Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

It’s not news that the construction industry has been badly impacted by fallout related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America and Autodesk quantifies just how far-reaching the effects have been, with many firms reporting project delays and cancellations, along with serious problems with supply chain disruptions.

In addition to colorful leaves, pumpkin spice lattes and the start of sweater weather, the autumn months provide something we can all celebrate – an extra hour of sleep during the “fall back” time change.

Rest easy by using these tips to prepare for the annual Daylight Saving Time (DST) change this November.

When I was working with my designer/contractor on my kitchen redesign project last winter, I came to see all the ways kitchen cabinets can be more than plain wooden boxes. For the previous 15 years, I’d been living with cabinets that were just that – 65-year-old wooden boxes that been assembled onto the wall.

Looking through a manufacturer’s online enclosure catalog recently, I came across a term I hadn’t heard before. Now, I’m not a contractor, so I likely haven’t seen as many of these listings as you might have. But I am a journalist who has covered the construction industry for several decades, and the term “mild steel” stuck out to me when it showed up as a material option for the maker’s broad range of enclosure offerings.

I may be old school, but I take pride in my work. And if you're a true professional, I'm sure you do, too. Work needs to be done right … and to code. Even though a lot of what we do won't be seen, we know what's behind the wall. And sloppy just won't cut it.

If you’re an electrical contractor, you’ve likely developed a series of workarounds to help you handle business. Maybe you’ve got financial software to help you manage your checking account and invoicing. And maybe you’ve got apps to help track mileage and keep track of upcoming jobs and materials orders.