Exterior Decor for Autumn

September 23rd, 2016 | Comments (0)

Fall is finally here and that means it’s time to re-decorate! You’ve probably taken out all of your fall decor from storage and dressed up the interior of your home, but what about the exterior? The outside of your house is the first thing visitors and passerby notice. Make sure your home stands out this season with these fun and festive outdoor decorating ideas!

Get inspired by nature. Pull from the bright, changing colors of the leaves or the cool colors of the night sky and use those as inspiration for your exterior decor. The color experts at Chesapeake house painters recommend using sophisticated shades of brown, orange, yellow in accessories like wreaths and floral arrangements. In the backyard, use these hues in your outdoor rugs, door mats, cushions, and tableware.

Hang a wreath on your front door. There’s nothing more welcoming in an entryway than festive decor. Make your front door pop with a vibrant wreath. You can purchase one at any local craft store or create your own! Use faux sunflowers, pumpkins, leaves, and other foliage and affix them to a foam wreath. Use burlap to create a tie and hang it on your front door as a fun, seasonal accessory.

Curate your yard. Carefully placed yard decor can add a tasteful touch of elegance to your property. Dress up your garden with a few festive accessories. Dot your yard with daring scarecrows, vibrant pumpkins, and ornamental leaves to really welcome the fall season. When Halloween rolls around, you can work in additional decor, whether it’s a friendly ghost or two or a scary horde of monsters. Remove those additions once the night’s over and you’ll still be ready for Thanksgiving!

Update your landscaping. A well-manicured lawn shows you care, but adding decorative fall foliage into your landscaping speaks volumes. Incorporate mums and chrysanthemums into your flower beds. Line your driveway with potted plants to beckon visitors up to your door. Freshen the rest of your yard with new mulch and a quick grass clipping to really tie your fall look together.

Define your walkway. Use a mixture of perennials and path lighting to outline the sidewalk leading up to your front door. Not only will this add to the festive look you’ve created – it will make walking in the dim light of dusk easier! If you don’t have lighting lining the pathway to your home already, Dayton Electric can help.

Use these simple decorating tips to refresh your home’s exterior and welcome the fall season! For more fun design ideas, contact Joyce Means, a Mount Pleasant interior designer.

Dayton Electric: Childproofing Room By Room

June 20th, 2016 | Comments (0)

It’s Child Safety Month! As parents your instinct is to protect your child from any harm. With only two eyes, two hands and countless distractions, this isn’t a mindless task. You have to be “on” at all times when you’re with your child because kids are notorious for wandering, touching things they shouldn’t and trying to get into anything and everything especially at home. Kids are such curious beings, but you can lessen some of your worries by doing simple things around the house to prevent accidents.
Here are some ways you can childproof your home room by room!

Living Room
• Use safety gates on any stairs.
• Make sure there is working smoke detector.
• Place knob covers on doors leading to places children shouldn’t go.
• Clean up any clutter your child can trip over to prevent tripping.
• Place protective covers over any outlet and make sure all electrical supplies, components, and parts are out of the way.

Kitchen
• Unplug all appliances when they’re not in use.
• Don’t leave any chairs or stepstools near the stove.
• Place knob protectors on the stove/oven knobs and a latch on the handle.
• Make sure all sharp objects and silverware are locked away.
• Keep alcohol, medicine and plastic bags out of reach.

Bedroom
• Make sure the crib slates aren’t too far apart.
• Make sure changing tables/beds have a safety rail.
• Do not place soft bedding or stuffed animals in the crib.
• Secure the dresser and its drawers so it cannot be pulled down or knocked over.
• Tie up curtain or blind cords so they are out of reach.

Bathroom
• Razors and scissors should be locked away.
• Keep the toilet lid closed.
• Unplug hairdryers and hot irons.
• Place nonslip stickers on the bottom of the bathtub.
• Place all toiletries out of reach.

Backyard
• Secure all patio furniture or toys to surfaces.
• Cover trash cans to prevent kids from rifling through them.
• Keep walkways clear of toys or clutter.
• Fix any cracks or divots in the sidewalks.
• Lock yard gates at all times, particularly around pools.

Accidents happen, which makes taking precautions is a necessary step to ensure your child’s safety. Most child related injuries and accidents happen at home. Though childproof latches and locks can be quite annoying day after day, your child’s safety is the priority. Use this checklist to start double checking the safety measures you have taken in your home this month!

When To Hire An Electrician

March 1st, 2016 | Comments (0)

When you have problems in your house, you might feel that you have no other choice but to tackle the predicament yourself. While you’re not alone, it can sometimes be dangerous for homeowners to attempt a repair themselves if they are untrained in the area. Sure, it’s no big deal to fix some minor damages yourself, but with other instances it can sometimes be risky – like with electric work. Learn more about when it’s in your best interest to hire an electrician for the job.

• When your electric bill is out of control. If you believe that your statement is much higher than it should be but are unsure why, this is a good time to bring in an electrician. They will be able to evaluate the energy efficiency of your home and recommend any upgrades and replacements that could lead to lower power usage.
• When you need to add new outlets. This is definitely not a task you want to attempt on your own. Power outlets require a professional running out wires in a very specific way, which means that electricians are the only experts trained properly for the job. Attempting this project on your own can possibly lead to a fire if done incorrectly.
• When your lights are flickering. If you notice that your lights are flickering even after replacing the bulbs, then you should contact a professional. There are a number of possible solutions to fix this issue, but only a trained electrician will be able to track down and find the source of this problem – which could be poor wiring or a faulty fixture.
• When you have hanging and exposed wires. Sometimes wires can be left out and dangling after a renovation, which is dangerous – you never want to leave electrical wires out in the open as this can present a fire hazard. An electrician will be able to assess the situation and properly attach the wires to structural framing.
• When your microwave causes a circuit breaker trip. Since modern microwaves can emit a high wattage of power, the use of them in an older home might result in a circuit breaker trip. If this is happening every time you use the microwave, then you will need to hire an electrician to upgrade or add a circuit to accommodate the power.

Don’t take the risk of attempting to repair any of these issues, call the trained electricians at A1 Dayton Electric.

How to Choose the Right Ceiling Fan

May 2nd, 2014 | Comments (0)

When choosing a ceiling fan, the look and style are not the only important factors to consider. Selecting a fan that will produce maximum efficiency will produce the best results for the customer. There are many different factors that one needs to consider when purchasing a ceiling fan:

• Size of the room: This is important when buying a ceiling fan, and some larger rooms may require installing two ceiling fans. Smaller rooms, such as a bedroom, would need a 30” ceiling fan whereas  larger rooms, such as family rooms and great rooms, require a 52” ceiling fan to gain maximum efficiency.
• Electricity: Another important factor to consider when installing a ceiling fan is electricity. If a fan includes a light fixture, it is necessary to find out if the circuit can be used for both the fan and the light; if not, a new circuit must be run.
• Quality: By choosing a good quality fan, you are gaining more efficiency and air circulation for the room. A low quality fan can wobble and not provide the maximum circulation of air. A good quality fan will have a motor that contains more power and is strong enough to handle air resistance.
• Blades: Fan blades can help to determine the amount of air circulated in a room. The brackets attached to the blade should be held at a 12-15 degree angle; however, as the angle of the blade increases, the air circulation in the room increases. Finally, blades need to have enough weight to avoid the fan wobbling.

Ceiling fans today are lighter and much more energy-efficient. Both indoors and outdoors, ceiling fans are able to keep air circulating and provide comfort to your home during all seasons.

For more information about fan installation and to get a free estimate, contact the Dayton Electric ceiling fan experts today!

Welcome to Our New Site!

January 2nd, 2013 | Comments (1)

Welcome to our new site! We hope this will be a spot for our current clients and potential clients to find useful information on our services and offerings, view our gallery and find out our latest specials! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 215-547-4566, or, fill out our contact form. Thanks!