If you’re not prepared for them, electrical repairs can be painful. And while certain things are obvious, sometimes it can be tricky to decide whether or not you need to call an electrician. Here are eight reasons people commonly call Kolb Electric:

Your circuits constantly trip – do your lights flicker every time you run the microwave? Can you not run more than a few electronic devices at a time? This may be a sign that your circuits are overloaded and are drawing more electrical current than they can provide. A heavy up should take care of the problem.

You have power strips everywhere – don’t have enough outlets? We can take care of that! Using too many power strips can overload your electrical system and can create a fairly serious fire risk. Call Kolb Electric to install additional circuits to keep your home safe.

You’re running extension cords under your carpets – running extension cords all over the house presents a couple different hazards. Not only are they easy to trip on, but they’re also not things you should be stepping on. Kolb Electric can install additional outlets so you’ll always have power where you need it.

Your light switches feel warm to the touch – warm or hot switches, or switches that shock you, should definitely be checked out. While it could mean your circuits are just overworked, it could also be a sign of something more dangerous.

You have aluminum wiring — according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, homes built before 1972 that have aluminum wiring are 55 times more likely to create fire hazards than homes with copper wires.

Your lights flicker — do your lights seem to flicker or dim whenever your air conditioner, washing machine, or other large electrical device turns on? If so, call Kolb Electric! Our licensed electricians will assess your home’s circuits and make improvements to prevent these problems from continuing in the future.

You own a number of expensive electronics — you may already have surge protectors to take care of your expensive desktop computer or stereo system, did you know that an electrician can install a whole-house surge protection unit to make sure that all of your electronics are safe? Consider calling an expert and feel safe and sound at home.

You’ve never upgraded — if it’s been 25 years or more since you upgraded  your home’s electrical system, then you may be living with a sub-par one. Call an electrician so he or she can help move you into the modern era with a new system that will be more accommodating to the needs of today’s world.

If you need electrical troubleshooting in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC, don’t wait—call Kolb Electric today!

If you have recently purchased or inherited a home, you may be excited to move in and start your new life. Before you do, take a few moments to consider the safety of the home. If it is an older home, it may need some work done to bring the home up to code. An electrician in Santa Monica will need to do an inspection to evaluate the current status of the electrical wiring. From there, you will know what needs to be done to make your home safe and insurable. The team at The Electric Connection has the electrician you need to make this happen quickly.

Recently, the US Fire Administration released some alarming statistics about home fires in the United States. These statistics are based on 2012 numbers.

• Home fires caused more than $5.7 billion in damages • 14 percent of all home fires were caused by heating equipment (2011 statistic)

When you look at these figures, it is alarming. We depend a great deal on electricity. We don’t want to live without it. You don’t have to. It is about learning to be safe and making sure your Santa Monica electrical work is up to code. Electrical wiring is constantly evolving and being made safer. If your home is more than 50 years old, you probably need an upgrade if it hasn’t been done in the past 10 to 20 years.

Do what you can to make your home as safe as possible by calling an electrician to complete an inspection. Sadly, homes that have had an unlicensed electrician do the electrical work may not be eligible for a homeowner’s insurance payout in the event there is a fire. Don’t risk it! Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your electrical safety inspection.