Winter is slowly taking over here in Maryland. And after the summer we had, no one’s complaining (just yet)! But while the holidays offer up lots of fun, and the cool of winter is currently quite welcome, the season has its fair share of electrical worries unique to itself. Want to be prepared for anything winter might toss your way? We can arm you with some common winter electrical problems in Baltimore. Read on with the electricians at Kolb Electric!

Need the services of a dependable Baltimore electrician? Contact Kolb today for any electrical repair, installation, or service you need!

Keep wary of these concerns, and you’ll find yourself comfortably enjoying the finer points of the season this year:

Is your home prepared and equipped for all of your burgeoning winter electrical needs? If not, contact a Baltimore electrician from Kolb Electric today to get the dependable services you need!

Each and every household has at least one reason to conserve energy. This is a very basic idea, and should be important for everyone in all classes of society. By conserving energy you are being less wasteful, which can have a positive impact both on the environment and on your monthly energy bills. In most areas, electrical utility companies still use fossil fuels to provide our homes with the electricity that we use on a daily basis. This includes materials such as natural gas, coal and oil. The exhaust and other by-products of burning these fuels can be very harmful to the environment. Furthermore, they all have a limited supply that is rapidly declining due to the increased demand placed by humans.

What can you do to conserve energy at home?

One of the best places to start is to use your appliances mindfully. By this, we mean turning them off when they are not in use. For further power savings, you can even unplug them or turn an attached power strip off to avoid losing any “standby” power.

Your large home appliances, such as washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, air conditioners and heaters can account for up to two-thirds of the energy that you use at home. By unplugging them when not in use, or ensuring that they are only being used when necessary, you can make a significant dent in your electric bill. Take important steps such as turning your thermostat up when you leave the house, or improving your insulation. You can have your electrician in Los Angeles install time-saving devices such as programmable thermostats and dimmer switches to make this job even easier for you.

The bottom line is that everyone should be doing their best to conserve as much electricity as possible. While the effects may seem small, they truly add up and can benefit you both personally and everyone around you. For more ideas about energy conservation or help with an electrical installation or repair project, contact The Electric Connection. (Click Here).

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911). Her bio is beyond the scope of this entry, but I encourage you to follow the link and check her out. Get a little perspective on life today by reading a paragraph about this amazing human being and poet.

Harper’s poem, “Let the Light Enter,” depicts light in an interesting and fresh way, fresh still, even 100 years after her death. Poetry, generally speaking, is like a vast collection of opportunities to learn about yourself and the world in which you live. I invite you to take a minute to read “Let the Light Enter.”

The Dying Words of Goethe

He just urgently wants to watch the “balmy sunshine/ Play around” his deathbed. He just wants to experience the sensation of light doing it’s thing. “More light!” he demands. It strongly suggests that appreciating and enjoying the beauty of light is what Goethe, a lifelong thinker and poet who lived from 1749 to 1832, finds most worthy of his final precious minutes. That’s a big deal. In choosing between the pleasure of thoughts and the pleasure of the material world, he chooses the latter. It’s like all the things that seem to separate us from the natural world are shown to be false in the final moments. Think of a dog lying on a rock in the sun. Maybe that’s the purest state of being, just lying there, not thinking much, and enjoying the pleasure of the light, the sound of a brook. And maybe that’s why Goethe wants to pass away in such a state.

If you are in the market for a new solar panel, you’re probably already sold on the incredible energy and long-term monetary savings that come from a home solar system. And even if you understand the process of installing the solar system, does that necessarily mean that your home is ready for the installation? In this post, we take a quick look at the process of preparing your home for solar panel installation.

One of the first things to consider is the structural stability of the roof. Is it strong enough to support your new solar panels? Consider getting a building inspection to make sure the roof is equal to the task.

In addition to the structure, you’ll want to take a good look at the surrounding area. Are there tree branches overhanging the future solar array? The debris from trees and the possible trauma from branches can inhibit and even damage solar panels. Such trees are best trimmed for near-term and future growth.

Any structures or devices in the area of the solar array need to be removed or relocated. Antennas and ceiling vents are particularly crucial pieces to work around. If your roof prevents easy access to the solar panels, think about finding a way around that. Some roofs don’t encourage access and need hatches built in so you can easily reach panels for repair.

Of course, we have plenty of experience devising and consulting on such solar projects. We’ll help you decide on the most appropriate changes to make in your home and yard to make the perfect solar installation work for you. Don’t hesitate to call us so we can start the process right away. We get the ball rolling with a free consultation over the phone. We’ll check out your home with satellite data before we even visit. By the time we’re done with our first site visit, you’ll have a good idea of what our installation and the necessary preparation mean for you.