Bill’s Ace Hardware lighting department can help with your next project.

Is your home feeling a little dim? Bill’s Ace Hardware has all of the electrical products you need. Light up your life! Read on for some of the great products we have stocked this season to power your next home lighting project.

Extension Cords – You can never have too many! Extension cords come in both indoor and outdoor varieties, so for your safety, make sure you select the right one for your needs. Once your cords start to fray or you see any sign of damage, be sure to pick up a replacement at Bill’s Ace Hardware to lessen your risk of electrical shock.

Most savvy DIY-ers keep a variety of different lengths of extension cords on hand for whatever project may come up. We carry cord lengths ranging from the 10-foot long Ace SJTW Outdoor Extension Cord to 100-foot Monster 10/3 SJTW Extension Cord.

Power Strips – Power strips are an important item, for both the safety and convenience of your family. Water and electricity shouldn’t mix, which is why one of our best-selling items is the Wet Circuits Wet Power Strip. This electrical product is water resistant and will minimize the flow of electricity when in contact with water.

Electrical boxes and electrical switches – Electrical boxes and accompanying switches come in a variety of different materials, so they’ll get the job done no matter what you need. If your project requires a basic steel box, try the Raco Rectangular Floor Box. Fiberglass boxes are typically less expensive, and include the popular Allied Round Old Work Outlet Box . Finally, if PVC is what you need, check out the Cantex Molded Junction Box.

Electrical tape – Electrical tape is a must for any lighting-related project. If you’ve had issues with your tape not sticking in the past, you may need a specialty tape like Scotch Cold Weather Electrical Tape. Our lighting department representatives at Bill’s Ace Hardware will be happy to help you pick out the perfect type.

Circuit breakers – A circuit breaker is designed to interrupt electrical flow in case of a short or an electrical overload. Typically, different types of breakers operate from different points in your home and can handle different amounts of current – so it’s important to do your research before purchasing a circuit breaker. Bill’s Ace Hardware carries breakers that can range from 50 to 200 amps or more.

Five Helpful Tips for your Next Lighting Project

1. If you find that you want more control over your lighting – from changing colors to controlling your lights remotely – you may want to look into the new trend of Smart Lighting. Smart Bulbs and smart systems for controlling them are now plentiful on the market. These systems allow you to turn your lights on and off via a WiFi network or a Bluetooth connection, and can be good tools for making your home safer and more energy-efficient.
2. Don’t forget about where the shadows in your home may fall. For example, if you’re installing lighting in a bathroom, be aware that overhead lighting may cast shadows on your face while you look in the mirror. Instead, try lighting that frames the mirror, or comes from the sides. It’s also important to pay attention to the lighting in any space where you may be working on a laptop. Test out lighting at different points in the day to make sure it doesn’t cast any problematic shadows or glares.
3. Picking the wrong size of overhead lighting is a common challenge many DIY-ers face. To avoid the problem of having a fixture that is too large or too small, use this helpful hint from Wayfair: take the sum of the rooms length and width to calculate how wide your chandelier should be. Also, keep in mind the size of a dining table – the overhead lighting should be two-thirds to three-fourths of the table width.
4. Remember that even though energy-efficient bulbs can cost more up front, the vast majority will save you money on electrical costs in the long run. A regular halogen incandescent bulb can run about $2 per bulb, and lasts 1 to 3 years – which is still about 3 times as long as a traditional incandescent. However, compare this to LED bulbs, and you quickly see how savings start to rack up. While an LED bulb can be about $29, it lasts 23 years or more according to Good Housekeeping. This adds up to savings of around $137, so they’re great for hard to reach lights or ones that stay on for long periods of time.
5. Educate yourself about the three “layers” of lighting in homes: ambient, task lighting, and accent lighting. Ambient lighting is typically overhead; task lighting supplies intense, direct light needed for tasks like applying makeup, cooking, and reading; and accent lighting spotlights specific areas in your home that you want to feature. While most people start with ambient lighting because every room will need this type of light, the majority of rooms will require at least one other type of lighting to be functional.

Come in today, and one of our helpful lighting department associates would be happy to assist you in picking out the necessary electrical products for your next home lighting project.