As you have likely noticed, Winter is well on its way in the Greater Vancouver area and Lower Mainland. With heavy snowfall and stormy weather predicted for this upcoming Winter season, it’s important for residents in these areas to brush up on all electrical safety procedures and best practices. The licensed electricians at Expert Electric have been providing Vancouver and the Lower Mainland with residential and commercial electrical services for many years. Check out our list of Winter electrical safety tips to keep you protected this Winter season.

Don’t get caught unprepared in a local power outage. Every year, residents of the Greater Vancouver area and Lower Mainland lose power due to local power outages. In recent years, some residents have been stuck without power for up to 72 hours. As a rule of thumb, ensure that you are fully prepared with an emergency kit that contains enough supplies to last up to 72 hours without power. Some of the supplies that your power outage emergency kit should include are batteries, candles, matches, flashlights, bottled water, non-perishable foods and more. For a full list of emergency kit supplies, please visit the BC Hydro website.

Winter storms can cause significant damage to trees outside your property. It is important to inspect any trees on or near your property that could result in damage to your home or building. Any loose branches should be removed to minimize the risk of falling. Large trees can also damage power lines and vehicles. If possible, park your vehicle in a safe area that is located away from any large trees that could fall on it. If you are unsure of whether a tree poses a significant threat to your property, call the licensed electricians at Expert Electric.

Snowfall and Winter storms mean an influx in the amount of water present on your property. Because water and electricity don’t mix, it is crucial to ensure that there are no loose wires or electrical cords present around your property. All electrical equipment should be stored safely away while not in use. Any large electrical equipment such as pools, hot tubs or outdoor lighting should be inspected to ensure that it is operating properly and the equipment’s cords and electrical wiring are hazard free.

If you would like further information about Winter electrical safety tips, please contact one of our licensed electricians at 604-681-8338. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. Our team of licensed electricians has been servicing the Greater Vancouver area and Lower Mainland for many years. We offer various types of electrician services including electric water heaters, surge protectors, ceiling fan installation and more. Visit our website to book an appointment today.

Are you looking for a way to dodge the cold this winter but still enjoy the outdoors? Then why not consider a hot tub! The experts at Kolb Electric can wire a hot tub for your home easily. But there are some things you need to know before beginning installation. There are specific limitations and home wiring necessities before you can relax in your new hot tub.

Got more questions? Contact the experts at Kolb Electric today!

If you’re looking to complete a hot tub installation in MD, VA. or DC, you should first understand the electrical requirements. Most hot tubs need a dedicated 240V, GFCI circuit to safely provide them with the power they need to run. To meet your hot tub’s electrical needs, you need to make sure your home is running on at least a 100 amp electrical service. Most homes built in the past 50 years or so meet this requirement, and many homes built more recently even exceed this, with 150 – 200 amp service. However, if you live in a historic home in the area, you may need to upgrade your electrical service before any hot tub wiring can be done. A licensed electrician from Kolb Electric can perform what’s known as a “heavy up” to get your home’s electrical service standards up to par for a hot tub installation in MD, VA, or DC.

If your home is ready for hot tub wiring, it helps to understand some of the guidelines that are outlined in the National Electrical Code (NEC), specifically ones dealing with hot tub installations. For instance, it is a violation of the NEC to install a hot tub under power lines. Additionally, you should avoid installing low-voltage lighting within 10 feet of your hot tub.

For all your hot tub wiring needs in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, contact the electricians at Kolb Electric today—877-287-1179877-287-1179 or click here!

When I talk to people about LED lights, the response is often the same: “That’s very exciting. LEDs are really cool. But they’re so expensive.” While you can say the prices of LEDs are going down, and you can promise that once you buy an LED it will save loads of energy, this doesn’t change the fact that many LED lights and light fixtures still cost a pretty penny.

But finally, LEDs are becoming less expensive. Today, you can buy a high quality LED A lamp for well under $50, and many kinds of LED fixtures for around that price as well. For today’s blog post, I’ve come up with a list of my 10 favorite LED task lights that cost less than 60 bucks each.  If you’ve never used an LED light fixture before, give one of these a whirl and I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

1. The LED Flexible Work Light – $29.90

LED fixtures, such as

With energy consumption that is less than half of what 150-watt LED parking lot light that is a direct replacement for 400-watt metal-halide (MH) fixtures. That’s 250 watts less for the same amount of light!

The average price of electricity per kilowatt-hour (kWh) is 12 cents. To figure out the monthly cost of running 25 LED parking lot lights for 11 hours per day, use this formula: (combined wattage x monthly hours of use)/1,000 x price per kWh. For 25 LED lights, (3,750 x 330)/1,000 x .12) the total would be $148.50 per month or $1,782 per year.

When the same formula is used for 400-watt MH fixtures, the monthly cost is $396, and yearly cost would be $4,752. So, in this situation, switching to LED fixtures would save approximately $3,000 per year. When coupled with the savings on maintenance, LED fixtures can save $6,470 per year. At that rate, the cost of 25 $340 LED fixtures would be recouped within two years.

Left: LED wall packs; Right: HID wall packs

Unlike LED fixtures that light up instantly, HID parking lot lights require a warmup period of up to 10 minutes before they reach full brightness. They also can’t be turned immediately back on after being switched off; this is called restrike time, and it can take up to 15 minutes before they can be turned on again. Attempting to power on the lights before the bulbs have cooled can damage a fixture’s components and cause the HID bulb to fail sooner.

HID lamps consist of a ballast and a quartz tube that contains gas, metal salts, and two tungsten electrodes. In order to create light, an electric arc passes from one electrode to the other through a gas (most commonly mercury, metal halide, or sodium). The mercury used in this process is dangerous if enough is inhaled or released into the environment. If an HID bulb bursts, all contents should be put into a sealed container or sealed bag and taken to a recycling center or hazardous waste facility. If HID fixtures are used indoors, wall packs and canopy lights, are used indoors, the possibility of ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure should be taken into consideration. HID bulbs emit a substantial amount of UV radiation, but an outer glass envelope prevents the radiation from escaping. However—according to the FDA—”If the outer bulb breaks and the inner tube continues to operate unshielded, intense UV radiation is emitted. UV exposure at this level can cause eye and skin burns, as well as blurred or double vision, headaches, and nausea.” The UV light from an HID bulb with a broken envelope can also lead to discoloration of items and fabric. LEDs emit little to no UV radiation.

In short, LED lights are a better alternative to HID parking lot lights. They offer a great deal in the way of savings, longevity, maintenance reduction, brightness, color, and safety. While it may take a short amount of time to recoup the price of switching to LEDs, all of their qualities make it easy to see why so many businesses have started the process.

For technical questions, don’t hesitate to call us toll free at 866-590-3533. Our customer service and technical support teams are available from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT on Friday.