Did you know there could be unknown home safety issues lurking in your presumed safe haven? Your home’s age, installation issues, wear and tear, and overlooking safety devices could put you at risk.

Does your home have any of the following home safety issues?

Code and Wiring Updates Wiring codes in the U.S. are updated every three years to ensure electrical safety across the country. As a result, families living in older homes are at an increased risk of electrical safety issues due to:

Ensure home safety with an electrical home inspection  Don’t let home safety issues result in property damage or present a danger to your family. Find and address home safety hazards quickly and efficiently with an electrical home inspection. Mr. Electric® can provide a detailed, prioritized written checklist of all areas of your home requiring immediate attention, areas for improvement, and potential upgrade possibilities to ensure the safety of your home. Ensure peace of mind by proactively addressing home safety issues. Contact Mr. Electric today. Our professional electricians are dedicated to the safety of your home and family.  

Home lighting serves two major purposes: functionality and aesthetics. When walking into a dark room, the last thing you want is to have to navigate to the other side to turn on the lights. This can be unsafe and highly impractical. When it comes to aesthetics, the right lighting can change an entire room and its atmosphere. With dimmer and three way switches, you can bring functionality and aesthetics to any room in your home.

Standard switches control a light fixture or set of lights from one location. For larger sized rooms or long hallways it isn’t practical to have one light switch placed at only one end or in the middle of the room. This is where three way switches come in handy. With a three way switch, you can have two separate switches to a single fixture or set of lights. In this way you can strategically place light switches around your home to ensure there is always easy access to light.

Three way switches can be complex and difficult to install. When replacing standard switch it can be easy to mix up the wiring and your light switch will no longer work. This is where a professional electrician helps you out the most. Plan out where you feel more light switches are needed and contact one of our electricians to install the switch correctly the first time and help you avoid a headache and potential safety risk.

When it comes to dimmer switches, not only can they help you accomplish beautiful lighting in your room, but it can also be a practical decision. With a dimmer switch you can adjust the voltage going to your light rather than simply having an “on” or “off” setting. With either a slider or a knob you can adjust your light so it is perfect for reading, movies, or a romantic evening.

Dimmer switches can also help you save money by lowering your electrical bill. By having the ability to lower the voltage to your lights, you can use only the electricity you need and lower the lights to the perfect level. Remember, if you are planning to use LED lights on a dimmer switch, make sure you purchase LED bulbs that support dimming. If you choose the wrong type of bulbs, your dimmer switch will not leave you with the desired effect.

Is your outdoor lighting helping or hurting your home? At Kolb Electric, we believe that outdoor lighting is an important part of the overall look and function of your Washington, DC area home. From adding to your home’s security to making it look its best no matter what the time of day, outdoor lighting is an important part of your home. If you’re considering installing outdoor lighting in your home, here are some thoughts you need to consider.

Ready to install outdoor lighting in Washington, DC? Contact the Kolb Electric team now!

Are you considering ways in which you can improve your home’s appearance and security? Outdoor landscape lighting in Washington, DC can do both. By combining beautiful outdoor lighting with your home’s landscaping and adding lighting to areas that are dimly lit, you can increase your home’s value and appeal while decreasing the risk of theft.

Outdoor lighting brings several benefits to your home. Some of these include:

Kolb Electric understands how to design lighting plans for your Washington, DC home that provide all three of these benefits. If you’re looking to improve the look, safety, and security of your home then outdoor lighting is the way to go.

Before installing landscape lighting you will need to know the different types available to you. Here are some common options to consider:

LED lights are low-voltage lights that can illuminate small areas, like individual stairs, garden plants or railings. They don’t use much electricity and last a long time, making them an economical investment. They are available as individual lights, spotlights and rope lighting.

For homes with a pool, pool lights improve nighttime swimming by illuminating the water from below the surface. They can also be installed in outdoor hot tubs.

Pathway lights dress up a path and help reduce tripping hazards. These are often low to the ground and can be solar powered, drawing energy from the sun during the day and then expending that energy with a subtle glow at night.

Security lights light up dark spots in the yard to protect against intruders. Some security lighting is triggered by motion, while other lighting stays on all night long.

Which type of outdoor lighting is right for your home? The answer will depend on your goals. Whether you’re looking for additional safety and security, want to spruce up the look of your outdoor space or simply want to highlight a part of your outdoor space, you can find a landscape lighting option that will fit those needs.

If you’re looking to improve your home with outdoor lighting, you are going to need to make some considerations before you invest. Choosing the right lighting starts with understanding how you want to use it. Here are some considerations you can make.

First, decide if you plan to illuminate a dark area of your yard constantly or if you want to turn the lights off after enjoying them. If you’re going to leave the lights on all night long you may wish to invest in an energy efficient lighting option. The more efficient the bulb is, the less you will be spending on energy bills. Remember that you won’t need much light at night so low-voltage and efficient lighting is a great way to keep the energy bills in check.

If you feel that the high energy cost of leaving the lights on is a bad idea for your budget, consider using motion sensors in areas where you need lights for security or safety. Motion sensors will light up the space when someone is present, adding the safety you’re looking for in your home.

Finally, consider what you’re looking to illuminate. This will help you choose between the two main types of outdoor lights – uplighting lights and downlighting lights.

Uplighting lights shine from the ground up on a surface, like a landscaping feature or a tree. Downlighting lights shine down onto the ground, which can illuminate an unsafe area or highlight a plant you wish to show off. Both can be incorporated into your design as you work to illuminate your yard.

When you have a basic idea of what you want in your outdoor lighting, then the real fun can begin. The Kolb Electric team is ready to help you with the design process, so you can be certain your final project will do exactly what you want and need it to do. As you consider your design options, make sure you take these factors into consideration:

If you are ready to transform your home with beautiful outdoor lighting, Kolb Electric is here to help. Our design team and licensed electricians can help you with the entire process, from choosing the lighting that best fits your needs and tastes to installing it expertly. Let us help you create an attractive outdoor lighting scheme in your Maryland, Northern Virginia or DC area home. Give us a call at 877-287-1179 today, or you can contact us online.

This is the final post in our four-part series, "The Secret Guide for Super Moms” — tips, tricks and hacks for busy moms who need to know everything that’s happening in their house.

If you believe Pinterest, every home repair or improvement project can be a do-it-yourself job. Apparently, if every blog is to be believed, moms and dads around the country are remodeling bathrooms, rebuilding old houses and refurbishing vintage furniture -- and they do it all the time! And they look great doing it! And they have plenty of time to take lots of photos!

Maybe some people really are able to do it all (and write about it, too). Most of us are too busy and simply don’t have the training to do more than the basics around the house. When it comes to potentially dangerous repairs, a super mom knows that she needs a professional. When the time comes to fix, rewire or repair her home’s electrical needs, she knows she needs an electrician.

Electrical wiring is complicated and can be dangerous -- and it's tough to spot signs you need an electrician. An amateur electrical job may cause poor wire connections, overloaded circuits or faulty grounding. These situations are hazardous to you, your family and your property. While it may be tempting to try saving money by doing it yourself, or trusting your spouse or a friend to help, you're better off spending the money to have the job done right.

Let's take a fairly common scenario: your fuses keep blowing, or your circuit breakers keep tripping. Yes, you can keep replacing the fuses, but do you know whether they're the right type? Screwing in a 20- or 30-amp fuse as a replacement for a 15 is tempting—no electricians needed, right?—but now you've created a fire hazard by overloading your wiring. The smarter move: call a professional, certified electrician to wire a new circuit.

Like fuses, circuit breakers are meant to prevent circuit overload and the risk of fire, but we use much more electricity than people of our parents' or grandparents' generation. As you upgrade and add appliances and gadgets, you may need to upgrade your circuit breaker panels to adequately supply your home with power. Hire an electrician to do the job, not your brother-in-law who swears he did the same kind of work in the navy. The work is extremely complicated and should not be attempted by an amateur.