If you own a computer, then keeping it protected is one of your foremost concerns. There are a number of ways that you can achieve this, though electric can be rather vindictive when it puts its mind to it. As with anything, safety should be a priority, and a surge protector is a good first step to take in keeping your computer intact. The question you need to ask however, is what type of surge protection you would like to have for your computer. A UPS, or Uninterruptible Power Supply would be a great choice, and it has a number of benefits:

As the world becomes more and more reliant on computers, it becomes necessary to ensure our electronic lives are not tabled due to an outage. A UPS is not going to last forever, no doubt about that, but it will serve to get you through the worst of times. One of the most popular brands out there is APC, and you can find several others on the market to meet your growing needs.

There are some jobs out there that you can very well do all on your own. But there are others that need the guidance and experience of a certified electrician in Gaithersburg. Considering a renovation or remodel for your home and not sure what you’ll need an expert for? Follow along with the team at Kolb Electric to find out!

It can be tempting to try your hand at electrical work, particularly if you think a job is simple. But at Kolb, our team would really, really recommend that you almost never attempt electrical work on your own.

Why? Primarily because of safety. It can be very easy to get an injury when doing electrical work, even for a professional. But also because a lot of work requires certain certification for the job to be within electrical code, which is a legal matter you don’t want to be on the wrong side of.

Here are our top “this needs an expert” picks:

Planning on doing a remodel and need the experience and skill of a certified electrician in Gaithersburg? We’re the team for you! Our experts are top-class when it comes to comprehensive electrical service, and we’re always happy to help. Contact us today to find out more about our services, or to plan your remodel with our electrical professionals!

We all know Thanksgiving can be a hectic holiday, particularly if you’re hosting. When the 10+ pound turkey has yet to be picked up, the sides have yet to be planned, and your guests are due to arrive in hours, decorating the table is the least of your worries. Don’t be discouraged: you don’t have to be Martha Stewart to create a beautiful, easy, inexpensive holiday centerpiece. In fact, you may have all the supplies to wow those soon-to-arrive guests in five minutes flat:

Option 1: Glass Vases or Wine Bottles + String Lights

Check your cabinets for empty glass vases, hurricane candle holders – any decorative glass bowl will do. If you’re in a pinch, an empty wine bottle creates the same effect! Now, fill with string lights and voilà – instant centerpiece. Battery operated string lights are easiest because you won’t have to worry about the cord, but you can also get creative with hiding the cord under your table runner. Add pinecones and/or branches as you wish.

Option 3: Leaves of Your Choice + String Lights

This incredibly simple centerpiece looks fantastic with deep green magnolia leaves or a collection from your front yard’s best yellow/orange/red ensemble. The rustic tablecloth used in this picture matches well, but any neutral color would work.

In any workplace, change is a common occurrence. Things like new equipment, movement of said equipment and any change in wiring is not visible to staff unless it’s properly documented. If it is properly labelled, a cable managing system can help in solving and detecting exactly where any problems occur.

Since practically every process in a company relies on electrical system, any disruptions can affect a wide range of processes, ranging from IT to basic infrastructure, leading to a possible halt in daily business activities and production.

Here are the main benefits of clearly labeling infrastructure components:

Without proper labels, a company can lose valuable time and assets trying to discover where and what the problem is, before they can work on fixing it, and without warranty protection and long-term maintenance of electrical, telecom, A/V and security networking systems, the loss can be immense.

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!