All About Electrical Outlet Timers

Let 'em all know what time it is!

Use timers for both safety and conservation

Electrical timers are a great way to cut power costs in your home, and they will often pay for themselves in a couple of months. The beauty of these timers is that they mediate multiple concerns such as safety and thrift.

Timers after dark

Conservation and safety are often at odds when it comes to household lights. In the winter especially, you want to have lights on in entryways and in strategic areas of the home. Leaving the lights on all day, while a simple solution, is not the best, especially considering all the bulbs you will go through.

An electrical switch timer that adjusts for sunset can allow you to come home to a well-lit and therefore safer home throughout the year. These programmable electrical timers use your geographical location to adjust for daylight savings time and your position in relation to the sun. There are even timers that introduce a random element to light switching to add security when you are out of town.

Timers in the garden

There are a number of uses for electrical outlet timers in the yard or garden. You can use timers to switch garden path lighting on at sunset and off at bedtime. This means that the lights will be off when nobody is there to either use them or appreciate the ambiance they create.

Timers for the pool, spa or Jacuzzi

Limited-run electrical timers are great for the spa or Jacuzzi. These timers can be wound to a specific time and then count down as your bath continues. When the timer ends you are alerted so that dehydration, or missed appointments, can be avoided.

For the pool you can set the timer's electrical seven-day 207 volt switch to control the skimmer and pump. All too often pool pumps that only need to run a fraction of the day are left running inadvertently. By adding an electrical outlet timer you will not only save energy but save the pump's motor from a costly failure as well.

Hot water heaters

An electrical timer's 207 volt capacity allows it to handle the power required to heat water. By installing one of these programmable electrical timers, you can ensure hot water in the morning and save energy throughout the day.

Who burned the biscuits?

You can also purchase a limited-run electrical timer to control exhaust fans. These timers can have as much as an hour or as little as a 15-minute electrical timer presets for certain duties. I like to use them for kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans so that they are used but do not continue on unneeded for hours.

More information on electrical timers