In recent years, homeowners throughout the country have becoming increasingly reliant on appliances and electronic devices. Many don’t realize this, but that means that the electrical demands we are placing on our homes are much higher than they used to be, and our homes may not be well-equipped to handle it.

You may use small, portable surge protectors or power strips in your home to plug in things like your TV, or computer equipment. However, this is typically not sufficient enough to really protect your home and electronics against the dangers of power surges. Fortunately, there is a solution—whole-house surge protection.

As we mentioned above, you may utilize power strips to plug electronics such as your laptop or entertainment equipment into. This isn’t necessarily a bad idea, as it does serve a purpose. However, the more demand you place on these, the higher risk there is for your electronic equipment.

Whole-house surge protection helps guard your electronics and appliances against a large power surge. Remember, a power surge can do more than just cause your lighting to go out or kill the battery in your laptop. It can damage your HVAC system and any other large appliance that’s hooked up to your home’s electrical system. Systems do not even have to be operating or turned on at the time for a power surge to damage them.

If you want full protection for your home and electrical system, then you need the right type of surge protector. No matter what type you choose, it’s important to have it professionally installed to ensure that it works properly and really does protect your electrical system when needed.

We’ve all heard it before—the incessant “beep beep beeping” of the smoke detector. It’s even more frustrating when you’re not even cooking something! While there are a few easy fixes for this, we often get asked if there’s a way to stop the smoke detector from beeping except for when it’s actually warning you about something. Let the electrical experts at Kolb help.

If you need smoke detector maintenance or assistance, contact Kolb Electric in DC, MD, or VA today.

The first thing you can do is to determine what type of beeps your smoke detector is making. If you’re like most people, you hear the smoke detector beeping and begin to panic, wondering where the smoke is coming from; however, if there is no smoke, and you hear a “chirping” sound, there could be an electrical problem with your detector or if the electricity goes out, a back-up battery may signal its presence.

If you haven’t replaced your battery annually, beeping every few minutes or so means that the battery is dying and needs to be replaced. Remember that rechargeable batteries don’t work nearly as well as traditional ones. A good rule of thumb is to change the battery either during the New Year or Daylight Saving Time, if applicable.

Smoke detectors usually come with a warranty. Some last five years, while others may last longer. There are a few things to look out for as far as smoke detector replacement is concerned. If it works on and off, chirps intermittently, or just plain quits working, it’s time to replace it. Also, if you’re moving into a new home but the home itself isn’t new, replace the unit, since you have no idea how old the detector may be.

Overall, if your smoke detector is beeping, it’s requiring your attention. Just be sure to stick to replacing batteries. If you need to replace your smoke detector, contact Kolb Electric today!

Finding a good electrician can be a challenge. The Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC area is filled with electrical contractors making big claims, but how do you know who you can trust? Whether you need your entire home rewired or just a relatively simple project completed like a new outlet for your clothes dryer, it’s important for your home and family’s safety to find a licensed electrician to do the work. The same is true of your workplace, where employee and client safety is a major concern.

If you’re on the search for a good electrician in the area, it’s essential to choose someone who has gone through the training, apprenticeship, and other steps necessary to be licensed by your state, whether it’s Maryland, Virginia, or the District. Working with electricity can be hazardous, both to the workers and to your home. Even a small short circuit can cause a home fire, endangering both your property and your family.

Answer that question of how do I find a good electrician by asking friends, neighbors, and colleagues for recommendations. If you’re a new homeowner or new to the area, online directories like Angie’s List can give you unbiased reviews of DC area electric contractors. The Yellow Pages can also be a good place to start.

If you’re asking yourself how to find a good electrician in the DC area, we hope you’ll consider Kolb Electric. We’ve been helping Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC homeowners like you with their electric needs for nearly 90 years. Kolb Electric is a full-service electrical contractor and all of our electricians are licensed to work in your area. We offer free, fair estimates as well as 24-hour emergency service, seven days a week. To learn how Kolb Electric can solve your electrical needs and/or to schedule an appointment, call us at 877 287-1179.

Love is in the air! Fall officially began last week, so we are in the throes of the autumn wedding season. Although the summer months have traditionally been the most popular for weddings, autumn weddings have steadily risen in popularity and nowadays, you’re just as likely to receive an orange maple leaf save-the-date as you are a frilly invite with a flower border.

But as we all (should have) learned in elementary school, when the seasons change, the angle of sunlight touching the earth changes as well, resulting in a different quality and duration of sunlight. While many people prefer the more “golden” tones of autumn afternoons (especially photographers!), it can certainly be challenging to keep your special day well-lit when the sun begins to set. But never fear! Here is a list of four ways lighting can save the day on your big day.

If you can, hire a lighting designer for your wedding. Great lighting can be the difference between a spectacular party and a “well, they tried hard.” Acclaimed lighting designer Extreme Productions) how glamorous professional wedding lighting can be. If you can afford to go all out, you won’t be sorry.

The reason lighting at a wedding is so important is it can really make or break a venue’s ambiance. Whether you want a romantic vibe, like in the picture, or more of a warm, casual family feel, lighting can make a huge difference on how successful you are in achieving the aura you desire. You will want to look into professional lighting design, especially if your wedding takes place outside. Many venues have pre-approved lighting designers familiar with their codes, so make sure to find out when venue-hunting.

But if hiring a lighting designer is these awesome DIY wedding lighting tips from the blog at Wedding Window.

It’s incredibly easy to forget about “minor details” like lighting while planning your wedding, but you can go nuts trying to come up with last-minute lighting solutions. Since lighting has such a big impact every part of the wedding, make it a priority!

3. Make a list early on of things that need to be well-lit, and plan accordingly.

Do you want your new monogram spotlighted on the wall at your reception? Or pinhole light above your wedding cake or centerpieces? Maybe fun, moving lights for the ceiling above the dance floor?

Research some of the lighting elements that have worked well at past weddings and make a list of everything you want at yours. It’s okay if you have to scrap some of your ideas, but the process of writing it out will help you make sure you don’t miss anything you’ll regret later.

If you’re doing your own lighting, this step is crucial to planning for what kinds of lights you want where, and what crafting you need to finish beforehand. Taking the time to plan ahead will save you all kinds of trouble at game time.

4. Crappy venues can’t defeat you!