The ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Award. Sea Gull Lighting’s focus remains on delivering on-trend, high quality lighting products with unparalleled customer service and best-in-class availability. For almost 100 years, they have built strong relationships and earned a reputation among channel partners, builders, contractors and homeowners to be among the very best. Sea Gull Lighting looks forward to the evolving business landscape, and with its continued commitment to serve, and to listen and learn from its valued customers, is poised for success as it soon enters its second century of operation.

While you’re gathering information to find the right electrician in Burbank CA, pay attention to how the electrician acts and makes you feel. If you meet with the electrician, keep your eyes open, too.

Do you like the Burbank electrician?

Do you feel comfortable and not under pressure?

Does the electrician inspire your trust?

Do the electrician and company employees seem to know what they’re doing?

Do they seem to operate legally and behave ethically? Are they acting the way that you would want them to act towards you?

Do they return phone calls promptly?

Are they timely when meeting you for appointments?

Do they listen to your questions and concerns and answer them in a way that is forthcoming and that you can understand?

Does the electrician dress neatly and have a vehicle and tools that look well-maintained?

Electricians who are bidding jobs are on their best behavior. If you already notice that an electrician treats you or others in ways that concern you, better to find another with whom you feel more comfortable.

Check It Out

If you haven’t already, check customer reviews. The first section of this article gives details.

Enter the Contractor’s License Number into the Contractor’s License Board website for your state. See if there are any “black marks.”

Check the company’s rating at the Better Business Bureau. Ratings run from A+ to F based on customer complaints made to the Bureau. As a note, an “A” reflects the same level of customer satisfaction as an “A+.” The “A+” is earned by an “A” contractor becoming a paying member of the Better Business Bureau, which supports the Bureau in its work.

Call References

Don’t hesitate to call references. Customers are usually happy to give a good recommendation to help a deserving electrical contractor. You can return the favor later should a homeowner call you. Ask:

How did your job go?

Was your job done right the first time?

If a return visit was needed, was the electrician easy to work with and prompt?

Was company pricing competitive?

Was the electrician within budget and schedule?

Would you be happy to continue to use this electrical company?

Speak with at least three references. Listen carefully for enthusiasm or lack of enthusiasm about the electrician. Clients, past or present, may not feel comfortable saying anything negative. If they express little enthusiasm or say something negative, take this into consideration when making your decision.

A Final Tip: Don’t Automatically Choose the Low Bid

A bid may be too low. How can that be? An electrician may intentionally omit items that the job requires, only to come back later saying that additional work needs to be done. On the other hand, some electricians may unintentionally bid low through inexperience. Either way, the electrician may ask for more money to finish the job or may leave you with an incomplete project.

Price is important, but judge the entire picture an electrician is showing you — character, expertise, the ease of working with him or her, and overall value. A large part of an electrician’s value is that he/she gets the job done right and safely without taking too much of your time and inconveniencing you. A very competent electrician can save you money by suggesting more efficient ways to do a job or to save on electricity. When you enjoy a good relationship with your Burbank electrician, it can save you both time and money.

The holiday season is here—how does your house look? If you’ve been putting off hanging your lights for any reason, don’t wait any longer—call Kolb Electric! We’re currently running a holiday light hanging service to help get your home decorated in time for all the festivities. We’re also offering $25 off any service call over $200!

To learn more about these great offers, click here!

It's not quite summer yet, but the recent bout of spring fever that has overtaken much of the Mid Atlantic has inspired many homeowners to begin planning for the upcoming warm weather. One of the first things that people look into this time of year is how they will make sure their backyard is utilized to the fullest once the temperatures outside start coming closer to the triple digits. The Washington, DC area is known for steamy, sticky summers that tend to hang around well into fall, and one of the only ways that many residents are able to stay comfortable later in the season is by taking a dip in their swimming pools.

If you are lucky enough to have a swimming pool in your DC backyard, you likely understand what a savior these structures can be, but also what a hassle they often are to maintain. It's true that there are few things as refreshing as the cool water on a sweltering afternoon, but if your pool isn't clean, it's one of the last places you'll want to be wading.

Maintaining your pool also brings with it several potential hazards that come about when you aren't keeping tabs on your equipment. After all, it's an electric motor that powers your pool's filter, and when water gets involved with electricity there are always precautions that need to be taken.

Make sure that the electrical connection from the motor to your house is secure and not located near any standing water. For instance, if you use an outdoor extension cord to power the unit, make sure that the spot where the male and female ends of your two cords meet is above ground so that it won't be vulnerable to any puddles.