post

How to Save Energy in Commercial Buildings

Saving Energy in Commercial Buildings: 7 Ways

Whether you’re a property manager or a business owner, you are likely always looking for ways improve efficiency and trim waste to boost the bottom line. One of the most important ways you can do this is to find ways how to save energy at the office. Not only will this help you reduce excessive electricity bills for your commercial buildings, but it will help your company achieve a lighter environmental footprint—something everyone can feel good about. So, evaluate all of your commercial properties and offices to see if you’re following these 7 tips to save electricity.

Note: if you’ve done all of these things to save energy in the office, but your commercial building electric bills still seem high,contact Root Electric. Your Northern Virginia commercial electrical contractor can evaluate your commercial building to find and fix problems that may be draining your energy budget: (703) 494-3989.

1. Fix and Upgrade the Lights

Upgrading your commercial building or office lighting systems, particularly if it’s been a few years and the lights flicker, is a critical way to slash your energy usage. In fact, it’s one of the most effective ways how to save energy at the office Just think: how many people in your buildings remember to turn off all the lights when they leave a room? When was the last time you had your commercial electrical contractor check whether your office buildings were using the most efficient lighting systems available at that time? Upgrading your office lighting to the latest, most efficient office lighting systems can save a massive amount of electricity and money:

First, install motion-sensitive lighting in areas that aren’t in constant use, like conference rooms, restrooms, parking areas and breakrooms. This removes the problem of forgetful team members not turning off the lights. After a certain amount of time without detecting any motion in a certain area, the system automatically shuts the lights off, thereby saving you up to 80 percent in lighting costs.

Also, switch to the most efficient commercial building lighting options. Upgrading to LED lights can reduce the lighting portion of your electric bills significantly—to the tune of at least 60 percent! And newer models of fluorescent lighting and UID lights have also improved in their energy savings as well.

LED lighting also lasts considerably longer and requires less maintenance over the long haul, so it’s a wise choice for many applications in your office and commercial buildings.

2. Take Advantage of Power Management Settings on Office Equipment

Make sure that you set all office computers, printers and other equipment to the most efficient energy saving modes available. You shouldn’t walk past a vacant computer and see a screensaver anymore – the black, quiet screen of energy savings is what you should see.

3. Don’t take Power Management Automation for Granted, However

As wonderfully simple as it is to set power management defaults for your office equipment and other electrical systems, it’s important to double check them on a regular basis as these controls can get reset or overridden from time to time. Set a reminder to check power saving settings throughout your commercial buildings and offices each month, and especially during seasonal changes, to make sure everything is set to the most energy-efficient setting on a regular basis.

4. Update Your Server Rooms

Server rooms are an essential these days, but with cloud data hosting becoming more secure and ubiquitous, many companies are seeing a huge energy savings by migrating at least some of their data to a cloud hosting system. If you’re not ready to make that step, consult with your IT manager to find other energy saving options like bumping up the inlet temperatures for your servers or improving air-flow management.

Customer Testimonial


Hi Bill,  I wanted to take a few minutes to say Thank You to you and your team. You all handled a rather tricky situation in a professional and respectful manner. In addition, your team members did an outstanding job. They were respectful, knowledgeable, and courteous – taking time to explain every aspect of the job to us. As a result, the work was completed to our specifications and without any surprises. We are customers for life! All the best to you and yours.

Steve R.

5. Keep Motors and HVAC Systems Maintained and Updated

Every year, it’s important to have your motors synchronized and HVAC systems checked to ensure they are operating at their most efficient capacities. When these systems are working harder than they need to, they can pose a considerable drain on your energy resources and jack up your electrical bills.

6. Adopt Energy-Saving Thermostat Settings

We’ve all been there: the office thermostat wars! Someone is always either too hot or too cold. To save energy, it’s important to have energy-efficient, programmable thermostats installed in your commercial buildings and to have management make the call on the most energy efficient settings at different times of the year. Encouraging employees who run hot to bring a small fan for their cubicle while encouraging employees who run cold to bring an extra layer simply makes good energy sense. You can’t keep everyone happy with the thermostat. And while you’re at it, make sure you’re not heating or cooling any rooms that don’t need it.

7. Call Your Commercial Electrician for an Energy Audit: (703) 494-3989

Root Electric’s premier commercial electrical services team can go through your commercial buildings to discover even more energy-saving opportunities for your office than these. Every office is unique, so a customized look around can help you discover other ways to save energy at the office that you may have overlooked before. Contact us today to schedule an energy-saving office evaluation: (703) 494-3989

REQUEST A FREE QUOTE

Satisfaction / Safety First Since 1986

Contact Now!lorem ipsum dolor

More Articles About Home Electrical Improvement

Electrical Video FAQ – When to replace house electrical panel?Read More Electrical Home Safety InspectionsRead More Benefits of Using Recessed LightingRead More 

post

Electrical Upgrade During Your Remodel

​​If I Remodel My Home, Do I Need an Electrical Upgrade too?

Tis the season for remodeling here in Northern Virginia. People are updating their kitchens, their bathrooms, their home offices, etc. with remodeling plans they’ve been dreaming about for a few years now. But with these remodels, these questions always come up:

Do I need an electrical upgrade during my remodel?Should I get an electrical upgrade at the same time, before, or after the remodel?

Good questions, the answers to which largely depend on the home and the remodeling projects being done. But the majority of the time, the answers are:

Yes, you probably need an electrical upgrade, and…It’s usually more cost effective and safer to do the electrical upgrade at the same time as the remodeling project.

Of course, your home or circumstance may be different, but more often than not, you’ll want to take an electrical upgrade into account if you’re doing any major remodeling project in your home, particularly when it comes to kitchens, bathrooms, home offices, entertainment rooms or additions.

Why Do I Need an Electrical Upgrade with My Remodeling Project?

If you live in an older home, like many families here in Northern Virginia, it’s possible your home has actually needed an electrical upgrade for awhile now, depending on when you last had it done. Not only have our electrical demands increased over the years, but the building codes dictating how electrical work is done in homes have also changed to address those increases over the years. If your home isn’t currently up to code, adding new appliances, additional space, outlets, switches, etc. may well require an electrical upgrade in order to keep your home safe, efficient and up to local building codes.

Customer Testimonial


Excellent service all around. Bill Root III came out and provided an estimate, and answered all the questions I had. He was very patient and professional with me. The estimate was very detailed and an excellent price. Root Electric did an excellent job coordinating the schedule with me, their technicians, the county inspector, and the electric company so that everything would be completed the same day.

When the work was performed, the 2 technicians arrived and got right to work. They were very thorough, professional and got all the work completed with no issues (no issues from the inspection either). I would definitely recommend this company and will use them again.

Kent S.

Bathrooms, Kitchens, Workshops, Home Offices and Entertainment Rooms Need More Power

Kitchens and bathrooms are two of the most popular types of remodeling projects, but many families are adding rooms, updating their home offices, adding workshops, etc. All of these new additions or remodels require upgraded, more efficient electrical wiring, and possibly a new electrical panel.

Let’s just discuss the kitchen for a moment, as an example. In older homes, kitchens often didn’t have that many outlets because there weren’t as many small appliances and gadgets in use. Fridges and ovens were smaller and didn’t pull as much juice as today’s larger models either. Today’s building codes require an outlet ever 6 feet away—but we find that for many of our customers, they need outlets spaced around 4 feet from each other.

Remodeling at the Same time as an Electrical Upgrade

It makes far more sense to upgrade your electrical system during a home remodeling project than to delay it until afterwards. Here’s why:

It saves time and dust to update the wiring while everything is out in the open during the remodel.

It costs far more to have to re-open walls and panels you’ve just finished in order to do the electrical work later.

Overall, it will save you a lot of time, money and hassle to just do it all at the same time. That way, the electrical system can be updated to accommodate your new remodel as well as your current and future electrical needs as they grow. It’s also safer to do all of the electrical work this way so that your electrical system fits well with any new appliances, tools, office systems, etc. that you intend to install during your remodel.

Need a Woodbridge, VA Residential Electrician? Call (703) 494-3989

If you’re getting ready for a remodeling project, large or small, don’t forget to contact Root Electric, the residential electricians homeowners trust to keep their homes safe and powered up in the most efficient way possible: (703) 494-3989. We’ll show you how you can save time and money on your remodeling project while keeping your home current on all your family’s electrical needs.

REQUEST A FREE QUOTE

Satisfaction / Safety First Since 1986

Contact Now!lorem ipsum dolor

More Articles About Home Electrical Improvement

Electrical Video FAQ – When to replace house electrical panel?Read More Electrical Home Safety InspectionsRead More Benefits of Using Recessed LightingRead More 

post

7 Life-Saving Space Heather Safety Tips

​Space Heater Safety Tips

Every winter, thousands of families experience a home fire because of incorrect space heater use. Very sadly, some people even die in these fires. So, please – before you plug in the space heater and turn it up full blast, read these tips and use yours safely. That way, you can stay warm and safe at the same time. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Root Electric at (703) 494-3989.

1. Check the Label for Independent Certification:

Before you buy a space heater, make sure to look carefully at the labels and packaging to see that the space heater has been safety certified by an independent testing body. For example, the UL, ETL or CSA are international testing organizations that are independent of the manufacturers. This type of testing and certification ensures that you don’t have to rely on the manufacturer to tell you their space heater has been tested for safety—independent testers have done this.

2. Follow Safety Precautions on the Label

First of all, don’t buy too small of a heater to heat a large room, and don’t get a huge heater for a small room. Buy one that fits the space you need to heat. Also, be aware that there are hundreds of different kind of space heaters—some use electricity, some use natural gas or propane. You’ll need to take specific safety precautions for each of these types of power. For example, never use an electric space heater in a damp room like a bathroom. For a gas or propane heater, if you smell gas, turn off the controls, open a window and leave the room. Don’t flip on any switches or light any matches.

3. Use Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Regardless of whether you use space heaters or not, make sure your smoke detectors, fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries and are fully functional. Have them tested periodically, especially during the winter.

Customer Testimonial


I had several items to be done and all were done on a schedule easy for me to meet and all the work was done well. The technicians were very knowledgeable, courteous, and prompt. It was a very easy experience and I am very satisfied.

Ann W.

4. Look for Automatic Shut-Off Features

Newer models of space heaters have automatic shut-off features that will cut the power to the space heater if it tips over, senses moisture or that it’s overheating. And if you ever smell or see smoke or the lights flicker when you turn on the heater, turn it off and contact Root Electric for assistance.

5. Where to Put the Space Heater

Space-heater placement is also essential for safety. Make sure that you place your space heater on a level, hard, non-flammable floor, not a table or counter. Keep them well away from furniture, rugs, bedding and curtains (at least 3 feet). Don’t use space heaters in areas where you are using paint or flammable materials (workshops and garages). Also, don’t use space heaters in children’s bedrooms and keep pets and children away at all times.

6. Unplug when Unattended

Don’t use a space heater overnight or while you’re away from home. Turn off the controls and grasp the plug and pull straight out when unplugging (don’t yank the cord). Check the cord frequently for damage and do not plug space heaters into power strips – plug them directly into the wall outlet.

7. Space Heater Controls

Keep in mind that space heaters can draw a huge amount of power. So much so that if used incorrectly, they can trip circuits and use more power than your home is wired for. So instead of running it full power, run it at half power (750 watts, usually) so it won’t burn up your home’s electrical circuits.

If you have any questions or concerns about your space heater, please don’t hesitate to contact Root Electric in Northern Virginia for assistance. We can help you pick the right space heater for your space and let you know what power settings your home can handle. Most of all, we just want you and your family to be safe! So, call us: (703) 494-3989.

More Information:

Electrical safety tips for summerExtension Cords SafetyBill’s Safety Circuit – Food warmer trips circuit…

REQUEST A FREE QUOTE

Satisfaction / Safety First Since 1986

Contact Now!lorem ipsum dolor

More Articles About Home Electrical Improvement

Electrical Video FAQ – When to replace house electrical panel?Read More Electrical Home Safety InspectionsRead More Benefits of Using Recessed LightingRead More 

Did you miss our previous article…
https://countryelectric.biz/?p=76