Parrish Construction

Archive for the ‘Lighting’ Category

Seeing Things “In a New Light”

Sunday, September 4th, 2011 Posted in Electrical, Energy-Saving Tips, Green Building Topics, Lighting | No Comments »

  The average American home has had electric light fixtures for about 90 years.  The simple act of turning on the lights is becoming more complex. Now we have to consider the choice of LED, fluorescent or (for a little while longer) incandescent. Technology has changed ...

Q—While touring a parade of homes recently, we saw an etched glass room divider that appeared to glow from within. We couldn’t detect any light fixtures shining on it. Do you know how they did it?

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011 Posted in Building Trends, Electrical, FAQ, Home Technology, Interior Design, Landscaping, Lighting, Parade of Homes | No Comments »

A—I’ll bet the glass in question was illuminated with fiber optics. This technology uses a high-intensity light source, or “illuminator”, coupled with acrylic fiber optic cable and special fixtures as small as 5/8” x 5/8” cross section to deliver intense ...

Need a good bath?

Saturday, August 28th, 2010 Posted in Aging-in-Place & Handicap Mobility, Bathrooms, Design Tips, Handyman/Small Jobs, Heating/Cooling, Home Luxury, Home Technology, Lighting, Remodels/Additions, Space-Saving/Organization | No Comments »

  By Larry Parrish, CR, CGR, CAPS, GACP   Few rooms in the American home have changed as much in recent years as the master bathroom. Thirty years ago, if a house even had a master bathroom, it was too small to brush ...

Q—Help! We have a ceiling leak in our cathedral ceiling every winter. We’ve had it checked by a roofer who says the roof is fine. Any suggestions?

Monday, February 8th, 2010 Posted in Drywall Repairs, FAQ, Freezing Temp. Problems, Heating/Cooling, Lighting, Money-Saving Tips, Paint, Roofing/Ceilings, Spring, Structural Issues, Timely Home Upgrades, Ventilation, Waterproofing, Winter | No Comments »

A—The water damage is likely due to humidity inside the house condensing in the cold rafter space (usually the underside of the roof sheeting) and dripping on the insulation and drywall as the weather warms up. This is probably caused ...

Q—Can you please describe the difference between a “simulated divided-light” window and a “true divided-light” window?

Saturday, February 6th, 2010 Posted in Energy-Saving Tips, FAQ, Green Building Topics, Interior Design, Lighting, Materials- Construction, Money-Saving Tips, Windows & Doors | No Comments »

A—“True divided-light” or “authentic divided-light” are labels used by manufacturers to describe their modern version of the window which was the standard at the turn of the century, but with modern innovations such as “Low-E” coatings, and insulated glass. These ...

Q—What can I do to improve my kitchen on a tight budget?

Friday, January 15th, 2010 Posted in Construction Costs, Costs, DIY Home Improvements, FAQ, Handyman/Small Jobs, Kitchens, Lighting, Money-Saving Tips | No Comments »

A—Here are several ideas for sprucing up a kitchen without busting the bank: Paint or re-finish the existing cabinets, and replace the hardware. For a slightly higher budget, replace the doors ...

Q–We are thinking about getting an emergency generator. Could we wire one directly into our breaker panel?

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 Posted in Disaster-Fire, Electrical, FAQ, Flood, Heating/Cooling, Insurance- Home, Lighting, Safety Hazards | No Comments »

A—This is a job for a professional electrician like Crystal Electric. It would involve installation of a special switch that would disconnect main power while simultaneously connecting your generator to one or two appropriate circuits—typically supplying only emergency needs such ...

Q—I’ve just discovered that our house has aluminum wiring, and that it might be a fire hazard. Do I need to have my whole house re-wired?

Sunday, January 10th, 2010 Posted in Disaster-Fire, Electrical, FAQ, Lighting, Money-Saving Tips, Safety Hazards | No Comments »

A—It isn’t necessary to re-wire the whole house, but you should have all the connections “pig-tailed” to copper wire with the proper connectors by a licensed electrician like Crystal Electric. While aluminum is actually an excellent conductor, and was used extensively ...