When your electrical power goes out, you have two emergency power options: a portable generator or stationary generators. Most people we encounter originally tried using portable, gasoline powered generators.
They end up encountering a number of problems with these units. They can only power a portion of their home and a few key appliances, and operating the generator in the wrong place can prove extremely hazardous to human health because of carbon monoxide poising. Natural gas home generators have proven to be much more effective than gasoline powered equivalents, and far more practical for home use than the diesel generators used in commercial arenas.
When clients ask us about upgrading to diesel, we try to steer than back to natural gas emergency power generators for a number of reasons. The biggest of these is that few homes have the necessary room to operate such a piece of equipment. Diesel has a very long shelf life due to the additives that are in it, so it makes sense to store it in a warehouse environment. A warehouse has plenty of storage room for fuel and for the large fuel tank. Natural gas home generators are much more practical for the smaller spaces located behind garages or in mechanical areas. Gas is clean burning and is a stable source of energy. It is not subject to the same outages that afflict electrical service when trees fall or lightning strikes.
ILD residential electrical contractors provide both the natural gas generator itself and coordinate the turnkey installation of the unit. It is much better to let professionals choose the unit and to coordinate the various parties that will be involve in hooking it up. Determining the size of the unit is the most critical factor in providing safe, whole house power backup. Knowledge of the home service panel and wiring systems will be required to make an accurate assessment of the power needs of the entire house.
It is also necessary to have a conversation with the light company at this point about home power usage. The electric company has detailed records on every home and what its power usage curve is during normal times and at times of emergency. By combining this data from the survey of home demand and electrical subsystems, ILD residential electrical remodeling specialists can then determine exactly how much electricity or maximum amperage will be necessary to power the entire house in a worse-case scenario power outage.
Once this determination is made, ILD orders the appropriately sized unit and obtains from the manufacture information on how much natural gas the home electrical generator consumes per minute. We subcontract a licensed plumber to physically connect the unit to the gas line. The plumber will first check the pressure regulator and pipe work to ensure that the flow of gas meets the requirements of the generator plus those of the rest of the home. Any necessary adjustments will be made at this time.
Once everything is set, the unit is mounted in either a mechanical room or behind the garage and connected to the gas line. In the event that there is no practical or safe place to mount the natural gas home generator, we will hire a concrete company to pour a slab upon which we can install the unit.
If you are interesting in a "Turn Key" emergency standby power generator solution for your home, please call the residential electrical services specialists at Illuminations Lighting Design.
Contact our Master Electrician at Illuminations Lighting Design at 713-863-1133 to learn more about houston home construction, home lighting controls, surge protection, electrical panel upgrades or to schedule a complimentary in home consultation. Labels: Emergency Power Generator Installation, Home Standby Generator Installation, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor, Natural Gas Generators Houston, Residential Backup Generator
A typical Illuminations lighting design is one where every painting, armoire, wall sconce, chandelier, recessed light and landscape light works in harmony to create a pleasant, functional and stimulating environment. Flexible enough to adapt to your daily needs, yet sensitive enough to set the most delicate mood.
The passion for perfection has become a mainstay of the Illuminations name. Light by light, wire by wire, houses throughout the country are being hand-fitted with quality lighting fixtures, lighting control systems, home automation systems and landscape lighting equipment by skilled craftsmen from Illuminations Lighting Design. Just as the dimmer switch taught us that there is more to light than simply ON or OFF, Illuminations has shown the world the endless variation, the enchanting spectrums, the infinite gradations of light that can be painted across the wide canvas that stretches between night and day.
Read what satisfied customers of Illuminations Lighting Design are saying:
I just wanted to thank you for helping us with our Vantage lighting control system that was damaged during a lightning storm. We had no power, no lighting and extensive damage as a result of the hit. Your AV technician was very helpful, and solved the problem lighting by installing and programming a new Vantage processor. The outdoor lighting crew was equally as responsive in repairing the landscape lighting system! Neal Meyers
Just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your help on our outdoor garden lighting at our home. We just had a party last weekend and folks were going on and on about the landscape lighting - You guys do a great job!
Christopher Sims
I wanted to take a moment to thank your staff for the hard work and extra effort repairing our home electrical generator during our lengthy power outage caused by Hurricane Ike. The commitment and diligence of Rick Luberger is exceptional and the support which we received from your lead electricians Cesar and Gonzalo were extraordinary. You have truly put a great team together at Illuminations Lighting.
Marvin Perez
Your lighting team came by this morning and fixed the outdoor tree light in the Pecan that went out last week. Thanks for the fast remedy and for honoring the warranty period. They were professional and courteous. I will continue to recommend your company for landscape lighting as well as interior lighting.
Robert O'Neal
Illuminations Lighting Design is a full service design build firm specializing in residential and commercial indoor lighting and outdoor lighting, electrical service and maintenance as well as home automation, home theaters, emergency generators, surge protection systems, phone systems and lighting control systems.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and house lighting plans in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond. Our toll free number is 800-863-1184 and our local number is 713-863-1133 to request a consultation or service.
Not really ready to schedule the work yet? Would you like to first have someone come out and meet with you to discuss your project? No problem, try using our online CONTACT US FORM or REQUEST ASSISTANCE DIRECTORY. These handy online tools allow you to tell us more about your project, attach files or identify an individual responsible for processing your specific request! Labels: Electrical Lighting Work, House Lighting Plans, Houston Electrical Contractor, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor, Planning Landscape Lighting
Illuminations Lighting and Design offers the Houston Home Construction company a subcontract resource in home wiring, home controls, and home lighting that is multi-dimensional and multi-specialized across the board. Working with ILD can make both the architect’s and the general contractor’s job much easier, because there are several things we can do under their invoice that can fulfill the most robust demands of the particular and eclectic Houston homeowner.
Houston Home Construction Companies can subcontract ILD for advanced electrical wiring services.
Custom homes normally feature very spacious floor plans and ornate interior lighting designs. They also tend to house very expensive audio-visual equipment and top-of-the-line appliances. This equipment requires dedicated circuits be installed in order to power and protect it from power fluctuations and surges. Home theater and whole house audio, for example, are rising in popularity and require both dedicated circuits and sophisticated controls to operate. The best time to install these systems and control is when the new home is built. Many residents also want to have Lutron lighting controls and home automation networks installed in their new home when it is built. Houston construction companies can bring in our new home wiring and home automation team for any and all of these projects.
Houston Home Construction Companies can contact ILD to install sophisticated power protection and backup systems.
Houston home construction companies must safeguard electrical components and lighting equipment with backup power systems that will not only protect home equipment in the event of a power failure, but also maintain basic home functionality in the time of a crisis. Whole house surge suppression is the homeowner’s best line of defense against power surges. It will protect the circuit panel and the interior wiring from overload in the event of a power surge. If the entire neighborhood suffers from a blackout, the home needs a second line of defense—the electrical generator. We install any number of electrical generator types and sizes in new homes that will power a portion of the home or even the entire home itself for a reasonable period of time until inclement weather passes or the municipal power grid is restored.
ILD partners with Houston Home construction companies to give the builder’s clientele the very best interior lighting systems possible.
Custom home owners choose the very best floor plans in order to live the most eclectic and personalized lifestyles possible. The home is a sacred retreat from the traffic jams and busy pace of Houston office life and therefore very much a personal, private space. Home construction companies may contract ILD to design and install house lighting systems that make both the exterior of the house and the interior of the living space shine with a light that is special and unique to the lifestyle of the homeowner. Our access to all types of specification grade fixtures, along with proprietary art lighting and display lighting fixtures, makes us a one-stop resource for any Houston home construction company or interior design firm that is called upon to develop a new living experience with light.
ILD will integrate and/or automate home systems at the request of the construction company.
As the complexity of new home architecture increase, the many subsystems that make a house into a home require both more advanced controls and more integrated functionality. For example, a whole house audio system needs to be connected to a network that will not only control the choice, distribution, and volume for the music, but will also create complimentary lighting that compliments the mood and tempo of the selection. This is tantamount to a technological integration of sensory experience that requires sophisticated lighting and home theater control systems to be installed and wired properly. Many homeowners would rather minimum of automation for these controls, choosing to rely upon manual controls to choose their own system settings. Still others prefer that their home construction company build their residence with as much automation as possible. In either case, ILD home system integration experts can fulfill these requirements under the umbrella of the general contractor.
Houston landscapers and construction companies can come to ILD for advanced and cost effective Landscape Lighting Design.
The architecture of most custom homes is very ornate and often reminiscent of earlier historical periods and/or classic motifs. Ideally, the surrounding property this architectural uniqueness as much as possible, and it should strive to unify the presentation of the dwelling with the geometry, balance, and aesthetics of Nature itself. Lighting is essential to creating this unity, as house lights and landscape lights can be balanced and timed in such a way as to create an outdoor living experience equivalent to that within the home. Houston home construction companies who are building new houses on large lots are encouraged to consider our landscape lighting services as a finishing touch to architecture, wiring, and home lighting customization.
Proven Success
For 27 years now, ILD has worked with Houston home construction companies and home remodeling firms to help the custom homeowner enjoy the most technologically sound and aesthetically pleasing home lighting and control systems possible. Our staff has been cross trained in landscaping, art theory, interior design, and basic principles of architecture and is intended to function hand in glove with the general contract invoice any Houston home construction firm. Call us at 800-863-1184 today to talk about your next project.
Illuminations Lighting Design is a full service design build firm specializing in residential and commercial indoor lighting and outdoor lighting, electrical service and maintenance as well as home automation, home theaters, emergency generators, surge protection systems, phone systems and lighting control systems.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and design services in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond.Labels: Electrician Jobs Houston Texas, Home and Garden Landscape Lighting, Home System Integration, Houston Electrical Contractors, Houston Home Construction, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor
Does ILD offer a free photometric analysis to every caller?
We offer photometric analysis for a marginal fee to clientele seeking just a report, and complimentary analysis to clients who hire us for lighting design. Lighting is an art form that requires careful consideration from a seasoned lighting professional.
What software do you use to generate photometric reports?
We use AGI32, a lighting design, a 3-D modeling suite that calculates light levels and renders electrical lighting systems. The capabilities of this photometric analysis software are amazing. By generating 3-D model of the room, home, or building, the software allows us to input hypothetical figures to determine where best to install recessed lighting fixtures and what angles of lighting incidence to incorporate in the overall design of the system. It can be used to determine the best possible lighting levels for any residential or commercial lighting environment.
Why should I have a photometric analysis done rather than just hiring a freelance contractor to install lighting fixtures I buy myself?
The human eye cannot always see every potential problem area of darkness and shadow. Every outdoor or indoor environment contains physical objects that will cast shadows when light strikes them from certain angles. Shadows are cast not so much by inadequate amounts of light, but rather by inaccurately calculated angles of incidence that send a beam of light straight toward a solid object which blocks luminance completely on the other side. Many times, these areas are very hard to find from an eye-level perspective, but later become all too evident once low voltage recessed lighting fixtures have been installed and shadows suddenly spring from out of nowhere.
The 3-D modeling aspect of our photometric analysis software allows us to literally move around these objects from any angle, height, or perspective to see where best to locate a ceiling light, lamp, recessed fixture, recessed art lighting, pendant, or chandelier. We can also try different wattage and bulb hypotheticals to determine the most efficient lumens per watt ratio once the optimal angles have been located. In commercial environments, this goes a long way toward saving businesses a great deal of money.
What aesthetic benefits does a photometric analysis offer my company?
We can conduct a room by room photometric analysis of floor space and vertical cube space to determine precisely where to install lighting equipment and exactly how much power each light will need to do its job. This is very similar to the way interior design partners and space planners work—creating individual sub designs within the overall design of the facility. This enables our team to develop a much more energy efficient, Spartan system that relies much more on design, light distribution, and precise lighting angles than it does on excessive numbers of fixtures using more power than necessary. Another benefit you gain from a photometric analysis offers is better fixture concealment. Because the report tells us exactly how many watts and lumens we need for each fixture, it is often possible to use smaller, more concealable lights for a more aesthetic compliment to the overall environment.
What lighting manufacturers do you represent?
Essentially, we act as a design build contractor for all of the major manufacturers headquartered and operating here in the United States such as Lutron Radio Ra dimmer controls. Choosing the right manufacturer for your needs is again accomplished in part through tools available in AGI32’s photometric analysis software. AGI32 actually contains manufacturer’s spec sheets and engineering documents on specific fixtures in different categories. We can use this database to generate a luminaire comparison report instantly that details optics, lumens per watt efficiency, and expected lamp life. By comparing and contrasting necessary and fixture placement recommendations with specific data on each luminaire, we can pinpoint the best possible quality and energy efficient luminaires to use in commercial, residential, and high-end lighting design.
Illuminations Lighting Design is a full service design build firm specializing in residential and commercial indoor lighting and outdoor lighting, electrical service and maintenance as well as home automation, home theaters, emergency generators, surge protection systems, phone systems and lighting control systems.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and design services in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond.Labels: Architectural Lighting Houston Texas, Commercial Lighting Designers, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor, Lighting Consultants Texas, Lighting Design Services Houston, Photometric Analysis
Outdoor lights create a unifying aesthetic between the natural and the man made. Houses, yards, landscape features, trees, indigenous vegetation, patios, gazebos, and gardens can all be made to look like they not only fit together, but belong together. There is a vast multitude of fixture types and lamping options to consider when planning an outdoor garden lighting system, and there is a great deal of design than goes along with the selection of technology in order for the equipment to produce truly impressive results. Understanding a few key elements of design will help you conceptualize the basic steps toward the outcome more easily. It will also help you find the right professional sources for outdoor lights and design services and save you a great deal of time and money in the long run.
Take a less is more approach.
One thing to remember when choosing contemporary outdoor lights is that the lights themselves are not the most important element to the design. While this may sound odd, it really makes a great deal of sense when we consider the simple scientific fact that none of us actually see light itself—we see color. Your outdoor lighting system is intended to showcase the richness of color and form surrounding your home, not showcase itself. A large number of visible fixtures tends to overwhelm the property with obtrusive equipment and could result in complaints from your neighbors if the combined light output is too intense. You will also pay dearly for the overkill when the electric bill comes due.
On the other hand, a professional photometric analysis can show you exactly how much light you need and where. This will tell you in turn what outdoor light fixtures to actually purchase, and give you a general idea of where you should have them installed.
Conceal the fixtures.
In most cases it is not possible to literally conceal a light fixture completely. This is not necessary, anyway. All that is necessary is to conceal the fixtures enough from the viewer’s conscious awareness in order to point their attention to the object(s) being illuminated. This is something of a trick of the eye, as some would say, and often requires a professional consulting firm to help you achieve. Professional landscape lighting firms like Illuminations Lighting and Design have special training in fixture concealment, and they have access to commercial grade fixtures that are often smaller and more efficient than retail grade equipment.
It is fair to say, then, that whereas the actual number of fixtures is not the most important part of outdoor light design, the concealment and proper angle of fixtures certainly is.
Use energy efficient fixtures.
Almost every outdoor lighting concept you can imagine can be created using energy efficient fixtures. Both commercial outdoor lighting and outdoor home architectural lighting often rely heavily upon low voltage accent lights. These lights tend to be very safe to have in the yard around children and pets, and they of course consume far less electricity than line voltage fixtures. LED outdoor lights are also making an explosion in the marketplace, making it possible to decorate with everything from special effects and subtle shades of mood-altering color to bright floodlights for home security, outdoor path lighting or commercial property lighting.
Determine mount by subject illuminated and angle of incident.
Different outdoor lights feature different types of mounts. Some attach to the ground and shine up lighting onto trees, walls, and statuary. Others install in the trees themselves and create something akin to artificial moon light. Still others attach to the roofs of homes and office buildings and keynote important features that make the structure unique and aesthetically appealing.
Get a professional firm to help you.
These basic considerations point to a very important, ultimate consideration, that every homeowner has to make when investing in residential landscape lights. While lighting singular elements of a house, yard, patio, garden, or flower bed may be easy to do using retail grade fixtures and lamps, developing a continuity of themes between the various elements of a landscape and a house, along with saving energy and using fixtures that are built to last for a good number of years, takes a great deal of time and sometimes very sophisticated calculations.
It is also important that you realize that your community probably has, or will have very soon; dark sky laws that strictly regulate the type and level of lighting you can have around your home. Light pollution can be both a nuisance to neighbors and a safety hazard to motorists driving by. Working with a firm like ILD ensures that your equipment meets all energy and dark sky regulatory codes and that it is installed at the ideal angles of incidence to light your home and landscape as intended without violating legal restrictions on the equipment or its use.
Get a free consultation before you make any decisions.
If you live anywhere in Texas and need lighting in Houston, Beaumont, Austin, TX, or San Antonio areas, call Illuminations Lighting and Design before buying anything. We will provide you with a free consultation and a list of recommended outdoor light fixture and lamp types to best showcase the beauty and uniqueness of your property. If you move forward into a business relationship with us, understand that you are working with one of the most respected lighting design services company in the United States with 27 years of experience and expertise in five major service disciplines related to lighting, electrical services, and home automation.
Call us now at 1-800-963-1184 to get started. We are located in Houston but provide lighting and design services in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond. Visit our lighting blog or request a consultation online using our contact us form.Labels: Independant Residential Electrical Contractor, Landscape Lighting Professional, Landscape Outdoor Lighting, Outdoor Lights
Illuminations Lighting Design is proud to be a member in good standing with ASID’s Industry Partner program. As a reputable, professional vendor, we shine brightly as one of Houston’s top lighting design consulting firms. ILD systems are built with the very best commercial grade equipment that blends practical functionality and decorative appeal engineered into every lighting design. Our lighting arrays not only look better, but also work better than competing, cheaper equivalents.
ILD specializes in five major lighting design services. More information on each of these services can be found at Illuminations Lighting Design.
Landscape Lighting Design Services
ILD is the only design firm in Houston to use four layers of light and completely “green” technology that ensures the future life and growth of trees and indigenous vegetation.
Lighting Design and Consultation Services
Home and architectural lighting systems by Illuminations Lighting and Design are intended to create a whole house lighting experience both within and around the structure.
Fine Art and Display Lighting Services
From private collections to museums and galleries, ILD’s fine art and display lighting features proprietary technology and superb levels of glare free, magical lighting effects.
Lighting Controls & Home Automation Services
Automation and on- touch control give the home user total command of his indoor and outdoor lighting. We operate as an installation vendor for every major lighting control manufacturer, including Vantage, Lutron, and AMX.
Electrical Contracting Services
Much of the equipment we install requires an electrical license to install. Our clients benefit from the one-shop convenience of a firm that can design the most sophisticated of systems and install all the necessary components.
Each area of service is staffed with outstanding experts that understand the impact their efforts have on your home. No other lighting firm is able to provide such a well-rounded service line. But do not just take our word for it. Just ask Lance Armstrong, George W. Bush, or dozens of other commercial establishments or residences, large and small, across the State of Texas who have enjoyed our services and provided lighting testimonials.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide hospitality lighting design services and outdoor landscape lighting maintenance in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond.
In Texas, there is only one name for professional, functional and artistic lighting: Illuminations Lighting Design.
Contact us today at 1-800-863-1184 to schedule a consultation.
Labels: Architectural Lighting Houston Texas, ASID Industry Partner Houston, Austin Texas Lighting, Houston Lighting Design Company, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor, Texas ASID Industry Partner
Outdoor deck lighting transforms even the most simple decks and smallest gazebos into worlds of nightlife and surreal light. Home entertainment during Spring and Summer often sees a great deal of traffic in and around the garden, the pool, and on the deck. Outdoor lights in these areas help create safe areas for people to move about freely, and they add a special ambiance to home entertainment that lifts it above the bourgeois sensory pursuits of faux bovine popular culture.
Basic outdoor deck lights can be obtained at almost any hardware store and installed by the homeowner. More sophisticated, commercial grade lights and complex lighting arrays require the expertise and license of a professional commercial grade vendor and electrical contractor to become available to the individual homeowner.
Working with a professional electrical contracting and lighting design firm like Illuminations Lighting never limits the personal expression of the client. ILD specialists always listen very closely to the expectations and wishes of the client, then carefully study the architecture of the deck and the layout of the home’s exterior landscaping. With this information, they choose from outdoor deck lighting fixtures that provide optimal safety and optimal aesthetic compliment to the surrounding natural environment.
Outdoor deck lighting systems by ILD feature a unique combination of deck lighting design elements that collectively showcase the architecture, size, and activities of the deck as a prominent outdoor structure. Working from the outside into the interior of each structure, lighting specialists establish boundaries, model form, and finally add function and comfort to the system.
Setting Boundaries and Claiming Space
When people think of decks, they think of more than the wooden platforms. They think of the walkway leading to and from the deck, and of the areas just outside the rails and posts where they can mill around in conversation and revelry.
Professional outdoor lighting contractors pay attention to this often unnoticed, albeit very vital space by claiming it as an illuminated, virtual extension of the structure. A very simple, but nevertheless extremely effective way to do this is to attach post lighting fixtures to rails and columns. These outdoor deck lights shine light at a full 360-degree angle, casting a circle of light around the structure and creating a sense of elevated separation from the surrounding landscape.
Elevating Form to Festivity Space
Next, ILD professionals ensure that access points are safe and designate the surface of the deck as special space by installing step and in-deck recessed outdoor deck and path lighting fixtures. These flush-mounted, highly-impact resistant lights are made to be walked on and are ideal for decorating stairs, floors, and lower walls of the deck.
A common mistake that do-it-yourselfers often make is to install too many step and in-deck recessed lighting fixtures all over the place. This tends to backfire from a design perspective, making one’s outdoor deck lighting look like the inverted ceiling of an old 70’s disco and ruining the selective, ambient effect these lights are meant to achieve.
Lighting Design Professionals know how to avoid this mistake by calculating distance and angle in such as way as to strategically placing fixtures at key points on stairs, along walls, and in turns or elevation changes in the floor. This has the effect of creating corresponding and parallel fields of light that touch in places, overlap in others.
Illuminating the Festivities Within
Activity requires task light, which most often comes in the form of some sort of down lighting. Many outdoor deck lights look like indoor wall sconces and attach to posts, rails, columns, and interior walls.
ILD has a wide range of classic, modern, traditional, and contemporary outdoor deck lighting fixture designs that can be installed to reflect both the structure itself and the many personal elements of your lifestyle.
Serving All of the Houston Area
As spring becomes consistently warm again and summer looms just over the horizon, we see outdoor deck lighting increasing in popularity all over the Houston area. Clientele from Houston’s premier neighborhoods like Rice Village, Bellaire, West University, Memorial Villages, Royal Oaks, River Oaks, and suburbs such as Sugar Land, Spring, Cypress, are staying home more and entertaining more in the comfort and private sophistication of home entertainment and home lighting systems by Illuminations Lighting and Design.
Call 1-800-863-1184 now to schedule a free consultation. You'll be glad you did!
Labels: Deck Lighting, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor, Outdoor Patio Lighting Systems, Professional Landscape Lighting
Illuminations Lighting Design is proud to announce its membership with the National Association of Women in Construction or NAWIC.
The National Association of Women in Construction or NAWIC originally began as Women in Construction of Fort Worth, Texas. It was founded in 1953 by 16 women working in the construction industry. Knowing that women represented only a small fraction of the construction industry, the founders organized NAWIC to create a support network. Women in Construction of Fort Worth was so successful that it gained its national charter in 1955 and became the National Association of Women in Construction. NAWIC's core purpose is to enhance the success of women in the construction industry.
NAWIC’s objectives are: website or contact Illuminations Lighting Design at 713.863.1133.
- To unite for the mutual benefit of the women who are actively engaged in the various phases of the construction industry.
- To promote cooperation, fellowship and a better understanding among members of the Association.
- To promote education and contribute to the betterment of the construction industry.
- To encourage women to pursue and establish careers in the construction industry.
- To provide members an awareness of the legislative process and legislation as it relates to the construction industry.
In its
51 years history of service to its membership, NAWIC has advanced the causes of all women in construction, from trades women to business owners. NAWIC has a membership of more than 5,500 with 179 chapters in almost every U.S. state. Since 1996, NAWIC has seen its core purpose grow internationally, with the signing of International Affiliation Agreements with NAWIC-Australia, NAWIC-New Zealand, South African Women in Construction, NAWIC-United Kingdom and in 2006, with the Canadian Women in Construction (CAWIC).
For more information about National Association of Women in Construction and its benefits, please visit the
NAWIC
Labels: Houston Texas Contractors, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor, National Association of Women in Construction
Generators of all types use the same basic technology to generate electricity. A turbine turns within a magnetic field; displacing electrons in conductive material that create the flow of energy we call "electricity." While the huge generators that power the public power grid may seem a far cry from home electrical generators in both output capacity and engineering design, always remember that the basic technological principles remain the same for both. It is important to keep this in mind when purchasing a home electrical generator because its purpose is to safely and reliably replace the public power grid during an electrical outage. Illuminations Lighting and Design operates as an authorized dealer of home electrical generators and a source of information on choosing the right electrical generator for your home.
Generally speaking, home electrical generators fall into two categories: stationary, (or standby) and portable. To determine which best suits your needs; it is critical that you first determine if you require electricity for the entire home or for only essential appliances and communications equipment. If you live in an area that is prone to natural disasters, then err on the side of overestimating the time you will be without power. Hurricanes on the Gulf Coast and tornado's in Central Texas and The High Plains have destroyed power grids in the past, leaving entire urban areas blacked out for days. If you think you might face such a situation in the future, we recommend that you invest in a standby home electrical generator that requires minimal refueling and will supply power to the entire home. This assumes, of course, you are far enough from the immediate disaster area that you can safely remain at home without evacuating. Illuminations Lighting and Design will help you select between fuel options ranging from natural gas, propane, or diesel fuel (which burns much longer than gasoline), and we will help you install your home's new electrical generator in a safe, well-ventilated, secure location.
If you live in a part of Texas less prone to natural disasters than to occasional intermittent or rolling blackouts, then you can cost-effectively invest in a portable generator. While most portable home electrical generators will supply electricity to only the essential appliances and perhaps one or two rooms, this usually meets the immediate power needs of most temporary outages that pose no threat to life. However, please keep in mind the importance of safe usage if you choose to use a portable electrical generator fueled by gasoline. Pure carbon monoxide gives off no odor, and it can kill before it becomes evident. Call Illuminations Lighting and Design for expert advice on how to select and operate a gasoline-powered home electrical generator, and always err on the side of caution when using highly flammable fuels and toxic exhausts.
If you are planning to invest in a portable electrical generator for evacuation purposes, consult with one of our specialists first to make certain that the device you have in mind can meet your needs during travel, or in any emergency facilities to which you may relocate.
In any event, it always proves wise to consult with an expert first to ensure you have sufficiently considered all the factors required to safely generate home electrical power. The team at Illuminations Lighting and Design consists of a highly trained, professional, and customer-friendly staff that stands ready to help you make these decisions and ensure maximum protection and quality of life.
Contact us at 713-863-1133 and let us install a home emergency generator system designed specifically for you home.
Labels: Beaumont Texas Emergency Generators, Electrical home back up generators, Emergency Power Generator Installation, Houston Emergency Backup Generators, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor
It can be difficult in today's construction environment to find a qualified electrician who specializes in high end residential homes. That's because most electricians jump between companies and never really find a home or build a loyal following of clients that they serve. At Illuminations Lighting Design we consider our electrical staff to be like family and work with them to develop long term careers here at Illuminations. We have electricians you can depend on, not only for their expertise, but also for their utmost professionalism and respect for your home. We welcome the opportunity to serve you.
Today's custom homes can take many, many months, often even years, to complete construction. When you've invested that much time, effort, and money in your home, you need to be assured that your construction team is there for the duration. The last thing you want to be worrying about is finding a replacement electrician because the other guy didn't show up, went out of business - you name it! After all, this guy knows where the wires are run, how to get from point A to point B and how to quickly fix a problem when it occurs.
Having been in business for over 25 years, one of the hallmarks of Illuminations Lighting Design is the ability to find and keep quality residential electricians who are familiar with the latest equipment, light fixtures, building techniques and electrical codes. Our electricians will be there to serve you from day one through the life of your home. Our workers are polite, courteous and will respect your privacy and belongings. They are even available for special events such as parties, where it would be a disaster if something went wrong, or the power went out. What's a party without the Margarita machine!
Our electricians are trained to work on any project from a simple faulty switch to the city's most high-end lighting, control systems and electrical systems. And the job need not be new construction, or whole house. Much of our work involves enhancing existing homes. They are skilled at adding lighting fixtures in finished rooms, often without having to cut the ceiling. Read what people have to say about us!
Sometimes you may not even be having an electrical issue - often a fine tuning of your existing lighting can bring your space to life in a way you'd never imagined. Our service teams are available to aim adjustable accent lights, accounting for beam spread, lensing, and aiming angle so that your home, artwork, and furnishings are perfectly illuminated.
All our electricians are licensed in the State of Texas, Houston, surrounding communities and the villages around the city of Houston, under the supervision of Louis Torregrossa, Master Electrician. Our crews, consisting of a Journeyman and helper, have the support and depth to handle just about any situation or electrical emergency that you might have.
Illuminations Lighting Design is a full service design build firm specializing in residential and commercial indoor lighting and outdoor lighting installation, service and maintenance as well as home automation, home theaters and lighting control systems. For more information we can be reached locally at 713-863-1133 or toll free at 800-863-1184.
Labels: Architectural Lighting Houston Texas, Electrical contractor Houston Texas, Home and Garden Landscape Lighting, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor, Independant Residential Electrical Work
Unfortunately there are just too many factors that affect the number of lights needed to give a straight answer to this question. Factors include: the interior finishes of the room (Dark woods? Light colored walls? Large mirrors?), the type and size of recessed fixture used (4" aperture, 6" aperture, 2" pinhole aperture, black baffle or diffuse reflector?), the type and wattage of light bulb used (Reflector lamp? Diffuse A-Lamp?), and the intended function of the room (Is it a busy kitchen? An office? A circulation space? A bedroom that needs soft reading light?)
As lighting designers, when we look at a room, it is rare that we are looking at it to figure out simply "how many fixtures" it will need to give it a blanket of light. Instead we are considering all of the above questions as well as "Where can we add accent lights? Would the architecture benefit from an indirect cove or up lights? Would decorative sconces or a pendant enhance the interior design? Will specific task lighting aid in the function of the room?" More often than not we draw from several of these areas when compiling a lighting design - combining light types, intensities, and functions simply makes for the best design both aesthetically and functionally.
For lighting design assistance for your home or office contact Tom Kretzschmar at
Illuminations Lighting Design toll free at
800-863-1184 or locally at
713-863-1133.
Labels: Architectural Lighting Houston Texas, Commercial Lighting Designers, Custom Home Lighting Designs, Designing Lighting Plans, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor, Lighting Consultants Texas
We have a Landscape Client Gallery on our web site that contains many digital images of our Landscape Lighting work.
Our staff of Landscape Lighting designers and licensed installers are both uniquely qualified in all forms of landscape lighting techniques. Whether you are looking for a simple low voltage lighting system, or a more comprehensive moonlighting installation, the professionals at Illuminations Lighting Design can turn your home and landscaping into a nighttime masterpiece.
For more information regarding a landscape lighting design services, repairs or installation please contact Rick Luberger by email or by phone at 832-607-5200.
Labels: Commercial Landscape Lighting, High-End Lighting, Independant Residential Electrical Contractor, low voltage lighting systems, Outdoor Architectural Lighting
