At Kolb Electric, we think it’s always interesting to see what types of calls come in each season. So with that in mind, we’ve put together a short list of the most common issues we take care of every winter, spring, summer, and fall. We hope you don’t have any of these problems any time of year, but if you do, call Kolb Electric!

Space heaters tripping circuit breakers – space heaters consume a huge amount of electricity, and if they are plugged into an outlet on an already overloaded circuit (one used to power holiday lights, for instance), they’re likely to cause it to trip. Circuits trip to prevent damage to the wiring of your electrical system, so knowing which outlets are on which circuits can prevent this from happening.

Kolb Electric offers circuit breaker repair »

Wet electrical connections shorting your GFCI – water and electricity don’t mix, and GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets are designed to trip if they get wet. If any electrical device in or outside your home gets wet it could cause part of your home to short out. Knowing where your GFCIs are located and which outlets they control, can remedy this problem. If not, an electrician is your best bet for pinpointing and correcting the problem.

Broken down AC – if your air conditioner suddenly stops working during the summer, the first thing you should do is check the breaker. If it’s tripped, shut off the thermostat and reset the breaker. If it trips again after you turn the thermostat back on, call an electrician.

Window AC tripping circuit breakers – like space heaters in the winter, portable window air conditioners use a lot of electricity. Labeling the breaker connected to high energy-consuming appliances will remind people not to plug things into the same circuit.

Trees falling on meter boxes and risers – DC area springs and falls come with pretty unpredictable weather, which in rare cases can end up in downed trees on your property. Even a light touch from a tree limb can rip the electric meter base and riser off of the outer wall of your house.

Replacing ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets –people like to test their GFCIs as part of spring and fall cleaning. So if you find any that need to be replaced, call Kolb Electric!

If you have any electrical problems in Maryland, DC, or Virginia, at any time of year, there’s only one name you need to know: the DC electricians at Kolb Electric!

Faulty electrical wiring does not only cause fires but could also result in electrocution if you touch an exposed wire. When unconcealed wires come into contact with combustible materials, they can easily cause fatal fires. You can prevent many deaths caused by faulty electrical wiring by learning some signs of faulty electrical wiring. The main signs include:

During the Fall and Winter months, Expert Electric installs an increasing amount of outdoor parking lot lighting for all different types of commercial buildings including office buildings, retail businesses, restaurants and bars. As the days get shorter, many business and property owners begin to see the benefits of outdoor parking lot lighting as there is less daylight. Outdoor parking lot lighting is important all year round to prevent break-ins, vandalism and burglaries from occurring. Learn more about the different types of outdoor parking lot lighting installations that Expert Electric does.

Outdoor parking lot lighting is an important security measure in protecting the buildings, businesses and employees of office buildings. Not all office buildings have security guards and underground parking. Outdoor parking lot lighting can help protect office buildings from burglaries. It can also help protect vehicles from vandalism and break-ins. Employees will feel more comfortable when walking to their vehicles after work in a well-lit environment, especially in the Fall and Winter months. The licensed electricians at Expert Electric can install outdoor parking lot lighting for office buildings all throughout the Lower Mainland and Greater Vancouver area.

Outdoor parking lot lighting is very important for retail businesses for many of the same reasons as it is important for office buildings. Retail businesses have plenty of valuable inventory and assets on hand and are often targeted with burglaries. A well-lit parking lot can help prevent burglaries from occurring. Outdoor parking lot lighting is also important for retail shops to remain in business. Customers will not want to visit a store during the evening if it does not have sufficient outdoor parking lot lighting. Parking lot lights help keep customers secure, especially for retail locations that are open late at night. Expert Electric can install outdoor parking lot lighting in a variety of different types of retail stores including

Restaurants and bars are usually open later than most other businesses which makes their parking lots more vulnerable to crime. Hiring parking lot security can be expensive and installing security cameras does not necessarily prevent vandalism and burglaries from taking place. Installing parking lot lighting in restaurants and bars can significantly help reduce vehicle break-ins, vandalism and theft. Customers will feel more comfortable when walking to and from the building during evening hours when the parking lot is properly lit.

If you would like to learn more about outdoor parking lot lighting for commercial buildings or residential homes, please contact the licensed electricians at Expert Electric today. At Expert Electric, we offer a large variety of electrician services including standby generator installations, electrical transformers, hot tub wiring and more. Call us to schedule an appointment today at 604-681-8338. Our team will provide you with a written estimate, flexible service hours and follow up after 48 hours to ensure that you are completely satisfied with out work. Trust the experts at Expert Electric!

Electrical systems need to be maintained over the years to retain their functionality and safety. Because of that, it’s a good idea to have a Pasadena electrician take a peek at it every now and then. A poorly maintained electrical system is much more than a hassle to use. It can be a real hazard. Time takes its toll on everything, including electrical systems. As wires and connections age, there can be cracking, breaking, and assorted other little damages that interfere with function and safety. Extreme temperature changes or household pests moving around inside of the walls can contribute to damage as well.

Because so much of the action of an electrical system happens behind the scenes, in those out of sight and out of mind places — behind the walls, in the attic, in the basement — potentially hazardous damage often isn’t seen. The first clue that there is a problem is typically when something doesn’t work right. Sometime a person will make a repair, such as install new electrical outlets, but that may not really be the main issue. Why the outlets went bad is the real issue, something that an electrician Pasadena CA professional would probably recommend tracking down and repairing.

There’s a reason for that. Shorts in your electrical system can cause a lot of problems. Sensitive, expensive electronics can be damaged. Broken, sparking wires can cause house fires, as can overloaded circuits that allow wires to get too hot. Sometimes a broken outlet is just a broken outlet. Other times, however, it isn’t. A professional electrician in Pasadena, such as those at the Electric Connection, has the experience to know, and a deeper understanding of the overall system. The Electric Connection has been handling electrical maintenance and repair projects of all types throughout the region for 30 years.

If you’ve let your electrical system get a bit run down, and it’s time to consider electrical upgrades or perhaps even a whole house rewiring, the Electrical Connection can help. They offer a lifetime guarantee on all of their work, and they also offer a free home safety assessment with every job they do. During that assessment, they check your main electric panel, grounding, GFI protection, as well as surge protection, and smoke detectors, if they are wired into the main electrical system. Having smoke detectors installed like that is a good thing, as there are no batteries to worry about.

If having a large project, such as whole house rewiring, is more than your budget can bear, then it may be a good idea to have your electrical rewiring done a section at a time, as you can afford it. Be sure to keep an eye on the Electrical Connection web site, as they offer specials and discount coupons periodically. They also offer free over the phone estimates, based on what you tell them about the symptoms you are experiencing or the project you are considering. This Pasadena electrician company also offers free over the phone help and varieties of tips on their web site to help you better care for and understand your electrical system.

Excellent customer service is as important to The Electric Connection as is the fine quality of work they’ve become known for through the decades. If you schedule an electrical service call with a Pasadena electrician from the Electrical Connection and the technician that is handling that service call arrives late, your service call is free. That, however, is rare. What usually happens when you make an appointment with an electrician in Pasadena CA from the Electric Connection, is that your technician arrives at the appointed time, in a well supplied service vehicle, ready to meet the work goals of the day.

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