Everything seems fine, then POOF–your power goes out. Chances are, you tripped a circuit breaker. Electrical problems are one of those things that tend to make a homeowner’s stress level skyrocket. You’re not sure what’s wrong, but suddenly you’ve lost access to the power you depend on in your DC area home! 

A breaker can trip for many reasons. Below are the tops 5 causes of an electrical breaker tripping in your home.

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A breaker trip comes as a result of a circuit tied to your circuit breaker exceeding its safe parameters. They can be identified by a sudden loss of power to specific appliances (those that used a dedicated circuit, like a fridge or microwave), or a loss of power in your home that is limited to a specific area.

There are a lot of issues that can result in breaker trips, but there are the ones our DC electricians address most often during electrical repairs in Washington, DC:

Looking for superior service and quality from your electrician? Contact Kolb Electric for electrical repair in Washington, DC!

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are good substitute to the now being banned incandescent lamps. It is more energy efficient and lasts longer than its counterpart. CFLs are more expensive because the price includes the disposal fee. It was introduced in North America in mid 1990s. Although it is more energy efficient than the incandescent lamps, its composition makes its disposal complicated. CFLs are known to contain mercury which is a very serious threat to the environment once disposed improperly. Mercury functions as the vapor inside the glass tubing of CFLs. Usually CFLs contains around 3-5 mg of Mercury; some have it as low as 1 mg. In essence, Mercury is utilized as vapor in a phosphor tube, which when electricity pass through, it produces short-wave UV (ultraviolet light) which causes the phosphor to fluoresce, therefore making visible light.

Mercury or Hydrargyrum or quicksilver is a liquid metal with a symbol Hg. Mercury is a poisonous chemical that can be derived from major deposits as cinnabar or mercuric sulfide, the reason for vermilion, the red pigment responsible for the reddening of the soil. The poisonous substance can be ingested or inhaled mercury vapor or by eating mercury contaminated fish. Mercury poisoning which is also known as mercurialism or hydrargyria is the disease that can be derived from exposure to mercury or its components. Acrodynia, Hunter Russell syndrome and Minamata disease are among the list of those mercury related diseases. It affects body senses such as impaired vision, hearing and speech. Disturbed sensation and lack of body coordination are also among the symptoms.

Imagine the world full of mercury-filled CFLs, time will come that the number one cause of human fatality is mercury poisoning. Steps are being taken into account for the eradication of CFLs. By the year 2015, the government of the United States of America will implement the banning of use of CFLs to stop the possible exposure to mercury. Although it is expected that many users of CFL will stop this banning procedure, a lot of informative measures are being given to the public to further understand why the government is pursuing this act.

When this thing comes into action and given that the incandescent bulbs will as well be phased-out, what can substitute CFLs as lighting solution? Majority are thinking that LED lamps are the next thing to be on the spot light to cater all the lighting requirement of the world.

LED lamps can be considered a viable means as alternative to the prevailing lighting system which are expected to be obsolete in the years to come. LED lamps are a lot more beneficial to employ than those two. Imagine the comfort one can have if for a long time, around 10 – 13 years, he will not be thinking of replacing bulbs and maintaining it. Additionally, LED lamps are comparatively using very low energy and still can give-out the equivalent brightness and luminance compared to its counterpart. Considering the price of purchasing LEDs, one just have to consider LED lighting as an investment that will definitely pay-off in the years to come.

Ample information should have to be distributed to further inform the public regarding the practical benefits of choosing LED bulbs over the other lighting options available today.

Garbage disposals have really changed the way we cook and clean. They make things a lot more convenient—until they clog up. And if you’ve got a lot of guests coming over for Thanksgiving or throughout the holiday season, there are a lot more opportunities for your garbage disposal to jam up, or for food that didn’t belong in the disposal to clog up your drains.

Make sure that your family members are aware of what items do or do not belong in the garbage disposal. Keep your pipes clear for the holidays by doing your best to keep these items out of the garbage disposal.

We hope that most of your guests already know this, but it’s certainly worth a reminder for all of the kids enjoying Turkey Day with you. Make sure they know that plastic wrappers, twist ties, and other small pieces of trash always go into the garbage!

That includes big things like meat bones, but also popcorn kernels, seeds, fruit pits, corn cobs, and more. It’s easy to dump the entire plate into the sink without really thinking about what’s on it, but make sure hard food items do not jam up the garbage disposal motor.

Fibrous, or stringy, foods can wrap around garbage disposal’s impellers and cause the motor to jam. This includes foods and food items like corn husks, celery, and onion skins. We recommend throwing these items into the trash instead.

Fats, oils, and grease are infamously known as FOG in the plumbing world. These substances seem to be harmless, unless you know about their properties. FOG can clog up the drains easily because it solidifies as it cools. Although you may pour it into the drains as a liquid, it clumps into a gooey mess in the drains. It could cause problems for the disposal as well.

Make sure to leave out a separate container to store FOG while you’re cooking, like a recently-opened can. Or, put tinfoil in a mug and pour it in there. Toss it in the trash once it cools.

It can be difficult to find a choosing an electrician, but perhaps the most important characteristic of a reputable Dallas electrician is customer service.

There are several factors that customers look for when determining good customer service.  After all, since no one wants to hire a Dallas electrician unless they can provide high quality service, it is worth doing a little research to find out who can truly deliver before hiring one company or another.

If you’re a busy person, constantly running from one place to another, it can be easy to forget some of the little things you leave behind at home. The thermostat, for example, controls perhaps the two biggest energy hogs in your home, the air conditioning and thermostats help improve your home comfort by offering advanced temperature and climate features as well as remote control that simply cannot be beat. Chances are, you are one of many Americans who uses a smart phone, tablet, or computer with internet access every day. A Nest thermostat learns your preferences for daily operation, but can still be controlled from far away if your plans change throughout the day! Here’s a bit more on those features.