Now is the time to evaluate your outdoor and landscape lighting needs in preparation for the summer season.  Follow our step-by-step landscape lighting design plan and get the job done right.

Learn how to get luxurious landscape lighting effects and make your home shine by Memorial Day 2014…

Step One:  Review the perimeters of your home, including surrounding outdoor property—front yards, back yards, side yards—to see which features you would like to accentuate, such as fountains, sculpture, or flower boxes. Choose a few areas that will stand out and add a luxurious element to your home at night.

Step Two:  Scout out areas where you will need security lighting—leading up to and at all home entryways.  Take note of areas where path lighting, step lighting, and task lighting are needed.

LED strip lighting under steps, railings and benches provides excellent security lighting and may be custom-tailored to your decor. LED light strips are especially suitable for outdoor areas, as they are long-lasting and extremely durable, radiate very little heat, and use up to 80 percent less electricity than standard light sources.

Step Three:  If you have existing outdoor lighting—review your property at night to see where you can upgrade your lighting design.  Check that everything is in working order and adequate illumination is provided at all significant locations.

• Where there are large areas blanketed in darkness, consider installing a floodlight equipped with energy-efficient lamps and lighting controls.

• Equally important is to check for areas that are excessively bright. Overly bright outdoor lighting, including path lighting and patio lighting, creates glare and can actually make it harder to see at night and diminish safety and security.

Your landscape lighting should be soothing and comfortable.  Make sure that  landscape and outdoor fixtures do not cast light into your neighbors’ property.  Keep “light trespass” from invading your own home at night.

Step Four:  If you like to entertain outdoors—see that your property is safely lit for guests—pay attention to elevation levels and unusual dips or risings; boundaries defining rock gardens, Koi ponds, and small shrubs should be clearly visible.  Make sure you have enough ambient illumination for safe navigation, as well as sufficient task lighting for cooking and food preparation.

Step Five:  Lighting techniques, such as shadowing, silhouetting and cross lighting add artistry and depth to your landscape at night.  But do not overdo it.  Depending on the size of your property, select one to three key areas that will expand and complement your overall landscape lighting presentation.

• Conceal lights behind and below a statue or small tree to highlight form and create definition.

• Show off a sculpted garden,  a textured rock wall or a unique architectural feature of your home that will stand out at night.

Light responsibly.  Keep an eye on the safety.  Having top-quality outdoor lighting makes for the best “Neighborhood Watch Program.”

Light conservatively.  The most wonderful aspect of outdoor and landscape lighting is that you only need a few well-chosen light sources to deliver a great deal of illumination and an overall luxuriant feel to your home.  Compared to other home improvement projects, top quality landscape lighting adds substantially to the value of your property.

Light efficiently.  You will save money in the long run, if you invest in automated lighting systems and LED landscape lighting now.  For maintenance-free, durable, long-lasting illumination—buy your LED landscape lighting and automated control systems from a reputable dealer.

Top-quality LED landscape lighting fixture are built to last with finishes guaranteed to withstand harsh weather conditions; many come with life-time product warranties.

Find qualified lighting professionals and electricians.  Professional lighting consultants will help you design your landscape lighting to exact specifications with outdoor fixtures that are UL-listed for outdoor use; electricians, familiar with updated LED lighting systems, should be licensed and aware of current electrical codes and ordinances in your town or city.

Order your fixtures early, set the job up now with energy-efficient security lighting and luxurious landscape illumination to ensure you will be ready for summer holiday celebrations.

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There’s something exciting about making a large purchase: the rush of buying, the nagging fear that you can’t afford it, the anticipation of it making your life better or easier.  This feeling is especially true when it comes to a new appliance; it’s an investment in saving you time and effort. What if the investment you just made turns out to be a dud because of overlooking the impact it would have on your electrical system?

A lot of the work of an appliance happens within the machine, we tend to not think about the fact that an appliance is really a very complicated electrical machine. In addition, we ignore that they require a lot of electricity to operate. They can really strain your electrical system. This is especially true of modern appliances; it seems like they’ve found a way to computerize everything, and that only makes the power needs of an appliance grow even when they are “Energy Star” rated. Installation of these complex modern appliances seem as easy; some almost seem like they only need to be plugged in and forgotten. This approach neglects the fact that there are important things to keep in mind with regards to appliance installations that can cause serious problems for you down the line.

Obviously, you don’t always need to call an electrician whenever you install an appliance. With that being said, there’s nothing wrong with doing so if you’re not sure what you’re doing. The Best Dallas Electrician you can hire can help you avoid a lot of potential hazards and costs down the line. If you’re still planning on installing your new appliance yourself, keep in mind the following electrical safety do’s and don’ts:

A house fire starts every 85 seconds in the United States, the majority of which are caused by malfunctioning electrical systems. Just the thought of a fire starting behind your walls while you sleep is terrifying. Fortunately, most electrical emergencies manifest themselves in more subtle ways before they end up causing a catastrophe. The secret is to be able to recognize the signs of a burgeoning electrical emergency and know the proper steps to contain the problem until your local electrical contractor can get out to your home to repair it.

If it’s already obvious you have an electrical emergency and you need help now, call Kolb Electric at 877-287-1179 for fast, effective 24-hour service.

Electrical emergencies are nothing to be cavalier about. If you have encountered one of the above problems or have another electrical emergency on your hands, it’s time to call in a licensed electrician.

Kolb Electric has been helping Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC home and building owners with all their electrical needs for over 90 years. We have a full staff of fully trained and experienced electricians and offer 24-hour emergency service. We understand that some electrical problems just can’t wait for bankers’ hours.

Call us at 877 287-1179 for help with any electrical emergency.

With studies today showing how harmful internal combustion engines can be to the environment, it’s little wonder that the electric car is becoming a more popular option among consumers. Not only do gasoline powered cars contribute to pollution, but extracting and processing the oil needed by these cars causes pollution and contamination as well. The hybrid market is beginning to heat up, especially as many people begin to realize that benefits that these vehicles have to offer. If you’re considering the purchase of an electric car, here are several of the top benefits you can enjoy.

Benefit #1 – Environmentally Friendly

One of the main benefits of going with an electric hybrid vehicle is that these vehicles are environmentally friendly. These vehicles produce no waste, eliminating problems like carbon monoxide pollution. Internal combustion engines allow waste to permeate the air by releasing chemicals through the vehicle’s tailpipe. Electric vehicles don’t even have a tailpipe and will not create pollution to the environment.

Benefit #2 – Energy Efficient

If you’re interested in energy conservation, you’ll find that an electric car has the benefit of being energy efficient. Energy is consumed in an efficient manner within these cars. Approximately 75% of the energy from the batteries is converted into energy. On the opposite side, traditional engines lose about 80% of the energy that comes from the fuel.

Benefit #3 – Reduces Dependence on Oil

You’ll also find that an electric car has the benefit of reducing dependence on oil as well. Much of the gasoline used for internal combustion engines is imported in from other countries, making these vehicles reliant on foreign oil. Many feel that dependence on foreign oil is a natural security problem, not just an environmental one. Cars that run on electricity get the electricity needed from the car’s batteries. While hybrids may use some gasoline, they are not fully dependent on the oil imported from other countries.

Benefit #4 – Provides Savings

Those who purchase and use an electric car can enjoy money saving benefits too. Although the initial investment may seem more expensive, tax credits and lowered long-term expenses actually provide savings in the long run.

Benefit #5 – Great Performance

Electric vehicles today can offer great performance as well. Electric engines have fewer moving parts, which makes them less likely to have a problem. This lowers maintenance costs and provides users with a smooth and efficient driving experience.

It’s easy to see that the electric car provides some excellent benefits to consumers today. These benefits can be maximized by having an electrical charging station installed at your home as well. Professional electric companies install these charging stations, which make it easier to keep your electric vehicle charged. With installation of a quality charging station, you can enjoy faster and more efficient charge times, making the most of your hybrid vehicle.