What’s more important than reliable access to electricity? Safe and reliable access to electricity! We use tools and appliances every day. Heck every hour. And in some instances, every minute. But generally speaking, we don’t really pay much mind to how safe we’re being with it. But you should. Accidents happen all the time (and if you like statistics, boy we’ve got ‘em right here!), and whether you think it could happen to you or not, the fact of the matter is we put ourselves at risk all the time.

This is why it is outright critical that we ensure we’re taking all of the steps we can to protect ourselves, our homes, and our loved ones. Luckily, safety isn’t all that hard, and really takes a minimal time investment. Here at Kolb Electric, your safety is the top priority to our Alexandria electricians. So take a moment to read up! You might learn something new.

Regarding Electrical Supply

First off, to use any appliance safely, you should always keep in mind the right places to use them relative to your home’s safe supply. We’re talking, of course, about dedicated circuits. We’ve spoken of them many times, but it’s important because ensuring the proper appliances get the proper setup is key to operating them safely. Appliances that should be on dedicated circuits include:

Also, if your appliance is going to be near water sources (kitchen/bathroom appliances), be sure they are plugged into a GFCI outlet. Don’t have GFCI outlets? Looks like it’s time for some installation!

Using Power Strips for Your Appliances

Don’t “daisy-chain”, be sure you’re using indoor for indoor, outdoor for outdoor, never cover your cords (generates dangerous heat), and don’t exceed the safe capacity. Also never use power strips or extension cords to power heaters or other high-wattage appliances. They weren’t designed to handle that much power, and they may overheat/catch on fire.

General Appliance Safety Tips from Our Alexandria Electricians

Rules of thumb that promote safety are a great idea, and our Alexandria electricians are here to give you the rundown!

Need the services of a certified electrician to beef up your home safety? From outlet installation to wire repair, our experts have you covered! Contact Kolb to learn about our services, or to set your appointment today!

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See top-rated designer lighting compositions at 1800lighting.com.  Visit a Capitol Lighting showroom to view the latest in home lighting and decorative accessories.  Lighting design experts are on-hand to help update your environment and personalize your space with the most distinguished illumination.

If you’re longing for a bulb that’s going to save energy and that lasts, this LED bulb replacement guide is a great place to get a feel for the type you might need. Other than finding a bulb that fits the socket, has the correct voltage, and meets wattage requirements, there’s no list of rules as to what bulb you should use in a certain fixture. This guide shows that even the same type of fixtures can require or accept different bulb types. LED replacement bulbs are available in a variety of wattages, intensities, voltages, and with different base types; they can even emit different colors of light. You have the freedom to choose a bulb that fits your needs, and there are plenty of available options.

Clicking each picture below will direct you to a page of similar bulbs. Keep in mind, this post just touches the surface of available LED bulbs. If you don’t see what you need, use our site to see hundreds of lighting options.

Track light fixtures are found in many homes and allow for aimable illumination exactly where it’s needed. These fixtures almost always contain MR11 spotlight bulbs. In addition to track lights, these bulbs are often used in recessed, pendant, display case, and desk light fixtures. MR16 and MR11 LED replacement bulbs have GU10 or GX5.3 bi-pin bases and are available in a wide variety of styles with many LED configurations.

There are some home repairs you don’t want to tackle. Here are several red flags to look for when you’re buying a home.

common plumbing problems. Water damage is the homeowner’s mortal enemy. Water causes foundation problems, rot and mold. Want to move into that mess? Probably not.

To see if your potential purchase has suffered the consequences of water damage, start outside and

When you see water damage near an electrical outlet or a light fixture, you may have stumbled onto a fire risk. But outlets aren’t the only place to look for potential electrical problems.

Look for flickering and blinking, which signals a poor connection somewhere along the circuit. Check to see if both halves of electrical outlets are functioning. Make sure bathrooms, kitchens, garages and outdoors have professional electrician should determine whether the home’s circuits or fuses provide adequate power and service. The electrician can look for burned wiring, improper connections, dead-end wiring or ungrounded switches and outlets.

Your home inspector is a font of knowledge! Have the inspector check the air quality of the home to see if any mold spores are present — if water leakage or other common plumbing problems have been an issue, mold may be, too.

The inspector can ensure that the heating and cooling systems are properly installed. The inspector can also determine how old the HVAC system is and ensure that its been maintained

Your inspector will also determine the type of pipe that supplies water to the house—old lead and galvanized steel pipes are going to need replacing.

If the house you’re considering fails these tests, it may be best to move onto the next. If you still think it’s the right house for you, despite the presence of common plumbing problems or the need for an electrical overhaul, negotiate a lower price or ask the seller to pay for needed fixes.

Questions? Thoughts? Leave a note in the Comments section orschedule service today.

There are a number of times when homeowners take up DIY projects; not only do these help you save money, but many people find the idea of doing some of this work around their home, extremely fulfilling too. While it’s okay to do some carpentry or painting work, it’s best to leave electrical jobs to the experts; and there are a number of reasons for this.

Many people feel that they may be able to handle some basic electrical jobs themselves; but the fact is that electrical systems and installations can be quite complex and it’s not easy to tackle them. Apart from this, it’s required by law that you hire a licensed and insured electrician for any work on your residential or commercial premises. Take a look at how and why DIY electrical jobs can do a lot of harm:

There are a number of wire sizes available; this is called the gauge of the wire and this determines the application it’s going to be used in. If you accidently choose and install the wrong wire, this can cause it to heat up and the circuit breaker may trip. This is why it’s important to use wires and devices that are rated correctly for the amperage that’s required in a particular location.

If the switches and outlets have been installed loosely, that can present a hazard once the appliances have been plugged in. If the wires come loose from the terminals, that can result in overheating and arcing.

The reason for an electrical box installation is to provide the connections the right amount of protection from the external elements. This is also why it’s extremely important to ensure that no electrical connections are made outside these boxes. The other thing to keep in mind is that the electrical boxes should only be filled to a certain capacity. Adding too many wires and connections in a single box can result in overheating; in some cases, it can also result in short circuiting.

This happens to be one of the most common causes of electrical fires. When fuses keep tripping or blow, property owners may end up replacing them with breakers or fuses of a larger size. If a fuse trips very regularly, it’s first crucial to identify what is causing it to trip; that root problem has to be addressed by a licensed and insured electrician.

The connections inside the fuse box should all be tight and when they are replaced, the positioning should be right. In case the connections come loose, you might find the lights flickering or being cut short. In severe situations, there could be overheating of the connections too. The precaution to take here is that before you start with any inspection, you should first switch off the breakers.

This is one mistake that many people tend to make; they end up overloading the powerboard or the outlet. It’s important that you check how many amps a circuit can bear and then plug in only the type of appliances that aren’t going to overload the board. Appliances such as air conditioners, dishwashers and refrigerators etc. can overload the circuit, if it exceeds the amperage of the board .

For more information, simply speak with the experts at Allround Electrical and take their advice on various aspects of CBUS installations. The number to call is 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address. You may also reach us through this online contact form.

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