The seasons are finally beginning to shift, bringing us (somewhat) cooler weather and a few unique activities. As we settle into fall, our experts at Hoffman Electrical would like to take a moment to clue you in on some potential electrical dangers unique to the season.

To our team, the only thing more important than our service is your safety! Electrical appliances and tools are indispensable these days, but without the proper care, understanding, and preparation, you could be looking at some serious injuries. To avoid risks and keep your home safe, keep up with these safety notes!

These tips and points are really quick and simple, so don’t worry about some involved and frustrating nonsense. For the most part, it’s all about being prepared and staying wary of potential threats:

Do you know where your electric meter is located? Knowing how to find this piece of equipment AND how to read it are important for any home or building owner. Your electric meter reading provides you with information on your energy usage so that you can monitor it, helping you save energy and money. This also allows you to easily determine whether your monthly utility bill is accurate, so that you are not overspending unnecessarily.

It’s not difficult to learn how to read an electric meter. Most DC-area residences have one of two kinds of meters—a digital meter or an older model with a series of dials. Both types measure the kilowatt hours (kWh) that your household uses, which is also the measure used on your utility bill.

The secret to making sense of either type of meter is comparing the current reading with a prior reading or the number on your billing statement. Read the dials of older meters from left to right. There should be five dials. If the pointer on a dial is between numbers, choose the lower number. If the pointer looks to be exactly on a number, read the next lower number (unless the dial immediately to its right has passed zero). Digital meters are even simpler to read. The number displayed indicates the current usage.

To determine electric usage, take the reading from the previous day or month and subtract it from the current number. The difference will give you the amount of electricity your household used during that period. Any discrepancy between this figure and what’s on your energy bill is reason to take a second look.

If you have a question for your electric company, you’ll also want to tell them the meter number (usually located at the bottom of the meter).

Like any piece of electrical equipment, your electric meter should be handled (or NOT handled) with care. While it’s a good idea to monitor your electricity usage, it’s a bad idea to touch your meter. In fact, tampering with your electric meter is a crime in most areas. It’s also important to maintain clear access to your meter by keeping snow, trees, and bushes from obstructing view of the meter.

For more information on how to read an electric meter and how it can be helpful to you, call Kolb Electric. We can provide you with further tips to help you save on future electrical bills and install more efficient electrical systems, such as LED lighting, that will save you even more. We may also perform an infrared thermography inspection that helps to detect issues in your home, such as a roof leak or loose electrical connections, that are causing your heat to escape or your appliances to operate inefficiently.

Call now to schedule service if you’re located in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC—877-287-1179877-287-1179. 

Today’s infographic breaks down the essential facts about energy efficiency. It explains why energy efficiency is so important, and goes into detail about how wasting energy can harm the environment. Then, after convincing you that conserving power is a good idea, it offers a comprehensive guide to help you start saving more energy at home, assessing the efficacy of your appliances, insulation, and of course, your lighting.

I especially like this infographic for the Incandescent/CFL/LED comparison chart at the very bottom. Good stuff!

You work hard to keep a roof or your family’s head and you want to protect them while they are at home. You probably lock your doors and windows at night and leave a light so nobody trips when making one of those late night bathroom runs. Is there more you could do?

Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors

You can add an extra layer of protection to your home for your family by having smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the home. An electrician in Beverly Hills can hard wire a smoke detector into each room of the home. This is an ideal option, because you do not have to worry about batteries going dead or being “borrowed” for some toy or remote. The detectors rely on your home’s electricity. Of course, you will still need to have a battery powered detector in the home. In most models, the electric powered detectors also have a battery backup option.

Hard wired smoke detectors should be placed in every room somebody sleeps in as well as the basement if you have one. The detectors can be interconnected, so if one goes off, they all go off, alerting occupants to a fire. This is an ideal option for those who like to sleep with their bedroom doors closed.

Carbon monoxide detectors should also be installed by an electrician. Beverly Hills homeowners should absolutely have one of these detectors in their home to protect themselves against the odorless gas, carbon monoxide. As with the smoke detectors, an electrician will hard wire a carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home. These can be interconnected as well.

If you use a gas stove or have a garage connected to your home, you will definitely need to consider having a carbon monoxide detector. You can rely on The Electric Connection to get this extremely important job done for your family.