New Home Project: Remodel Recessed Lights

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Jan 052012
 
PinExt New Home Project: Remodel Recessed Lights

electrical project New Home Project: Remodel Recessed LightsWelcome to this fifth blog post of my New Home Project series. This series of posts reviews the lighting projects that I have undertaken in my new home since moving in to it in September 2009. To be honest, most of these projects have been completed some time ago. It was my goal to write a post after each project, but time just gets away from you sometimes. I cannot believe that it has been over 2 years since moving into my home.

This project involved adding seven 4-inch recessed cans throughout the first floor of my house.

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Featured Lighting Project from Los Angeles

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Oct 072011
 
PinExt Featured Lighting Project from Los Angeles

There’s a beautiful exhibit in the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles this month, and we are proud that our display lights are showing off the photography! The exhibit is called Golden States of Grace: Prayers of the Disinherited, and it presents photographer Rick Nahmias’ exploration of faith communities in California that are outside mainstream American society. If you live in LA, be sure to check out the exhibit, which will last until November 13.

Photos from the event are below, depicting our MR16 Halogen Flexible Display Lights in action.  Continue reading »

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Photos from a Kitchen: LED Under Cabinet Lighting

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Sep 202011
 
PinExt Photos from a Kitchen: LED Under Cabinet Lighting

Sometimes, it’s best to let photos speak for themselves.

Take a look at this kitchen. See the newly installed under cabinet lights nestled discreetly underneath those cabinets? If you can barely spot them, it’s because our LED under cabinet lights are incredibly low profile.

The following photos show the kitchen with the under cabinet lights turned off. For all intensive purposes, consider these the “before” photos:

brenda undercabinetlights3 300x225 Photos from a Kitchen: LED Under Cabinet LightingUndercabinet Lights front view off 300x225 Photos from a Kitchen: LED Under Cabinet Lighting

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continue reading »

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Featured Lighting Project from Ambridge, PA

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Sep 142011
 
PinExt Featured Lighting Project from Ambridge, PA

When a display cabinet has no lighting, it’s hard to put items on – well, display. Archives, photographs, awards, artwork, and memorabilia that are meant to be highlighted tend to simply blend in with the background and get lost in the shadows.

Take this display case, for example. This is the “Before” picture, from the Good Samaritan Church in Ambridge, PA:

archives before Featured Lighting Project from Ambridge, PA

The picture is a bit blurry, but it's easy to see the effect of placing items in a display cabinet without lighting. The shadows from the cabinet's shelves make it hard to tell exactly what is supposed to be on display.

Now, the “After” picture: Continue reading »

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How to Make a Stink Bug Trap Using Our LED Puck Light

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Aug 012011
 
PinExt How to Make a Stink Bug Trap Using Our LED Puck Light
Stink Bugs Now in 33 US States How to Make a Stink Bug Trap Using Our LED Puck Light

Image Courtesy of ABC News

Do you have a stink bug problem in your home?

Brown marmorated stink bugs originally came from Asia and were first spotted in Pennsylvania in the 1990s.  Since then, they’ve spread to 33 U.S. states.

If you’ve never encountered one, here are a few quick facts:

  • They do not bite or sting.
  • They will ruin your plants.  Researchers say they’re the most menacing agricultaral pests in 40 years.
  • They aren’t named “stink bugs” for nothing.  They emit a rather unpleasant odor.  If you have an infestation in your home, the smell can last for months.

We came across a video on YouTube showing how to make a stink bug trap using electrical tape, a Pepsi 2-liter bottle, masking tape, a razor, a black permanent marker, and our LED battery operated puck light.

The video says they are available at Home Depot, but it’s the exact same product we sell online.

See the video after the jump for instructions on how to make a homemade stink bug trap!
Continue reading »

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Under Cabinet Lighting Install: From Start to Finish

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Jul 222011
 
PinExt Under Cabinet Lighting Install: From Start to Finish

2011 07 17 17.27.18 300x225 Under Cabinet Lighting Install: From Start to Finish Update (7/28): I added my installation video at the bottom of this post!

This was my first time with a “do it yourself” lighting project, so I wanted to share my experiences from the very beginning.  I absolutely love the finished results!  This project was surprisingly easy to tackle.   I completed the install in less than two hours, and the total cost was right around $100.

I highly recommend making this update to your kitchen!
Continue reading »

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Display Cabinet Lighting Project

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Jun 302011
 
PinExt Display Cabinet Lighting Project

Last month, we had a customer from Natchez, MS call for assistance on what lighting might work best for his upcoming project.  He was completing a display cabinet in his music room and wanted to incorporate accent lighting into the shelves.

After seeing a picture of his unfinished cabinet, we recommended our LED recessed mini swivel lights.  We are happy to report that the finished result looks absolutely beautiful, and the customer sent us a picture to prove it!

Before:

display cabinet before Display Cabinet Lighting Project

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More Android Apps for Construction Management

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Jun 132011
 
PinExt More Android Apps for Construction Management

If you liked our post on Top 3 Android Apps for Home Improvement Professionals, read on.

Software reviewer Derek Singleton has published an extensive list of must-have apps for architects, engineers, and contractors.  They’re all under the realm of “construction management,” and each review includes average user ratings, device compatibility/OS requirements, and pricing.

Apple’s famous “there’s an app for just about anything” slogan seems to ring just as true for Androids.  The list includes apps to help you:

  • Provide project estimates
  • Prepare for the LEED certification exam
  • Calculate voltage drop (for electricians)
  • Interact with contractors in your community
  • … and more!

Follow the link to read Derek’s post: Android Apps for Construction Management

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Top 3 Android Apps for Home Improvement Professionals

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May 262011
 
PinExt Top 3 Android Apps for Home Improvement Professionals

I wrote a post awhile back on Top iPhone Apps for Home Improvement Professionals; but since not everyone is an iPhone owner, I decided to delve into the Android market to find the most useful apps out there for home improvement professionals and DIY-ers alike.

It turns out there are quite a few valuable tools on the Android market for all kinds of projects!  This post features the top three out of everything I reviewed. Please let me know in the comments of any great apps I missed.

Screenshots from each app are at the bottom of the post.

Bubble Level by Ben Zibble, Free

Take advantage of your phone’s accelerometer for a free level.  Just hold any of the phone’s four sides against an object to test (or lay it down on a flat surface for a 360° level).  You can change the settings to enable voice so that the app actually “speaks” the angle to you – a very nice feature. You can also set up the phone to vibrate, beep, or buzz when level. Continue reading »

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Thank You Lutron – A Great Customer Service Experience

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Mar 252011
 
PinExt Thank You Lutron A Great Customer Service Experience

Excellent Customer Service XSmall Thank You Lutron A Great Customer Service ExperienceWhen I moved into my new home in September 2009 I undertook a number of lighting projects.  The dimmers are probably my favorite addition.  In fact, I wrote a blog post about my dimmer project in my New Home Project series of posts.

One of the coolest Maestro dimmers, in my humble opinion, is a combination light and fan dimmer for ceiling fans.  Lutron calls it a Dual Digital Fade Dimmer / Fan Control and according to the Lutron website…

At the touch of a button, dimmer can go immediately to a favorite preset light level, fade-to-off, or adjust manually. Dual controls also consolidate light switches and save space. For fan controls, users can similarly cycle between favorite speeds or adjust manually.

I have nine of these light/fan dimmers in my house to go with my nine ceiling fans (oh yea, we love ceiling fans too – perfect for those NC summers).  Unfortunately, the one in my home office started to have problems last week.  It was really strange.  When I tried to turn on the light the light on the ceiling fan would flash.  It was like my home office was a disco dance floor…not the greatest thing to see bright and early in the morning.  It is kind of fun with the kids later on in the day, but definitely not what I want to see before my first cup of coffee. Continue reading »

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