There has probably been a time or ten that you have walked into your kitchen and thought how nice it would be to have it a little brighter. Or maybe you have lamented the lack of adequate outlets. In this day and age, we rely a great deal on our gadgets and appliances. It can be a real drag to have to unplug the coffeemaker you have set up on a timer to plug in your mixer. It is time to take the first step in getting a kitchen that is designed to suit your needs. You need an electrician in Beverly Hills. The Electric Connection can help you brighten up your kitchen without a lot of work.

You will get the freedom to choose what upgrades you would like to implement. Things like new lighting fixtures can go a long way to making a dark kitchen brighter. And a brighter kitchen just feels bigger and more inviting. You won’t have to worry about hiring contractors to complete an expensive remodel. Take a trip to the home improvement store and check out all the lighting aisles. Then call your electrician to complete the installation process.

Track lighting is very popular in kitchens and allows you to cover a lot of space with just one switch. The lights can be aimed at specific areas. Another option is recessed lights. These take up no space and are mounted directly into the ceiling. There are so many options to choose from. You will wonder why you didn’t take the plunge earlier.

As far as the lack of electrical outlets, this is an easy fix. If you are in need of some Beverly Hills electrical work like adding outlets, give The Electric Connection a call. An electrician can add outlets your current electrical panel allows. Your electrician will let you know how many outlets you can safely add.

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.

Winter is well on its way in the DMV area. So are you prepared for the worst-case scenario of a power outage? If not—you could be facing cold days and nights without power in the event of a severe winter storm! That means now is the time to start prepping your generator to make sure you’re ready for when the worst happens. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

For generator maintenance, contact the experts at Kolb Electric today!

With a few easy tips, you can make sure you have warmth and lighting all winter, regardless of the weather outside. For your generator, make sure you:

In addition to these checks you can do on your own, it’s important to have your standby generator inspected by an authorized sales and service dealer. Remember—many home and commercial generators have a limited warranty and require service from a licensed technician in order to make sure the warranty can be honored.