Juggling the seemingly endless myriad of accessories, appliances and tools that have become commonplace in modern homes can sure be a hassle. Many homeowners find themselves routinely swapping plugs, or using devices like a power strip. While these can suffice in many situations, and offer a (relatively) effective solution, many make the mistake of relying on a power strip too much.

The only thing Kolb Electric takes more seriously than perfect service is safety! We don’t want to see you caught up in an electrical emergency, and to make sure you don’t we’ve built a short list of power strip safety tips. We also have some alternative, and overall superior, suggestions as well!

When deciding to use a power strip, keep these points in mind:

As we said, power strips are fine. In moderation, and as long as you observe proper power strip safety. But there’s a better solution! You aren’t simply stuck with however many outlets are currently installed in your home. Additional outlets can provide a safe, dependable and long-term solution to your electricity needs! The process is quick and simple in the hands of a professional, and will have you set to handle all of our modern lifestyles.

No matter what you require for your home, the experts at Kolb can provide the electrical access you need! We’ve been handling electricity, wiring and appliances for years, providing our consumers with only the absolute best in service, skill and technology. Contact Kolb today to learn more about our services, or to set an appointment!

What is Valentine’s Day –  Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine, but the legend of St. Valentine is shrouded in mystery.    One legend is that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome.  The Romans were at war, and the Roman Emperor at the time decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families.  The Emperor forbade men to marry.  Valentine realized this was an injustice and continued to perform marriages.  Another legend states an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “Valentine” greeting to a young girl from a jail cell.  A common thread is that most St. Valentine stories suggest he was a heroic and romantic figure.

Why Valentine’s Day?At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day, but it was not until the Middle Ages, that it was considered a day for romance.  Sending Valentine greetings was made popular in the Middle Ages as well, although written Valentine’s didn’t begin to appear until after 1400.

Valentine’s Day cardsValentine’s Day is celebrated in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.   By the early 1900’s printed Valentine’s Day cards began to replace hand written romantic Valentine’s notes.

Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. Howland, is known as the “Mother of the Valentine.”  In 1847, she received an English Valentine and became fascinated with the idea of making similar Valentine’s.  She began taking orders for Valentine’s and soon the demand outweighed the amount she could make, so a company was born.  It is estimated she made more than $100,000 annually selling Valentine’s cards.

Fun Valentine Facts:

We live in an area where there are many very old homes. Within these homes, as you’d expect, is very old wiring. Even if you have not had trouble with your wiring just yet, and even if your wiring appears to be in fine condition, you should keep in mind just how much the demand for electricity in our homes has gone up over the years. The original owners of your old home were not running whole-house cooling systems and charging multiple phones and tablets while also powering a dishwasher, after all. Overloading the circuits in your home can be quite dangerous, both to your family, your property, and your appliances/electronics.

Even if the circuits in your home are designed to keep up with your electrical demand, the fact remains that the materials composing your electrical and wiring systems will degrade over time. When they do, it really doesn’t matter if your wiring is capable of handling your existing electrical load or not. The degradation of wiring insulation and other materials will render any system unsafe.

While outdated circuitry and degraded materials can lead to a lot of blown fuses/tripped circuits and other issues, the real concern with very old wiring is, of course, the risk of a fire in your home. When it comes to old wiring, you really cannot afford to adopt an “out of sigh, out of mind” attitude. If you are uncertain of how old your electrical system is, but know that your house is quite old, you should give us call to have the system evaluated. We are happy to help.