If you live in Maryland, Northern Virginia, or Washington, DC, there’s a good chance you’ve seen one of Kolb Electric’s bucket trucks driving around! Our bucket trucks allow us to expand our service line far beyond that of most electricians in the area, and overall, they’re pretty great! These are a few of our favorite things about our bucket trucks:

The best thing about our bucket trucks is also their most defining feature—their height! Our trucks can reach up to 50 ft. Thanks to the lift we get from the cherry pickers, we can work on utility poles and parking lot lights as well as large industrial structures and anything else that requires a little extra lift.

Even up that high in the air, our bucket trucks keep our electricians safe. The buckets are designed to reach about waist height, meaning there’s very little risk of anyone actually falling out. Best of all, if something does happen—the weather turns bad, for instance—they’re easy to move out of dangerous areas.

Though they might seem big and complicated, once you get down to it, bucket trucks are pretty easy to use! A set of controls inside the cab controls the crane, while another set inside the bucket itself allows the rider to raise and lower him or herself while up there.

Not only that, but our bucket trucks also have space to hold all of our equipment, meaning we’re always prepared for jobs that involve going up high.

Our bucket truck fleet has helped us become one of the most well-known electrical service companies in the MD-DC-VA area. If you need utility pole, parking lot lighting, or any other services that require a bucket truck, call Kolb Electric today!

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Power cables are the basic components of any electrical system. There are different types of cables that are available in the market. The choice of which specific cable types should be used for specific purposes is based on several factors, the most important of them being the technical specifications of the functions.

As much as you may be conversant with electric cables, it is possible that there are things about power cables that are new to you. Here is a brief outline of some of the things about power cables:

Many people believe that copper is a far better conductor of electricity than aluminium at all times. This is inaccurate. When it comes to matters of what type of conductor is better between these two metals, there are many factors that need to be taken into account.

The most important one of them is that conductivity in relation to cable wires is not merely a function of the measure of resistivity but rather a unique combination of the size of the cables and the insulation material that is used. Hence, in cases where super-high voltages have to be used over long distances, it becomes economical for one to use aluminium cables as opposed to copper ones.

It is common to hear people talk of the possibility of their current cable capacity to remain stable forever. Incidentally, this is a common misconception about electrical cables that people hold.

However, the truth of the matter is that the cable current capacity changes all the time and does not remain stable over the lifetime of the cables. These changes are usually caused by factors such as the prevailing ground or air temperature, the actual manner in which the laying has been carried out and the depth at which the cables have been laid.

There are several reasons as to why newly installed power cables do last as long as people expect them to. The first one is that since there are many manufacturers of electric cables, it is highly unlikely that all the power cables that you install will last for a specific period of time.

The second one is that there are many different types of power cables. A specific type of power cable is defined in terms of its capacity, durability, usage and other industry-specific characteristics.

The third one is that the extent to which a cable lasts heavily relies on the manner in which the installation is done. A poorly done installation may significantly shorten the life of a cable.

The armor that is used on your cable is not meant to help in protecting the cable against any chances of physical impact. On the contrary, if any type of power cable is exposed to a form of physical stress, it is possible that the damage to the cable arising from the impact is likely to be aggravated by the armor!

We all want the best for our children, and one of the most important ways we can help the next generation is by ensuring that they are receiving the highest quality education they can. But what if I told you there is an element to education that most people overlook when discussing ways to change education, even though it has been proven to improve behavior and focus, reduce disruptions and increase reading speed and learning capacity?

Though often overlooked, Research has shown that full-spectrum, cool white light is best for encouraging concentration in a classroom, so swapping out outdated fixtures for newer technology could be a great start to better classroom lighting.

Although fluorescent fixtures are popular in schools, the way they flicker (often imperceptibly) especially if a child has a visual impairment that necessitates a brighter environment. Try to position the lights (or the students) so that the task lighting is on the opposite side of their dominant (writing) side. This ensures that their writing arm won’t block the light, and distracting shadows won’t affect their work.

Teachers should try to avoid standing in front of lights or windows when talking, because these can easily distract or bother students. Though it can be difficult, students will focus and learn better when the teacher eliminates as many distractions as possible. And who among us hasn’t caught themselves drifting in a daydream out a window, whether interested in the topic at hand or not?

There are many programs and initiatives for better classroom lighting in place, though many are local to specific regions. Have you heard of any neat programs geared towards smart classroom lighting? Let us know in the comments!

A summer in Florida brings about a ton of exciting activities. From the pool to the playground, there’s a lot of adventure to be had! But don’t break out the barbecue just yet! The certified electricians at Hoffman Electrical would like to take a moment to identify some common electrical hazards that can come as a result of all of this summer fun.

Our experts have been bringing our patrons the best in electrical services for years. And in that time nothing has ever been as important to us as your safety! To avoid risks of shock and fire, read along for some safety tips you should put into practice.

Don’t worry, we’re not going to spoil the fun. These tips are quick, easy, and are mostly about taking precautions:

If it’s time to bolster the electrical defenses of your home, look to the certified electricians at Hoffman Electrical! We can ensure your home is safe and shock free this summer, leaving you to have fun in safety! Hoffman Electrical is a family owned and operated business serving the Tampa and Brandon, Florida communities since 1989. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff of electricians install, repair, and perform regular maintenance check-ups in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.