Unplug the electrical appliance that is plugged into the “trouble” outlet. Connect a small working lamp into the outlet instead. Often, the problem isn’t even with the outlet; it’s caused by broken or faulty electrical objects. If the small lamp doesn’t light up, then the problem is with the outlet.

Another important thing to do before you call an electrician is to double check that the outlet isn’t connected to any switches. Many times when our electricians at Lightning Bug Electric get called out to fix a broken outlet only to find that it’s connected to a switch that has been turned off. It’s always good to do a switch check before you decide the outlet is broken.

Electrical outlets that are in locations that can get wet, such as bathrooms, kitchens, patios, etc., have a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) for protection. A GFCI outlet will have two buttons in the middle: one that says TEST and another that says RESET. If the outlet has tripped, the RESET button will be protruding a little bit. Push the button and test the outlet.

If the problem outlet is a GFCI but the RESET is not protruding out, there is a chance that it is connected to another GFCI outlet that has tripped and needs to be reset. Check all your home outlets and reset them, then test the problem outlet to see if it works.

The circuit that the outlet is on could have been tripped. Check the circuit breaker panel to see if the tripped breaker is between ON and OFF. If so, turn it on and test the outlet.

If you have exhausted all these options and your outlet still isn’t working, call an electrician. A professional can solve the problem and have your outlet working in now time.

By Kellie Pearson

The holidays are just around the corner. Children all over the world are making their Christmas lists to send to Santa. Here at Mr. Electric® we have a Christmas list too, except it is not for Santa, it is for you! Our main Christmas wish is for everyone to conserve energy more effectively. Learn how you can make our Christmas dream come true with these four tips.

An energy audit can provide an up-close look at the efficiency of your home and additional suggestions for ways to reduce energy your consumption. Nothing makes us happier than helping you find more ways to save on energy and electricity bills.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Mr. Electric! Make sure to get started writing those letters to Santa – we hear he is pretty busy this time of year!

Once someone has discovered retrofitting as a read that by clicking here.

Let’s get started with the first question on the list, and that is what exactly is a retrofit kit?

What is a retrofit kit anyways? Well, we’ve actually reducing your energy consumption even more. Just make sure you are buying a LED retrofit kit that has the option to be dimmable, otherwise you will NOT be able to dim them.

Retrofit vs full replacement, why should you consider retrofitting with LED?

While a full replacement of an entire is fixture is very valid to do especially when they are outdated or literally falling apart; often times you can avoid that by retrofitting your fixtures. With retrofitting you get to keep your old fixture but just replace the light source in it with a new one. This will allow you to reduce the costs associated with the lighting upgrade tremendously, which will allow you to realize a much larger ROI.

Although there are benefits of both, you need to think about your facility or buildings own situation, and go from there. To recap; retrofitting is great if you can keep your old fixtures but if you can’t (due to reasons like outdated or near falling apart), then a full replacement is probably the better option.

For more info, check out this infographic (

Why should I even switch to LED in the first place?

Very good question, and this not only applies to those retrofitting but for any facility that plans to make a lighting system update. LED technology has vast benefits in almost every area of the definition “quality” for commercial lighting purposes. Here are just a few of the major benefits that more often than not win over businesses to commit to the conversion over to LED technology:

As you can see these are all some pretty big benefits, and that’s only the start. These reasons are why many companies are making the conversion over to LED products from other outdated technologies such as metal halide, HPS, and even fluorescent. Why not convert to LED with a retrofit LED kit and realize all of these benefits and more? It just makes sense!

Is it difficult to retrofit an existing light fixture?

Well, that can depend. To someone who has no knowledge about lighting fixtures and electrical wiring, then yes this will seem like an extremely difficult task. On the other hand for someone who is a professional, this isn’t a difficult task at all.

The process, in theory, is simple because all it consists of (for the most part) is a replacement of all the existing lamps, ballasts, sockets, and brackets with new ones to fit your retrofit kits. If you have no experience doing this, and even if you do, it is always recommended to bring in a licensed electrician if you can to ensure it is done right and to safety standards.

Are LED retrofits that are compatible with existing ballasts a good idea?

You need to consider the age of the ballast that is currently installed. In most cases, it will be nearing the end of it’s life and thus it won’t be the most up-to-date ballast that you could have. This adds for an additional point of failure, which could cost you more down the line in maintenance fees to replace them when they die out.

You have to consider that since you are considering the switch over to LEDs through retrofitting, you most likely haven’t recently upgraded you lighting system or replaced much. This means that the ballasts currently installed are most likely, at best, as old as the lights in your fixtures currently. But more often or not, they are even older than that which can definitely mean they are nearing the end of their lifespan.

Taking this all into account, it’s impossible to tell you if using existing ballasts is a contact us. We will gladly answer any question you may have!

It is natural for you to want to take care of some of the small things around your house. Sometimes it seems silly to call out a professional to fix a leaky faucet or to look at a light that doesn’t seem to want to work all the time. You may decide to wait until there are several problems that need attention before making the call to a professional. This isn’t always a good idea. Sometimes, the most innocent looking problems are actually much more serious than you may have thought. An electrician in Beverly Hills wants you to understand that even the smallest thing could mean big trouble for you and your home. At The Electric Connection you will find a team of professionals who are ready to answer any question you may have about your electrical system, even if you think it is silly.

Some of the most common things that are ignored are those intermittent lights or outlets. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. You may assume it is just one of those things and do without the light or find another outlet, but you shouldn’t. Outlets and lights that don’t work all the time are a sign of trouble and it needs to be investigated by an electrician. Beverly Hills homeowners should know that these problems could be an indicator of faulty or loose wiring. If the wires touch or they could create a spark which will ignite the insulation in the wall thus setting off a chain of events that puts your life at risk and ultimately destroys your home.

Never assume an electrical problem is not a big deal. It is worth a call to an electrician. You can rely on The Electric Connection to answer any questions you may have and to provide you with a knowledgeable electrician should you need it.

Modern demands for electricity often exceed what the original builders of your home envisioned. It’s not unusual for older rooms, even kitchens, to have just one or two electric outlets, but that can put an unsafe strain on your wiring system.

In addition, older homes (those 50 years or older) may have outdated aluminum and/or knob and tube wiring. If you frequently trip the circuit breakers in your home and/or notice discoloring around the outlets, this could be a sign that your wiring needs to be replaced. Old wiring is nothing to ignore. More than 26,000 residential fires are caused by electrical system failures each year.

If you suspect the wiring in your home may need updating, you are likely wondering about the cost to rewire a house. According to Angie’s List, the average cost of rewiring a 1,500 to 3,000-square foot home ranges from $8,000 to $15,000. The good news is that this is a one-time expense. Unlike replacing your roof or heating system, it’s extremely unlikely you’ll need to replace the wiring again for as long as you live in the house.

There are many factors that contribute to the cost to rewire a home in the Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC areas. They include:

At Kolb Electric, we understand that the cost to rewire a house can be substantial. That’s why we take the time to answer all of your questions and address your concerns before we ever start work on the project. We’ve been helping Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC area homeowners with their electrical needs for more than 20 years, and our team of licensed electricians are some of the best and well-trained in the region.

To learn more about rewiring your home and/or to schedule an appointment in the DC area, call us at 877 287-1179.