If you use a standby generator for your home or business, you know how valuable it can be during a big storm or any time when your power supply is uncertain. We tend to get a lot of big summer and winter storms in the DC Metro area, so having a standby generator is crucial for things like keeping food safe and keeping lights on. So if you want to make sure your generator works smoothly when you need it to, it’s important that you keep it well maintained!

After a major storm knocks out power, your generator could be running 24/7 for a few days. To prepare for times like this, here are some ways you can keep your generator in good shape:

In addition to these checks you can do on your own, it’s important to have your standby generator inspected by an authorized sales and service dealer. Remember—many home and commercial generators have a limited warranty and require service from a licensed technician in order to make sure the warranty can be honored.

Standby generator repair and maintenance requirements may vary significantly based on the type of generator you are dealing with. For instance, commercial generators are primarily the alternator type of generators. Alternators have stationary windings (which create the alternating current) and rotating windings (which create direct current). Since rotating windings usually go through a significant amount of friction when working, regular tune ups and electrical repair will see them needing to be replaced every once in a while.

Kolb Electric is one of the largest Generac generator dealers in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC are and we are fully certified to service Generac generators. This winter, prepare your home for any major snow storms by calling Kolb Electric for generator service today!

Dallas Electrician and Small-business owner sets out to change the world one outlet at a time

Americans dream of throwing off the shackles of the workaday world and trying their hand at something new. That something new often takes the form of owning your own business and that’s exactly what Dallas Electrician, Nick Schaeffer set out to do in 2004.

Back when Nick was still working for other companies, he thought that there had to be a better way to do business; he looked at how his company handled their customers and employees, and thought that the people deserved better. That’s when Nick started ElectricMan Inc. His dream of having a family owned business, and applying the knowledge he gained as a Master Electrician, were the perfect opportunities for Nick to open ElectricMan inc’s doors to local customers. Further, Nick strives to meet his customers’ expectations and do their electrical repair in a quickly and efficient manner, while preserving a strong customer service mentality at an affordable price.. He wanted to be able to meet his customers and do their electrical repair quickly, while still having a strong customer service presence.

After he left his job, he bought a van and outfitted it so he and his electricians could better serve his customers. After spreading the word to his friends and family, word started spreading and the ElectricMan name began coming up more often within the North Texas community. And in 2005, due to the overwhelming amount of phone calls, Nick hired his first employee and bought a second van.

Texas has long been a thriving hub of small business, currently there are over 1.7 million small businesses in the state. And of those businesses, nearly 400,000 have employees. So not only was Nick helping his family, but he was helping other Texas families by adding jobs.

Nick believes that a family owned business is important to his customers, and people don’t want to have to turn to a huge, faceless corporation every time they need something. People want options and when they can call their local electrician, they want him to be local and able to come out and do the work the right way. ElectricMan started with the slogan, “Whenever there’s an emergency, its Electric Man to the rescue!”And that stays true today, whenever customers are in need, they know to call ElectricMan, and he will go above and beyond to make sure his customers are taken care of right.

ElectricMan Inc. achieved success through constant attention to customer service and through their family owned business values. Nick’s wife Michele, his sister in-law El, his daughter Lauren and his father-in-law all work at the business in various capacities. But, they all work as a family and they are dedicated to see ElectricMan Inc. grow to become something their whole family will be proud of.

Nick may not have set out to change the world but his principles of family owned business and employing local Texans has fostered an environment for success. And the entire ElectricMan family is proud of it.

A commercial electrical contractor is capable of handling a variety of tasks. If you hire one, make sure you understand what they can do for you and how you can make the most out of your investment.

A commercial project requires professionals who have experience with big jobs — for commercial electrical work, commercial electrical contractors are the obvious choice. What might not be quite as obvious is the extent of your contractor’s services. You can always agree ahead of time on what they will do for you, but you should take care to avoid leaving anything on the table. Sometimes, an electrical contractor can accomplish more than you thought possible, saving you time and money in the long run.

While an electrical contractor is more than capable of working from blueprints provided by a general contractor, they can also assist you with your project before construction even begins. Commercial electricians have the knowledge to help design the system itself by creating diagrams and notes that map out the electrical system for your building.

Medical News Today published an article on the effect of room lighting on decision making. Invoking crime dramas in which suspects are interrogated under bright lights, the report suggests that people tend to feel emotions more intensely in brighter light. This finding is significant not just for retailers but for anyone who consciously uses light in their spaces for a desired effect.

Medical News Today’s story is based on research conducted by academics from the University of Toronto Scarborough and Northwestern University and published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology. As you can guess, based on the journal that published the research, findings about how people act under different lighting conditions has important implications for how people act as CONSUMERS.

Here’s how the study went: A bunch of test subjects were asked to rate an eclectic mix of things, from the spiciness of chicken wings to the aggressiveness of a fictional character. Subjects were also asked to assess the flavor of two kinds of juice, the emotional tenor of certain words, and the attractiveness of a person. The scientists changed lighting levels as they observed their participants’ reactions to these stimuli. As the scientists suspected, lighting levels had an impact on how the participants felt about the things they were rating.

According to Medical News Today, previous studies have established that “people are more optimistic about the stock market, report higher well-being and are more helpful during sunny days, whereas being exposed to gloomy days for long periods of time can result in depressive feelings.”

But, then, the researchers ask, why do suicide rates peak during late spring and early summer months? This new study complicates the common belief that more light equals more happiness.

The researchers have concluded that brighter light levels do not necessarily make people happier. Instead, brighter light levels intensify both positive AND negative emotions. In the brighter room, during the experiment, participants felt more positive emotions in related to positive words and more negative emotions about negative words. They found people more attractive in the brighter room AND felt the fictional character to be more aggressive.