There are few things more chilling than a home burglary. Imagine a stranger rifling through and stealing your possessions – to say nothing of the danger if you or your family members are home at the time of the break-in. Fortunately, you can take steps to deter potential thieves by using outdoor lighting to increase the visibility around your home. Today's inexpensive LED and smart technologies mean that you can create a system that is attractive, efficient and responsive without breaking the bank. Protect your home and your family with some of these outdoor lighting ideas.

A Light in the Darkness

Your outdoor lighting system should include lights near any doors and windows where a person could enter the house. "The biggest thing for any person who can burglarize a home is the ability to secrete movements," a Chicago Police Department spokesperson told the Chicago tribune. "This means darkness.”

Many outdoor lighting systems are easy to install on your own, although a few may require the help of an electrician for new wiring. LED bulbs are an attractive option because they use only about a quarter of the energy of incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times as long. Some outdoor lights come equipped with a built-in security camera that will not only light up to scare off any would-be burglars, but also capture their image so you can notify police of the suspicious activity.

Stand-alone solar panel lights are a good option for walkways, although they shouldn't be relied on as a home security measure since variations in weather mean they might not always provide enough light to deter a prowler.

Getting Smart About Your Lighting

Smart lighting systems let you control your entire home’s lighting setup from your smartphone, even when you're away from the house. You can adjust timers, motion sensors, dimming functions or manually instruct the lights to come on or off. Certain smart lighting and security systems will automatically alert you when someone is at the door and allow you to talk to them through your phone no matter where you are in the world.

With smart technology, you can also add an extra layer of deterrence by having indoor lights come on for a period of time when you are away, giving the appearance that somebody is home. If you already have a lighting system in place, you can upgrade it to a smart system by swapping in some wireless smart switches and installing a control hub.

A Safer and More Attractive Residence

Lighting up your outdoor space is more than just a way to deter burglars. It can also make your yard look more attractive at night and help visitors safely navigate their way to your door.

If you need help planning or installing an outdoor security lighting scheme, contact your local electrician right away.

Knowing when to install a new circuit in your home or business may seem like a daunting task. After all, you’re no electrician, and figuring out the details seems stressful! To which we at Kolb say, “No Problem!” There are specific cases and situations where installing a new circuit is really necessary, and all said it’s pretty clear when you need one. That is, if you know what you’re looking for.

Need a new circuit installation for your home or business? Contact our specialists today!

We’ll skip the science lesson and spare you the details of Ohm’s Law (though it’s fairly interesting reading), and other laws that apply to circuits. What you need to know is that a circuit is a dedicated device that houses electricity reserved for a specific task. Like a circuit for running your fridge, or to plug in your dryer.

A circuit operates in a loop, delivering electricity to the object in need of power, and then returning the electricity to the source (your electrical panel) when on or off. So, why would you need a new circuit? There are two primary cases:

If your circuit is not operating properly, it’s obviously time to seek a replacement. Not doing so can create some serious issues, the least of which is your appliances not running. A busted circuit can present serious dangers to your home, and should be addressed immediately. You can spot one by:

The other common time to get a new circuit installed is when you plan to add new, improved or newly existing appliances to your home. Many common use electrical machines require a lot of power, and plugging them into an existing circuit shared with other items will likely result in breaker flips.

Why? because a circuit is designed to supply a very specific amount of power, via your breaker. If you exceed the limit the breaker places on your circuit, the breaker will flip and refuse to allow the supply. This is why refrigerators, air conditioning, washing and drying machines and microwaves are often given a dedicated circuit.

Kolb has proudly served our area for years, and brings the best service and experience in the industry available. Our certified electricians can offer all of the skill, knowledge and tech needed to get your electrical project done right. At Kolb, your needs are our number one priority. Contact us today to learn more about circuits, and whether or not you may need a new one!

Summer is in full swing which means you’re likely spending more time in a hot tub. If you don’t currently own a hot tub but are considering getting one in the near future, there are some important things to consider before purchasing. It’s a no brainer that water and electricity don’t mix; therefore, adhering to proper safety and electrical protocol with hot tub installation and maintenance is imperative. Listed below are Expert Electric’s 5 tips for hot tub safety:

You might consider yourself to be quite the handyman; however, setting up a brand new hot tub is an entirely different animal. Wiring a hot tub is no easy task and it’s far more complex than setting up your average home appliance. Consulting a licensed electrician for a hot tub installation will often save you time, money, and a trip to the hospital. A licensed electrician will minimize any costly mistakes you would make that could result in permanent damage to the hot tub and a void in the hot tub manufacturer’s warranty. Additionally, they will ensure you’re getting the best value in all of the necessary accessories that need to be purchased for installation.

Although this usually isn’t a problem if your home was built within the past 30-40 years, it’s always a good thing to look into before adding an additional appliance to your home. This is another area that a licensed electrician can help with. It’s also crucial to understand what type of voltage your hot tub is running with. Smaller hot tubs usually require 120 volts whereas larger hot tubs will often run on 240 volts. Understanding the different requirements associated with your specific hot tub’s voltage and how it relays to its power source is key.

When it comes to hot tub installation, it’s all in the wiring. Using the proper wiring is critical to the functioning and safety of your hot tub. It’s important to use wiring that is able to handle the heat. A licensed electrician will be able to answer any questions you have about wiring and determine which type of wiring is necessary for your hot tub.

Did you know that Canada has a set of electrical codes that must be followed when installing and maintaining any type of electrical equipment in Canada? These codes must be followed accordingly during the installation. The Canadian Electric Code is a handbook that can be purchased online; however, it’s a long read and fairly expensive. Hiring a licensed electrician will save you the chore of reading it and void its additional cost.

Before installing a hot tub, it’s imperative to consider its location. You’ll need room for the hot tub as well as extra room to get in and out. The hot tub should be at least 10 feet away from any overhead power lines and 5 feet away from the removed spa panel. It’s also important to consider how the tub will connect to its power source.

For further information on hot tub installation and the necessary electrical requirements, please visit our contact page for a local number near you or to fill out one of our online forms. Our team of licensed electricians are here to help ensure your hot tub gets installed safely and efficiently.

Boiler operated heating systems vary quite a bit from forced air systems like furnaces. Though there are some common issues that the two systems share, this also created a number of problems that are unique to boiler systems. Let’s take a look at some of the common repairs that call FB Electrical Services. We conduct heating repair throughout the Brighton area.