traditional style that is still predominant is the round turn-style dimmer switch.

What’s more?

We have answered the frequently asked questions, but you may have a unique question or a need that may require expert help or advice. If any, please feel comfortable posting them in the comment section below.

Alternatively, you can contact our support team to discuss your query or needs. We will be more than glad to help you out. We couldn’t imagine anything better than hearing from you! If you are still searching for more information about electricity, like getting a good deal on your electric bill, look at our other blog entries here.

If you are searching for an electrician in Toronto, Mississauga, Markham or the rest of the GTA to install pot lights, click here to call one of our certified electrical experts today.

How Much To Install EV Charger

Tom — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 15:45:05 +0000

How Much Does An Electric Car Charging Station Cost To Install?

Did you know that here in Canada, new gas cars will be banned by 2035? That means more and more of your friends, family, co-workers, and heck, maybe even you, are getting an Electric Vehicle(EV). According to Pew Research, just 7% of US adults say they currently own an electric or hybrid car, and 62% say that the driving experience is about the same. With climate change creating a movement of people who want to do their part and reduce emissions, the choice is clear.

One major roadblock to most consumers is a concern about charging. If you live in an apartment and the parking lot does not have electricity, that poses a challenge. Yet, there are many ways you can get around not being able to charge at home and still at a fraction of the cost of your gas guzzler. Charging at work is an enticing offer that more and more companies are giving incentives and sometimes gets you into better parking to boot.

There are many questions about charging that hold a lot of Canadians back from taking the plunge into EV ownership. So we compiled the top questions about charging stations to help you decide about buying your first electric car.

How much does an Electric Vehicle home charging station installation cost?

First off, if you hire an Ontario Electrician to do electrical work, by law, they must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor with an ECRA/ESA electrical contracting license.

Level 1 Charging Station Cost

If your driving range is minimal, you may get away with the Level 1 charger that comes with your electric vehicle. A Level 1 charger is the standard 120V household outlet charger that gives about 6 – 8 KPH of range per hour. If you opt for Level 1 charging, installation costs are minimal, designating a breaker for the charger. Approximate cost $300 – $2000

Level 2 Charging Station Cost

Many with a longer commute may need more charging juice and a Level 2 charger installed. A Level 2 charger comes straight out of your distribution panel, sending out a voltage supply over 200V, and will charge on average 20 – 90 KPH of range per hour. As you can tell, a Level 2 charger is what most people choose to power their Electric Vehicle. Approximate cost $2000 – $6000

Level 3 Charging Station Cost

It has to be noted that if you are seeking the fastest charger and money is no object; then DC Fast Charging is for you. A Level 3 charger uses direct current (DC), which is different from alternating current (AC) found in most modern homes. DC charging is available in a higher voltage and will charge as high as 800 volts. For a good reason, this allows for much faster charging at rates of 80% charge in 20-30 minutes. To get this type of charging can cost over $50,000 installed, which is why it’s primarily advisable for commercial installations.

Can I install my own EV charging point?

When shopping for an electric car, this is an often asked question about the DIY installation of electric car chargers. With all of the long-term savings from reducing your fossil fuel usage, the question should be, why would you want to? Working with electricity can be very dangerous, and it is highly recommended to leave it to the pros. Most municipalities require an electrical building permit for the installation of new EV chargers. Think about the chance of fire or electric shock from a faulty high-amperage line installed with no permit; insurance will not cover that.

Should I charge my electric car every night?

Think of electric cars like gas cars in terms of fuel tank fullness, but in percentages. If you have a 50% charge, that is half of a tank. Most recommendations say to keep the charge between 20% and 80% charged unless you need a full charge to go on a more extended trip. Again with the gas analogy, would you stop to fill up your gas tank if it was at 1/2 tank? For most people, the answer is no; you would wait until maybe 1/4 tank and then stop to fill up.

Is charging an electric car cheaper than gas?

Are there enough charging stations if I want to travel?

The explosion of electric vehicle chargers sprouting up all over North America helps. The lack of fast charging points in the areas I commonly drive is the #1 reason electric cars are not a

consideration for their next purchase. According to research carried out by Opinium amongst 2,003 UK Adults in July 2020.

There are 1300 Level 2 & 3 charging stations with over 4,000 charging outlets and growing in Ontario. So the answer to is there are enough charging stations is maybe, it mostly depends on where you are travelling. The more urban your travels, yes, on the other hand, heading into the backcountry of the Youkon then load up the diesel.

Are charging stations free in Canada?

There are many municipalities across Ontario that offer free charges. For example, Toronto, Ontario, has over 800 public charging station ports, and 60% of those offer free charges for your electric car.

It’s worth noting that it is now required to install a Level 2 charging plugs in all new commercial and residential buildings. This will add to the growing network of chargers and give everyone more choices when travelling in an electric car.

If you are in Toronto, Ontario and want to get an estimate on getting your Level 2, EV Charger installed, call ECH Electrical today!

Top 5 Commercial LED Lighting Applications

echagent — Sun, 22 Aug 2021 11:49:32 +0000

Should I use LED Lights For Commercial Projects?

Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights have become very popular and make a case for commercial use. LED technology is changing and adapting to many lighting uses in commercial applications. There are many commercial lighting solutions that are tried and true, so why change to LED? The many benefits of LED’s make them an excellent choice for your commercial building or outdoor lighting project.

Key benefits of using LED lights in commercial buildings:

Cost less to operate. Who wouldn’t want to save every month on their electric bill? The savings can add up replacing your old high-energy, High-Pressure Sodium or Metal Halides with LEDs that give off as much light.

◦ Have a long lifespan. This is easily the most significant advantage when compared to traditional lights. LED lights last on average 40 times as long as the average incandescent bulb. The longer life span of LEDs directly affects lower maintenance costs to replace the bulb and parts.

◦ Instant light. One great feature of a LED is quick on time. Unlike other traditional lights, LED lights turn on almost instantly. LED lights also do not have problems with frequent switching on and off.

◦ Less light fixtures. LED lights emit a directional emission, and that means more focus and fewer dark spots. Lighting up your common areas with more light is proven to help reduce crime.

◦ Friendly to the environment. You won’t find environmental issues like with traditional fluorescent or mercury vapour lights. Both of these lights contain mercury on the inside and need special handling and disposal when their lifecycle is up.

◦ Dimmer switch friendly. LEDs become more efficient as you turn them down.

◦ Less heat = more savings. LED lights indoors can bring even more protection due to minimal heat. This lower heat radiating means less work for the air conditioners, thus saving on the electric bill.

In some Canadian communities, it can be law for you to light up specific and designated areas of your commercial property. You are required to provide enough lighting to enable customers and employees to see where they are going. Emergency exits must be appropriately illuminated, making it easier to find an exit when in need.

With so many choices, what LED light do you pick for your commercial project?

After a quick search, it gets, even more, confusing with the thousands of options, styles, and applications in commercial lighting. There are LED tubes and boards, some LEDs can be surface mounted, and others are made from Graphene. Confusing, yes, but it can be simplified into the most recommended LED lights for commercial applications.

Here are the top 5 commercial LED applications:

1) LED Pot Lights – A pot light installed up in the ceiling saves visual space and gives a clean look to any room while providing the proper lighting. Pot lights can be installed on the wall and even used in outdoor applications like patios, decks, and walkways. There are now retrofits that are quick and easy to install for existing applications.

2) LED Strip Lights – It is a known fact that LED strip lights are one of the most efficient and effective ways to light up your commercial project. Most commercial strip lights are weatherproof so that you can install them in a variety of locations. They are available in a wide range of fixed and variable colours and brightnesses of LED strip lights to choose from.

3) LED Wall Lights – There are many styles of LED wall lights to match your application. You can use them indoors and outdoors to illuminate the wall and ground area. Some recommended applications of a LED wall light are for decoration, lighting up a mirror, illuminate a walkway, and highlighting wall art.

4) LED Pole lights – A critical element that every commercial property needs to have, especially in parking lots. Using LED pole lights helps shine brighter and focuses the light better than traditional options. Providing brighter light makes parking lots safer by reducing the risk of injuries from accidents and also deters crime.

5) Red LED lights – Let us not forget the safety applications of a red LED light in commercial projects. FOR EXAMPLE, red LED lights are used for exit signs, stop-go lighting, motorized equipment backup indicators, and red-light safety beams for forklifts.

A needed but rarely talked about benefit of LED light is the effects on the brain and sleep. As listed in this article, many benefits are well known, but what is not so well known is that LED lights provide an array of health benefits. The health effects have been studied as stated by The American Institute of Architects to show measured benefits, including increased motivation, increased productivity, and improved concentration. It has also shown benefits in lowering stress and anxiety with mood support in wellness and dining areas.

The high colour rendering in LED light and the lack of UV rays provide many health benefits. You may have experienced a time when you felt relief from stepping out of a fluorescent-lit room and stepping outside into natural light. During the winter months here in Canada, some people experience “winter blues” or are sometimes diagnosed with the seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It has been studied, and SAD has been treated effectively with LED lights that increase mood, decrease stress and create a happier environment.

To sum it up, LED lights are beneficial technology, becoming the first choice for commercial property managers, developers, and owners.

If you are planning a commercial project and want to get the best-LED light installations, give us a call. We have licensed and qualified professionals ready to help with your commercial lighting project.

How To Reduce Electricity Bill

Tom — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 16:03:01 +0000

How To Reduce Electricity Bill

The recent heatwave is part of the cause, but you may see the dramatic increase in electricity bills in Mississauga and other reasons. There are many reasons for high electricity bills, including weather. You can make some simple changes to reduce electricity bills. At ECH Electrical, we have a team of certified electricians in the Mississauga area, who are always ready to help you reduce electricity consumption while saving you money.

How A Mississauga Electrician Can Help

Let an electrician conduct an energy audit of your house, which will help reduce your energy bills and save you money in the long run. There are many reasons why your electricity bill is higher than you expect, including weather and equipment usage. We can go to your home to conduct an energy audit to help you find a place where you can save on electricity bills.

The following are the most common reasons for higher electricity bills:

Lack of insulation or poor insulation
Households with little or no insulation due to subsidence or just deterioration over time will result in a substantial increase in electricity consumption. Insulating your attic, replacing windows and doors, and sealing all airflow will greatly reduce your electricity bills.

Old Appliances And Fixtures
Using old appliances that do not work at their best performance will consume more electricity, which means more money. By replacing old bulbs with new energy-saving LED bulbs and choosing new appliances, you can save a lot of electricity bills, saving an average of more than $40 per year.

Seasonal changes
The summer heatwaves have caused a surge in electricity in Mississauga, which is the main reason for the increase in electricity consumption. The cost of running a 5,000 Btu air conditioner in 24 hours is approximately $1.31 Canadian dollars. If you are running older equipment, operating costs may increase by 40%. Find a Mississauga electrician to install energy-saving air conditioners to save you money.

In winter, you can also increase your electricity bill by turning on more lights and increasing electric heating. As mentioned above, having better insulation can help reduce your heating costs.

Equipment usage
It’s 2021, and everyone has one to five devices. Each device plugged in consumes power. Charging mobile devices, TVs, and computers can help increase power usage. Even if your device is not working but is plugged in, it is still using electricity. Any “smart” device, including refrigerators, washing machines and dryers, lights, doorbells, and basically any device that uses Wi-Fi capabilities. These smart appliances are always on even when not in use, and consume energy faster than you think. The best way to save money in Mississauga is to reduce electricity consumption.

There are many ways to reduce the energy you use, and in turn, can save you money every month. Here are some ways we recommend you reduce your electricity bill in Mississauga.

Game consoles are a huge hidden power consumption point because people often just turn off the TV and leave the game consoles on all the time. Game consoles should not be used to stream movies when running at full power, even when they are not needed (e.g. streaming movies).
Today, many utility companies use smart meters, and you can track the amount of energy used per hour. This is a good starting point because you will see where the most energy is consumed in a day.
Replacing the bulbs with energy-saving bulbs such as LEDs can greatly help reduce energy. By replacing the lights in your home with LEDs, you can save $1,000 in ten years.
When you can turn off the device completely, the power strip is a very simple way to reduce electricity bills. Using the power strip in this way will prevent the smart device from working and will cause the device to disconnect from any Wi-Fi connections. This is one of the best ways to reduce wasted energy consumption.
According to Harvard University, turning off the computer is the number one way to save energy. Using a screen protector to put your computer in sleep mode consumes a lot of electricity that could have been avoided. The computer is designed to be turned on and off more than 40,000 times, so you don’t have to worry about turning it off will affect the life of the computer.

Once you know where you are wasting electricity, you can take steps to reduce the pressure on your wallet. We have only introduced a few of the best ways to save on electricity bills in Mississauga, and there are more ways to be creative and save on electricity bills. Saving electricity bills is great, but it will also reduce your carbon footprint. You will do your part to reduce carbon emissions and help the planet.

Looking for an Electrician in Mississauga?

If you want to know why your electricity bill is so high and some tips to reduce electricity bills, please call an electrician in Mississauga immediately and know that there are experts around you. We can provide electrical audits and help you discover energy conservation in your home.

In Mississauga, what are your tips for saving electricity bills? Please let us know in the comments below.