We can’t understate the importance of properly-functioning main electrical panels. If this is one aspect of your electrical system you haven’t got checked recently, it’s crucial you do so without delay. When the cooler/extremely hot season rolls in, people tend to spend more time indoors and that results in higher energy usage as the HVAC systems are operated for longer periods of time. At this time, the last thing you want is a malfunction in the main electrical panel; that can prove to be a hazard for you and your family members.

Today, most homes have a large number of electrical installations and the electrical panel plays a key role in connecting and powering all of these. This means, if the latter either malfunctions or stops working altogether, that can impact all the electrical systems on your property; they may be rendered unsafe or may fail to work. When you ensure that the electrical panel is in working order, it ensures these systems are able to keep up with the electrical usage patterns on your property.

It’s not uncommon for homeowners to keep on adding electrical appliances to their home; but this isn’t something you can do unendingly. Your home’s maximum electrical output is limited, as well as determined by the electrical panel installed on your property. In simple terms this means if you are planning on making some additions/extensions to your home or are considering adding some heavy-duty electrical appliances, it’s vital that you consult a reliable local electrician before you do so.

They will inspect the system, test its output and assess whether the existing panel would be able to bear the load of the new, potential output. Even if the former is below the maximum potential output, it might be a better idea to get the main electrical panel upgraded anyway.

It will ensure you are able to enjoy an uninterrupted power supply even if you have multiple heavy load electrical appliances operating simultaneously on your premises. If you are doubtful about whether your electrical panel needs to be upgraded, contact your electrician and get their advice on what the best plan of action would be.

While having an older main electrical panel isn’t necessarily a bad thing, there are certain aspects you should watch out for, such as:

Even the semi-modern panels that have the flappable circuit-breakers are able to keep your appliances as well as your home protected from high electrical surges. When it comes to electrical systems, it’s never a good idea to compromise on the safety aspect and keeping the main electrical panel upgraded is the one way to maintain that.

If you are considering adding any extensions to your home, growing your home’s living space in any other way, are concerned about the safety of your existing electrical panel or are adding any electrical appliances or installations on your property, call us at AllRound Electrical for a consultation today.

We will discuss all your requirements in detail and ensure the work is done in an expert manner, using the best quality materials. For more information, contact our friendly team at this number – 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address.

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While it can be nice cuddle up once in a while in front of a roaring fire, any warm-and-fuzzy feelings quickly dissipate when your electric bill arrives. While your chimney lets smoke out, it also lets cold air in. So if you do want to use your fireplace, try and do so sparingly, and take the time to turn down the thermostat first.

It’s easy, affordable and a no-brainer – air leaks in windows, doors, plumbing and wiring let warm air out, but most of these problems can be easily fixed with a few minutes of time and a few dollars’ worth of materials. Apply caulking or weather-stripping material to windows and consider investing in a backdoor sweep if drafty doors are sucking the warmth from your home.

Often times people put off having their electrical work done because they assume that it is going to be a very expensive process. They run extension cords here and there, and try to make the best of things, hoping eventually to have the cash to revamp the system, have a system upgrade or two done and some electrical rewiring, maybe even whole house rewiring. However, it really isn’t necessary to take that inconvenient, perhaps even hazardous, approach. You can consult with a professional electrician in Glendale CA and find a better way to restore your electrical system to maximum functionality and safety.

Choose a reputable electrical contracting company, one that’s been around a while and has lots of experience, like the Electric Connection. They’ve been working in the area for more than three decades, and have a solid reputation built on the successful completion of a broad range of commercial and residential electrical projects. Invest a little bit in scheduling a consultation visit, and get a good grasp of exactly what is going on with your residential electrical system and make a full list of what the problems are. Your electrician Glendale CA Electric Connection technician will be happy to help you organize that list by which repairs should be considered high priority and which can wait a little while.

Then, you and your Glendale electrician can devise a service plan that works with your budget, breaking down that list into manageable pieces, such as specific electrical upgrade projects, panel upgrades, and electrical rewiring projects. The Electric Connection offers a variety of specials and discount coupons, so when making your electrical system maintenance and repair plans, be sure to factor those in, planning tasks at times that will allow you to take advantage of those savings. Then, piece by piece, project by project, you’ll improve the safety and function of your electrical system, and soon be able to put away those extension cords and other makeshift implements.

The Electric Connection places a high priority on superior customer service. They want to help you get the electrical system you need for your home to be as safe as possible. They offer a free home electrical safety assessment with every job they do. They offer a wealth of troubleshooting, maintenance and repair tips on their web site. They even offer free electrical help over the telephone, as well as free over the phone estimates based upon your description of the electrical symptoms you are seeing or the work that you are seeking a Glendale Electrician for.

Furthermore, the offer a lifetime guarantee on all of their work. They expect that an electrician in Glendale CA that comes from the Electric Connection will behave in a professional manner at all times, working efficiently for the benefit of their customers. If you schedule an electrical service call with one of their electricians, if your technician arrive even just one short minute late, that electrical call is yours for free. This demanding standard is a clear demonstration of the high standards the company has for their employees, and you can trust that they hire the best.

Don’t take chances with something as potentially dangerous as electrical problems. Broken wires behind walls can cause fires. Shorts in electrical wiring can damage expensive electronics. It is possible to restore your electrical system to full function and safety, and even to make the improvements that you’ve been wishfully thinking about in an affordable manner. It just takes a little planning and prioritizing, which is exactly the type of quality customer service that a Glendale electrician from the Electric Connection specializes in.

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Spring has sprung. The weather is getting nicer. Time for a new pair of sunglasses?  It was time for me. Even though sunglasses are not a regular topic of our lighting blog, I felt that my recent experience picking out new sunglasses warranted this post. I was disappointed at the number of myths about sunglasses that were told to me by multiple, yes, multiple, supposedly knowledgeable sales people. So, I figured that it might prove useful to others if I shared my experience and busted these myths with this sunglasses buying guide. 

Myth #1: UV Protection In Sunglasses Not Important

Fact: The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can do several very bad things to your eyes and the area around your eyes: harm the lens, retina, and whites of your eyes, cause corneal sunburn and blisters, increase your chances of getting cataracts, have been linked to macular degeneration (vision loss due to damage due to a small spot near the center of the retina called the macula), cause skin cancer around your eyes including your eyelids, and help cause unwanted wrinkles and skin thickening around your eyes. WOW!  There’s a lot more but it would take more than this short response to get even more technical.

Myth #2: Sunglasses With Glass Lenses Remove All UV Radiation

I visited a small boutique optometry store and spoke to someone with 40 years of experience. He told me that if a pair of sunglasses has glass lenses, then they remove all UV radiation. Not true.

Fact: Glass of almost any kind (building windows, car windows, a pair of clear glasses) can remove some but not all of the UV radiation that reaches your eye. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is made up of three segments: UVA, UVB, and UVC. Fortunately for all of us UVC radiation is blocked by the earth’s atmosphere, ordinary glass blocks out UVB radiation (the main sunburn ray that causes skin cancer and sun damage) but allows UVA to pass right through (UVA rays penetrate the skin more deeply and can also cause skin cancer, wrinkles, and premature skin aging). However, it is possible to add a special UV-blocking film to ordinary glass or use specially formulated glass (or plastic) to block out 99.9% of UVB and UVA radiation.

Myth #3: Polarized Lenses Also Mean UV Protection

Two representatives in the optical department of a national chain of retail stores told me that if a pair of sunglasses has polarized lenses, then they also provide UV protection. Not true.

Fact: These two features of sunglasses are entirely different from one another; one feature does not imply the presence of the other feature. Polarized lenses minimize direct and indirect glare from the sun; they allow you to see more clearly when the sun’s rays are reflected off flat, smooth surfaces like water, road pavement, and car hoods. Polarized lenses are not designed to reduce the ultraviolet radiation that reaches your eye.

Myth #4: More Expensive Sunglasses Have The Best UV protection

Fact: This is not always true. Relatively inexpensive sunglasses can sometimes block 99%-100% of UV radiation but they are not easy to find. However, you should be careful about still another problem – inexpensive sunglasses sometimes are non-uniform in thickness and have poor optical quality. This can mean that they sometimes distort the shape or clarity of an object, depending on what portion of the lenses that you look through.

Myth #5: Sunglass Tint Is Not Important

Many people think that the tint of the sunglass lenses is not that important. That it is purely an aesthetic decision based on your personal preferences and the “cool factor” you’re looking for.

Fact: The tint or hue of the sunglass lenses plays an important role in the perception of colors. Yellow or rose tinted lenses generally can make it difficult to distinguish different colored traffic lights. Gray, green, and brown lenses, however, minimize color distortion and are a better choice when you’re driving a vehicle. Some specialized sunglasses can have a special tint that are designed to enhance your performance of a specific task or sport; e.g., at least one sunglasses manufacturer has created a whole array of lens hues, one of which can possibly improve your tennis game by enhancing the color of the tennis ball.

Myth #6: Size Of Sunglasses Not Important

Most people choose the size of their sunglasses on whether or not they think they look “cool.” Thus, they think that size is not important.

Fact: Size, at least when it comes to sunglasses, does matter. It’s this simple: The larger the sunglasses, the broader the protection of your eyes, eyelids, and the skin around your eyes against UV damage. However, you can have all of that and still look “cool.”

Enjoy your spring and summer and enjoy your new sunglasses.

How do tripped circuit breakers happen in the first place? An overloaded circuit is the most common reason for a breaker tripping and usually happens when a circuit has more electrical load connected to it than it really should have. Let’s say you have a 15 Amp circuit breaker that is protecting a 15 Amp circuit. If 20 Amps of current start flowing through it because a toaster, TV, radio and space heater were all connected to the same circuit and were on at the same time, then what you’re left with are tripped circuit breakers aimed to prevent overheating of the circuit.

Allow Kolb Electric, one of the premier electricians in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and all of Northern VA, to guide you through the process of resetting tripped circuit breakers, which is actually quite easy.

If your breaker continues to trip immediately after you’ve reset it, this is indicative of a direct short. Do not try to reset your breakers at this point. If these steps don’t help you resolve your tripped circuit breaker problem, it’s time for you to contact a quality electrician in Virginia who can uncover the source of the problem, which could be due to one of the following: