The Importance of Residential Circuit Breakers Circuit breakers have an important job in the day to day functioning of your home’s electrical system. These breakers are attached or connected to an electrical circuit. They are designed to prevent any further power flow continuing through the circuit in case there is an arc, short or a power surge. Circuit breakers can fail or go bad, and in such cases, they require immediate attention. Because if a circuit breaker is no longer functioning, it cannot provide your appliances and electrical system the protection they need.

Where are Circuit Breakers? Circuit breakers are located in the circuit breaker box. Some homes have a single main breaker box while other homes may have one main breaker box plus several small breaker boxes. It is important to know where your home’s circuit breakers are located so you can check them in the event of an emergency, or if a breaker gets tripped and needs to be reset.

Finding a Bad Breaker If a circuit breaker gets tripped, you need to reset it. A tripped breaker appears to be halfway between the on and off position. A circuit breaker may not need to be replaced, it may just need to be reset. Turn off all the lights and electrical appliances operating on that particular circuit. Flip the breaker back to the “on” position.

Some circuit breakers have to be turned completely off before they are turned back on. Test the circuit breaker after it has been reset by turning the breaker back on and then adding all of the devices or appliances back one at a time. If every item operates again, a voltage tester is not necessary.

This time forty-five years ago, history was made as a man stepped onto the moon for the very first time.

Imagine the anticipation as millions of people around the world held their breath and then felt waves of overwhelming relief at the sound of the words: “The Eagle has landed.” The culmination of work of many scientists, engineers, electricians and researchers came together in that single moment as everyone anxiously waited to watch Neil Armstrong’s historic hop from the spacecraft onto the moon. This event, and the following Apollo explorations, drastically propelled the development of modern-day technology. According to NASA, a surprisingly large list of technologies would not exist today without the Apollo explorations.

Freeze-dried foods, like the MREs used by the military and FEMA, were first invented for space travel. The same software of a retail card-swiping machine is similar to software that was designed to manage a complex series of systems on the Apollo capsules.

Medical imaging devices, TV satellite dishes, inner-ear thermometers and cordless power tools are a few more, plus smoke detectors and other fireproof materials. You can also thank NASA for the joystick video game controllers you use for Mario Kart and Nintendo 64, and of course, Pac Man.

Additionally, you can thank Apollo explorations for your laptop. Since more mass converts to more cost on board the spacecrafts, the scientists aimed to make everything as lightweight as possible, including the technology. This same idea translated into technology on earth, and the concept is still relevant today, hence the MacBook Air.

Also, where would the world be without the Moonwalk dance? Michael would have had to come up with another slick move for his music video. Space exploration has also led to world-renown literature and movie series, such as Star Wars and Space Trek. Not only did the moon explorations spark creativity, but they also inspired many people around the world to embark on a career in math and science to further new inventions and explorations and (metaphorically and literally) reach the stars in their goals and dreams.

With the holiday season approaching, some people get really excited to celebrate the time of year. For some people, this includes decorations and lighting appropriate for the specific holidays they celebrate, for religious reasons or otherwise. Once the lighting has been set up and is functioning properly, it can be a beautiful display. Setting the lighting up will be fun, but in some cases can pose challenges and require creative solutions.

The Fun of Setting up Lights for the Holidays

Holiday lighting can be a personal project, a time for the whole family to come together as a team, or even a community effort for the whole neighborhood. Think of it as a creative craft project, but rather than something you work on at a kitchen table or work bench, it's the size of the entire house. Some decorations are bought, others are built, and they all have to go up to form a visually appealing end result based on the imagination of whoever is in charge. Beyond the cosmetic appearance, there is a practical nature to the project of getting everything plugged in while keeping the wires discreet and without overpower any circuit line of electric power in your home.

The Draw of Lighting on Circuit Breakers

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.

While many home improvements are well-suited for DIY projects, electrical work requires the skill and experience of a fully licensed electrician. The potential for injury and damage to your home from improperly-installed electrical circuits and fixtures is too great to risk doing the work yourself. In fact, we’ve written about the many dangers of DIY electrical wiring before.

To avoid issues and keep your home running properly, you’ll need to hire a qualified Maryland electrician. Experienced electrical contractors can help you properly install new outlets, wire a new addition or remodeled room, install a ceiling fan, and so much more.

Finding a qualified electrician among the large number of choices in the Maryland can seem daunting. However, there are several good places to look for Maryland electricians whose work you’ll be happy with.

Once you’ve found a few qualified electricians, you can narrow down your list by looking at only those who are licensed in the State of Maryland. You’ll also want to check out ratings on review sites, how many years the company has been in business, and available service offerings—such as 24-hour electrical service.

At Kolb Electric, we have a full staff of licensed Maryland electricians with experience in a variety of home repair and construction projects. To learn more about finding a qualified electrician in Maryland and/or to schedule an appointment with our experts, call us at 877 287-1179 or fill out an online contact form today. Check out our reviews to see what makes us a great choice for any project!