Super-Cold Winter Predicted for Eastern U.S. Means More Electrical Outages

The Old Farmers Almanac, the New Hampshire based chronicler of climate, planting information, celestial calendars, folksy advice, and funnies, has predicted a colder than average winter for the Eastern two thirds of the nation in 2014. Using over a hundred year old formula that includes the position of sunspots and other meteorological data, the editors at the almanac have had a notorious success rate of nearly 80% over its lifetime. The organization...

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Energy Efficiency - State Standards Raise the Bar

In an article featured in June’s edition of Electrical Contractor magazine, Rick Laezman explains that despite all the current hype about alternative-energy practices gives the movement all the momentum it needs, there is still a long way to go. Rick points out that in reality, the movement is a long way from self-sufficiency, so government incentives, whether positive or negative, is still necessary. North Carolina electrical policy is a good...

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Growing Trend: Safety Lighting

An effective lighting system cannot only provide a feeling of safety; it can also deter possible wrongdoers from your residence or place of business. While any light is nice for security, it is important to have a well-planned, well-designed system of lights for the best possible result. However, there is a difference between lighting for safety and lighting for security. When lighting for safety, it is key to have enough lighting, to prevent visitors...

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Backup Power Needed for Safety in Mission-Critical Facilities

Emergency backup power is key for any facility in the Piedmont Triad to remain operational during a natural disaster. Keeping systems operational such as phone lines, fire sprinklers, air ventilation, and lighting are not only important for typical business operations, but for the health and safety of workers and customers. Usually when thinking of backup power, one thinks of larger facilities such as power plants, data centers, and hospitals....

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Ten Electrifying Facts About Electricity

Electricity is an incredible force we use everyday across the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina. It powers our lights, computers, phones, and even in some cases, cars. Even though we use electrical service in our daily lives, how much do you really know about it? Here are eight facts that may ‘shock’ you about electricity! 1. The Ben Franklin Myth – Contrary to popular belief, Benjamin Franklin did not discover electricity; however he did...

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10 Tips to Leave Your Home Safe this Memorial Day 2014

If you are like many of our neighbors in the Piedmont of North Carolina, Memorial Day 2014 means a long, well-deserved weekend in the cool mountains or on the sunny coast. As we leave our homes for an extended period, here are a few helpful tips to keep things safe while we are away. 1. Get a Friend to Help Out – For peace of mind while traveling, it’s nice to have a friend or neighbor to keep an eye on your house while you are away. If they do...

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10 Ways to Save Electricity this Summer

As they travel around the Piedmont of North Carolina performing electrical services, Beco electricians are often asked by customers “How can I save money on my electrical bill during the hot summer?” Turns out there are several things homeowners can do to shave dollars and cents off of their electric bill. Here are our top ten energy-saving suggestions for Triad homeowners: 1. Turn Up Your Thermostat – For every degree that you turn...

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How Do Solar Panels Work? An Electrician’s Simple Explanation

For the last several weeks, we’ve been talking about the advantages of renewable and clean solar power for both businesses and residences in the Piedmont of North Carolina, where BecoElectrical operates, and beyond. Many have asked “How exactly do solar systems convert the photons from sunlight into electricity to run appliances in our homes?” Solar energy has been used to power satellites and other space vehicles for decades,...

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Why Go Solar, Piedmont Triad?

We have written about how North Carolina is one the nations leaders (see previous post - North Carolina Ranks in Top Ten for Solar Power Generation) in solar power installation. While solar farms for technology companies such as Apple and Google are leading the way in making North Carolina’s energy portfolio more diverse, its not just businesses that are moving towards cleaner, more sustainable solar systems. Homeowners across the Piedmont...

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North Carolina Ranks in Top Ten for Solar Power Generation

Thanks to recent moves by both private industry and state government as well as the local power utility, North Carolina now ranks third nationally for installing the most solar electric capacity in 2013. The designation is no small feat, considering: More than 138 solar companies employing approximately 3100 people throughout the state installed 335 Megawatts of solar electric capacity in 2013 (SEIA). The State ranks 4th in the nation for installed...

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Bright Ideas Will Look Very Different Thanks to CFL and LED Bulbs

You may not even have noticed, but on January 1st, the United States no longer manufactures or imports incandescent light bulbs. You know the ones, the classic bulbs that appear above your head when you have a bright idea. You might still find them in stock at stores, but that will be the last of them. While this transition may seem “mandated” and unnecessary, the truth is that even with the electrical cost savings these energy-efficient alternatives...

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Recent North Carolina Weather Sheds Dim Light on the State of The US Power Grid

What was originally predicted to be two tenths of an inch of ice in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina on early Friday morning, turned out to be more like half an inch of ice, with 3 inches of snow and sleet. By the end of the day Friday, nearly 450,000 North Carolina residents found their homes without power. Even the friends and family of Beco Electrical Contractor who did not have a backup generator at their residence were affected....

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Smart Home Technology – One Electrician’s Point of View

Some readers may be a bit too young to remember HAL 9000 (Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer), the primary antagonist of Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey. As a sentient computer possessing artificial intelligence, HAL ran all of the systems of the spacecraft Discovery One. Learning that HALs astronaut associates are contemplating shutting it down due to an apparent error, HAL decides to kill them...

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As Electrical Outages Increase, How to Be Prepared

You may still see remnants of snow in the corners, shady areas, and parking lots of your neighborhood, as the effects of one of the biggest snowstorms in our states recent history lingers on. State emergency officials estimated that there were over 133,000 utility customers without power across North Carolina due to the storm. Whether or not you believe climate change is contributing to more extreme weather episodes, there is no doubt...

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Electricity, Technology, and Rethinking the American Dream

As a provider of electrical services in the Triad of North Carolina, Beco is continually coming across emerging technologies that are designed to make life simpler. If it generates, runs on, or saves electricity, Beco is interested in how it works, and how it can make the lives of our business or residential customers better. From the most basic tasks to the way we communicate, work, play and pretty much every other aspect of our lives...

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