If you are working with electricity, it is important to know how to safely install an organized electric wiring layout.  Fires and accidents can be caused by faulty electric wiring layouts, so it’s important to be able to recognize potential hazards and avoid them whenever possible.

Although this job may be The electric wiring layout for your home will vary according to what room you are doing the wiring for. In any case, it’s a good idea to draw a diagram of the layout first. The diagram will help you determine what lighting or appliances are needed, where they will be located and what sort of outlets will be necessary for each item.

Next you should determine which tools and Because it is so important to have your electric wiring layout installed safely, here are a few tips you should be aware of during the installation process:

High temperatures cause conductors to expand and hence increase in length. The converse is true for low temperature conditions. The change in length varies from one conductor to another depending on its thermal expansivity. The length of copper conductors, for instance, changes by 5 feet per 1000 feet of length when the conductor temperature changes from 100 – 0°, while aluminum changes by about 7 feet. The length increases with increase in temperature and reduces with reduction in temperature.

This increase or decrease in length is of great concern when installing power transmission lines between poles and towers, or when installing other power connectors. There must be an allowance for this change in length since it can cause catastrophes if it’s not there.

Weather changes are associated with increase and decrease in temperature and thus affect power transmission lines and other conductors. However, change in temperature is only one factor that affects power lines. Below are the changes that occur to power lines and other conductors as a result of weather changes:

The amount of heat dissipated from power conductors is reduced during hot and calm weather conditions. Basically, if the temperature of air around the cable is low, more heat is lost from the cable to the air. If the air is already hot, the exchange of heat is lesser. This low heat dissipation causes the lines to overheat. However, the rise in conductor temperature (overheating) worsens when cables are transmitting too much power than required. The first effect of this increased conductor temperature is snagging, which is the downward bulging of the cable between two poles, caused by the increase in the length of cables.

Snagging is largest during extreme hot weather (largest increase in temperature) conditions experienced in summer. The increase in length results to downward bulging of the cable due to the effect of gravity. Excessive sagging is dangerous if it goes below the accepted height clearance – cables could come into contact with trees, buildings and other structures underneath, causing electrocution and fires.

Excessive sagging represent an added weight on the power line and this increase may cause the line to fail or to pull down weak poles and towers. The effects can be small but gradual and so the poles and towers will finally come down or require some adjustment/replacement after some time, which is costly. This sagging can also cause the lines to short out. Excessive sagging is also costly since it leads to increased electrical resistance. This means that a sagged power line transmits lesser current than it normally does, thus causing under-feeding of electrical equipment and industries. It is also costly and time consuming to rectify a sag.

Here at Kolb Electric, we’ve had numerous business owners throughout MD, DC, and VA approach us for more information about commercial light-emitting diodes—more commonly referred to as LEDs. Businesses everywhere have been forced to find ways to reduce their monthly expenses and save money in order to survive in these challenging economic times. Transitioning to commercial LED lighting is one of the ways businesses in the area can save money and enjoy other benefits as well.

Commercial LED lighting is very energy-efficient—replacing incandescent, halogen, or compact fluorescent light bulbs with LED lighting reduces energy consumption 50 – 85 percent. Some studies reveal that businesses have the potential to save as much as 60 percent on their electricity bill each month by making a total change from incandescent bulbs to LED lighting. ENERGY STAR reports that lighting is the largest cost component of a commercial building’s electricity bill and a significant portion of the total energy bill.

Some businesses shy away from LED bulbs because of their higher initial cost compared to other bulbs.  However, it will not take long for businesses to recoup this cost in the form of direct savings on electricity bills. Also, LED bulbs work by generating light using a semiconductor rather than relying on heating up a traditional filament. What does this mean for you? It means the highest quality LED bulbs can last up to 50,000 hours. The typical incandescent bulb, on the other hand, lasts only about 750 hours.

Work environment upgrades are closely tied with an improvement in the performance of employees. A Cornell University study estimates that a 3 – 5 percent gain in worker performance can be achieved with better lighting. In many cases, the gains in worker productivity alone are enough to offset the costs associated with commercial LED lighting. Light has a direct correlation with ease of reading, lower eyestrain, reduced errors, better turnaround time, reduced risk of musculoskeletal injuries, and psychological well-being.

The great thing about commercial LED lighting is that it can be tailored to meet your needs for color accuracy. Whether you want lighting that’s warm, cool, or neutral, the right type of LED lighting is available. Color rendering—the ability to make colors look true—must also be taken into account when it comes to LED lighting. The color rendering index (CRI) characterizes light sources in view of their ability to produce “natural light” and can be between 0 and 100. The closer an LED light comes to 100 on the CRI, the more naturally colors are rendered, and the light is perceived as more pleasant.

Transitioning to commercial LED lighting can help you save immediately on your electricity bills. The fact that LED lighting lasts significantly longer than incandescent bulbs and has the potential to improve employee performance is also beneficial to your business. If you want to learn about what type of commercial LED lighting is best for your business, contact us today.

Home hot tubs are becoming more popular. And why not? There’s nothing better than relaxing after a hard day’s work in a hot tub with a cold drink. But the increased demand has created a plethora of options for consumers to consider. Of course, hot tubs come in all  colors and sizes with differing jet placements and a range of other features, but getting a hot tub bubbling is not as easy as many people think.

A hot tub cannot be simply plopped on a deck, filled with water, and plugged in. Here are some hot tub owner tips to consider before you look at buying a hot tub.

Most — locales require a homeowner to obtain a permit before installing a hot tub. Check with your local officials to see if this is required in your area.

Finding the right spot is vital. Make sure it’s in a convenient place, generally close to the house so that it’s not hard to get to at night.,. If you are going to put it on a deck, make sure that your deck is rated for the right amount of weight. One gallon of water weighs about 8.3 lbs., meaning most hot tubs will weigh at least 4,500 pounds before people get in.

Different hot tubs have different electrical needs. Some of the units have a normal three prong plug, but it’s much more common for the hot tubs to need  50 -70  amps of electricity, which means they will require hardwiring. Depending on how much electricity your home is using, you may need to upgrade your electric panel.  This hot tub circuit   will need to be  Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protected, which is an electrical code requirement.

Don’t leave a hot tub electrical installation to an amateur. Hot tubs are expensive electrical appliances that draw a lot of power and need to be operational at all times without negatively affecting your home electric. You may need a special wiring run, additional amperage, or fairly complicated electrical services that should be left to the professionals.

About 80% of dwellings were built before the year 1990. While they may have complied with the safety standards at the time of construction, those standards might not be relevant in today’s day and age. Significant changes were made in electrical standards since 1990 and the protection technologies of today were not available or required back then. You must ensure that the standards maintained in such existing accommodations are raised to the electrical safety levels of the current standards.

Understanding the Risks at Existing Accommodation

Extensive safety studies must be carried out in the existing residential buildings to determine the disparity between the required safety standards and the existing safety standards. If the existing standards fall a little short, you must show an urgency to raise the level of safety of these buildings and bring them up to the current standards.

Thankfully, it isn’t too complicated or difficult to do so. You can take small steps to gradually improve the electrical safety through a program of manual safety audits.

3 Ways Current Safety Standards Help in Reducing Electrical Risks

Importance of Verification

The current electrical standards ensure that the new residential electrical installations are safe and that they remain so over their entire lifetime. IEC 60364-6 defines both initial verification of an installation as well as verification of residential dwellings every 10 years. The periodic verification ensures that the fundamental protective measures remain active and reliable.

Recommended Periodic Auditing

There must be periodic auditing to ensure that the safety conditions are up to the mark. The audits need to be simple and based on visual checks. They need to be performed by a qualified auditor, who can then inform the owner of any possible safety issues. The owner will then take responsibility for arranging any necessary repair work. The frequency of inspection can be defined by each country, either by a specific period (e.g., 10 years), or triggered by an event such as the sale or rental of a dwelling.