You may hear the terms electrician and electrical maintenance technician and think they are the exact same position. While they do complete many of the same tasks, there is a difference. When you are searching for the best electrician Burbank has to offer, you want to understand this difference so you can make the right decision. Learn more about how an electrician and electrical maintenance technician position varies and you will be ready to make the right hire for your electrical project.

Job Differences

An electrician in Burbank is who you would call to install wiring, make electrical repairs and deal with power systems in residential and commercial properties. These experts understand wiring blueprints and can also help connect circuit breakers and transformers. An electrical maintenance technician also works with electricity, but in less complex forms. For instance one of these technicians may handle preventative maintenance, troubleshooting and repair simple switches.

Education

An electrician must complete an apprenticeship program that offers both classroom courses and extensive on the job training. He or she must also obtain proper licensing from the state or county, ensuring that all proper procedures are followed. In many cases an electrical maintenance technician will learn skills with a certification course or on the job training.

Pay and Growth

Those with electrical skills are lucky to have a bright future. Both positions are expected to grow at a rapid rate, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This same data does show the salary difference between the two positions. An electrical maintenance technician, on average, earns nearly $15,000 less per year than a licensed electrician does.

As you can see, there is a difference between the two positions. If you want a licensed and experienced electrician to tackle your electrical projects, call Electric Connection today and let one of our experts come complete your electrical project today.

Summer’s coming, and if the last few years have been any indication, we could be looking at some serious storms heading our way. Now is a good time to go over a few tips on what to do if the power goes out! Power outages can be more than inconvenient—if you don’t know how to respond, they could get dangerous!

Never use generators, pressure washers, grills, or any other gas-powered appliances indoors—even in the basement or garage. These appliances can generate carbon monoxide, which can be deadly even in small doses.

Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed until the power goes back on. If the power is out for less than four hours, all of your food should be safe. Click here to view the USDA’s guidelines for what to do if the refrigerator is out longer than four hours.

Water treatment facilities are generally some of the first places to get power back. Even so, avoid drinking tap water until you have been assured by local authorities that it is safe to do so.

Wear loose-fitting, light clothing, keep hydrated, and do what you can to stay cool in the summer. Heat stroke can happen to anyone, especially young children and the elderly, and can cause death or permanent disability if not treated properly.

Stay far away from downed power lines, even if you don’t think they are live. If you are in your car and power lines fall on your vehicle, remain in the car and call 911.

Call the power company and let them know your power is out—even if you think all your neighbors have already called. The power company uses call data to determine which neighborhoods to prioritize when working to get the power back on.

Pepco, one of the largest energy companies in the DC area, has a detailed summary of their response to power outages in the area. In summary:

First, they collect information from homeowners and business owners to determine the extent of the power outage. Using this data, they determine which areas are down so they can pinpoint the locations where they need to send crew members.

Once they have arrived on scene, they eliminate public safety hazards like downed power lines while working to restore power to public health and safety facilities.

Next, they prioritize customers when determining how to restore power: public health facilities like hospitals, police and fire departments, and water treatment plants come first, followed by areas of high population densities. Once they restore power to these “vital” areas, they work their way down secondary distributions that serve neighborhoods, commercial areas, and subdivisions. Finally, they turn their attention to individual homes and businesses that have not yet been reconnected.

You can read more about Pepco’s response to power outages here!

Knowing how to react following a power outage can lessen the inconvenience and keep you safe. For more tips or for electrical service in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC, call Kolb Electric!

Some really serious problems that need to be addressed immediately are:

These are not conditions that can wait until a more convenient time. You need to call your West Chester, PA 24/7 electrician immediately.

Do not worry. We’re here.

There are other times when electrical problems challenge your family’s lifestyle and comfort. Or you may have an elderly or disabled person at home who needs electricity for mobility or oxygen. In the case of the individuals with physical challenges, any electrical issue can be serious.

Customers have called on us numerous times for emergencies such as

There is something to keep in mind. Every customer is different. What may be an emergency to you may not be an emergency to your next door neighbor. Go by your own feelings. Do not let anyone tell you that it is fine to just wait. Let us know what is happening and we will honestly tell you if it is a critical problem. Just call.

My dad might just be the most difficult person I know to find gifts for. Unlike other dads, who might enjoy fishing, golfing, or watching football, mine rides and restores vintage motorcycles for fun. What’s so difficult about that? Well, there are only so many spark plugs and screwdrivers he needs, and only so many specialty parts I can track down before I’m in over my head.

That’s why I went out on a limb this Christmas, and decided to give him one of our

As you can see, the light’s long neck lets it curve and reach to illuminate the motorcycle’s body for detailed work.