What’s more important than reliable access to electricity? Safe and reliable access to electricity! We use tools and appliances every day. Heck every hour. And in some instances, every minute. But generally speaking, we don’t really pay much mind to how safe we’re being with it. But you should. Accidents happen all the time (and if you like statistics, boy we’ve got ‘em right here!), and whether you think it could happen to you or not, the fact of the matter is we put ourselves at risk all the time.

This is why it is outright critical that we ensure we’re taking all of the steps we can to protect ourselves, our homes, and our loved ones. Luckily, safety isn’t all that hard, and really takes a minimal time investment. Here at Kolb Electric, your safety is the top priority to our Alexandria electricians. So take a moment to read up! You might learn something new.

Regarding Electrical Supply

First off, to use any appliance safely, you should always keep in mind the right places to use them relative to your home’s safe supply. We’re talking, of course, about dedicated circuits. We’ve spoken of them many times, but it’s important because ensuring the proper appliances get the proper setup is key to operating them safely. Appliances that should be on dedicated circuits include:

Also, if your appliance is going to be near water sources (kitchen/bathroom appliances), be sure they are plugged into a GFCI outlet. Don’t have GFCI outlets? Looks like it’s time for some installation!

Using Power Strips for Your Appliances

Don’t “daisy-chain”, be sure you’re using indoor for indoor, outdoor for outdoor, never cover your cords (generates dangerous heat), and don’t exceed the safe capacity. Also never use power strips or extension cords to power heaters or other high-wattage appliances. They weren’t designed to handle that much power, and they may overheat/catch on fire.

General Appliance Safety Tips from Our Alexandria Electricians

Rules of thumb that promote safety are a great idea, and our Alexandria electricians are here to give you the rundown!

Need the services of a certified electrician to beef up your home safety? From outlet installation to wire repair, our experts have you covered! Contact Kolb to learn about our services, or to set your appointment today!

The baseball season has started, NASCAR has revved up for the summer and football is right around the corner. All these sports, at one time, could only be enjoyed during the day. Mr. Electric®, a company committed to powering tomorrow, looked at how electricity and lights changed sports forever.

On the night of September 28, 1892, the game of football was changed forever when Wyoming Seminary played Mansfield State Normal School in the first-ever night game. The game lasted 20 minutes, consisted of a total of ten plays and ended with neither team scoring. The game ended early due to several players getting hurt by running into light poles caused by the insufficient lighting system. The first night game West of the Mississippi was played in Kansas by the now, Wichita State, and Sterling College in 1905. With upgraded lighting systems many games are now played at night. On September 28, 1992, Monday Night Football celebrated “100 years under the lights” in a game featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams.

Baseball was behind football when it came to playing at night. Though teams had played at night since the 1880s, many teams did not make it common practice until many years later. The first ever Major League Baseball game to be played at night took place on May 24, 1935, in Cincinnati when the Cincinnati Reds played the Philadelphia Phillies. The Chicago Cubs were the last Major League Baseball team to finally host a game at night in their home stadium of Wrigley Field. The game took place on August 9, 1988. The World Series had its first night game in 1977. Now, every Major League Baseball stadium has lights and night games are a common occurrence.

Bristol Motor Speedway was the first NASCAR track to have lights installed for night races in 1992. In order for night racing to take place in NASCAR lights had to be designed that would not blind the drivers as they raced around the track. Bristol was one of the first tracks to have night racing. Since 1992, many tracks have added lights for night racing. Some of the most popular night races take place at Kansas City, Richmond, Charlotte and Bristol Speedways. None of these sports would be where they are today without the advent of electricity and intelligently designed lighting systems.