It is estimated that thousands of electric shock accidents take place each year, of which some are fatal ones. Aside from this, there are incidents of electrical fires caused by poorly-installed or ill-maintained wiring. It’s important to understand that most of these fires and accidents are avoidable. There are some simple things you can do to prevent an electrical fire from erupting on your property, including:

Never try to force plugs into the outlets and don’t remove the third prong which is the grounding pin, to fit it a plug into an outlet with 2 prongs. Do not plug in too many appliances into a multi-plug outlet.

Check whether there are any loose-fitting plugs as these can be a fire/shock hazard. If you notice that any of the wall plates are broken/missing, replace them without delay. So that the components and wiring aren’t exposed. If you have very young kids in your home, make sure that you cover all used outlets.

Check the cords for fraying or cracks. Pay special attention to ones that are placed in any high traffic areas or under rugs and carpets.

Make sure that the wattage of the bulbs is compatible with the fixture requirements. If you find any bulbs with a higher-than-recommended wattage rating, replace them immediately. It’s also important to ensure they don’t overheat and that they are screwed-in securely.

These should never be used on a permanent basis. Use ones that have safety enclosures to protect kids from burn injuries and shock.

There should be GFCIs installed in the kitchen, bathrooms, garage, basement and various other indoor and outdoor outlets in your home. Test these on a monthly basis to ensure they are working as required.

Only older properties have fuse boxes and these don’t have the capacity to withstand the heavy electrical loads required by modern-day equipment and appliances. It’s far better to get these older systems evaluated by a skilled electrician and replace them with modern circuit breakers.

Faulty or old wiring is one of the commonest causes of residential electrical fires in Australia. Get these checked periodically for loose connections, loose wall fixtures or wall receptacles. If you hear any hissing, sizzling or popping sounds behind walls or from sockets, call in your local electrician without delay to get these installations inspected and replaced. If you find that any switches or electrical fixtures are hot to the touch, get those checked as well. Flickering light bulbs are another indication of problems in the electrical wiring as well and it’s best to get a thorough check conducted.

If you find that a specific circuit breaker trips repeatedly, or you experience shock when you touch it, you should unplug it immediately and get it replaced or repaired. Check for damage or cracks in the connectors and wiring and install surge protectors to protect all your expensive electronics.

When you upgrade your home, make additions or add extensions like extra rooms or an extra storey etc., or even add a large number of new equipment or electrical appliances to your home, that can overburden the existing electrical installations. At this point you would have to increase the service capacity of your home’s electrical system.

We are a company that has been operating in this space for a number of years and have the skill, knowledge as well as the resources to install, maintain and upgrade all types of electrical installations on your residential or commercial premises. For more information, contact the Allround Electrical team at this number – 1300 169 263. Alternatively, you can write to us at our email address.

Thanks for reading,1300 169 263

September is National Preparedness Month—just in time for peak hurricane season in Maryland. Severe thunderstorms and floods are also common to the area and with winter approaching, it’s always a good idea to prepare for the possibility of heavy snowstorms. National Preparedness Month is a time to educate yourself on how you can prepare for sever weather so that if an emergency does occur, you aren’t left in the dark.

Every home and business should have a plan in the event of an emergency. Do you know what to do if cell phone towers stop working or the electricity goes out? While no one can prevent a weather emergency from happening, there are a number of things you can do to get prepared for any disaster. National Preparedness Month is a great time to:

At Kolb Electric, we support National Preparedness Month and want to help you and your family be ready for whatever weather emergency Mother Nature can throw at us! We install standby generators and surge protectors to keep Maryland, Northern Virginia, Washington, DC home and businesses safe and running even during a storm. For help preparing your home or building for a weather emergency, call us at 877 287-1179 or contact us online today!

Infuse outdoor entertaining with a festive air by garlanding your gazebo, patio awning or deck railings with popular Bulbrite string lighting. It brightens up your outdoor vistas after sunset with the warm glow of vintage elan. Try connecting several strings together to create a border that keeps the dark at bay, or use a single string as a decorative accent in a seating area or your barbecue station. Because it’s so portable and versatile, it’s a great do-it-yourself hack that works in all sorts of settings.

Rope lighting really jazzes up outdoor living space with a minimum of fuss. This kind of string lighting works great in unobtrusive places like below a handrail cap to or around the edge of your deck to frame your spaces with a warm, welcoming glow. If you wish to create a more celebratory vibe, place rope lighting in plain sight like you would holiday lights, encircling structural posts with festive glimmer.

LED strip lighting is another option that saves energy while instilling your outdoor atmosphere with a distinctive verve. LED strips from WAC Lighting and Koncept are rated for use in damp places, as long as they are not exposed to the weather. Get creative with your deck lighting by incorporating strips of various lengths in covered areas like your deck or patio. Use led step lighting from some of our most popular manufacturers, including Kichler and Sea Gull Lighting, to improve visibility as well as aesthetics.

Use light as a medium to paint your landscape and make your carefully manicured plantings and special features pop at night. When you are planning your backyard lighting scheme, be sure to bring some of the following areas into focus:

• Gates and entryways

• Footpaths

• Stairs

• Fountains, waterfalls, ponds

• Statuary

• Seating areas

Solar landscape lights from Kenroy Home cast soft haloes along pathways or beside garden benches, creating an aura of enchantment. You can position solar lights as far from an electric power source as you wish, so they are ideal for the far reaches of your backyard.

Strategically placed spotlights show off your most distinctive flower beds, trees or shrubs to their best advantage while providing attractive pockets of brightness that banish shadowy corners, making your backyard more welcoming. You can also hide spotlights behind shrubbery but aim the light toward the sky, backlighting plantings while illuminating the perimeter of your home or patio. Keep in mind, though, that too much light can be as ineffective as too little. Think Cinderella’s castle rather than Times Square.

When the party is over and it’s time to retire, you can rest easy knowing that your motion sensor lighting is keeping vigil, ready to reveal any interlopers in your personal space. Wall sconces from Designers Fountain do more than just decorate your porch, deck and patio beautifully. They serve double duty as security features while your family sleeps. For locations where utility takes precedence over decorative appeal, select from our Craftmade security lights, and get the coverage you need to feel secure all night long.

PRO TIP: Ensure your outdoor light array works perfectly by using timers. You will have one less task to remember, and your landscape will always appear in its best light.