It might be hard to believe, but even with as cold as it’s been, spring is on the way! And while you’re out enjoying the outdoors, the Sterling electricians at Kolb Electric want to bring you some electrical safety tips to make this spring safe and fun!

Keep power cords away from water – you probably already know this, but water and electricity don’t mix. Any time you’re dealing with electricity, make sure you’re working in a completely dry environment. You should also consider testing your GFI outlets.

Beware of power lines – if your spring cleaning involves getting up on a ladder or using a long-handled pool-cleaning tool, make sure you know you’re clear of power lines before you start. Power lines are interesting—if you were to hang from one without your feet touching the ground, you would be safe. However, coming into contact with power lines while you’re standing on the ground is a different story, as the electric current will travel through you on its way to the ground. Note that if the power lines are low enough, this could happen even if you’re just standing under them!

Always call before you dig – underground power lines are just as dangerous as overhead power lines, and since you can’t see them, it’s almost impossible to know where they are! If your spring plans involve digging of any kind, like adding an addition to your home or even planting a tree, make sure you call to confirm that it’s safe to do so!

Keep materials, tools, and all body parts at least 15 ft away from overhead lines – like we said above, power lines can strike you even if you’re standing too close to them. 15 ft is the safest minimum distance, so make sure you’re aware of this, especially if you’re working on the roof.

Never fly kites or model airplanes near power lines – we keep harping on the power line issue because they can be very dangerous if you’re not careful. If you have a kite or model airplane that ends up getting tangled in power lines, don’t try to get it down yourself—call your local utility provider for assistance. As a side note, make sure you never use any metallic materials in your kite—these can conduct electricity back to you.

Inspect power tools and electric lawn mowers before every use – frayed power cords, broken plugs, and weathered or damaged housings can make your equipment dangerous to use, so don’t use anything until it has been repaired properly. When not in use, keep these tools unplugged and store them in a dry area.

Watch out for power lines hidden behind foliage – before you trim tree limbs and shrubs, make sure there are no power lines hiding behind them. If you are concerned about tree limbs growing on or around overhead power lines on your property, call your local utility provider.

Keep your electrical box clear – you know that large, green, ground-level box you may have in your yard? That box houses the components of an underground electrical system. Keep it clear of vegetation and other permanent structures, as utility workers may need to access the underground lines and equipment during unplanned outages or routine maintenance.

Do not use electric mowers on wet grass – as we said in the beginning, water and electricity are a dangerous combo. Only use an electric mower on dry grass, and if you need to use an extension cord, make sure you use an insulated cord designed for outdoor use and with the correct power rating for your equipment.

Treat all power lines the same – some power lines are high voltage, some are low voltage. For safety, treat all power lines as if they are harmful—because chances are, they will be!

The Sterling electricians at Kolb Electric want to wish everyone a happy and safe spring season. And if you need an electrician in Sterling or anywhere else in the MD/DC/VA area, call Kolb Electric today!

The term “light box” can mean a few different things, but from a lighting perspective it typically refers to a backlit display panel. Light boxes are most commonly used for advertisements or other commercial displays. You’ve probably seen them in trade show booths, restaurants, airports, nightclubs, offices, hotels, museum exhibits, and retail shops. That’s right, light boxes are everywhere.

One of the most common uses for light boxes is the commercial advertisement. You see these in large spaces like terminals or outdoors at bus stops. They capture the attention of passers-by and create lasting impressions. The light box pictured below is one of the biggest I’ve ever seen.

One of the most obvious places you’ll see light boxes are along the walls inside and outside of movie theaters. Sometimes lines of light boxes stretch incredible distances, advertising all the movies being shown in large theaters.

In fact, light boxes can be a fun addition to any home and can be used for as many purposes as you can imagine. Sure, you could illuminate a movie poster of your daughter’s favorite movie. But you could also make a custom sign saying whatever you want. I really like the light box below, created at home for home.

You wouldn’t just let any old person in your home, would you? Of course not! That same philosophy should apply when choosing an electrician.Our Texas electricians go through background checks, exams, and multiple interviews before joining the ElectricMan team.

We are a family owned electrical repair company in North Texas and we are available 24 hours a day to serve you!

When you have that next electrical emergency, it’s ElectricMan to the rescue!

About ElectricMan Inc.

ElectricMan Inc. is one of Dallas’ most trusted electricians. Nick Schaeffer, Mr. ElectricMan himself, has quite the resume for a master electrician. He started the company by himself in 2004 and hasn’t looked back since! For more information about Electricman’s list of electrical repair services, please visit www.ElectricManInc.com

Take advantage of Custom Electrical Services and there partnership with MidAmerican EnergyAdvantage® Trade Ally Partner program.  Receive a free in business assessment on your current lighting.  Let us do the leg work and show you the HUGE savings.  Take advantage of the most current rebates available for your business.  Go green and receive some green at the same time!  LED is here to stay so start saving today!

LED lighting (Light Emitting Diode) is dramatically more efficient than standard fluorescent lighting.  With T12 fluorescent lamps drawing as much as 40 watts per lamp, LED lamps currently can draw as little as 18 watts per lamp.  That’s over a 50% reduction in energy when compared to a standard T12 lamp!  Not only do you get a 50% reduction in energy cost you can save on cooling cost too!  When replacing LED lamps with standard incandescent, high pressure sodium, and mercury vapor lights the new LED lamps DRAMATICALLY reduce the amount of heat produced.

Not only does the LED lamp save you money in energy cost you can also reduce your maintenance cost!  Currently LED lamps can last as much as 50,000 hours which is a much longer life span when compared to a standard lamp.  Paying a maintenance worker to change lamps can be expensive.  Especially for hard to reach areas that require large ladders or specialized equipment to reach the lamp needing replaced.  Even worse is having unqualified staff change your lamps.  Having unqualified people perform this task can lead to electrical shock, falls, or other injuries.

Contact us today and start saving!  Custom Electrical Services will come to your business and perform a free no obligation assessment.  We have replaced THOUSANDS of fluorescent lamps with the new LED in and around the Des Moines area the past year alone.  Businesses are starting to notice the advantages of LED and the amount of volume has gone up dramatically since!  Call today and schedule your assessment and take advantage of our MidAmerican EnergyAdvantage® Trade Ally Partnership.Thank you and look forward to hearing from you soon!

You’re on top of grounding your children, but are you familiar with grounding your home? It improves the safety of your home as well as increases the life of your electronics, and who doesn’t want that? Mr. Electric has all you need to know in order to have your home properly grounded.

Electricity likes to travel the path of least resistance. When there’s too much of it, it needs somewhere to go. That’s where grounding comes in. You see, without it, that path of least resistance is your appliances and electronics – and possibly you when you use them. Burn! Zap! Not a good thing.

Since you don’t want your appliances – or you – to take the heat in these situations, a grounding wire is added to your home, offering all that electricity the perfect chance of escape, via a wire attached to your home’s electrical system which is submerged firmly in the ground – the reason it’s called “grounding.” Both your home’s electrical box and your home’s outlets need to be connected to this grounding wire in order to be properly and safely grounded.

Without proper grounding, you and your home could suffer burned out electronics and appliances, electrical fires and potentially deadly electrical shock.

Without special testing equipment, it may be difficult to tell. Just because you have three prong outlets does not mean the outlets – or your home – are properly grounded. These outlets must be properly wired in to your home’s main grounding wire for proper protection. There is also more to grounding than sticking a big metal rod in the dirt, such as properly attaching wires, grounding to your home’s water pipes correctly, and much, much more. If you don’t want your electrical behaving badly, you can ensure it is properly grounded by having it inspected by a licensed, qualified electrician.

Newer homes, as a result of increased safety regulations, are typically properly grounded. Older homes, on the other hand, may not have had a proper grounding experience, or any at all. Homes built before 1950 are especially at risk. You should always have your home, regardless of age, inspected for proper grounding by a licensed, qualified electrician to avoid the potential risks of fire, electrical shock, and property damage. You never know what the previous resident did without a permit.

Don’t suffer the punishment of burnt out electronics or a burned down home. Mr. Electric® will keep you out of trouble – get grounded today!