There are a number of times when homeowners take up DIY projects; not only do these help you save money, but many people find the idea of doing some of this work around their home, extremely fulfilling too. While it’s okay to do some carpentry or painting work, it’s best to leave electrical jobs to the experts; and there are a number of reasons for this.

Many people feel that they may be able to handle some basic electrical jobs themselves; but the fact is that electrical systems and installations can be quite complex and it’s not easy to tackle them. Apart from this, it’s required by law that you hire a licensed and insured electrician for any work on your residential or commercial premises. Take a look at how and why DIY electrical jobs can do a lot of harm:

There are a number of wire sizes available; this is called the gauge of the wire and this determines the application it’s going to be used in. If you accidently choose and install the wrong wire, this can cause it to heat up and the circuit breaker may trip. This is why it’s important to use wires and devices that are rated correctly for the amperage that’s required in a particular location.

If the switches and outlets have been installed loosely, that can present a hazard once the appliances have been plugged in. If the wires come loose from the terminals, that can result in overheating and arcing.

The reason for an electrical box installation is to provide the connections the right amount of protection from the external elements. This is also why it’s extremely important to ensure that no electrical connections are made outside these boxes. The other thing to keep in mind is that the electrical boxes should only be filled to a certain capacity. Adding too many wires and connections in a single box can result in overheating; in some cases, it can also result in short circuiting.

This happens to be one of the most common causes of electrical fires. When fuses keep tripping or blow, property owners may end up replacing them with breakers or fuses of a larger size. If a fuse trips very regularly, it’s first crucial to identify what is causing it to trip; that root problem has to be addressed by a licensed and insured electrician.

The connections inside the fuse box should all be tight and when they are replaced, the positioning should be right. In case the connections come loose, you might find the lights flickering or being cut short. In severe situations, there could be overheating of the connections too. The precaution to take here is that before you start with any inspection, you should first switch off the breakers.

This is one mistake that many people tend to make; they end up overloading the powerboard or the outlet. It’s important that you check how many amps a circuit can bear and then plug in only the type of appliances that aren’t going to overload the board. Appliances such as air conditioners, dishwashers and refrigerators etc. can overload the circuit, if it exceeds the amperage of the board .

For more information, simply speak with the experts at Allround Electrical and take their advice on various aspects of CBUS installations. The number to call is 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address. You may also reach us through this online contact form.

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The kitchen is one of the busiest and most heavily-used rooms in your home. When it comes to fires, it’s also perhaps the most dangerous. With various fluids being used, such as oils and water, along with electrical appliances, heat sources, and more, it doesn’t take much for a simple mistake to lead to a potentially devastating blaze suddenly bursting to life. When it comes to kitchen safety, knowledge and care can go a long way, as can preparation should a fire ever start. Check out these valuable tips for learning how to avoid electrical fires in the kitchen and how to deal with one that starts.

The kitchen frequently uses water, oils, greases, and other substances alongside electricity in numerous situations. Your appliances all likely run on electricity, including your refrigerator, garbage disposal, dishwasher, and possibly even your stove and oven. While most of these devices are designed to keep all potentially-sensitive electronics away from any possibly damaging fluids, you likely still have exposed electrical plugs, extension cords, and more running along your countertops.

It doesn’t take much for a kitchen fire to start. Perhaps the most common type is a grease fire. If you ever work with hot oil on the stovetop, you’re probably well aware of how dangerous this substance is. In addition to having an extremely high burn risk, a single spark could cause a grease or oil source to quickly ignite, becoming a massive and difficult to deal with ordeal. This means you should be extremely cautious when using electricity to cook. Regularly inspect your plugs and cords for any signs of wear or fraying, and you should immediately stop using a device if you find any exposed copper at all—the risk of a potential fire far outweighs the cost of replacing a broken appliance.

Your microwave is a particularly interesting appliance in that it reacts violently with any metal placed inside it. If you’re not paying attention, it’s not difficult to accidentally stick something that isn’t microwave-safe in there, and usually by the time you figure it out it’s already too late.

If a fire does erupt in your microwave, opening the door should NEVER be the first thing you do. Fires need oxygen to breathe, and opening the door allows the oxygen to get in quickly, allowing the fire to grow and spread, and your problem will only get worse. Instead, the first thing you should do is unplug the device if possible and allow the fire to suffocate itself and go out before opening the door. Before you do, be prepared to dial 911.

Putting out a fire in your kitchen is rarely as easy as throwing water on it. In fact, in most cases water actually makes the problem worse. If you have an electrical fire, throwing water on it will probably only encourage more sparking and increase the chances of injury by electrocution. If you have a grease fire, throwing water on it will only cause the grease to splatter and continue to burn, potentially spreading the fire further (after all, water and oil don’t mix).

If you have a grease fire in your kitchen, the best way to put it out is to smother it and deprive it of oxygen. If the fire is contained in a pan, the best way to smother it is to use a metal lid to cover the pan and cut off the oxygen supply. If you don’t have a metal lid, a large baking sheet will do the job. Just make sure you use oven mitts or some other form of hand protection when you finally remove it. If the fire spreads outside the pan, cover it with salt or baking soda to quickly and effectively put the fire out. These substances are made from non-flammable material, and will quickly cover and suffocate the fire from oxygen if applied properly. Electrical fires can generally be fought the same way, but you should always move to unplug the device first if possible. You don’t want to keep sending electricity through a short any longer than you have to.

Finally, every kitchen should have a fire extinguisher in it. If you don’t, pick up a small Class B or Class ABC unit from your local hardware store (they’re not very expensive). These devices are approved to fight grease and kitchen fires because the retardant they use is dry, thus meaning you won’t have to worry about splattering that you would otherwise face with a different type.

As a California homeowner, you know that this is not the best time to put your house on the market, which may be why so many people are opting to upgrade their existing homes instead of seeking a replacement. One of the improvements you should consider is an electrical make over.

Electrical wiring can suffer wear and tear, and older homes were simply not built to meet today’s electrical needs, but these deficiencies can be overcome by hiring an experienced electrician. Santa Monica, CA building codes have changed over the years as well, and companies like The Electric Connection that specialize in rewiring older homes can bring your house into compliance with the latest regulations.

If your home was built during the 1960s and 1970s, you may be living in a fire trap. During that time approximately 2 million homes were built or remodeled using aluminum wiring before it was discovered that this type of wiring poses a significant fire hazard. The problem occurs at the electrical connection points where the wiring is spliced to connect to a switch, outlet or circuit breaker. Aluminum expands and shrinks in response to temperature changes, a process which can cause breaks and frays over time. The US Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC) has expressed grave concern over this issue stating that homes with aluminum wiring are up to 50 times more likely to have a fire than homes with copper wiring.

How will you know if you need to have all of the electrical wiring in your house replaced? Fortunately, you may not necessary need a complete rewire in your home or business. A licensed electrician in Santa Monica can evaluate this for you, and tell you to what extent you’ll need to go in order to make your home safe. The Electric Connection, which specializes in house rewires explains that depending on the situation, there might be a fairly inexpensive solution. For example, you may simply need to replace the connection points in your home or business with copper electrical connectors. Not every Santa Monica electrician is trained in this type of retrofit, so you when you’re searching for electrician Santa Monica, it’s important to find a highly trained and fully licensed electrician to perform aluminum-to-copper retrofits.

Older homes, those built prior to 1950, may have a different electrical safety issue. During this time many homes used cloth insulated wiring, something which can appear similar to the insulated wiring used today. The danger builds over time; as the cloth ages it dries and can begin to flake off. Once portions of the wire are exposed, they pose a serious shock and fire danger.

Another challenge presented in older homes or buildings with cloth insulated wiring is that this wiring was frequently not grounded. At the time there were a limited number of electrical appliances and no home computers, so grounding was not considered a serious issue. Today all new homes are grounded so that excess electrical charges caused by electric surges are routed out of the house and into the ground, protecting electronic devices, computers and appliances. An electrician from Santa Monica can replace cloth insulated wiring with a grounded system, making your home and belongings safe from electrical fire and damage caused by power surges.

Another problem with older homes is the lack of three-prong outlets, something that is necessary for most modern appliances. Many homeowners mistakenly think they can simply purchase the three-prong version at the hardware store and swap out their existing two-prong outlets, but doing so can create additional fire risks. Properly swapping out these outlets requires some rewiring so that the three-prong version is grounded. Your Santa Monica electrician can do these quickly and inexpensively for you, and can make certain that any existing three-prong versions have been installed properly.

So how do you determine what type of electrical wiring is in your Santa Monica CA home? The first step is to check the build date. If your home was built before 1950, you can call the Electric Connection for a free electrical estimate by a licensed Santa Monica Electrician. They will be able to quickly evaluate any electrical safety issues that you might have in your home or business electrical system.