Today on the hotseat I have Dave Smith of DASECO Electrical in Vineyard Haven, whom I first met after outmaneuvering him for my current studio spot (he may wish to describe it otherwise..!) However he found something much more suitable shortly thereafter and has since forgiven me, and as it was his company that did the electrical work here I was able to see firsthand what a fine job his crew can do.
So now, on to his Five Questions!
1) In the electrical world, green power was on the upswing before the economic crisis hit. Are people still keen on installing solar panels, wind turbines and the like?
Absolutely, the interest is still there and I would say more so than conventional construction and renovations at this point. The meltdown hurt everyone. We all paused. I think at this point people know where they are at in relation to their finances and they are thinking about ways to save energy, the environment and especially save money.
DASECO Electrical can provide clear options with sustainable value that have a return on investment based on realistic estimates. This allows people to understand up front how much energy and money they are saving over time, and they can move ahead with these projects confident that they are getting their money’s worth. One benefit of the recession is the price of materials has come way down, allowing solar electric to be more affordable than ever.
2) DASECO does all sorts of installations, large and small. What is the most unusual sort of project that DASECO's been called on to do?
My favorite is our solar panels that we install on golf carts. We convert electric golf carts to SOLAR powered golf carts. Many of our customers never plug in their golf carts again!! They run and run and run, all from the power of the sun! I am told one of our customers loaned one to his neighbors and President Obama drove one last summer on the Vineyard!
3) Okay, I want the inside scoop -- do surge protectors really work?
Yes they do work. I’ll give you a great example: there was a new subdivision constructed south of Boston a few years back. There were 12 homes. The general contractor’s electrician provided an option for surge protection for a few hundred dollars. Eight homeowners said no and four homeowners took them up on the option. Well, thanks to a local squirrel or raccoon a strong surge pushed into the electrical system. Guess what, the four houses with surge protection were fine. The eight who did not lost and damaged electronics throughout the house; TV’s, DVD players, phones, computers, XBOX and PS3’s, clocks, answering machines all fried. At DASECO we install different types including those needed to protect phone, cable and electrical lines.
4) Here's a safety question -- if an electrical appliance I am using suddenly catches on fire, what should I do?
Call 911! If the fire is small and controllable you could use an ABC fire extinguisher, however as fire doubles about every five seconds it is very difficult to say if this is the best course of action. Firefighters would tell you to GET OUT and wait for help to arrive. Since we are electricians and renewable energy stewards at DASECO we recommend contacting the NFPA National Fire Protection Association or your local fire department for educational opportunities and to learn exactly what to do in your circumstances.
5) If I was building/buying a home of a middle class variety, what sorts of green power options might be available to me?
There are so many now. You can start by installing energy efficient appliances and heating systems. Lighting is a large part of annual energy spending which can be converted to energy savings. Compact fluorescents are great and LED lights are close behind. Hopefully our job will get easier and easier as more of these products are perfected for homeowners.
I will tell you a very inexpensive trick that anyone building a home can do if they can’t afford solar today but may want it in the future. Talk to your builder, plumber and electrician: have them make your new home ”solar ready” by installing conduits for solar electric and lines for solar thermal (solar hot water) for the future. Down the road, it is likely to cut your installation costs substantially when the home is complete and sealed up with walls, insulation, paint etc. A little now saves a lot later.
Thanks, Dave! Check out DASECO's website and keep them in mind for electrical and renewable energy installation!
Stay tuned for the next Five Questions business, as we help small businesses get the word out in 2010!
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