Although it is an option that many homeowners choose, installing solar panels on your own can be a very time-consuming and difficult process, especially if you have never worked with solar energy before. While most panels or solar kits are not terribly difficult to connect and get working, there are many factors that can help ensure that your panels last while providing you with the maximum amount of solar energy. That being said, most areas have any number of solar installers available and ready to install your solar panels for you so that you do not need to worry about any of these issues.

For most homeowners, the largest barrier to solar panel installation is the price. Although prices have gone down a little over the last few years, buying solar panels outright can be very expensive. Even though you will typically recover your investment in just a few years, it can be very difficult for many to spend that type of money up front. Luckily, there are a variety of programs available across the country that are helping to make the amount that solar panels cost much more manageable for the average family.

Naturally, it highly benefits the solar industry to have as many panels as possible on as many roofs as possible. In order to make solar installation easier for a wider number of people, many companies have developed solar financing and solar leasing programs that can help to spread the cost over a number of months. In the case of solar leasing, you simply pay the leasing company a monthly fee. In most cases, the amount that you save on your electric bill will completely offset the cost of the lease. What this means for you is that almost anyone can install solar panels without incurring a large, unmanageable up-front cost. For more Solar Power Info, browse the resources that we have available on this website.

Kolb Electric, here, and we wanted to discuss a fairly common topic we’ve noted with our patrons as of late. We’ve been getting a lot of “Is this normal?” Or “Is this a common problem?” questions on our projects and calls recently. This got us to thinking; maybe people would be interested in learning a bit about what electrical problems our Baltimore electricians encounter regularly.

What would we consider to be a fairly normal issue? And what would be an oddball? Answers to this and more today in:

No problem is ever “normal’, per se. That’s why it’s a problem! But there are certainly some issues we see regularly:

So why do we feel like it’s a good idea to clue you in on our most common repairs? Partially because information is fun, but mostly because problem is the key word here. Understanding that these common issues are indeed problems that should be looked into by our Baltimore electricians is important.

Any instance of poor wiring, flickering lights, under-maintained equipment or general electrical funny business should be addressed right away! Leaving them alone or ignoring them can be hazardous, or can lead to much larger electrical problems. So have them handled by a pro right away!

If you note any of the issues we mentioned today (or any other electrical problems), contact the certified Baltimore electricians at Kolb today! Our experts can have your electrical appliances and wiring in perfect working order in no time at all!

Throughout the modern age, we have become desensitized to the radical displacement of major products, categories, and even whole industries. It’s amazing how one simple technological innovation can change the way we use a major product or service in our lives; one of today’s largest examples of this is how LED bulbs are rapidly displacing the standard incandescent or CFL bulb.

VCRs, cassette tapes, home phones, movie stores, steam engines, and more have been added to the list of technologies that were once considered revolutionary, but are now just a novelty. The same will soon be said for CFL and, especially, incandescent light bulbs, as LED bulbs seem to outperform their predecessors in nearly every way.

There are really only two ways to point to an LED bulb and find that it has any flaws when compared to a standard light bulb: They don’t last (quite) as long when kept in a closely confined container that is left on for extended periods and they cost more to purchase. The former issue is solved by adjusting the type of fixture you install LED bulbs in (or losing the fixture altogether, as LEDs don’t need them nearly as much) and the latter is an ever-decreasing problem, as LEDs are becoming more-and-more mass produced and affordable. Even now, for a couple extra bucks, your 4-pack of LED bulbs will pay for themselves with a single bulb in about a year, then continue to last far longer – likely years – longer than an incandescent bulb bought on the same day would have.

One of the major criticisms to LED bulbs was once that the light was too pristine, not natural enough, or just generally felt different. Now, however, LED manufacturers have begun to perfect making LED bulbs replicate and exceed the capabilities of standard light bulbs. In fact, LED bulbs can now even be purchased to replicate vintage-style bulbs (often called Edison bulbs), that fully function on a dimmable switch and provide all the exoticl pizzaz of classic bulbs without the abysmal lifespan. It is reasonable to expect that as LED lights continue to replace incandescent bulbs in standard applications that they will take their place in other areas, including colorful, uniquely-shaped, and even more exotic or rare fixture fittings.

You’ve likely heard the claims of savings and safety features associated with LED bulbs; if you’re skeptical, then worry not, most every claim about LED bulbs is true or even understated. LED bulbs are so much more efficient, reliable, stable, and long-lasting than incandescent bulbs in nearly all situations, that there really are almost no reasons to not choose LED over your standard bulbs. In fact, it is likely not worth waiting for your current bulbs to die, but, instead, upgrade your entire household now; the savings is so significant that you’ll likely save money on your electrical bill in under a year.

Whenever you need electrical work done around your Des Moines home, contact the experienced professionals at Electrical Gurus. We are proud to offer the finest licensed local electricians in the area and are always more than happy to help out on your household projects.

Your electric bill may be completely manageable and affordable. However, wouldn’t you like to learn how to save a few extra dollars every month and do something good for the world at the same time? Just because you can afford your current electric bill, doesn’t mean you can’t make adjustments around your home that will reduce the amount of electricity you use. A Santa Monica electrician is here to tell you about a few things you can do around your house to reduce the amount of electricity you use. The folks at The Electric Connection would love to share their knowledge with you.

Of course you know about turning off the lights when you are not in the room and turning off appliances when you don’t need them, but there are even more things you can do that will certainly add up to big savings for you and less burden on the power grid. It is no secret, our booming population has put a serious burden on our current power grids and blackouts from time to time during peak usage times are not uncommon.

You can lessen your impact by changing out your old, energy hot incandescent light bulbs to the more energy-efficient CFLs or LEDs. The CFLs are the spiral shaped lights that can easily be exchanged in your existing light fixtures. If you have a light fixture that will not accommodate one of these environmentally friendly options, talk with your electrician. Santa Monica residents can update their home lighting by replacing old fixtures with new, more modern and energy efficient fixtures.

Placing LED lights under your kitchen counters gives you plenty of light to see what you are doing and is extremely inexpensive to use and the fixtures are relatively cheap as well. If you are interested in doing your part to make the world a better place, give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your light fixture upgrade.