Unite to Light, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing low-cost solar lighting to global communities without electricity, and were humbled to learn just how much lighting is taken for granted. Recently, Mark and Valerie Malangko sent us a note of thanks along with heartwarming photos as the lights were handed out to the students at St. Augustine’s Secondary and Technical School, one by one.

We are proud to have played a small part in this huge effort to bring light to deserving students across the globe, and we thank all of our customers that celebrated with us by contributing to this terrific cause.

Learn about the Pegasus Lighting Bring the Light Campaign at www.unite-to-light.org.

With summer coming to an end, it is an excellent time to take advantage of the cooler weather to get some things down around the house. It is time to prepare for winter and the weather that accompanies the season. While you are taking care of putting away the outdoor furniture and blowing out the sprinklers, it is a good time to call an electrician in Beverly Hills to have an electric safety inspection completed. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help you discover any electric safety problems you may not be aware of. We tend to use more electricity during the winter plugging in Holiday lights, space heaters and spending more time indoors in general. It is important you make sure your home’s electric system is in good, working condition.

During the inspection, the electrician will evaluate your outlets, light switches and the electric panel to see if there are any issues. If you have been experiencing problems with flickering lights, an outlet that doesn’t work all the time or a tripping breaker, you need to let your electrician know. These are subtle warning signs of a bigger problem. You will want to get any Beverly Hills electrical repair work completed sooner rather than later.

You will rest easy knowing your home’s electrical system is up to code and doesn’t pose a serious risk to your family. During the inspection, the electrician will give you recommendations of things you can do yourself or have done by a professional to add another layer of safety to your home. These are optional and you will have the ability to decide if you want to go ahead and have it all taken care of or wait until it is a better time. Don’t delay, call The Electric Connection and schedule your electric inspection today.

When things go wrong with the electricity in your home, it’s easy to get overwhelmed in a hurry. Do you need an immediate solution? Is the problem normal? What should I do!? All very understandable when you’re talking about something as both volatile and vital as electricity. The team at Hoffman Electrical in Tampa never wants you to be at a loss, and today we’re going to differentiate normal electrical behavior, and things that are emergencies!

When winter weather hits, a standby generator can be crucial for keeping your home’s essential functions, including heat (either from your main HVAC system or from a space heater) running. But ice storms and freezing temperatures can prevent the generator from working properly when you need it most. Fortunately, there are a number of add-ons you can install on your generator to keep it running smoothly, even when the thermostat plunges!

You probably already know that cold weather can kill your car’s battery. Well it’s the same for your generator! Thermostatically controlled battery warmers go underneath the battery, turning on when the temperature drops below 40 F. The best part about battery warmers is you don’t have to monitor them—they’re just set and forget.

Warm oil acts as a slippery lubricant, keeping all the parts of your generator moving the way they’re supposed to. Cold oil, on the other hand, turns into a sludge-like substance that can actually prevent movement! A cold weather kit will include a crank case heater that prevents the oil from getting so cold that it becomes unusable.

Manufacturers recommend replacing the standard 10W-30 oil with 5W-30 Synthetic Oil if you do decide to add a heater.

Generac cold weather kits are recommended for CorePower units installed in areas where temperatures below 32 F are common, which includes our area. For generator services in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC, call Kolb Electric today!

Throughout the modern age, we have become desensitized to the radical displacement of major products, categories, and even whole industries. It’s amazing how one simple technological innovation can change the way we use a major product or service in our lives; one of today’s largest examples of this is how LED bulbs are rapidly displacing the standard incandescent or CFL bulb.

VCRs, cassette tapes, home phones, movie stores, steam engines, and more have been added to the list of technologies that were once considered revolutionary, but are now just a novelty. The same will soon be said for CFL and, especially, incandescent light bulbs, as LED bulbs seem to outperform their predecessors in nearly every way.

There are really only two ways to point to an LED bulb and find that it has any flaws when compared to a standard light bulb: They don’t last (quite) as long when kept in a closely confined container that is left on for extended periods and they cost more to purchase. The former issue is solved by adjusting the type of fixture you install LED bulbs in (or losing the fixture altogether, as LEDs don’t need them nearly as much) and the latter is an ever-decreasing problem, as LEDs are becoming more-and-more mass produced and affordable. Even now, for a couple extra bucks, your 4-pack of LED bulbs will pay for themselves with a single bulb in about a year, then continue to last far longer – likely years – longer than an incandescent bulb bought on the same day would have.

One of the major criticisms to LED bulbs was once that the light was too pristine, not natural enough, or just generally felt different. Now, however, LED manufacturers have begun to perfect making LED bulbs replicate and exceed the capabilities of standard light bulbs. In fact, LED bulbs can now even be purchased to replicate vintage-style bulbs (often called Edison bulbs), that fully function on a dimmable switch and provide all the exoticl pizzaz of classic bulbs without the abysmal lifespan. It is reasonable to expect that as LED lights continue to replace incandescent bulbs in standard applications that they will take their place in other areas, including colorful, uniquely-shaped, and even more exotic or rare fixture fittings.

You’ve likely heard the claims of savings and safety features associated with LED bulbs; if you’re skeptical, then worry not, most every claim about LED bulbs is true or even understated. LED bulbs are so much more efficient, reliable, stable, and long-lasting than incandescent bulbs in nearly all situations, that there really are almost no reasons to not choose LED over your standard bulbs. In fact, it is likely not worth waiting for your current bulbs to die, but, instead, upgrade your entire household now; the savings is so significant that you’ll likely save money on your electrical bill in under a year.

Whenever you need electrical work done around your Des Moines home, contact the experienced professionals at Electrical Gurus. We are proud to offer the finest licensed local electricians in the area and are always more than happy to help out on your household projects.