Protecting your homes electronics with whole house surge protection is dramatically more important today then just ten years ago.  Your home becomes more and more filled with electronics and appliances that need protection from power surges.  A lighting storm can wreak havoc on the utility grid and your homes electronics.  A good lighting storm will generate 12-18 calls in one day just for our local business Custom Electrical Services.  Sometimes it even seems you can almost track the storms path as it moves across the Des Moines Metro based on the incoming calls.  Customers who experienced power surges have received thousands of dollars and in some cases tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage from one major power surge.  A surge is most commonly known for taking out electronics such as computers, TV’s and stereo equipment.  But did you know many of your homes appliances now have sophisticated electronics built into them?  We see garage door openers, refrigerators, dishwashers, and even the homes hot water heater, air conditioner and furnace all taken out by power surges.

You should know that nothing will fully protect your home from a direct lighting strike.  However in most cases the damage is caused by the power surge rather than a direct lighting strike.  We are all familiar with the power strips that offer surge protection you can purchase from the big box stores.  Even if you have a whole house surge protection system we still recommend point of use surge protection.  When purchasing surge protection you want to look at the joule rating.  The joule rating is the amount of energy absorption / dissipation a surge protector can handle before the surge protector fails.  The higher the number the better the surge protection device is at protecting the electronics plugged into it.  But what about the items not plugged into the power surge strip?  Well unfortunately anything not plugged into the power surge strip is not getting any protection.  So that $1200 dishwasher, $600 garage door opener, or $4,000 air conditioner is not getting any protection from your point of use power strip.  But don’t worry you now have options.

We have installed hundreds of whole house power protection devices in peoples homes across the Des Moines Metro.  One customer in West Des Moines received frequent issues from power surges.  After we installed a SPD (surge protection device) in each of his electrical panels he has not lost any electronics since.  A whole house surge protection device like a power surge strip is only capable of absorbing or dissipating so much power.  This particular customer received a significant power surge which he said would of normally damaged his very expensive home theater equipment and whole house automation system in the past.  A SPD when properly installed in your electrical panel can protect your entire home from power surges.  Not just electronics plugged directly into a surge protector.

There are several types of whole house surge protectors on the market.  Many are good while others are not.  Even the best whole house surge protectors are not as effect if they are not properly installed.  Manufacture specs are specific when it comes to the required installation so the device can properly perform the way it was engineered.  A good quality whole house surge protection device will come with several thousand dollars worth of manufacture insurance covering your homes electronics if the device were to fail when properly installed.

 

We have a variety of whole house surge protections devices capable of providing safe and reliable protection for your home.  We offer Siemens devices as well as Eaton products we can install in your home or business today.  Stop procrastinating and call us before the next big storm moves across the Des Moines metro.  From Adel to Altoona, from Norwalk to Ankeny and all the surrounding communities we are here and ready to serve your 24/7.

Categories: Uncategorized« Des Moines 24 Hour Electrician  |  Storm Damage Electrical Repair 24 Hour Service »

If you’re building a new house, getting the wiring installed correctly is essential to its long-term health and to ensuring proper operation—so it’s important to hire the best electrician for the job. Enlisting a quality electrical construction service will ensure that everything is installed properly and safely so that your home will run smoothly for many years.

A new construction electrician is a certified electrician who has taken courses and training on new building codes and new technology as it relates to circuits and wiring. Setting up your circuits correctly for the first time is much more complicated than simply adding a new receptacle or circuit. It’s important no one circuit carries too much of the home’s electrical load.

An experienced new construction electrician will consider all sources of major energy usage, such as the location of your refrigerator and washing machine, to ensure circuits are well spaced out and installed in the best locations.

To make sure that you get the right electrician for your new construction project, look for the following:

At Kolb Electric, we know how important it is that your home be wired correctly from the very beginning. That’s why we hire only the most skilled licensed electricians to work on our clients’ homes. Whether you’re a builder or contractor looking for an electrical partner in the DC area or a homeowner handling the project themselves, we can help with any new home wiring project, no matter how complex.

To learn more about hiring a new construction electrician for your Maryland, Northern Virginia, or Washington, DC project, call us at 877 287-1179. We’ve been helping Mid-Atlantic builders and homeowners with their electrical needs since 1925.

 

By Clarissa Allison | April 8th, 2016

With the Spring comes cleaning, but a new season of blooming life and fresh, sunny air also seems to bring out the interior designer in many of us. The good news is it does not have to cost an arm and a leg to make improvements to your Spring decor. By simply upgrading a few lighting fixtures in and around your home, you can delight in the newness of Spring and usher in the new season beautifully. Click the pictures below to be directed to the sale products on our list!