Your home is constantly evolving. The people who live in it grow up. You may expand the family at some point or your family may shrink as the kids move on. With your ever-changing family, your home will need to grow and evolve with your needs. Remodeling your family home makes a lot more sense than pulling up stakes and buying a new home that will fit your needs for a short time. You can make your home fit your family by remodeling with the help of an electrician in Santa Monica. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help you realize your dreams.

A remodeling job is an exciting adventure as you work with a contractor to transform your home into one that you are proud of and completely comfortable in. Unless you are a skilled tradesman, you won’t want to try and take on this big job yourself. Your fun adventure will quickly turn into a nightmare that could not only put your safety at risk, but the safety of your home. It is imperative you leave all of the Santa Monica electrical work to a professional.

Prior to starting the remodeling process, you will want to have a conversation with your electrician and other contractors about what your goals are. Some points to discuss with your electrician are as follows;

• Replacement of existing light fixtures • Installing data lines

While the electrician is in the house, it doesn’t hurt to have an electric safety inspection completed as well. This will help you identify any areas that should be upgraded or replaced during the remodel. This will make your home safer and give you peace of mind. If you are ready to take the first step in remodeling your home, give The Electric Connection a c all today.

Kolb Electric, here, and we wanted to discuss a fairly common topic we’ve noted with our patrons as of late. We’ve been getting a lot of “Is this normal?” Or “Is this a common problem?” questions on our projects and calls recently. This got us to thinking; maybe people would be interested in learning a bit about what electrical problems our Baltimore electricians encounter regularly.

What would we consider to be a fairly normal issue? And what would be an oddball? Answers to this and more today in:

No problem is ever “normal’, per se. That’s why it’s a problem! But there are certainly some issues we see regularly:

So why do we feel like it’s a good idea to clue you in on our most common repairs? Partially because information is fun, but mostly because problem is the key word here. Understanding that these common issues are indeed problems that should be looked into by our Baltimore electricians is important.

Any instance of poor wiring, flickering lights, under-maintained equipment or general electrical funny business should be addressed right away! Leaving them alone or ignoring them can be hazardous, or can lead to much larger electrical problems. So have them handled by a pro right away!

If you note any of the issues we mentioned today (or any other electrical problems), contact the certified Baltimore electricians at Kolb today! Our experts can have your electrical appliances and wiring in perfect working order in no time at all!

Is it driving you crazy to charge all of your devices? Smart phones, tablets, digital music players, digital cameras and more have made many facets of life more convenient, but they come with their own complications and annoyances as well. For one thing, all those devices need their batteries charged, sometimes every day, and it can be quite a pain to keep track of all the cords and adapters. Fortunately, with a little DIY talent or the help of an electrician, you can install combo outlets in your walls with built-in USB ports, making it easier to charge your gadgets wherever you’re at home.

Out with the Old, in with the New

To install a USB outlet, you need to buy an outlet kit from your local hardware store or from an online retailer. You can find various options with two or four USB ports combined with one or two traditional power outlets. If you are comfortable doing simple electrical work, you can probably install the outlet yourself; otherwise, an electrician can do the work and have you up and running quickly.

If you are a DIYer, the first step is to turn off the power to the circuit you are working with. After you turn the switch off at the circuit breaker, make sure you test the outlet with a light or other appliance before you proceed to make sure it doesn't have any current. Next, you'll need to remove the old outlet with a screwdriver and disconnect the wiring. Then, simply connect your new outlet, carefully following the manufacturer instructions. It's extremely important that you reconnect all the wires properly, including the ground wire.

Convenience and Simplicity for Your Devices

Once the new outlet is wired up and screwed into the wall, flip the circuit back on and you should be good to go. Give the new USB outlet a test drive with your phone or tablet, and then sit back and enjoy the convenience and simplicity. Unfortunately, you still need to have an appropriate cord around to take advantage of the USB outlet, but at least you can do away with the cumbersome adapter. That frees up space, since adapters are often so bulky that they cover multiple outlets even though they only use one. Plus, the built-in USB ports limit the electrical current to whatever amount is required to charge the device.

You don't need combo outlets everywhere you have a plug, but if you put them in highly-traveled areas like the kitchen, office and bedroom, you will have easy access to their charging power whenever you need it. Those readers who enjoy perusing their phones in the bathroom can even put a combo outlet by the sink – just make sure you don't get water on your device!

Recharge Your Life with the Help of an Electrician

If you need any help installing or upgrading outlets in your home, call an expert electrician today.