Looking for an electrician in Baltimore or Bethesda, MD? Perhaps you need one in Alexandria, VA or Washington, DC. No matter where in the DC Metropolitan area you need an electrician, make sure you enlist the services of a licensed electrician. There are many benefits of hiring licensed electricians, and learning about these benefits will help you determine if this is the right course of action for you.

Licensed electricians:

When you enlist the services of a licensed electrical contractor, you can be sure that the electrician is fully knowledgeable about the complex workings of the electrical system in your home. Many people think they can learn the skills needed to do minor household electrical work, but the truth is that your home’s electrical system is more complex than you realize. Our electricians are fully licensed and have years of experience completing electrical installations and repairs in homes throughout MD, VA, and DC. They have successfully completed rigorous training, which means they have the skill set necessary to handle any electrical issue.

A licensed electrician understands all the codes and regulations in place for residential and commercial electrical work. The National Electrical Code (NEC), or NFPA 70, is a regionally adoptable standard for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment in the United States. Rest assured that the electricians here at Kolb Electric have a thorough understanding of NEC requirements as it pertains to circuit breaker replacement, panel upgrades, surge protection, and more.

By trusting a licensed electrical contractor to take care of your residential or commercial electrical needs, you can feel confident knowing that the electrician will have all the tools and equipment necessary to complete the job—accurately and in a timely manner. Homeowners, in most cases, simply do not have the proper tools and equipment necessary to complete electrical jobs, small or large.

There’s a reason the NEC standard has been put into place for electrical work—it functions as a critical safety measure. Hiring a licensed electrical contractor is safer than if you were to do the job yourself. Working with electricity can be very dangerous, but skilled professionals understand how to complete electrical work safely.

Kolb Electric is a full-service electrical contractor providing electrical services, including troubleshooting, circuit breaker replacement, panel upgrades, and surge protection. We also offer installation of ceiling and attic fans, outdoor lighting, light switches, dimmers, and light fixtures.

We fully support and promote the continuing education of our expert electricians. Call us or contact us online so we can handle your electrical needs—we’ll get it right the first time around.

Many Pittsburgh natives fondly recall the weather beacon atop the Gulf Tower with its flashing neon lights that indicated the weather forecast. The security guard in the building’s lobby would read the weather report in the local paper and switch the lights to red or blue, solid or blinking.

However, this six story pyramid’s neon display used as much energy as 24 homes, and during the energy crisis in the ‘70s, Gulf Oil decided to turn off the lights. When the crisis was over, the lights no longer worked.

Fast-forward a few decades: the building’s owners, inspired by the Empire State Building’s LED displays, decided to reignite the much adored landmark. With new LED technology, the award-winning lighting duo Chris Popowich and Cindy Limauro have enhanced the tower’s former glory with 730 foot-long strips of LEDs that can dazzle in a rainbow of colors.

The newly named KDKA-TV Weather Beacon usually provides a detailed weather display of Pittsburgh’s current conditions including temperature, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed:

The media room is perhaps the most lived-in area of your home.  Whether you are watching TV or reading a book, the lighting should be comfortable, energy-efficient and beautifying.  Tune in to a picture-perfect setting with lighting tips from Capitol Lighting’s professional consultants.

1. Track and Recessed:  General or ambient lighting is a must in any room, but it is especially important in a multi-functional space such as a den or media room where there will be a wide range of activities that call for specific light settings.  Overhead lighting should be installed as part of the initial room design.   Oftentimes, a standard grid lighting pattern does not work well with your seating and furniture layout, so it is best to draw up your lighting design in the initial stages of planning.

NOTE:  In general, recessed cans should be installed 30 inches away from the wall and 4-5 feet apart.

Track heads, recessed and/or rail lights should be strategically located so as not to create glare or cast unflattering shadows upon individuals in the room.

Rail lighting from WAC Lighting highlights artwork;  hanging pendants provide soft ambient illumination and artistic accent light.  Rail and track lighting are highly versatile and allow for easy adjustments if you decide to change your decor.

2. Wall Lighting: Wall lights work well in a media room as they expand the space and provide an evenly distributed balanced illumination.

Image from HGTV.com “Must-see Media Rooms”

“Jaxon” wall lighting from Troy Lighting, available in a variety of color options

3.  Portables:  From sturdy reading lamps to decorative table lamps, portables are a useful addition to the multifunctional media room.  They provide individualized task light, as well as general illumination throughout the room.

Room design by Sandra D’Amata International

Ambience table lamp (shown above), Frederick Cooper “Script Reader” floor lamp and Minka-Aire’s “Great Room” fan from Capitol Lighting

4. Control Systems:  Dimming and automated control systems are a must for the media room.  Even if you have programmed your lighting controls into your Smart phone, wall switches with a variety of room settings and dimming capabilities are a good idea and are available in a choice of colors to complement your rooms’s decor.

Dimmer switch from Kichler Lighting

5. Special Considerations:  LED bulbs and LED light fixtures are suitable for media room lighting designs, just be careful to choose all your light sources with the correct color rendering, color temperature and shielding. Look for LED light sources that are dimmable and in warm (2700K)  color temperatures. *

LED torchiere floor lamp from Holtkotter

* Solid State Lighting and LED light sources are being refined so that predictable color rendering and color temperature will be more visually accurate.  A new metric to measure LED illumination is in the works:  The Color Quality Scale (CQS) will help to identify the visual characteristics of LED light sources more clearly, but right now–a bit of trial and error may help you find LED light sources that are complementary to your media room’s decor.

3 Keys to Remember:

*  Avoid having sharp areas of contrast between dark and light–illumination should be evenly dispersed with slight variations that allow your eyes to transition from reading a book, conversing with friends or watching  TV.

* Make sure lighting/fan controls are easily accessible–opt for a remote control system in addition to wall switches.

* Go for the most energy-efficient light sources, but do not sacrifice the overall look of your room.   If you are not using fluorescent or LED light sources, opt for eco-halogen or top quality incandescent bulbs in portable light sources.