During this weeks mission we started a commercial conversion rewire converting an old solicitors office block into some shinny new serviced apartments on Winckley Square in Preston.
This is block one of two that we will be rewiring over the next couple of months here in Preston.
The last thing you want is to have all your appliances damaged by a power surge. So what is a power surge?
Many of us are unaware of what it is, how it is generated, what damages does it cause and what is a surge protector. Let’s address each question step-by-step.
What is a Power Surge?
A power surge occurs when there is a sudden boost in the voltage supplied via a power line. This surge takes place very quickly and it may often last only for a few seconds, but always keep in mind a power surge carries tens of thousands of volts which can cause serious damage and harm if not handled with caution.
What are the Causes of a Power Surge?
A common reason for power surges is a lightning storm. When it strikes an electrical line, no matter if it is in a building, running along poles or underground, this creates an electrical energy boost, creating millions of volts that are transported through the power line. During a lightning storm, the best option to safe your valuable devices from the damages caused by a power surge, is to switch off and unplug them. Apart from this, power surges result from short circuits, downed electrical lines, tripped circuit breakers, a sudden increase in electricity usage due to a factory close by or the transition of a heavy appliance on a low voltage power line.
What Harm is Caused by a Power Surge?
The increase in voltage that is transported through the power lines is enough to ruin any device, fry circuit boards and crash hard drives that are connected to your electric grid. A huge surge that comes with a lightning boost can instantly and effectively kill your tech, regardless of it being switched on during the time of a surge. However, small and common surges are equally damaging compared to big surges. They cause unseen permanent damage, reducing the life of your devices. Therefore, in order to protect yourself and your electronics, it is best to invest in a surge protector that will safeguard all your circuits in your home or office against a particular range of voltage surges.
What is a Surge Protector?
An ideal line of defence is to unplug all your devices during a power surge. However, it is a difficult task to go around the house, unplugging all devices in time. Therefore, you should consider investing in a surge protector, which redirects the surplus power generated by a surge to the ground wire. However, keep in mind that surge protectors are useless in times of a lightning storm because they too can be damaged by the increased voltage. Before buying a particular surge protector make sure you are aware of how many volts the protector can handle, otherwise you will not only damage the surge protector but your devices as well. If you want to control large power surges, you will have to consult with a licensed electrical contractor that will install a whole-house suppressor.
Did you recently buy a property that is need of renovations or do you suspect the electrics in your existing house have become outdated? Either way, it is about time you considered rewiring your premise. Not only are modern properties vulnerable to electrical problems caused by old and faulty wires, but old building might also need fresh wiring to make sure all electrics are safe to use. All new rewiring needs to comply with the electrical safety regulations mentioned in the Part P of the building regulations and it is a compulsory responsibility of property owners to ensure all wires are safe and secure.
If any of the following conditions are true, it is vital that you take action immediately to avoid potential injury or financial loss:
Read on to find out more about the early signs that show your property needs rewiring.
Early Warning Signs
Before you begin to examine the wiring in your home, it is crucial to stay safe and secure. Not many of us are aware of the electrical work, which is why it is necessary to call a professional rather than rewiring your premise yourself. It is highly recommended to keep an eye on the early warning signs that showcase a need for rewiring your premise. To start off, take a look at every room and count the number of sockets in every room. If there are only one or two, this means the building most likely has old and faulty wiring, which needs to be replaced instantly.
Another sign to watch out for is when you touch a socket and it feels hot, this means there’s an overheating taking place somewhere. It is unusual to observe flashing light from a plug or feel a socket heat up or smell peculiar burning smell within your premise. What’s more, don’t forget to take a look at the fuse box in your home. You will be able to identify whether it is made of an older design, judging by its current condition. If in case the fuse box is updated, this is not an indication that the entire property has been rewired.
Take a closer look at the fuses in the box, if they are the re-wirable kind, then it is most like you have an old domestic wiring system that needs immediate attention. A good indication for rewiring is by checking the general condition of the plug sockets and the light switches. If there are any damages such as expired fittings, loose boxes or live wires, you will need to take action today. It is highly recommended to carry out a detailed Electrical Installation Condition Report, which will highlight the necessary damages caused to the wiring hidden behind the walls.
Never take electrical work lightly. It is always best to contact a professional electrical contractor like ourselves when it comes to rewiring your premise.
This project initially started with a full electrical inspection to the landlord areas. It quickly became evident that the wiring was the original install from the early 1950’s. Fylde Coast rewires were contracted to provide the full rewiring to all of the landlord areas including two basement carparks, nine floors, one electrical mains room and a plant room located up on the tenth floor. We were able to carry out this project with zero loss of the existing electricity supplies to the residents which was a major factor as there are a number of elderly residents.
The primary step that many homeowners consider when reducing energy costs is to switch energy suppliers or turn down the thermostat. However, with the increase in the prices of energy stated by leading energy companies such as npower, SSE, British Gas and Scottish Power, switching energy suppliers might not be cost-effective after all. Take a look at these top 10 energy saving tips that are not well-known but highly effective when it comes to saving big on gas and electricity.
Purchase a Halogen Oven
Did you know that a halogen oven can roast a chicken in just 30 minutes and uses only 75% less than a traditional electric oven? Combine this minimized usage of energy with the fast cooking time, you will experience a huge reduction in your bills.
Close Your Chimney
It is estimated that about 80-90% of heat generated from burning wood in the fireplace is mostly lost through open chimneys. Therefore, an unblocked chimney can mean hundreds of pounds being flushed up the chimney every year.You can either cap it or block the cavity with an inflatable chimney balloon, if you use it occasionally.
Set up a Voltage optimisation Device
The variation between the voltage supplied to your home and the amount consumed by your appliances shows that a typical appliance uses 4% more current and 9% more energy than required. According to Evo Energy, installing a voltage optimisation device will save up to approximately 10% on your bills. This device will need to be installed by a professional electrical contractor. Keep in mind that it won’t work on immersion heaters, showers, ovens, hobs but it will function effectively for appliances such as tumble driers, dishwashers, televisions, washing machines and lights.
Install a High-Power Shower
Rather than filling a bath with water, install high-power showers, which use the similar amount of water in only five minutes. Were you aware that faucet aerators and energy-efficient shower heads reduce the amount of water transported from shower heads and taps by 50%, allowing you to enjoy a refreshing shower at the same time.
Insulation for Cavity Walls
Is your home uninsulated? Did you know that you can lose up to 35% of heat through walls if your home isn’t insulated. For example, if you own a standard three-bedroom semi with cavity walls and consider insulating your home, you can save big on heating bills – almost up to £140 each year. Several energy suppliers provide grants that pay for insulation.
Draught-proofing
This is considered as one of the most efficient and cost effective ways to reduce energy costs, but unfortunately, it is commonly overlooked. According to the Energy Saving Trust, you can save as much as £55 every year by simply sealing your windows, loft hatches, pipework and doors.
Fixing Solar Panels
Even though government subsidies tend to fall for solar panels, but so are the costs of installation as well. Solar panel installers are coming up with ways to make installations cost effective and a fruitful consideration since it can save up to each year on energy bills.
Insulation for Lofts
Getting your loft insulated can save about a quarter of heat, which is generally lost through uninsulated roofs. The suggested level of insulation is generally 270mm.
LED Lights
Replacing traditional incandescent lights with LED lights can help you save big on electricity bills. LED lights are becoming popular amongst many property owners since 40% of the total load is used up by lighting fixtures.
Other Essential Everyday Energy Saving Tips
Apart from the above tips, you can also save energy by performing certain everyday tasks such as reducing the heating by 1C, switching lights off when you are in a particular room and boiling water only when you need it. Sometimes, it is the small things that create a big impact on your electricity bill.
A foremost concern that many homeowners have is about saving energy costs. With the rise of the internet of things (IoT) architectures, smart lighting technology has truly revolutionised the use of energy. According to Gatner, it is estimated that 46 million units were installed in 2015 and this will increase to 2.54 billion units in 2020. Smart lighting involves connecting the light system with a network, which can be monitored and controlled through the cloud or a centralised system. What’s more by installing smart lighting technologies in your property, you can increase its value up to 38%.
How Does Smart Energy Technologies Work
The key factor in smart energy technologies is integration, which enables devices installed around your home to communicate and activate each other. For example, you can switch on the heating in your home by using Nest, an app-enabled thermostat, which senses your exit from work. It also alters the temperature based on usage and peak times. You can adjust your smart lighting solutions according to the time of the day, the number of occupants in the home or the weather outside. Furthermore, you can integrate your window blinds with your lighting solutions, enabling them to be lowered once the sun sets and automatically switching the lights as well.
In order to effectively reduce lighting expenses, it is vital that all five phases of smart lighting is installed, which includes LED lighting, sensors and controls, connectivity, analytics and intelligence.
Smart Lighting Solutions – LED Lights
Several offices and commercial facilities have hundreds and thousands of lighting fixtures installed and this represents at least 40% of the total load. Therefore, by replacing traditional incandescent, fluorescent lighting systems or halogen incandescent with LED lightings, commercial property owners will experience a drastic drop in energy and maintenance costs. LED lights are much more efficient than traditional incandescent lights because the former loses about 90% of energy in heating the bulb and a small fraction goes to generating light. In addition to this, LED lights have a lifetime of about 50,000h in comparison to incandescent lights that have 200h. Therefore, LED lights are affordable and attractive due to their minimum maintenance costs and direct energy savings.
Lighting Controls
It is through lighting controls that makes the entire smart home technology function as it integrates the devices with a centralised system, which can be monitored and controlled. A few examples of energy-efficient control solutions are:
Lighting controls help keep a track of the energy usage within your home. This involves turning off lights in rooms that are vacant or minimising the amount of energy consumed in order to light up a particular space. The effectiveness of lighting controls for energy saving is based upon area utilisation rate and the particular applications. For example, if a room is occupied 100% of the time, it is unlikely that occupancy/vacancy sensors will be able to decrease energy use.
What do you think about smart lighting solutions? Do you have any smart lighting solutions installed in your premise. If not, we can help! Call us today to know more.