The times, they are a-changin'. President Obama recently announced the details of his highly anticipated Clean Power Plan, a measure aimed at reducing the country's harmful fossil fuel emissions and limiting our contribution to climate change. The plan, when fully implemented, should reduce carbon emissions by 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. Read on to learn more about the Clean Power Plan and what it means for you.

Lower Prices at the Meter

The Clean Power Plan was developed by the Environmental Protection Agency, under the authority granted by the Clean Air Act. It imposes sharp limits on the types of energy production that power the nation's electrical work, but grants flexibility to states in how they act to meet those limits. In general, the plan encourages a shift away from burning coal during energy generation, while states have the option of upping their renewable energy production, using nuclear energy, increasing their efficiency or relying more on natural gas.

The good news for homeowners is that the plan is projected to decrease the bills you pay to power your residential electrical work. An analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that the average home electricity bill could fall by as much as 8 percent, and consumers could save up to $37.4 billion overall in electricity by 2020. The rationale for the savings is that renewable fuel sources cost less to run over time once the initial infrastructure is in place. Also, the plan encourages investments in household energy efficiency, which means that you may come to be less reliant on your home electrical work without substantially changing your behavior.

Clean Air for Breathing

The Clean Power Plan has another ancillary effect that has nothing to do with electrical work: it should cut down on air pollution and create a healthier breathing environment. For example, while we rely on the ozone level high in the sky to block harmful sun rays, ozone at ground level is known by another name – smog. It is created when sunlight interacts with pollutants and can be very harmful to our health. The plan should reduce smog levels and provide us with cleaner air to breathe.

Furthermore, one of the biggest signs of climate change is unusually hot and dry weather in certain parts of the country, which can lead to out-of-control wildfires and harmful particulates that damage your lungs. Strange weather patterns have also been blamed for an increase in allergies this year. By slowing the pace of climate change and keeping harmful pollutants out of the air, the Clean Power Plan can help you breathe easy.

If you have any concerns about the effect the Clean Power Plan will have on your energy prices or electrical work, call a knowledgeable electrician today.

If you’re not prepared for them, electrical repairs can be painful. And while certain things are obvious, sometimes it can be tricky to decide whether or not you need to call an electrician. Here are eight reasons people commonly call Kolb Electric:

Your circuits constantly trip – do your lights flicker every time you run the microwave? Can you not run more than a few electronic devices at a time? This may be a sign that your circuits are overloaded and are drawing more electrical current than they can provide. A heavy up should take care of the problem.

You have power strips everywhere – don’t have enough outlets? We can take care of that! Using too many power strips can overload your electrical system and can create a fairly serious fire risk. Call Kolb Electric to install additional circuits to keep your home safe.

You’re running extension cords under your carpets – running extension cords all over the house presents a couple different hazards. Not only are they easy to trip on, but they’re also not things you should be stepping on. Kolb Electric can install additional outlets so you’ll always have power where you need it.

Your light switches feel warm to the touch – warm or hot switches, or switches that shock you, should definitely be checked out. While it could mean your circuits are just overworked, it could also be a sign of something more dangerous.

You have aluminum wiring — according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, homes built before 1972 that have aluminum wiring are 55 times more likely to create fire hazards than homes with copper wires.

Your lights flicker — do your lights seem to flicker or dim whenever your air conditioner, washing machine, or other large electrical device turns on? If so, call Kolb Electric! Our licensed electricians will assess your home’s circuits and make improvements to prevent these problems from continuing in the future.

You own a number of expensive electronics — you may already have surge protectors to take care of your expensive desktop computer or stereo system, did you know that an electrician can install a whole-house surge protection unit to make sure that all of your electronics are safe? Consider calling an expert and feel safe and sound at home.

You’ve never upgraded — if it’s been 25 years or more since you upgraded  your home’s electrical system, then you may be living with a sub-par one. Call an electrician so he or she can help move you into the modern era with a new system that will be more accommodating to the needs of today’s world.

If you need electrical troubleshooting in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC, don’t wait—call Kolb Electric today!

Creating an eye-catching storefront doesn’t have to be complicated. There are several LED sign lighting options that are quick and easy to install, and they’re available in a wide variety of colors and intensities that will help you achieve the look you want. LED strip lights are perfect for illuminating storefronts, window displays, channel letters, and light boxes for indoor or outdoor signage. Both types are similar in operation, but they’re different in design; because of this, one might be a better fit than the other depending on your application and desired look.

Much like LED sign modules, these lights are perfect for storefront windows, light boxes, and sign backlighting. Strip lights consist of a series of LEDs that cover the length of the strip. These LED strip lights are available with different types and numbers of LEDs. High-density strip lights have more LEDs than a standard-density strip and are usually brighter depending on the type of LEDs on the strip. The strip you choose will depend on how bright you want your sign or window to be.

Depending on the LED strip lights or sign modules you choose, there are options for adjusting brightness, color, white color temperature, and color-changing modes. In the accessories tab on each of our product pages are compatible controllers and dimmers that include anything from in-line controllers and RF remotes that let you control multiple light zones to Wi-Fi hubs for light operation from your cell phone or tablet. Make sure to check the specifications of any controller or dimmer to ensure that they will work with your LED lights.

LED sign modules and strip lights will also require a power supply. Compatible power supplies are listed under the accessories or power supplies tab on each product page.

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to call us toll free at 866-590-3533. Our customer service and technical support teams are available from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT on Friday.

With the winter months closing in, there are some things you need to know before you pull out that portable electric heater. Sure your feet may get cold under your desk or your bathroom is a little cooler than you would like in the morning, but before you plug in that space heater you need to get informed. These are some tips from your Santa Monica electrician when using any space heaters this winter.

Your space heater should be placed as close to the center of the room as possible to ensure nothing comes in contact with the heater. You don’t want furniture, drapes, paper products or anything else touching the heater and creating a fire hazard.

Ventilation is crucial to any electrical appliance. It needs room to breathe so to speak. Heaters should never be placed up against a wall or any other surface. Anything electrical needs proper ventilation. This can be taken care of by an electrician. Santa Monica homeowners who are not sure what is needed should definitely contact a professional.

The last consideration when pulling out the space heaters this winter is the cord condition. Before you plug anything in, check the cord to make sure it is not frayed or damaged in any way. This can be a major fire hazard if there are any loose or exposed wires or areas where the insulation around the cord is thin. The heater should be plugged directly into an outlet and never an extension cord. The cord should also run along a wall or somewhere out of the way of foot traffic to avoid it becoming damaged.

These tips can be applied to any electrical appliance. If you have any more concerns or questions about a space heater, give The Electric Connection a call today. We are here to answer any questions you may have.

It’s Zombie season! Halloween decor is already beginning to line the streets with witches, ghosts, monsters …. and ZOMBIES. And with the season premier of The Walking Dead looming on the horizon (a mere 3 days away), I’m all aflutter with the living dead.

Nobody wants to be caught in the dark with a drooling, moaning, rotting Zombie hoard, am I right? Take note fellow survivors, we’ve compiled a list of 9 must-have zombie-apocalypse light sources.

1. Solar and Battery-Operated Lights

Powered by the energy of the sun, you’ll never have to make a dangerous trip into the city to get more batteries with motion-sensor spotlights around your campsite to alert you to any sneaky Zombies.  Take them with you when you’re doing late night reconnaissance.  Doomsday Tip: Make sure there is an off-switch. Nothing worse than trying to douse your light with a zombie on your trail.

2. Good ol’ fashioned Flashlight