Are you looking for a way to dodge the cold this winter but still enjoy the outdoors? Then why not consider a hot tub! The experts at Kolb Electric can wire a hot tub for your home easily. But there are some things you need to know before beginning installation. There are specific limitations and home wiring necessities before you can relax in your new hot tub.

Got more questions? Contact the experts at Kolb Electric today!

If you’re looking to complete a hot tub installation in MD, VA. or DC, you should first understand the electrical requirements. Most hot tubs need a dedicated 240V, GFCI circuit to safely provide them with the power they need to run. To meet your hot tub’s electrical needs, you need to make sure your home is running on at least a 100 amp electrical service. Most homes built in the past 50 years or so meet this requirement, and many homes built more recently even exceed this, with 150 – 200 amp service. However, if you live in a historic home in the area, you may need to upgrade your electrical service before any hot tub wiring can be done. A licensed electrician from Kolb Electric can perform what’s known as a “heavy up” to get your home’s electrical service standards up to par for a hot tub installation in MD, VA, or DC.

If your home is ready for hot tub wiring, it helps to understand some of the guidelines that are outlined in the National Electrical Code (NEC), specifically ones dealing with hot tub installations. For instance, it is a violation of the NEC to install a hot tub under power lines. Additionally, you should avoid installing low-voltage lighting within 10 feet of your hot tub.

For all your hot tub wiring needs in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, contact the electricians at Kolb Electric today—877-287-1179877-287-1179 or click here!

‘Tis the season to be jolly with thousands of colorful lights glowing from your trees, gutters, front door wreath, and bushes. Billions of lights will be used to dress up homes and businesses throughout the country during the final months of the year. As festive as the light-up Santa and Rudolph may look on top of your roof, you have to make electrical safety the focus of your holiday lighting festivities.

Following are five tips to help you avoid common holiday lighting problems others will experience this year. Commit them to memory so electrical safety does not pull the plug on your merry-making décor this year:

1. If you are putting up a live Christmas tree, make sure it is well-watered and use LED bulbs for all decorations placed on the tree. Dry trees and heat from non-LED bulbs create home fires every holiday season. Do not place candles where they may be knocked over on a live tree. LED bulbs should be used when decorating trees in your outdoor landscape as well.

2. Thoroughly inspect every string of lights and plug-in points before using them indoors or outdoors. If you notice any of the following at even one point on the string, toss it out or repair the damage before use to ensure electrical safety for your home:

3. Power cords should be used to connect strings of lights, but pay attention to how many strings you are connecting per cord. In general, more than three strings of lights could be too much.

4. Avoid hanging your lights with tacks, screws, or nails. You do not want to crack, tear, or otherwise damage the electric cord. You can use insulated hooks instead.

5. Make sure you are plugging outdoor lighting features into ground fault circuit interrupter outlets. These outlets reduce the risk of electrical shorts or dangerous shocks if water, wet leaves, and other outdoor elements get into the sockets.

6. Do not use indoor-only holiday lights outdoors. There are clear differences in how these types of lights are made, even if they look the same. For instance, outdoor lights are created with more insulation so they are not as easily affected by rain and snow.

Do not allow electrical safety to cut the cord on your holiday lighting festivities. Light up the house and allow the big snowman to wave at the neighbors from your front lawn. Just make sure your snow globes, trains, and twinkling tree lights present no danger to your home, your family, and your neighborhood.

Electrical jobs should never be turned into a DIY project, unless you have formal training and experience in the field. While electricity is extremely useful and necessary, if it isn’t handled correctly, it can be pretty dangerous too. If you get a novice to handle the job for you that can result in overloaded circuits, poor wiring connections or even faulty grounding, which can be extremely dangerous to you and your family and result in a fire outbreak as well. Here are some common services for which you would need to call in an electrician:

The main electrical panels provide electricity to your entire house. If you have older panels with fuses and older wiring, those may not be able to bear the load of any new appliances you decide to install on your property. The latest electrical appliances tend to add heavy loads on the system and your older wiring installations won’t be able to support those loads. If you are getting new appliances, call in a licensed electrician to test and inspect the wiring and circuit breakers on your property.

If you need any new outlets installed or need existing ones converted to USB ports, you would have to call in an electrician for the job. Oftentimes, electrical codes necessitate that a minimum of 1 outlet in your kitchen and bathroom be a GFCI outlet. These are specifically designed to shut off the power in case there is an imbalance in electricity or if water comes in contact with any of the electrical equipment or fittings; this helps in preventing shock in these areas.

It’s important that there be certified and licensed electrician should handle. They will take all the necessary precautions while doing any kind of electrical work on your property.