Summer months are notorious for power surges and outages due to the high demand for power air conditioning units place on the grid. Outages are definitely inconvenient, but they can also be very costly to you. If you are not home during an outage and cannot unplug sensitive electrical equipment like your computer before the power comes back on, a surge could destroy the computer. Surges are common when the power is restored. Surges can also occur during a thunder storm. Again, storms happen anytime and you know to unplug items during a storm, but what if you are not there?

Your electrician in Beverly Hills can help you protect your appliances and sensitive equipment by installing a whole-home surge protector. The staff at The Electric Connection These devices are installed on the outside of the home at the breaker panel and help regulate the electricity that comes into the home. When a surge hits, the devices deflect it away from your expensive appliances. As a second line of defense, it is strongly recommended computers and video equipment be plugged into a surge protector inside the home. These are the long strips with several outlets, which you can install yourself.

Another option to consider is the equipment on the outside of your home. Things like your air conditioner unit, hot tub or pool pump are all at risk of electrical surge Your Beverly Hills electrician can talk with you more about how you can protect the costly equipment with exterior surge protectors.

Surge protectors are an investment that can ultimately save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in replacement costs. You never know when a power surge will hit. It just makes sense to be protected all the time. Call The Electric Connection to schedule your appointment for whole-home surge protection today.

Every year, there are nearly 50,000 home fires caused by poor home electrical safety. Between 2007 and 2011, house fires caused $1.5 billion in property damages and claimed 455 civilian lives. About half of these fires were caused by lighting equipment and outlet failures. The other half of home electrical fires involved major appliances, like washers and dryers, fans, and space heaters.

To keep your property and family protected at all times, follow these important home electrical safety tips from Kolb Electric.

At Kolb Electric, we want our Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC customers to exercise home electrical safety. No matter what electrical services you need, rely on Kolb Electric to deliver! Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

You’ve packed the swimsuits and the sunscreen, the bug spray and the camera, but did you remember to properly lock up and secure your home? While making that long vacation “to-do” list, don’t forget to include the proper safeguarding of your home on your list before you head off on your summer getaway.

If you’ll be away from your home for an extended amount of time, you might want to consider hiring a house sitter. Someone actually living in your home can help keep it safe from thieves, and your house sitter can also water your plants, retrieve your mail and newspapers, mow your lawn, or even take care of your pets while you’re away. And because your home will continue to look lived-in, it can hold less of an appeal to burglars. Hiring a house sitter is not the cheapest option for home security, but it can solve many problems at once and it is likely to be a solution that will give you the most peace of mind while you are away from home.

Nothing says “I’m not home” more than yellowed newspapers on your doorstep and mail overcrowding your mailbox. If you’ll be leaving your home for an lengthy holiday and if you don’t have someone you can ask to retrieve your mail and newspapers each day, you can ask for a stop delivery on both. The United States Postal Service will stop delivery and will hold your mail for up to 30 days for free, and you can either cancel your newspaper subscription or choose a stop delivery on your newsprint for however long you’ll be away. All you have to do is ask, whether in person or possibly even online.

With social media and online networking an ever-present entity in modern times, it’s easy to want to brag about your upcoming cruise or your month long road trip across America to all your online friends and family. But you may be unwittingly letting criminals know when your home will be an empty and easy target. Keep in mind that online information can be read by anyone, often even if your accounts are private, and you probably don’t want the entire world knowing that your property and home will be unattended during your vacation.

Don’t make your home a tempting target for possible criminals. Remembering to secure your home while you’re away can help keep your home and property safe, as well as help relieve any possible worries you might have so that you can actually relax and enjoy that much-needed vacation.