Whenever you have time to thoroughly clean your home, you usually try to get the portions that are hidden from view. You check under the bed, vacuum beneath the cushions, or dust the tops of shelves—anything you can do to keep every part of your home sparkling, even if there’s no one around to see it. So why would you neglect to clean the ductwork?

We recommend using 1 puck light for every 6-10 inches of cabinet or shelf space. If you’re lighting 11-18 inches of space, use 2-3 puck lights. For 19-26 inches, you’ll need 3-4 puck lights. For 27-34 inches, 4-5 puck lights. For 35-42 inches, 5-7 puck lights. For 43-50 inches, 6-8 puck lights, and so on. Just measure your space and divide it up accordingly!

This will ensure that the light levels are consistent for the entire length of your shelf or cabinet, without causing awkward shadows.

(Puck lights will even work to provide functional light coverage when you’re lighting an irregular or oddly shaped space. You can’t do that with larger linear fixtures.)

For accent or display lighting… 

Everything seems fine, then POOF–your power goes out. Chances are, you tripped a circuit breaker. Electrical problems are one of those things that tend to make a homeowner’s stress level skyrocket. You’re not sure what’s wrong, but suddenly you’ve lost access to the power you depend on in your DC area home! 

A breaker can trip for many reasons. Below are the tops 5 causes of an electrical breaker tripping in your home.

Looking for electrical repair in Washington, DC? Contact Kolb today!

A breaker trip comes as a result of a circuit tied to your circuit breaker exceeding its safe parameters. They can be identified by a sudden loss of power to specific appliances (those that used a dedicated circuit, like a fridge or microwave), or a loss of power in your home that is limited to a specific area.

There are a lot of issues that can result in breaker trips, but there are the ones our DC electricians address most often during electrical repairs in Washington, DC:

Looking for superior service and quality from your electrician? Contact Kolb Electric for electrical repair in Washington, DC!

Solar panels are an increasingly popular way to provide electricity for your home or business, but few people understand the process to install solar panels. It’s a simple process, carried out by professional installers. If you’re contemplating installing solar panels, this brief overview of the process shows you what to expect.

The process starts with a site visit, during which a contractor reviews your energy needs and the structure or area where the panels are to be installed. Keep your electric bills for the last year handy so that determining the size and arrangement of the panels is easier. The custom design is very carefully calibrated to your exact needs and will be reviewed by you and the contractor at the same time.

After all the materials are ordered and delivered, the mounting system for the panels must be installed. To take advantage of solar radiation, panels are carefully oriented and positioned so they can be turned several times of year for maximum efficiency with flush mounts.

A cheaper, but less effective solution is to mount them flat on a roof. This is more aesthetically pleasing, but don’t have the flexibility to change with the seasons.

Once the mounts are in place, the panels are set in place and wired to a system of transformers and batteries. This is the nerve center of your solar array and interfaces with the electric system in your house. If you live in an area where excess solar power is sold to utility companies, there may be additional wiring to send power back to the grid.

Every instance of solar panel installation is slightly different, and the only way to really know what to expect is to schedule a site visit with a solar panel installer that can give you an accurate estimate of the price and scope of installation. Solar power has never been a better investment, so find out how to get on board with it today.