If you’ve lived in the Washington, DC area for a while, you know how severe summer rains and winter storms can be. Too often, the result is a power outage that forces you to shut your home office down, puts your refrigerated goods at risk, and can even present a health hazard if someone in your household relies on oxygen to help them breathe. Fortunately, a home generator can bridge that gap between when the power goes out and when your service is restored.

Home generators offer a number of advantages to Maryland, Virginia, and DC homeowners, the largest of which include:

At Kolb Electric, we want to help you keep your electricity running even during the most severe Mid-Atlantic storms. To learn more about installing a standby generator in your Maryland, Northern Virginia, or Washington, DC home, call us at 877 287-1179 or click here to contact us online. We’ve been serving home and building owners in neighborhoods near you since 1925.

Ever noticed a slight spark when you plug in an appliance? Maybe a bittle blue zip of electricity with a hair dryer, or a hand blender. If you’re not especially technology-savvy, this phenomena may give you a little fright! After all, when it comes to electrical appliances, wiring or equipment, everyone understand that when the sparks start to fly, it can be scary. So what causes a sparking outlet? Is it normal? Is it dangerous? Answers to questions like these and much more follow!

At Kolb Electric, we understand outlets to a tee. Allow us a moment of your time to teach you about outlet sparking, it’s causes, and when it’s time to be concerned!

To understand sparking and its causes, it’s important to know a little bit about how an outlet operates. You can essentially think of an outlet as a supply line, doling out the electricity allotted to your home in measured quantities per-circuit. In the United States, our outlets run a high, fast and hot current of around 115 to 240 volts.

The important thing to know about sparking is that in actuality, it always happens when you plug in an appliance. That fast, hot current floods the plug at the moment of contact, and for a split-second the connection is being established. This forms a spark! It’s just that normally, you either don’t see it, or it doesn’t persist.

As an important note, we at Kolb would like to say that any time you feel threatened or concerned about your electricity, contact a professional or the fire department. We don’t want to see you in dire straits, and assisting you is what electricians like us are here for!

Having said that, generally speaking, sparking outlets are a cause for concern if:

To prevent issues like these from arising, keep an eye on your outlets. If they get old (even five years can be reason to have them checked), consider having them replaced or serviced. As years wear on, the connections can loosen, causing arcing and large sparks. If your outlets are located near possible sources of water, have GFCIs (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) installed for added safety.

At Kolb, our primary goal is always the safety and satisfaction of our consumers. You guys are important to us, and if we can help keep you safe, you can be sure we want to do all we can! Call on our master electricians today if you have any concerns regarding a sparking outlet, or if you have any other electrical concerns!

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

Electrical repairs are best left to the professionals, but you have to know what you’re looking for in an electrician to be sure you have the right person for the job. It can seem tricky, but here a few tips for making sure you’re hiring a professional you can trust.

A good electrician will be upfront about their licensing information and the type of work they are permitted to complete under that license. You could be held responsible for hiring the wrong type of electrician. Even if things appear to go smoothly, you can’t be sure you electrician was trained for the job he or she just completed.

It’s important to make certain your electrician is insured. You can always ask to review insurance policies to check that they are current and will cover the type of work you are asking to have done.

Make sure that the electrician you are hiring has experience with a similar assignment. If they have completed projects like yours, check to see they come recommended by former clients.

Often you can get an estimate from an electrician based on the job as you describe it. Invite them to see the space, and describe in the best detail you can what you would like to have happen. While some electricians do upcharge in the process, sometimes their legitimate estimates are too low because of how the job or location has been described during an estimate.

Ask for an estimate and a breakdown of the costs from more than one electrician. It will help you get a better understanding of what to expect from the process and you’ll be able to see which electrician is offering the fairest price for both parts and labor.