Chapple Electric Blog


Not Your Granny's Smoke Detector

 
 

May 23, 2025

Round. UFO-like. Able to eat through a 9-volt battery in a single month. Annoyingly difficult to disengage when you burn the bacon. A smoke detector is still a smoke detector, right? Not so much. Smoke alarms have come a long way in recent years, so if you’re still using the same kind of smoke detector your Granny had in her house when you were growing up, you’re missing out on a lot - both in safety and technology. First of all, smoke detectors can expire Check for a date on the inside of the alarm, next to the battery, or stamped on the back. Expired smoke detectors a... Read more...

Summer Outdoor Electrical Safety

May 27, 2025

It’s important to remember while enjoying the summer weather, while outside or around the home, that there could be a variety of electrical hazards lingering. While not obvious at first, these issues could cause very serious (and potentially fatal) injury through electric shock. Our team at Chapple Electric has created a list of common outdoor and indoor hazards to be aware of. Summer Outdoor Electrical Safety Power Line Safety Stay away from power lines with your body, toys, sticks, or anything an electrical current could travel down. Power lines trans... Read more...

5 Things that Edison Taught Us

May 27, 2025

Inventor Thomas Edison is known not only for all of inventions which continue to significantly impact the modern world to this day, but also for the positive attitude and relentless approach he took to his endeavors. Amazing Contributions of Thomas Alva Edison: Incandescent Light Bulb “I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Though Edison did not invent the first light bulb, as most people believe, he did invent the first incandescent light bulb. Though prior bulbs burned out after only a few minutes, Edison’s incandescents were practi... Read more...

Power Strips vs Surge Protection

May 27, 2025

Think that power strip offers one-size-fits-all protection? Nope. Picking up the cheapest, 5-star-rated power strip from Amazon probably won't get the job done when it comes to surge protection. Each power strip style is intended for specific use. Power Strips vs Surge Protectors Many homeowners mistakenly assume any power strip they purchase will include surge protection. This is not always the case. A power strip is merely a block of electrical outlets used to distribute power to multiple devices, some offer surge protection, but many others, especially the inexpensive ones, do n... Read more...

Gift Ideas for Dad

May 27, 2025

If you are trying to find something special for Dad that isn’t socks or a tie, let us give you some out-of-the-box suggestions for gifts that Pop can really use.  Naturally, we have some lights in mind but there are several different gifts you can get for the father-figure in your life. Save Him Some Cash                                                What better way to say “Thanks, Dad” than to line his pockets with cash—indir... Read more...

Office Lighting and It's Effect on your Health


May 28, 2025

The quality and intensity of your office lighting can have a significant effect on your ability to focus, concentrate, and live a healthy life. That’s why it’s so important to work under the proper amount and intensity of lighting at all times. Here, we explore the various ways your office lighting is affecting your professional life and general wellbeing—and how to optimize your office lighting to improve your productivity and health. 1. Your Productivity Bright lighting significantly improves your ability to focus, concentrate, and stay alert. This explains wh... Read more...

Mother's Day Gift Ideas to Light Up Her Life

 

Apr 17, 2025

 There’s no better way to show her how much you care than creative home-lighting ideas this Mother’s Day. Here are some great creative lighting ideas you might not have thought of as gifts for mom. If your mom loves to read books, a wall light might be the perfect gift for her. Wall-mounted reading lights come in a large assortment of styles and varieties. From long stretch cords to swinging arms, reading lights can be wall mounted or even clip on to your bed post or head board.   A wall mounted reading lamp can be extremely attractive. A beautiful example ... Read more...

Parking Lot Lighting: What You Need to Know

 

Apr 16, 2025

Although a well-lit parking lot is essential for a good business, many companies neglect to think about their parking lot lighting. But just like a clean, organized interior, the exterior of your building reflects the company and its values. You want customers, employees, and associates to view your building as a warm, inviting place. When the parking lot is barely lit, it lowers the customers’ confidence in the business and lowers the number of customers visiting at night, which will impact your weekly sales. You also need to consider that just one incident of theft, harassment, o... Read more...

Generators...Do I Really Need One?

May 27, 2025

Unlike noisy and inconvenient portable generators that you have to lug out and set up in the event of an emergency or outage, standby generators offer convenient backup power that is always at-the-ready, and capable of kicking-in within seconds of power loss with little to no attention from you. What makes them so darn convenient? The setup. Standby generators, professionally installed with an automatic transfer switch, sense when power stops flowing to your home, transferring power to your standby system automatically to ensure minimal power interruption. When power from the electrical ... Read more...

Think Spring: Your Electrical Checklist

 

May 20, 2025

It’s time to start spring cleaning projects, and while there’s plenty to do, we suggest another area — your home electrical system. After all, when it comes to electricity, some simple preventative maintenance can save you from electrical shock and fire hazards. Here’s some ideas to help you keep your power system as spring fresh as the rest of your home. Kitchen Make sure all countertop appliances are plugged into a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet. If your home doesn’t have GFCI outlets installed near water sources—such as in the bathro... Read more...

How To Test A Smoke Detector

Mar 13, 2025

Installing a smoke detector is an inexpensive way to protect you and your loved ones from getting caught in a dangerous situation. It is important to remember, though, that smoke detectors can only help you if they are functioning properly. If not maintained properly, your smoke detector could fail you when you need it most.     Performing a Safety Test   Step 1 Warn family members. Unless you are trying to conduct a fire drill, you should let everyone in the home know that you will be testing the smoke detector so that they will not feel frightened when t... Read more...