Plan on hanging a lot of lights or putting on a display this holiday season? If so, you need to make sure your electrical panel can handle the electrical load! So before you start plugging in all of those fancy lights and fun electronics, read along with the team at Kolb Electric to find out if you need to be making a call for an electrician in Columbia.

Looking for help with a heavy-up panel upgrade, or need some other professional electric services? Contact Kolb Electric online today!

A heavy-up, also known as a panel upgrade, is simply an increase in the amount of amperage coming into your home. Your home essentially is capped at a certain allowed amperage for safety reasons. Your amperage limit directly relates to the electrical needs of your home.

On whether or not you need one, it depends on a few things. Heavy-ups are most commonly needed when a home’s demand for safe electricity exceeds its capacity, or if you just haven’t had one in a long time. As your electrical needs evolve (which they do very rapidly in modern homes), through getting more appliances, electronics, and entertainment tools, your need rises as well.

Put simply, people just need more power during the holidays. We find that more and more folks call in for an electrician in Columbia most often late November through the end of the year. Usually people start plugging up those light strands, and all of those nice decorations, only to find that they keep tripping breakers, or experience electrical complications. A heavy-up is the answer to this issue, as it ensures you have an adequate and safe supply of power going forward.

Signs that it’s time for an upgrade:

Suspect you might need to be looking into an upgrade? If you’re not sure, our team can help! The certified electricians at Kolb are always happy to help, and with our years of experience and top-class tech, we can help you determine if it is indeed time for a panel upgrade. Contact an electrician in Columbia today by calling 877-287-1179, or reach us any time online!

Whenever you consider adding solar panels to your home, one of the most common questions that comes up is exactly how much it is going to cost. While there is definitely a cost associated with adding a photovoltaic panel array to your home, it is important to consider the different options that you have for payment, as well as the money that you will save on your monthly utility bills.

While there are a wide number of factors that go into determining the overall cost of the solar panel array, most homeowners are who are interested in doing this are able to find a way to help alleviate the cost of buying an array outright. Solar installation is a relatively simple undertaking with a rather complex technology backing it up. As a result, there is a certain level of care that solar installers must take with sizing and installing a solar power system for your home. When getting started with a new solar panel installation project, you will first need to determine the total amount of electricity that you use on average. You will then need to decide how much of that electricity you want to come from your solar panels. The installation crew will then use this information to choose appropriately sized panels to complete your solar panel installation.

So How Much Will It Cost?

Without knowing more about your specific situation, it is difficult to tell exactly how much adding a solar power system to your home will cost. Your best bet is to get in touch with a solar installer in your area to discuss costs for your particular installation. Whenever it comes to payment, however, keep in mind that you have many different options available. You can find extensive information on our solar power info website regarding solar leasing, which has quickly become one of the most popular ways to pay for solar panels. With this method, you lease the system for a monthly, but keep all of the power that is generated. This typically results in a net gain for the consumer.

When lights go out in one room that is a clue that something is wrong within the wiring of that particular room only. However, if the whole house goes out, this can be serious. Generally a homeowner will look out the front door to see if any of the neighbors have power. He sees the lights on everywhere and then asks the person in charge of bills if they paid the electric company. After those options have been confirmed, the next call should be to your local licensed and bonded electrician.

What kind of services do we provide?

We can investigate the problem and repair the wiring on contemporary as well as antique light fixtures. It doesn’t matter if the home is 100 or just 10 years old. Things can happen even to newer residences. It is no secret that certain critters can get between the interior and exterior walls of your home and make a feast of wiring. It is not unusual to find a deceased rodent that unintentionally bit into high voltage. This doesn’t mean your house is dirty or your housekeeping is below par. It just means these animals have been around for hundreds of years and have perfected their craft in order to feed themselves.

We can get to the root of your issues with chandeliers, wall sconces and generic ceiling lights. It does not matter if they are traditional or halogen.  You will be happy to know that we can also repair the lighting in your china cabinets, book cases, wall units and any piece of furniture that has a lighting feature. If one of these pieces has recently been moved to a new location or even for cleaning, wiring can become loose.

What about exterior lights?

No one wants to walk up to their home in the dark or enter a garage when the lights are out. While you might be a bit intimidated, the likelihood of someone stepping out of the shadows to attack you are slim. However, it is best not to tempt would-be muggers. Get those lights repaired right away.

Homeowners can count on us to complete, install or repair their landscape lighting. This adds value to a home and also gives the homeowners a sense of accomplishment. The same goes for the front lights. We can help you convert a gas lamp post into an electrical one. If you have one that runs on electricity and it no longer works, we can investigate and repair it.

If you’re longing for a bulb that’s going to save energy and that lasts, this LED bulb replacement guide is a great place to get a feel for the type you might need. Other than finding a bulb that fits the socket, has the correct voltage, and meets wattage requirements, there’s no list of rules as to what bulb you should use in a certain fixture. This guide shows that even the same type of fixtures can require or accept different bulb types. LED replacement bulbs are available in a variety of wattages, intensities, voltages, and with different base types; they can even emit different colors of light. You have the freedom to choose a bulb that fits your needs, and there are plenty of available options.

Clicking each picture below will direct you to a page of similar bulbs. Keep in mind, this post just touches the surface of available LED bulbs. If you don’t see what you need, use our site to see hundreds of lighting options.

Track light fixtures are found in many homes and allow for aimable illumination exactly where it’s needed. These fixtures almost always contain MR11 spotlight bulbs. In addition to track lights, these bulbs are often used in recessed, pendant, display case, and desk light fixtures. MR16 and MR11 LED replacement bulbs have GU10 or GX5.3 bi-pin bases and are available in a wide variety of styles with many LED configurations.