Recent wildfires across Texas including the enormous Bastrop fire caused lengthy power outages because poles supporting miles of power lines burned in the fires. So, thousands of homes which were untouched by the fires lost their electrical power. In many cases, the power was out for weeks, and others are still waiting to see their power restored. We often take electrical power for granted, but the grid is continually being interrupted for a variety of reasons, including storms, fires, ice buildup, falling tree limbs, and nearby construction projects. And heavy air conditioning use during the hottest parts of the summer can overload the grid, resulting in regional blackouts. Parts of Dallas experienced a four-hour blackout this last summer when temperatures reached 108 in the shade. Needless to say, this was not a good day to go without air conditioning.

A lengthy power outage can ruin the contents of your refrigerator and make your home extremely uncomfortable during a hot summer or a cold winter, but if you live in a rural area and have a well, a loss of power can also leave you without water. Of course, this can be disastrous if the power outage is caused by a nearby wildfire. During a lengthy outage, backup power for your computer will fail and your electronic security systems can also become disabled, leaving your home without sufficient security.

If you’ve considered or experienced some of these conditions, and would like to make your home or business more secure, an automatic backup generator can relieve many of your concerns. The backup emergency generators we install operate on clean-burning natural gas or propane, and start automatically in seconds when a power outage is detected. These generators have the power to keep your home running normally during a lengthy power outage.

If you would like more information and a professional quote, please call Bryant Electric Service at 512-402-8587. We’ve installed many generators in Austin and in Central Texas, and can recommend the right size unit for your needs.

As we prepare for fall and eventually winter, there are probably plenty of jobs you need to get done in the house. We often focus a lot of our time and energy on the outdoors during the spring and summer months and the indoors gets neglected. The following tasks are some things you will want to take care of with the help of an electrician in Burbank. The team at The Electric Connection will make sure your tasks are taken care quickly and professionally.

GFCIs

Ground fault control interrupters are excellent safety features to add to your kitchen and bathroom areas. The outlets prevent against electric shock when an appliance comes into contact with water. The second the circuit is interrupted by contact with water, the electricity to the circuit is automatically cut off. This can prevent the person holding the appliance from being shocked.

Smoke Detectors

The standard smoke detector you have in your home may not be quite as safe as you would think. These battery powered smoke detectors must have fresh batteries in order to work properly. There is also the risk of not hearing a smoke detector down the hall or in another room. Hard-wired smoke detectors are a better option. They are wired directly into your home’s main power and are interconnected. When one alarm is sounded, all the alarms will go off. This can add several minutes to your escape time.

Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are an excellent way to circulate warm air in the winter and cool air in the summer. There is some minor Burbank electrical work involved that can be taken care of by an experienced electrician. Ceiling fans are energy efficient and can save you money on your electric bill.

If you would like some help taking care of these small, but necessary upgrades around your home, give The Electric Connection a call today.

The bathroom is a place full of moisture and humidity. If this moisture is allowed to sit in the air for too long without being vented it can cause damage to the structure of the home. The moisture may start the growth of mould and mildew in windowsills and throughout the dry wall. Water damage may also occur which can be a costly fix. That is why each bathroom should have an exhaust fan to suck moisture out of the air and blow it outside the home. However, care should be taken when installing an exhaust fan due to the amount of moisture interacting with electricity running to the exhaust fan.

In order to add an exhaust fan into your bathroom, you will be required to install a vent that connects from the exhaust fan (in the roof of your bathroom) to the outside of the home. If you are not experienced with this type of work, have a professional complete the work as the roof and structure of the home may be damaged if not done correctly. The exhaust fan is installed in the bathroom, which pulls in the air and pushes it out of the home. This is how the air that is dense in moisture is pushed out of the bathroom.

While this might appear to be a simple job that any handyman would want to perform themselves, if the wiring is not done correctly, you could cause more damage to your bathroom than the moisture will. To turn on and off the exhaust fan, you will be required to add an additional light switch and wire the switch to the exhaust fan. Handling electrical wiring is not something that everyone is comfortable with, and if the wiring is done haphazardly it can lead to electrical fire. Additionally, with the amount of moisture in the air, if any of the wires are exposed the electricity could leave the wires and electrocutions and shock could occur. We would advise you to use a licenced electrician when performing this electrical work to keep yourself and your family safe.

If you have a bathroom in your home that does not have an exhaust fan, plan to have on installed and contact Expert Electric. We can help perform the electrical work safely so that it is ready for the fan installation.

Acquiring a new home in Baltimore is an extremely exciting event for any homeowner. But it can be a time for stress, too. There’s a lot going on—keeping tabs on it all can become a bit overwhelming and, at times, outright frustrating. Because of this, our Baltimore electricians wanted to provide a quick, easy checklist for what you should be checking for in the wiring in your new Baltimore home. 

In the world of Kolb Electric, superior service is the name of the game. We’ve built our reputation of quality and dependability by providing just that! And when it comes to wiring and the electrical needs for your new home, there’s no one better in Maryland.

Keeping NEC codes in mind, unique layouts, etc; wiring can get a little bit complex and confusing. So we’re keeping this one simple, stating the primary and most important goals and methods of wiring a new home.

That got a little confusing, we know. But honestly, there are just loads of factors that come into play with your new wiring. This is why certified and licensed experts are so important! But when you work with the experts at Kolb, our Baltimore electricians can ensure you’re getting everything you want and need out of your new home wiring. Contact us today to learn more!