Few of us can imagine living without electricity. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it powers our lives, from our heating and cooling systems to our communications networks to our cooking appliances. But electricity can also be a dangerous friend. You don’t want to tackle any but the simplest electrical issues yourself. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, more than 55,000 house fires are caused each year by electrical systems installed or worked on by someone who isn’t a licensed electrician.

The secret to keeping your home safe is knowing when to call an electrician and when you can do it yourself.

Even the most modern, well-maintained home or building can have electrical problems. If you’re wondering when to call an electrician, we recommend you pick up the phone when you encounter these issues:

New Electrical Installations

If you’re building a new house, garage, or home addition, it’s important to start with proper wiring. A good electrical contractor will safely wire your home according to local building codes and work with you to understand your needs and how you’ll be using the space—ensuring that the electrical system will address those needs.

If you’re adding a new laundry area to your new addition, for assistance, you’ll want special outlets installed for all of those appliances. Will you be installing wall sconces in your new house? Your electrician can help with that too.

When it’s time to call an electrician for your Montgomery County home or business, there’s only one name you need to know: Kolb Electric! All of our workers are licensed electricians, and we’ve been helping area homeowners like you with their electric needs for nearly 90 years.

Kolb Electric is a full-service electrical contractor, and we are happy to tackle any household or commercial electrical project, from installing a new outlet to rewiring an entire house. We cheerfully offer free, fair estimates as well as 24-hour emergency service, seven days a week. To learn more about how Kolb Electric can solve your electrical needs in the DC metro area, and/or to schedule an appointment for our services, call us at 877 287-1179.

This problem is similar to the heating appliance issue we started with.  Overloaded outlets are more than just a circuit-tripping annoyance, they can also become a danger quickly!  If you’re electrical panel is doing its job properly, the circuit breaker will trip before there’s a problem, but relying on a safety measure is not a safe practice.

Overloaded outlets are simply circuits that have too many things plugged into them.  This can happen by:

All of these practices can overload your outlets by putting too much demand on the circuit.  In a best case scenario, the circuit breaker trips.  The worst case leads to excess heat at the outlet, melting plugs and sockets or excess heat on the circuit which melts insulation from wiring in the walls, leading to a house fire.

Of course, even if you follow all of these protections, things can happen that are outside of your control.  That’s when your best defense is a strong safety net.  Early detection and warning for house fires is the best way to survive in an emergency.  The sooner you’re aware that there is a fire, the higher your likelihood of survival.  For the best defense:

Cost, energy savings, maintenance and aesthetics must all be taken into account to optimize your budget and bring out the best in your home with the finest lighting design.

1.   Fluorescent and CFL (compact fluorescent) lamps work well in areas that require cooler, energy-efficient general illumination, such as undercabinet lighting and cove lighting in kitchens or flush-mount ceiling fixtures in garages and basements.

2.  Low-voltage halogen lamps are best for accent lighting and to provide luxurious illumination in areas of the home that call for a more up-scaled look, such as living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms and master bathrooms.

3.  For task lighting, choose LED (light-emitting diode) desk lamps, reading lamps, track lighting and mini-pendants. Bulbrite’s Generation 3 dimmable LED lamps provide great color rendering and light output, perfect for track and recessed fixtures. 

 4.  LED lamps are becoming the standard for outdoor lighting, too, due to their low-maintenance and high energy-efficiency. Although the initial cost for LED lamps is considerably higher, you will find tremendous long-term savings in energy, maintenance and replacement costs—especially in areas where illumination is frequently needed such as outdoor security lighting.

5.  Incandescent lamps are still popular for portable lighting and ceiling fixtures to provide pleasant general illumination.  Aim for energy-efficient incandescent:  Bulbrite’s Eco-Friendly Halogen A19 standard bulb is energy-saving, fully dimmable and available in clear or soft white.

Note:  Do not skimp and buy bulbs of lesser quality, because substandard bulbs may emit a poor quality of light and may burn out prematurely.  Purchase your lighting from a reputable dealer who will stand behind the quality of their merchandise.

For more information on updating your home with quality, energy-efficient lighting, visit a Capitol Lighting showroom and meet with a professional lighting consultant.

Everyone has had electrical problems with lamps and lighting fixtures. Your favorite lamp may be flickering off and on. You’ve changed the bulb and that doesn’t fix the problem. Now what do you do? The answer can be as simple as replacing worn out light fixture wiring or it may be more complex than that.

Incorrect use of electricity, inefficient appliances and lighting may lead to high energy bills. In addition, the faulty state of your home insulation will lead to heat or cold air escaping when it should not. Other factors include water leakages in the washroom and kitchen sinks, leaking hot water pipes, etc. Any of these will require more energy to heat or cool the air, or pump water to compensate for the lost amounts.

An electrician can assess your entire home and make a recommendation to enable you to save energy and you may even be able to enjoy energy rebates from making upgrades to your lighting system. Address any electrical problems at this time.