Maybe it was the attire that tipped you off, or the unmarked van. Whatever it was, the truth remains: there are plenty of home service scammers, and false electricians aren’t an exception.

On the Kolb Electric blog, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about how to tell if various electrical appliances and processes in your home are bad or faulty. We’ve discussed outdoor lighting, breakers, outlets; we even did a bit on hot tubs! But what do you do if your electrician in Gaithersburg is bad? How can you even tell; and what separates the slouches from the professionals?

Looking for reliable electrical services from a certified electrician in Gaithersburg? Contact Kolb today!

Getting electrical work done in your Maryland home is already pretty stressful. So the very last thing you want is to call in an “expert” only to get bad work, poor results, and services that could barely even be called service. To make sure you get the good stuff when you’re looking for dependable electrical services, keep an eye out for these warning signs!

Ready to get the service and quality you deserve? Contact Kolb Electric today! When you work with our team, meeting your needs and bringing you the best in reliable quality is our primary goal, and we’ll never leave you confused, angry, or unhappy!

Solar panels have numerous benefits. It is important to do research and understand how solar panels provide energy for your home. Understanding the process will allow you the benefit of realizing how unique and cost effective solar energy can truly be.

Since the sun’s light contains energy, when the rays hit an object, the energy emitted turns into heat. This is similar to feeling the warmth of the sun on your face. However, when it hits certain materials, instead of turning into heat, it turns into power that can be harnessed as an electrical current.

When using solar panels made up of these materials, your home can be powered by solar energy, while using your current electrical wiring to run it throughout your home. You also can stay on with your electrical company, so that when cloud covers and bad weather roll in, you will not notice any difference in your home’s power.

Now, since there is also the option of leasing solar panels, the cost of solar panels has decreased somewhat. One of the biggest setbacks for most people, in the past, have been the cost, but with the option to install solar panels by leasing them, combined with a significantly lowered electricity bill,  they have been able to be much more affordable.

There is also the benefit of using an energy source that doesn’t pollute like the current fossil fuels being used. The sun has an ample supply of energy, and a small percentage of one second of its energy being enough to power the entire world.

With so many benefits and understanding how the energy is transferred into power, you will be better equipped to make the decision to switch over to solar in your own home or business. If you have more questions, check out The Electric Connection’s website and blogs for more information about solar power information and solar panel installers.

Are you having power go out intermittently? Are some lights and receptacles working in some rooms while others are not? Are some outlets going out randomly, then coming back on again?

You may have a problem with corrosion at the meter main distribution panel outside.

Our salty air combined with humidity causes the aluminum wire connections at the panels to collect salt crystals and break down the conductive wires and termination points, causing weak conductivity or a break altogether. This could be a fire hazard. There could be a hot spot from an electrical arc or exposed live wires, not just the lights going out.

Solution? After determining that indeed the problem is the above with a diagnostic check; first, we need to call the utility company and have an on-call service man to come out and turn off the power coming in from the pole. Next, one of our licensed electricians will be there to clean off the metal parts inside the meter panel box. He will scrub the corroded aluminum electrical metal parts with a wire brush, cover the metal with a special spray to inhibit future corrosion, and then apply an antioxidant material to the jaws of the meter clips and wire screw down points. Finally, tighten everything up and have the utility man plug the meter back in.

Now that should do it.