Living in a small space may be challenging, but we like to take on challenges and make the best of what we have to bring out the beauty in our homes. From a studio apartment in Hoboken to a single-family home with a narrow eat-in kitchen in Palm Beach Gardens, we can help inspire you to make your home exactly what you want.

Maximizing storage and arranging furniture can dramatically enhance the space you have, and learning to use color effectively will also brilliantly expand the dimension of your room. Keep clutter to a minimum, add a few decorative statement pieces, and finish off the room with perfectly placed lighting.

Top Tips for Illuminating and Expanding your Decorative Interiors to Make Every Inch Count

Hang several sets of drapes along a wall to give your small room personality. This can work instead of paint and wallpaper. You will give the illusion that there are windows hidden behind the drapes, rather than just a wall or tiny window. You can also hang the drapes higher than the window sill to create a taller looking room.

Circuit breaker problems can make life difficult with a host of harmful effects, but most importantly, they are a safety hazard. Circuit breakers keep you safe from dangerous amounts of electrical current. When they aren’t working properly, there could be a risk of damage to your possessions or even losing your home to a fire. To keep yourself and your family safe, stay on the lookout for the signs of circuit breaker problems. The sooner you identify them, the sooner you can get them taken care of by a professional.

Winter is in full swing in the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver area. Winter in British Columbia usually means a severe drop in temperature, possible snowfall and an unfortunate spike in the electrical bill. We often get asked whether or not it is possible to keep a home warm during the Winter season without breaking the budget. Absolutely it is! The licensed electricians at Expert Electric offer a variety of residential electrical services and cost-effective tips that can help clients keep their homes warm during the holidays. For more on this, read our list below for tips on how to keep your home warm in the Winter season.

One of the best ways to keep your home warm in the Winter is by installing a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats have been proven to significantly reduce the electrical bill of residential homes while keeping residents warm when it counts. Rather than continuously adjusting the thermostat throughout the day, program it so that it keeps you warm when you are at home, and does not waste energy when you are away at work. If you are unsure of what model of thermostat to purchase or what settings are best, contact the licensed electricians at Expert Electric.

Using the sun to your home’s advantage is the most cost-effective way to warm up your home during the Winter. If your home has lots of windows, Expert Electric recommends opening the curtains and letting Mr. Sunshine go to work during the day. The best thing about taking advantage of the sun’s rays is that you will not be billed for them at the end of the month.

In order for heating registers and vents to work properly, they need to be free of furniture and other household items that could be blocking the air flow and the circulation of heat. Keep your home warm this winter by making sure that any vents and heat registers are clutter-free and able to properly distribute heat throughout.

This may seem obvious to some but keeping your doors both closed and locked is a simple way to keep your home warm during the Winter season. This applies to all the doors in homes, not just doors to the outside. Determine which rooms in your home are used the most frequently. These are the rooms that you will want to focus on keeping warm. By keeping the doors to these rooms closed whenever possible, it will create a sauna effect and allow the heat to become more effective in spaces where it counts.

For more tips on how to keep your home warm this Winter, please call the licensed electricians at Expert Electric. You can reach us at 604-681-8338 or book an appointment through our website. We offer a large variety of electrical services that can help keep your residential home warm and toasty throughout the Winter season without breaking your budget. Expert Electric offers flexible scheduling, written estimates and complete customer satisfaction. Don’t let the cold get to you this holiday season. Contact the trusted team at Expert Electric.

How old is your home? Has your electrical system been updated within the last 5 – 10 years? If you haven’t asked these questions recently, it’s probably time to examine your options! Older homes with older electrical systems aren’t typically able to handle the stress of modern electrical appliances. So what can you do to make sure your home can safely run all of your appliances and electronics? Typically, a heavy up can be the answer to your problems. But should you install one? Let the experts at Kolb Electric answer!

A heavy up is an increase in the amperage (power) of your main electrical service. But how can you know if your home is in need of an increase of amperage? There are some things you can check to make sure you’re in need:

Depending on your specific goals, you have a range of upgrades available when thinking about a heavy up. Some service upgrades are as simple as adding a few additional circuit breakers to the existing box, or expanding the box with a subpanel. More complex upgrades may include things like replacing a fuse box or an aging panel with one that allows for higher energy capacity. A Kolb Electrician can evaluate the condition of your current panel with any problems you are experiencing to determine how extensive your upgrades will be.

The time depends on the job. Adding additional breakers to an existing panel is usually pretty quick, often taking less than an hour. Installing a subpanel is not too complicated either, often taking no more than a few hours.

Where it starts to take a long time is when you need to make serious upgrades. If you need to replace a fuse box or circuit main, you could be looking at a job that takes all day.