Catalyst Electric

It can be easy to overlook common electrical hazards on a day-to-day basis when you don’t think about the potential consequences. Today’s blog is about staying safe with electricity at home. A lot of the tips we are sharing with you are common sense, that’s true. But we think it is always good to have a reminder of things to look out for and why it matters. When it comes to electricity, having a malfunction or issue can lead to fire, electrocution, or even death. As professional electricians at Lake of the Ozarks we have to be highly aware on a constant basis about the dangers we are working with. Every once in a while, we like to share some reminders with our readers to help keep them safe at home, as well. Just keep reading to learn some practical ways to keep your family and home safe with electricity. Plugs and Cords -Avoid placing extension cords where they will get stepped on regularly like under rugs or in doorways -Always use an extension cord rated for outdoor use when using ...

LED lighting has become much more of the standard these days. More and more of our clients are switching over to LED to enjoy the benefits that come with it. Sometimes, all you have to do is put in new bulbs, but if you have your light fixture on a dimmer switch, that dimmer switch may need to be switched out as well to be compatible with the bulbs you are installing. But either way, it’s not a difficult process, and people who make the switch to LED lighting are consistently happy they did it. If you’d like to know why, we share 3 reasons in this blog. Reason #1: LED Lighting is More Durable Compared to incandescent bulbs, LED bulbs are much more shock resistant and able to hold up in tougher conditions. That’s why they make the perfect choice for outdoor lighting where they will be exposed to harsh weather conditions. Reason #2: LED Lighting is More Efficient It’s crazy, but 90% of the energy that an incandescent bulb uses is actually in the form of heat. Only 10% goes towards produc...

As electricians at Lake of the Ozarks , we are extremely focused on safety. We worked with electricity every day, so we particularly aware of the hazards, but we also want our clients to be safe. That’s why we are always sharing helpful tips and information about electrical safety in our blogs. This week we want to focus on outlet safety. We have three tips for you to look for in your home to make sure your outlets are safe and up-to-date. Just keep reading to see what they are! 1) Non-Childproof Outlets As we all know, with little ones it can only take a fraction of a second for something to go wrong. We know they’re curious, and constantly exploring, and they depend on us to look out for them. Technology has improved when it comes to childproof outlets. You no longer have to rely on the little plastic covers that can be pulled out. Today, you can get outlets that have small doors behind the holes in the outlet to prevent little fingers from making contact with electricity. You can se...

With the moderate temperatures we’ve enjoyed so far this fall, most of us have appreciated some pretty low energy bills the last month or two. But as temperatures start to lower, we all start thinking about those winter energy costs. As your trusted electricians at Lake of the Ozarks , we have a few tips to share with you that can help you save energy and money this fall and winter when it comes to heating your home. If you are down for saving money, keep reading this blog to get the scoop. 1) Get in Sync with the Sun Now is the time you want to use the suns energy to work for you. Open your drapes during the day to let as much light and heat in as possible. Then before temperatures drop, close those curtains to hold in the heat. Make this a daily routine, and you’ll enjoy some great energy savings. 3) Lower the Thermostat In the same way that we raise the thermostat in the summer so the AC doesn’t work as hard, we can lower the thermostat in the winter and wear an extra layer of cloth...

When people are getting ready to sell their homes, it’s not uncommon for them to start making repairs. Sometimes they will start fixing things they never thought about fixing the whole time they lived there. Of course, you want to make your house attractive and presentable. But sometimes upgrades for style or aesthetics aren’t going to make a bigger difference in the sale of your home as necessary maintenance or upgrades for safety. There are some things that if left ignored, can cause a delay in your real estate closing. Some are required by lenders, and others may show up on your inspection report.  If you would like to learn some common upgrades and repairs that you should consider making before putting your home on the market, we have the details for you in today’s blog. 1) Upgrading Old Breaker Box Electrical needs have changed significantly in the past decade or two and older homes were not built to accommodate the amount of electricity we use today. It is essential for the s...

One thing that we’ve learned in business over the years is that people prefer to do business with people they like and trust. That is why we believe relationship is so important, and why we see each job not as a transaction but as an opportunity to build a relationship. In that sense, integrity pays the bills, and at Catalyst Electric , we take our job very seriously. We know that your safety and comfort depend on the services we provide and we work hard to be the best electrical contracting company at Lake of the Ozarks . We are really proud to be able to share with you just a few comments that clients have shared with us regarding their experience at Catalyst Electric. To get a feel for what it’s like to work with us, just keep reading. Mary L. They worked tirelessly on the requirements for installing a pool & hot tub. Appreciated their expertise & professionalism!  Lady A.  Matt showed up ahead of scheduled time and got right to work identifying the problem with my ...

Not everything in the life of an electrician at Lake of the Ozarks is glamorous. Some of our jobs you don’t even see, like rewiring a house. We know the significance of the safety improvements that come with that investment, but it’s not one that’s as visually gratifying. However, it’s very different with outdoor lighting! That’s something we can really get excited about when it comes to the immediate gratification and the impact on your day to day life or look and feel of your home. There are so many types of outdoor lighting with different effects and purposes. If you would enjoy taking your outdoor ambience to a whole new level at your home or business, we have some ideas for you and this week's blog. Spotlights, Floodlights, and Well Lights With this type of lighting, you can be very creative and tailor it entirely to your landscaping and architecture. We can place floodlights and spotlights anywhere we want - focusing on things like flowers and bushes and lighting up your fav...

A little common sense can go a long way when it comes to electricity. But some things are easy to overlook, and others are not as well known. So in today’s blog, we would like to talk to you about a few safety tips when it comes to electricity at your home. So keep reading to catch a few ideas to keep yourself and your family safe. Outlets One of the most important things to remember about outlets is to not overload them. If you use multiple splitters to be able to plug-in more things into the same outlet, that is a sign you need more outlets, not more splitters. If you are tripping breakers repeatedly, that can be an unsafe situation. Call a professional electrician at Lake of the Ozarks right away, and don’t forget to teach your family the same. Do you have outlets with only two holes in your home? It is not OK to remove the ground prong on the plug to fix the problem. Having only two holes means that your house is probably not wired with a ground wire, and that could be dangerous. ...

When it comes to home improvements, some upgrades are for aesthetics, and others are for safety. That is true when it comes to electrical upgrades as well. Some electrical updates you might not even notice or see, but they provide the proper level of safety that you need to keep you, your home and your family from risk of short or fire. At Catalyst Electric , we take care of electrical remodels and upgrades for residential and commercial clients every day. If you’re considering doing some home improvements, we have a few for you to consider to bring your home up-to-date and up to code. If you’d like to hear some updates you could do for both safety and style, just keep reading. 1) Light Fixtures Light fixtures are one of those instantly gratifying upgrades because you can see such a big and immediate impact. Your choice of light fixture can really set the tone for the style of your house. It can brighten it up immensely and make it feel bigger and more open. Plus, we can get light to e...

Have you made the switch to LED lighting yet? As electricians at Lake of the Ozarks , we know that lots of our customers have, and they are glad they did as they are reaping the benefits. Sometimes it is as easy as changing the bulbs, sometimes you may want to upgrade your light fixture to be compatible. But either way, we think you will enjoy the perks that come with switching to LED lighting at Lake of the Ozarks . So, in our blog today we will tell you about 4 great reasons that YOU may want to start using LED lighting in your home or business.  1) Efficiency Energy efficiency is a big reason why many people make the switch. You can potentially have 30%-70% better energy efficiency with LED bulbs compared to incandescent bulbs. The old-style bulbs use up about 90% of the energy they consume creating heat. Only about 10% goes towards producing light. That is a log of waste compared to LED bulbs which use the majority of their energy use for light and produce very little heat. 2) ...

As electricians at Lake of the Ozarks , we are always focused on electrical safety. We never want our clients to have an issue with fire, shorts, or shocks because of an unnoticed or unaddressed safety hazard. There are a few common safety hazards that we notice more often than others when we are in our clients’ homes. We care deeply about our clients safety, so, we wanted to share three common safety hazards related to the outlets in your home. If you notice any of these, you can contact Catalyst Electric to have them corrected. Just keep reading to find out what they are. 1) Ungrounded Outlets If you have any outlets in your home that only have two holes instead of three, that means they are not grounded. It may mean that your entire home has not been wired with a ground wire. Using an adapter is not the solution. In fact you can’t just change the outlet either. You have to add a ground wire which may involve rewiring the electrical panel to a three wire circuit. Only an experienced ...