Breaker boxes or commonly called electrical panels are the modern day replacements for fuses boxes.  Breakers are the electrical devices that go into a panel or breaker box.  Breakers can easily be reset by flipping there switch versus having to unscrew and completely replace a fuse.  A circuit breaker can automatically open or trip upon an overload or a short circuit protecting the circuit and the appliances plugged into the circuit from possible damage.  For larger equipment such as those used in commercial or industrial applications switchgear is commonly used to protect and control equipment.

There is a lot of brands of breaker boxes or electrical panels on the market with some better than others.  Most breakers boxes on the market have been proven to be reliable and operate correctly and safely.  Brands such as Seimens, Square D, and Cutler-Hammer offer superior products and can provide the best protection possible with installed correctly.

Most brands that we currently know have safety and fire hazards have been pulled off the market.  However a lot of these brands that have been pulled off the market are in thousands and in some cases hundreds of thousands of homes across the nation.  One of the worst brands of electrical panels we see in the Des Moines market is Federal Pacific brand breaker boxes.  Federal Pacific panels were most commonly uses from 1960’s to the 1980’s.  These panels have circuit breakers that simply do not trip or open the circuit properly to provide the necessary protection.  Federal Pacific panels have been linked to countless fires and have even resulted in death.  If you have a Federal Pacific breaker box in your home we highly recommend it be replaced by a licensed electrician as soon as possible.  Another brand we advise immediate replacement on is Zinsco panels.  Certain types of Zinsco panels have been linked to several fires.  If you own a Zinsco panel we recommend it be replaced by an licensed electrician.

In the winter months, having a standby generator is important for your business. But is it right for you? Not all businesses benefit from a standby generator, but for the ones that need one, a standby generator is almost essential!

If you’re in need of a standby generator in the Washington, DC, Maryland, or Virginia area, contact Kolb Electric today! Our expert electricians can get your business set up and ready for any bad weather that could come your way.

Ready, an initiative launched in 2004 by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), focuses on business preparedness. Ready helps owners and managers of small- to medium-sized businesses prepare their employees, operations, and assets in the event of an emergency. If you own or operate a business in MD, DC, or VA, it’s important you understand some of the potential consequences that can result due to extended power outages, as outlined by Ready. These include:

Here at Kolb Electric, we can install a standby generator for your business that automatically kicks on within 10 seconds of power loss—which can give you complete peace of mind during a violent storm. We have years of experience installing standby generators for businesses in MD, DC, and VA, and we can tell you that installing a standby generator is a simple, affordable process—we’re one of the top electricians in the area, after all! Why wouldn’t you want cheap insurance against the threat of extended power outages? The standby generators we carry even conduct ultra-quiet weekly self-tests to test operation and performance.

If you’re ready for a standby generator, contact Kolb Electric today!