If you use a standby generator for your home or business, you know how valuable it can be during a big storm or any time when your power supply is uncertain. We tend to get a lot of big summer and winter storms in the DC Metro area, so having a standby generator is crucial for things like keeping food safe and keeping lights on. So if you want to make sure your generator works smoothly when you need it to, it’s important that you keep it well maintained!

After a major storm knocks out power, your generator could be running 24/7 for a few days. To prepare for times like this, here are some ways you can keep your generator in good shape:

In addition to these checks you can do on your own, it’s important to have your standby generator inspected by an authorized sales and service dealer. Remember—many home and commercial generators have a limited warranty and require service from a licensed technician in order to make sure the warranty can be honored.

Standby generator repair and maintenance requirements may vary significantly based on the type of generator you are dealing with. For instance, commercial generators are primarily the alternator type of generators. Alternators have stationary windings (which create the alternating current) and rotating windings (which create direct current). Since rotating windings usually go through a significant amount of friction when working, regular tune ups and electrical repair will see them needing to be replaced every once in a while.

Kolb Electric is one of the largest Generac generator dealers in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC are and we are fully certified to service Generac generators. This winter, prepare your home for any major snow storms by calling Kolb Electric for generator service today!

This is not the time of year to be dealing with electrical problems in the home. It can be a huge issue to have an outlet fail or a breaker constantly trip when you are trying to deck your halls. The problem can be a number of different things, but you won’t know for sure until you have an electrician in Santa Monica come out to take a look. It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to any kind of electrical concerns. The team at The Electric Connection is ready to help you discover what the problem is and get it taken care of before it becomes a serious safety hazard.

If you are not a trained electrician, you are going to have to guess what the problem is. That is a risk you don’t want to take. What if that outlet that only works on occasion is actually not just a fluke and is the sign of a much bigger problem. It is a good idea to have a Santa Monica electrician inspect your home. During the inspection, the outlet will be tested and the cover removed to check for any loose wires. While it may be an easy fix, ignoring those loose wires could create a tiny spark that ignites the insulation packed around the outlet.

You are not expected to know all of the hazards or to know why your breaker is tripping. That is a job for an electrician. Santa Monica residents will feel better knowing their house has been given an electrical checkup. Problems will be identified and you will be given the option to take care of right away or wait until it is a little more convenient. Your electrician will let you know just how serious the problem is or whether it is something relatively minor. If you are concerned about an electrical problem in your home, give The Electric Connection a call and let one of their experienced electricians diagnose the problem for you.

Tripped circuit breaker: many of us have experienced them at some point in our homes, yet instead of asking ourselves, “Why Do Breakers Trip?”, we reset the breaker without much thought. Before flipping the switch back over to the “ON” position, however, it’s important to understand why the breaker tripped in the first place, and what can be done to keep it from happening again.

Ignoring a Tripped Breaker is Not a Good Idea

Because of the many reasons why your circuit breaker could be tripping, and because of the purpose of the circuit breaker, you should never take a tripped breaker lightly. It’s important to understand that the circuit breaker is a safety device; simply switching the circuit back on without investigating the culprit can become costly in the long run and, in many cases, extremely dangerous.