Reliable Remodeler Blog » Lighting

Daylight harvesting is coming to your town

woodrow — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:32:33 +0000

Daylight harvesting, once deployed only in large commercial and industrial settings, is getting lot of airtime with home builders and renovators. The process is just like it sounds: You install a combined window treatment and lighting system that coordinates the amount of heat and light that comes through your windows into living spaces. It’s not [...]

Daylight harvesting is coming to your town is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

How to choose the perfect light bulb

woodrow — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:22:21 +0000

Are all light bulb products interchangeable? Not so, according to Consumer Reports. The product evaluator and watchdog recommends that you match the replacement bulb to your lighting fixture. Even if you buy a bulb made for energy efficiency, using it in the wrong environment can shorten its life and negatively affect its performance. Selecting your bulb First, [...]

How to choose the perfect light bulb is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Holiday decorating that adds value all-year long

woodrow — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 01:22:12 +0000

With Christmas just around the corner, why not consider making home improvements that decorate for the holidays and last for the entire year? One of my favorite improvements is to add exterior lighting that you can deck with light strings, vines, wreaths or bows. But this year, put in doorway lamps, entry overhangs, walkway lighting, [...]

Holiday decorating that adds value all-year long is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

New Phillips LED bulb excels in energy efficiency

woodrow — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:51:10 +0000

Energy efficiency in household lighting continues to advance in the green commercial marketplace. Royal Philips Electronics has launched sales of the world’s first light-emitting diode (LED) product designed to replace the conventional 75-watt incandescent bulb. The manufacturer claims that, in using only 17 watts of electricity, the Philips AmbientLED 17 produces 1,100 lumens of light. The [...]

New Phillips LED bulb excels in energy efficiency is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Remodeling: Let there be light

woodrow — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:28:59 +0000

Another prudent remodeling project to consider these days when cash is tight is a plan to revamp your lighting. Kitchen lighting focuses on energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness today with new -generation light-emitting diode (LED) and compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. Add a strategic dimmer or two, a set of spot lighting fixtures and you’re on your [...]

Remodeling: Let there be light is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Fix That Buzzing Light Bulb or Dimmer Switch

woodrow — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:03:58 +0000

As much as we appreciate dimmer switches, they can make low-quality light bulbs flicker and buzz when you turn down the juice. Often the problem is with the bulb and you just need to swap it out for one with a heavier filament. I’d suggest switching to a newer, energy efficient compact fluorescent bulb. Or [...]

Fix That Buzzing Light Bulb or Dimmer Switch is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Expand Your Home without Using a Hammer

woodrow — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 22:45:39 +0000

If you’re feeling squeezed in your home or simply want to present a larger-looking house to would-be buyers, there are ways to maximize your square footage without knocking out a wall. Professionals who stage homes for sellers know that removing clutter can make rooms feel more spacious than the square footage might indicate. Now you [...]

Expand Your Home without Using a Hammer is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Lighting that Makes Your Patio Beautiful and Safe

woodrow — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:46:07 +0000

Here in the winter California rains and winds, it’s a challenge to walk safely across the patio at night at my friend’s house. There’s a series of overhead floods that splash light across the patio, and if you turn on the pool lights, chances are good you won’t take a tumble into the depths. But [...]

Lighting that Makes Your Patio Beautiful and Safe is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Undercabinet Lighting Roundup

woodrow — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:14:29 +0000

I’ve fallen in love with under-cabinet lighting. For one thing, it splashes ample light across your countertops and can be a dramatic mood setter. Newer models of slim, fluorescent lights are warmer than you’d expect. They can remove those gloomy shadows cast by your cabinets, too. They hide below sight, install in an hour or [...]

Undercabinet Lighting Roundup is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Dimmers for Home Lighting

woodrow — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:22:09 +0000

I used to question the efficacy of lighting dimmers in reducing energy costs. I knew, from my own experience, that keeping all your bulbs at full power can add to the air conditioning costs in your home. So I checked it out this week with Popular Mechanics and found that the semiconductors in dimmers keep [...]

Dimmers for Home Lighting is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Create a Sense of Spaciousness

woodrow — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:37:08 +0000

I’ve been in more than my share of Victorian homes out here in the West, and some of them are dark, dreary, and depressing. Ultimately, it may not come down to square footage to determine whether your home looks and feels spacious and inviting. If you’re looking at remodeling, consider small, affective options that can [...]

Create a Sense of Spaciousness is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Under-cabinet Lighting for Your Kitchen

woodrow — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:25:47 +0000

Late last year I wrote how kitchen work station lighting can add safety as well as convenience. Anywhere in your home where cabinets overhang counter-tops and sinks often means unwanted shadows. In the kitchen, if you’re simply storing appliances under the cabinets, the shadows may not prove an inconvenience. But if you’re preparing food—especially handling [...]

Under-cabinet Lighting for Your Kitchen is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Lighting Up Your Kitchen

woodrow — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:03:34 +0000

From energy-saving bulbs to recessed fixtures to pendants, there are nearly limitless solutions for putting light where you need it most in the kitchen. Lighting can be decorative, completing a theme or décor, or it can be functional, brightening up workstations and cook centers in your kitchen. There are even ways you can combine elegance, [...]

Lighting Up Your Kitchen is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Resolutions and Renovations

woodrow — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:08:50 +0000

You’ve put away the noise makers and silly hats and you’re ready for 2010. No doubt, you’ve made resolutions for getting exercise, cleaning up your diet, and spending more time with your loved ones. Home improvement buffs can also make New Year’s resolutions. Here are some good ones to consider: Change Your Lights According to the Environmental [...]

Resolutions and Renovations is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Quick, Snappy Makeovers for The New Year

woodrow — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:18:35 +0000

You taking a staycation over the holidays? Have time on your hands and a lonely toolbelt? Maybe all you need to get into action and work off all the cookies and fruitcake are a few ideas. To that end, why not consider a few quick makeovers or easy-to-handle projects to spiff up or add value [...]

Quick, Snappy Makeovers for The New Year is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.