As a Richardson electrician, I am in the unique position of knowing how homeowners can save money on their power bill. In today’s economy, my customers expect that I will know how they can lower their power bill each month, and I am happy to share that information with them.

The benefits of having your Richardson electrician give you the inside scoop on moneysaving power alternatives extend well beyond the impact on your bank account. Electricians everywhere will agree that those very same things that you can do to save money on your electric bill can also help you take good care of your electrical system and even prevent costly and time-consuming repairs.

Your local electrician can help you create a plan of action to start saving on your bill, but you can also follow these simple tips to start doing what you can to lower your bill today.

1. The simplest thing you can do is turn it off if it’s not in use. That’s right! Being mindful of your power consumption while you’re trying to save money seems like a no-brainer, but many people overlook this very simple and very effective first step.Turn off the lights if you’re not in the room, turn off televisions and computers if they are not in use, and unplug small appliances that don’t get used often, like hair dryers or toaster ovens.

2. Install solar panels and/or wind turbines on your home to generate alternative sources of energy, ease strain on the power grid and lower your overall usage. Any top Richardson electrician will agree that using alternative energy sources can lower your electric bill to almost nothing while helping the environment.

3. Along the same lines, investing in an indoor generator can also help you become more independent when it comes to your power consumption and it can even help you turn your power bill into a power check from the power company, depending how much power you are able to generate and send back to the grid.

4. Schedule routine electrical maintenance once every one to two years, to check for any electrical problems, to make sure that fixtures are properly in place, and to check if any appliances are in need of repair or replacement. Call your Richardson electrician to schedule a visit to your home to inspect your electrical system.

5. Install a power conditioner to reduce wear and tear on the motors of your most power-hungry appliances and machinery at home, and to lower your power consumption as well.

As a top Richardson electrician working in North Texas for many years, I can tell you that there’s nothing more relieving than looking at your power bill and seeing the massive change in the numbers. Electric Man has been working for 27 years to ensure that their customers pay only what they have to, while helping customers cut down their bills. Learn more about Electric Man and our services by visiting our website, giving us a call at 972-792-7270, or connecting with us on any of our social sites!

Hurricane Sandy is making her presence known in MD, DC, and VA. Downed trees, flooding, and even snowfall are causing serious problems for people in the area. Millions are without power throughout the Northeast. Hurricane Sandy is not the first, nor will it be the last, powerful storm to hit the area. This is a perfect time to consider investing in a home or commercial standby backup generator, which is a permanently installed fixture.

Kolb Electric is a leading installer of home standby backup generators. This type of generator is permanently installed on a gravel bed or concrete pad next to your house. The benefits of investing in a home standby backup generator include:

Here at Kolb Electric, we’ve also completed numerous commercial standby backup generators. We’ve heard the same thing over and over again from business owners in the area in terms of what they’re looking for in a backup generator:

Standby backup generators allow homes and businesses to continue normal, everyday operations. Hurricane Sandy is a real wakeup call to MD, DC, and VA that the area is vulnerable to inclement weather conditions. To protect your home or business from future power outages, contact Kolb Electric to schedule a home or commercial standby backup generator installation.

If you or someone in your family regularly uses a hairdryer, there’s a good chance that you’ve tripped a breaker at some point. Generally, this happens at the most inconvenient time—probably when you’re getting ready for work or a night out. There are a lot of electrical devices in your house, so why does the little ole’ hairdryer cause so many problems? Part of the problem is the way hairdryers work, but your power outlets and wiring could also be the culprit.

When the Problem is the Hairdryer

Believe it or not, hairdryers actually may  just as much power as a microwave (around 1500 watts). Many breakers are rated for 1800 watts, so they can’t handle the load if you have several other electrical devices—like a vacuum, TV, computer,  or lamp—plugged in along with the hair dryer.

Also, hairdryers run on a motor, and, like most motors, faulty maintenance can cause problems. In the case of hairdryers, they often have screens or filters that get clogged over time, causing the hairdryer to use more power than it would normally, and this extra power usage could  trip the breaker and possibly destroy the hairdryer.

The electrical connections in the devices themselves could also trip the circuit. A faulty cord, or wires making contact within the device can also kill your power.

When the Problem is Something Else

Diagnosing the Problem

24-Hour Emergency Electrical Service

We offer a 24-hour emergency electrical service to address any residential electrical issue. Give us a call anytime if your hairdryer has caused a mysterious short in your power or if you detect any other potentially dangerous electrical issue.

Electricity exists everywhere, from high voltage power lines to phones and computers. Understanding the basics of how it works remains essential to using it safely and efficiently.

When electricity travels from a positive lead to a negative lead in a circuit powered by a battery, it is considered direct current. This type of current powers electronics, LED lights, and cars. Alternating current is generated from rotation, usually by a generator. The direction of the current and the voltage flips as the generator completes a rotation. The faster the generator spins, the faster the flipping of current direction occurs. In North America, the typical frequency of AC power is 60hz or 60 alternations per second. The advantage of AC power is that the voltage can be stepped up easily by use of a transformer, which allows high voltage transmission. AC power is also useful for electric motors.

Specifically, power is a measure of energy usage over time. The standard unit of power is the watt and calculated as P (watts) = V (volts) x I (amps). Utility companies sell electricity in units of kW*h (kilowatt hours), which is simply one kilowatt of power delivered continuously over one hour.

One studied alternating current (AC), and the other, direct current (DC). And yet, the world would not be where it is today without their contributions to science and electricity. In light of Nikola Tesla’s birthday on July 10, Mr. Electric is taking a look at the electric Tesla vs. Edison feud.

The main focus for Tesla was alternating current: an electric charge that periodically reverses its direction and is delivered to customers through a transformer. It travels at a much higher voltage than direct current and is more effective because of its ability to travel greater distances while maintaining a constant voltage.

Edison focused his research of electricity on direct current. A key difference between alternating current and direct current is that direct current only flows one way. The voltage of direct current is also constant but it is better when the electricity produced has to travel in short distances.

Edison was working on a system to generate direct current. When he could not get it to perform correctly he hired Tesla, an engineer and graduate of The Polytechnic Institute, who studied electromagnetism, promising him $100,000 if he could correct the problems Edison was having with his research and invention. Tesla corrected the problems but was not given the money. Tesla resigned and Edison spent the rest of his career trying to discredit Tesla’s research and work with electricity.

Today, nearly every home and business in the world is powered using Tesla’s alternating current. The ability of alternating current to travel over long distances and efficiently power everyday home and business electrical equipment eventually overtook Edison’s research on direct current. Edison did not lose out completely, as most battery-powered devices, fuel cells and light emitting diodes use direct current. As the push for alternative energy sources is on the rise, many manufacturers are looking at how batteries and electricity can change the way we look at fuel and the way goods are produced. Whether the electricity being used is AC or DC, Tesla helped us get where we are today.