While it might seem surprising, lighting for commercial buildings commonly accounts for as much as 35 percent of business overhead. The good news for business owners trying to cut costs is that commercial lighting technology is moving forward every day and modern lighting can provide the same or better quality lighting for less while improving energy efficiency. Upgrading your building’s lighting can take some of the strain off your building’s electrical system, but in order to get the most benefit from your new lights, you have to plan carefully!

It’s one thing to say “we want new lights for our building.” But it’s another thing entirely to say “we want new lights because we believe they will improve employee morale and productivity!” Before you implement a new lighting plan, consider the specific goals you have in mind for your new lights. These could range from the aforementioned productivity and morale improvements to reducing your carbon footprint and reducing your overhead costs.

If possible, try to find lighting schemes you like in other buildings that you think would work well for your building—this can give you a better idea of the lighting design you’re after. And of course, feel free to talk to the lighting design experts at Kolb Electric—we can help create the perfect lighting design for your building!

There are three specific categories of lighting, each of which serves a different purpose in your building:

A good lighting design will layer these three types of lighting, starting with ambient lighting, then task and accent lighting. Each type will require a different fixture.

The type of light fixture you use for a certain type of lighting can make a big difference when it comes to the efficiency and effectiveness of your lighting. Light fixtures are generally broken down into three categories:

Perhaps you've always wondered what's in the mysterious metal box on the basement wall. It's a circuit breaker box, and without it your whole home electric system would be unsafe, leaving you in danger.

Circuit box repairs or upgrades require an expert, but you don't need to be a master electrician to understand the basics of how it functions. The most common problem is a tripped circuit, and you can usually reset it yourself.

What's in the Box?

The circuit box is frequently found in the basement, although it could also be in a garage, closet, utility room or even outside. All the electricity coming into your house flows through the box.

If you open the metal door, you see a bank of switches. Each one corresponds roughly to a room in the house, while certain outlets for major appliances like the washer or furnace probably have their own switch. They should be labeled.

There also may be a main disconnect breaker, usually at the top of the box, which allows you to cut off power to the entire house. In many newer homes the main disconnect may be outside near the electric meter. Some homes do not even have one. This is useful if you are doing electrical work in your house, or in the circuit box itself. The switch should be labeled “main” or something similar.

How It Works

Why do you need a circuit box? When an electrical device malfunctions, such as the motor in your freezer overheating, wires can get crossed, creating a huge spike in electric charge. That puts you at risk of overloading your electrical system, and unchecked overloads can cause lead excess heat stress on wires, or worse.

Fortunately, your circuit breakers are on the job. There is an electromagnet or bimetallic strip inside each breaker. If the current moving through the circuit gets too high the device flips a switch, disconnecting the circuit. No more electricity can flow to the part of your home where the problem is, so the danger is averted.

So if the power goes off in one part of your house but still works in the rest, a tripped circuit breaker is the most likely culprit. The switches in your electrical panel should be labeled; if not you can still tell which one got tripped, because it will be flipped part way toward the off position. Some switches also show red when they've been tripped.

How Do I Fix It?

All you have to do to restore power is flip the switch all the way to the off position, then back to on. If flipping the circuit back on doesn't solve the problem, it might be something more serious. In that case, it's time to call a licensed electrician.

Some newer circuit breakers have advanced features, such as the ability to detect when a person makes contact with a live wire and automatically cut off the current, potentially preventing injury or death by electrocution.

If you live in an older home you may still have a fuse box. It operates on the same principle as a circuit box, with one major difference -- the wire inside the fuse actually burns up if too much current passes through it, so if the fuse blows, you need to replace it. Most fuse-style panel are maxed out, so if you have one it would be a good idea to consult your electrician and see if it’s time to consider a replacement.

Need Some Professional Guidance?

Your local Mister Sparky® electricians are always here to help. If you're having problems with your circuit breakers or fuse box, give us a call.

If you live in Maryland, Northern Virginia, or Washington, DC, there’s a good chance you’ve seen one of Kolb Electric’s bucket trucks driving around! Our bucket trucks allow us to expand our service line far beyond that of most electricians in the area, and overall, they’re pretty great! These are a few of our favorite things about our bucket trucks:

The best thing about our bucket trucks is also their most defining feature—their height! Our trucks can reach up to 50 ft. Thanks to the lift we get from the cherry pickers, we can work on utility poles and parking lot lights as well as large industrial structures and anything else that requires a little extra lift.

Even up that high in the air, our bucket trucks keep our electricians safe. The buckets are designed to reach about waist height, meaning there’s very little risk of anyone actually falling out. Best of all, if something does happen—the weather turns bad, for instance—they’re easy to move out of dangerous areas.

Though they might seem big and complicated, once you get down to it, bucket trucks are pretty easy to use! A set of controls inside the cab controls the crane, while another set inside the bucket itself allows the rider to raise and lower him or herself while up there.

Not only that, but our bucket trucks also have space to hold all of our equipment, meaning we’re always prepared for jobs that involve going up high.

Our bucket truck fleet has helped us become one of the most well-known electrical service companies in the MD-DC-VA area. If you need utility pole, parking lot lighting, or any other services that require a bucket truck, call Kolb Electric today!

Click here to read more about our bucket truck services »

The rule of 3’s. They’re the triple threat of lighting design. Three types of lighting: ambient, task and accent. Three levels of design: top, middle & bottom. For today’s blog post I’ve put together a quick reference guide on what the different layers are, along with a few tips on how to use them to pull your space together.

Three Layers of Light: Ambient, Task & Accent

this interactive picture that shows the dramatic difference in a kitchen after under cabinet lights were added. (That’s next on my project list!)

3. Accent lights add depth & dimension and showcase individual items or areas. A favorite painting or photograph displayed under a picture light on the wall is a popular way to accent with lighting. One of my favorite examples of decorative outdoor accent lighting are Annie’s original post to see if you’re right.]

Three Layers of Design: Top, Middle & Bottom