Underwater lighting gives your pool a charming, romantic look at night. It also makes swimming after dark more enjoyable. Such lighting can be a big help when you’re trying to test your pool water after dark. However, changing these underwater bulbs when they burn out isn’t quite as simple as changing a household light bulb.

When you go to replace a pool light bulb, keep in mind that working with water and electricity requires special attention to safety. Be sure to switch off the electricity to the pool area, either at the breaker box or the main shut-off switch. You will need your new bulb, a lens gasket that fits your pool light fixture, both a Phillips-head and a regular screw driver, a couple of towels, and a circuit tester.

The type of bulb you need is generally written on the edge of the fixture. If this information is worn, you can measure the diameter of the existing bulb and compare that number to common replacement bulbs. It’s important that the replacement bulb be the right size to prevent water from entering the bulb fixture and shorting out the bulb.

After you have the right equipment assembled and the electricity off, it’s time to switch out the bulbs. Start by removing the bulb from its casing. Most light fixtures have a screw at the top that holds the unit together. Next, pull the bulb assembly from its casing. There should be a long enough cord so that you can set the whole thing on the deck outside of the pool while you work.

Now that you have the light out of the pool, gently remove the face ring, gasket and lens so that you can get at the bulb. Once that is done, the next part of your pool light repair is to carefully unscrew the bulb and wipe off any moisture. Clean the entire assembly gently to remove any corrosion, but don’t scrape it or the unit may not seal properly when it’s put back together.

Finally, insert the new bulb, install the new lens gasket and put everything back together. Return the light fixture to its casing and replace the set screw. Turn the electricity back on and make sure that the light is working properly.

At Kolb Electric, we want you and your family to enjoy your swimming pool—at night as well as in the daytime. If you don’t feel comfortable replacing the pool lights yourself, we’re here to help. In fact, our licensed electricians are experienced in all aspects of pool light replacement, so we can help you with any service you require. To schedule an appointment for your Maryland, Northern Virginia, or DC-area home, call us at 877 287-1179.

There are many projects you can take on yourself, or hire a general handyman to do, in your home. However, your commercial space or business is a whole different story. When you need work done there, you run the risk of creating a business interruption, which could be detrimental to your bottom line. Therefore, it’s essential that you only trust a professional for your commercial electrical work—no matter what the job is.

You may have a general handyman for your commercial space, or perhaps you have a local electrician you trust for your residential projects. However, what you may not have in either of these scenarios is an electrician with extensive experience and training in the commercial space. This is just one of many reasons you should make sure to hire a professional commercial electrician. Keep reading for more.

The equipment and skill involved in commercial electrical jobs will range depending on the type of commercial space we’re working on—whether it’s a restaurant or an industrial office space. No matter what your needs, however, we can handle them. Trusting electricians who are specifically trained in the commercial space is far more cost-effective than trusting any electrician off the street.

You have probably heard of standby generators in the past, but have probably also assumed those were things that folks who lived way out of town needed. Unfortunately, as has been proven this winter, power outages are not reserved for those who live in rural areas. Storms don’t pick and choose where they hit. Anybody, even those who live in the city or the suburbs, could experience a power outage. If the outage is short and sweet, it usually isn’t a problem. But when the outage extends for hours or even days, things can become very difficult. An electrician in Santa Monica can help you avoid that trouble by installing a standby generator. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help.

A standby generator is installed outside the home typically in the backyard or along the side of the house. It is enclosed in a metal box and looks like an electric box or similar to the air conditioning unit. The generator will be wired into the electric panel of your home. Before this is completed, you will have some options to discuss with your electrician. Santa Monica homeowners can choose to have the entire panel powered by the generator or just a few breakers. These breakers would run a particular room or set of appliances and/or lights.

Of course, the amount of power you will have at your disposal will depend on the size of the generator you purchase. Typically, the less wattage produced, the less expensive the generator will be. Do not be alarmed when you start shopping around for generators by the pricing. This is an investment into your home. Generators are you way of providing backup electricity to keep your family’s lives as normal as possible despite an extensive power outage. If you have ever experienced one, you can certainly appreciate the initial investment. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your standby generator installation.

Minor power surges happen in milliseconds and can easily ruin many of today’s delicate electronics. Is your home protected with a whole house surge protector?

Today’s homes and families consume a great deal of power due to the abundance of electronic devices we use to function daily. As a result, damaging power surges are common today even when storms and downed lines are not a factor, with homes near the end of the power line being particularly vulnerable.

Install a whole house surge protector today. Contact Mr. Electric® and schedule the installation of one of these simple, effective devices for the protection of all of your home’s essential electronics.