Your local electrician can handle a wide variety of jobs including powerpoint installation, switchboard upgrades, outdoor lighting, installation of electrical fixtures, CCTV installations and a lot more. While they handle all these jobs expertly, they can also handle new wiring installation and wiring upgrade projects. Here are some signs that indicate the wiring on your property needs an upgrade:

If you live in an older home which has wiring that’s over 15-20 years old or have moved into a home and have begun noticing too many current fluctuations, it’s important that you call in a skilled and licensed electrician to check the wiring on your property. If you have lived in the same house for over a decade and can’t recollect when you last got the installations inspected and tested, don’t defer calling in an electrician to conduct a thorough inspection.

Take a look the outlets in your home; check whether they are 3-pronged or 2-pronged. If you find there are various 2-pronged outlets on your property, it’s time for you to call in an electrician. These outlets are undergrounded and can pose a fire-hazard. You would have to get these replaced with 3-pronged ones and ensure that these are grounded. The other alternative is to replace these with GFCI outlets as this will help protect your property. Your electrician will be able to evaluate your property’s needs.

Many homes that were built in the 1960’s & 1970’s had aluminum wiring instead of the safer copper wiring. The former is prone to loosen over time and this increases the fire risk in your home, whenever any outlet is in use. When you get the wiring on your property inspected by an electrician, he would be able to tell you if there is any risk and will provide a suitable solution to the problem.

Modern day appliances are power-guzzlers and modern wiring systems are specially designed to bear these loads. However, any installation that is a few decades old is unable to bear the load of modern appliance such as washing machines, dishwashers etc. If you have more than one heavy appliance operating on one electrical circuit in your home, that can pose another problem. The excess load causes the older wiring to get heated which in turn melts the insulation around it. This exposed wiring results in arcing (hissing, humming sounds). If you ignore these signs and don’t get the installation checked in time, it can result in an electrical fire.

In most instances, wiring upgrades go hand-in-hand with switchboard upgrades. This is because decades’ old wiring systems also had older switchboards with fuse installations. If you find that the fuses in your home keep blowing very often, that’s another indication that your electrical wiring may need to be upgraded.

The electricians will replace the fuses with modern safety switches/circuit breakers. This improves the safety aspect of the electrical installations in your home. When you are getting any electrical work done on your property, it’s important that you hire the services of experienced and licensed professionals that provide guarantees for their work.

If you have noticed any of the signs we just discussed and feel your property may require a wiring upgrade, call AllRound Electrical without delay. Regardless of whether you want to get an electrical fixture installed or need complete rewiring done on your property, we are the professionals to hire. For any information about our services, feel free to call us at 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address.

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As a DC or Maryland resident, electricity and natural gas are deregulated, giving you the option to choose your energy suppliers. Virginia residents can choose their natural gas supplier, but electricity is not deregulated in the state.

Deregulation occurred back in 1999 when the Electricity Competition Act passed with the hopes of introducing competition for Pepco, the primary electricity provider in DC. Nearly 170 companies are now licensed as alternative energy suppliers in DC.

In theory, increasing competition is a great plan. It allows you to comparison shop and choose the best alternative energy supplier based on rates, customer service, and other factors.

Unfortunately, this also sets the stage for unscrupulous alternative energy suppliers to pitch low rates by phone, direct mail, and door-to-door salesmen—only to charge more than the customer was originally paying. Learning how to spot these phony propositions can help you choose a legitimate alternative energy supplier!

Hundreds of DC residents make complaints about alternative energy suppliers every year. According to a recent Washington Post article, Starion Energy is one such company that’s had its fair share of complaints in recent years. The article reports that in some cases, the switch to Starion has caused customers’ electricity bills to increase by more than 50 percent—despite having agreed to make the change for money-saving purposes.

Since alternative energy suppliers are prohibited from “engaging in…unlawful, misleading or deceptive” marketing tactics under District law, customer complaints are taken very seriously. If you have had a bad experience with an alternative energy supplier, file a complaint with the DC Office of the People’s Counsel.

Despite the bad press a handful of alternative energy suppliers have received, there are plenty of legitimate electricity suppliers in the DC area:

Even with shady suppliers ruled out, you still have dozens of legitimate options. Narrow down your selection by:

At Kolb Electric, we want our Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC customers to save as much energy as possible. By lowering your consumption each month, you lower your bills! Contact us today for more tips to keep your electricity bills down—or check out our blog with more great electricity saving tips.

Generators can serve as literal lifesavers in the event of an emergency—providing power, light, and heat whenever a disaster strikes. But to be able to do its job, it has to be ready to go right when the situation demands it. This means making sure it’s well maintained, and repaired quickly when service is needed. Of course, this also means that you need to know when your generator needs repair service. Keep reason for 3 reasons that this may be the case.

When our electrical professionals inspect your generator, they’ll take a close look at your wiring, buttons, and any other electrical components. If any of these show a sign of damage, then the unit likely needs to be repaired.

Indications can include frayed wires, loose connectors, buttons that stay stuck when you press them, or electrical overloads that shut the generator down at improper times. Additionally, the voltage on the generator battery needs to be tested to make sure it’s not in disrepair.

The longer your generator lasts, the more likely it is to develop a leak from a hose, a line, or storage pan. Leaks can include oil or fuel—depending on the type of generator you own—in addition to coolant designed to keep the engine block from overheating. Check around the appliance for puddles and be sure to give us a call if you notice any.

If you’re lucky, you won’t have to use your generator for years (but it’s great to have that peace of mind when you do need it!) Unfortunately, however, when generators sit for a long time without being used, the battery can be drained, and other parts of the engine can start to fall into disrepair. This can be avoided by investing in yearly generator maintenance.