Kolb Electric, here, and we wanted to discuss a fairly common topic we’ve noted with our patrons as of late. We’ve been getting a lot of “Is this normal?” Or “Is this a common problem?” questions on our projects and calls recently. This got us to thinking; maybe people would be interested in learning a bit about what electrical problems our Baltimore electricians encounter regularly.

What would we consider to be a fairly normal issue? And what would be an oddball? Answers to this and more today in:

No problem is ever “normal’, per se. That’s why it’s a problem! But there are certainly some issues we see regularly:

So why do we feel like it’s a good idea to clue you in on our most common repairs? Partially because information is fun, but mostly because problem is the key word here. Understanding that these common issues are indeed problems that should be looked into by our Baltimore electricians is important.

Any instance of poor wiring, flickering lights, under-maintained equipment or general electrical funny business should be addressed right away! Leaving them alone or ignoring them can be hazardous, or can lead to much larger electrical problems. So have them handled by a pro right away!

If you note any of the issues we mentioned today (or any other electrical problems), contact the certified Baltimore electricians at Kolb today! Our experts can have your electrical appliances and wiring in perfect working order in no time at all!

Tube lights are found in many applications and environments such as office buildings, hallways, garages, and really anywhere that has a low and flat ceiling. Although fluorescent tubes contain small amounts of mercury and isn’t a whole lot, you still want to avoid the breaking of a fluorescent tube and any exposure to mercury if possible.

Whether you are simply replacing a burnt out fluorescent tube with a new one or are switching over to a new technology (such as LED), there is a proper way to do it. By following these steps along with others that you may find, you will allow yourself to reduce risk of harm for yourself, staff, or whoever is the one physically replacing the tube lights.

Let’s answer some common questions and issues that people seem to face when tasked with this issue of replacing mercury filled fluorescent tubes…

By recycling rather than simply throwing away your tube lights, you opt-in for the environmentally friendly route of switching out old tubes. If you choose not to recycle, you are allowing toxic mercury to freely enter the environment, which of course is not good.

Not only do you prevent mercury from freely entering the environment by recycling, but you also reduce waste. How exactly? Part of the tube is reused for new tubes that will be resold and used. This allows for less waste and this goes back to the saying “Reduce, Reused, Recycle.” So by taking part of fluorescent tube recycling, you allow the process of recycling to continue and prevent waste from entering the landfill!

When taking your tubes out to bring for recycling, this is probably the most difficult step you need to be most cautious with. The best option you have is to be prepared and know what to do if things go “south” as they like to say.

Here is what you can do to prepare for the removal of fluorescent fixtures:

And for one thing that you should always remember for dealing with a broken tube is this: NEVER VACUUM. By vacuuming, you make glass particles go airborne and that is a highly dangerous situation to be in.

For more tips on how to clean up a broken fluorescent or CFL lights, using this tool from Earth911. It allows you to search what you need to recycle and where you are located. So you go to that tool, type in ‘fluorescent’ or ‘CFL’ along with your location and you will surely come across the closest place to recycle fluorescent tubes (along with really anything else you may want to recycle).

If you are in the process of disposing and recycling your fluorescent tubes, what is going in there to replace the ones you are removing? If the answer is “more fluorescent tubes,” may we ask why?

Using a warm white or RGB COB (chips-on-board) LED, these flood lights emit up to 1,000 lumens of illumination in a wide 120-degree beam pattern. The weatherproof LED fixtures have a low-profile die cast aluminum housing with an integral heat sink and a tempered glass lens. An adjustable mounting bracket is also included to direct illumination where it’s needed.