The National Safety Council Electrical Safety Facts & Tips can help minimize electrical hazards and cut down the risk of accidents through education.

Electricity is nature’s most versatile form of energy.  The power of electricity can be dangerous if it is not used correctly. Electrical energy can damage property and ignite fires. It is important to ensure your safety around “Hot” electricity. The hazard of electricity cannot be eliminated, but it can be controlled. The more you understand about electrical energy, the safer you will be at work and home:

What causes electric shock?You can get an electric shock if you touch a grounded surface and hazardous electrical equipment at the same time. The shock happens when the flow of electric current (amperage) from the electrical equipment goes through your body to the ground.  Just a small amount of amperage can hurt or be fatal.

Protecting yourself at work

Low-voltage landscape lighting is a simple improvement that can make an enormous impact on the beauty and appearance of your home after dusk, as well as its safety and security. Installed along walkways, steps, and driveways, or directed up at trees, garden objects and walls, the typical low-voltage lighting system requires just three components: a transformer, low-voltage electrical cable, and the fixtures.

Thinking of upgrading your home’s electrical system but not sure where to start? At Kolb Electric, we work hard to stay on top of the latest and greatest electrical products to make your life easier, safer, and more convenient. Here’s a short list of some of our favorites!

Do you have trouble remembering to adjust the timers on your outdoor lights during daylight savings time? With the astronomical timer from Leviton, you’ll never have to worry about that again! This programmable timer is set to the specific longitude and latitude of your home, so it always knows what time the sun rises and sets in your area.

The timer then automatically turns your outdoor lights on and off at sunset and sunrise, adjusting itself daily for the amount of light your home is receiving.

Unlike photo cells, which can go bad over the years, the Leviton Astronomical Timer lasts a lifetime, virtually maintenance-free. You can also operate it manually without having to change the settings. When it comes to upgrading your outdoor lighting system, you can’t do much better than that!

Cost: $45 – $120

This product combines two useful innovations into one item you can’t live without. Tamper resistant outlets have proven to be so effective at preventing electrocution, especially child electrocution, that the 2011 National Electric Code (NEC) was updated to require them in all new construction.

In addition to safety, these outlets have a USB port to allow charging of things like smartphones, tablets, and other similar devices. The Seymour USB charger is unlike others on the market because it includes two USB ports and a standard electrical receptacle, so it has plenty of space for all your devices. If you’re looking to upgrade your home’s electrical outlets, give these a try today—you’ll be happy you did!

Cost: $17 – $25

The second item on this list from Pass & Seymour is this audible GFCI, which can save you from an electric shock. We’ve written about the benefits of GFCI (which stands for ground fault circuit interrupters) before, and you may know that they’re already required in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoor outlets. What makes this one so unique is that it sounds an audible alarm when tripped.

Say you have a freezer in the garage connected to a GFCI. If that outlet trips, would you know in time to prevent your food from spoiling? Say the outlet trips at your sump pump. Could you reset it before the big rainstorm? With the audible alarm, you’ll be able to reset the switch and not have to worry about any of these problems.

Cost: $20 – $30

These are just some of the many great new electrical innovations that have come out in recent years that can make your home safer and more efficient. If you want to upgrade your Maryland, DC, or Virginia home’s electrical system by installing these or any other new electrical products, don’t wait—call Kolb Electric today!