There are always things you need to buy. Sometimes life likes to throw little emergencies your way and you will be short on funds. Wouldn’t it be nice to find ways to save money on your monthly bills so you were prepared for those little emergencies? You may have noticed your electric bill going up. This is something you can expect to continue happening for the months and years to come. That electric bill is going to cut into your budget and make things a little tighter. Your Glendale electrician has some tips to help you lower your electric bill and keep a little extra money in your pocket. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help.

Replacing Light Bulbs

If you haven’t done it yet, you need to get rid of those old bulbs that are sucking electricity and running up your bill. Replace those bulbs with CFLs or have an electrician in Glendale install LED fixtures. CFLs use about 75 percent less electricity than incandescent and LEDs use about 90 percent less.

Use Less Hot Water

Shave a few minutes off of your daily shower. When washing your hands, rinse and shut off the water while you are lathering up and scrubbing. Turn on the water and then shut off again. Only wash full loads of dishes and consider turning the setting on your clothes washer to warm or cold water.

Unplug Appliances

It may not seem like a big deal, but every single thing that you have plugged in is drawing electricity explains an electrician. Glendale residents can save a few dollars every day by unplugging cell phone chargers, laptop chargers and even gaming systems that they don’t use regularly. Anything that is plugged in is drawing a small current. It is something known as phantom electricity.

These three things are easy and will not change your lifestyle in anyway, but they will save you money. If you have questions about energy savings or want to install energy-efficient light fixtures, give The Electric Connection a call today.

A frayed refrigerator plug can easily be classified as a very serious risk, both to the fridge itself, and to your entire home. Frayed, ripped, or otherwise damaged cords are a potential source of electrical fire, arcing and power failure. So, what do you do when you discover a frayed plug on your appliances?

Put simply, get it repaired! Often, replacements are available, but are very costly, and occasionally entirely unavailable depending on the age and model of your fridge.

We never endorse “Do It Yourself” solutions to any electrical issues, as electricity is fickle and extremely dangerous. A wrong move can cost you more than a busted appliance, it can cost you your health (or some serious money in fire damage repair to your home). Leave electrical work to Kolb Electric electricians! That said, we do believe in informed consumers, and thus have detailed our professional process for frayed or damaged plug repair.

Too often we encounter electrical incidents at home that could have been avoided with proper precaution and a timely replacement or repair. Don’t allow your home to harbor risks by leaving damaged plugs alone! Leaving damage untreated can lead to:

To address frayed, or damaged plugs we:

Be ready for any eventuality with our electrical repair services! Contact our experts today to learn more about our electrical services, or to schedule an appointment.

A good, reliable microwave can be an important part of any modern kitchen. But is your microwave working a little too well? If you’ve got a microwave that just won’t quit, even when the timer goes off, you’ve certainly got a bit of a problem on your hands. But not a problem that our Electricians in Laurel can’t fix! Here are the most common causes for a microwave that won’t stop, and what you should do about it.

Looking for appliance wiring services in your area? Our electricians in Laurel are always ready to help! Contact Kolb Electric any time online and a member of our team will be more than happy to help!

There’s some good news to be had here, and some quite likely bad news. The good news is that no matter what folks say, you are not going to be radiated to death by your microwave. They’re generally quite safe, even if they’re running with the door open. However having said that, there are certainly risks, and the problem should not be left alone.

The bad news? The odds are pretty strong that you’re going to need a new microwave, or that replacing your microwave is going to be faster, easier, and safer.

So what causes this problem? There are actually very few causes, which lets us narrow things down pretty quickly. It tends to depend on how and why:

In our honest opinion, you either call in a professional, or you get a new microwave. The door switch is a fairly cost-effective repair if you’ve got a pro, but the panel issue is more complex. And while there are lots of “DIY” solutions out there, videos, mostly, we can’t really in good conscience suggest repairing a microwave on your own. Why? Because a microwave carries a potentially lethal charge, even when unplugged. It’s just not worth the risk!

Looking for a certified electrician to suss out your microwave woes? If so, you can always count on Kolb! Reach out to our team today and we can have one of our professionals on the way and ready to help in no time!

We’ve recently added a new explosion-proof light for use in granaries, paint booths, mills, mines, oil refineries, auto shops, marine vessels, shipyards, and other hazardous locations.

This LED light is listed as UL1598 for wet locations and UL1598A for outdoor marine applications. It is classified as UL844 and meets National Electric Code—NFPA 70, article 500—requirements in the U.S. for Class 1 Division 1 (groups C and D), Class 1 Division 2 (groups A, B, C, and D), and Class 2 Division 2 (groups F and G) hazardous locations. The light fixture meets IECEx Zone 1, 2, 21, and 22 requirements for safe operation around combustible gas and dust.

Designed to replace 320-watt metal-halide (MH) fixtures with comparable output—the 100-watt LED explosion-proof light emits 13,000 lumens of natural white illumination. This weatherproof LED fixture operates within a 100-277V AC range and is built to last five times longer than MH lights.

The durably constructed light has a vibration-resistant anodized aluminum housing that prevents the release of sparks from internal components. The die cast housing is also powder coated for corrosion resistance and has a removable back plate for access to the constant-current driver, which is sealed with a silicone gasket. LEDs are protected by a tempered glass lens.

A conduit is required for installation, and the fixture has two openings for input and output connections. The LED explosion-proof light can be pole mounted or mounted to a wall, floor, or ceiling with its included bracket. A five-year warranty protects against any manufacturer defects or malfunctions.

The use of underground cables for transmission of power dates back centuries. However, the usage of these cables has remained relatively low in different regions of the world. The basic idea behind the use of underground cables is that electrical power can be transmitted in two main ways: by use of overhead electrical cables or underground ones.

Since the use of underground transmission is expected to continue growing in popularity, it is important for you to understand what underground electric transmission cables are, their nature and usage.