Emergency Services

  Damaged, outdated and poorly installed electrical wiring is a serious problem that should be rectified as soon as possible. Every year, there are at least a thousand cases of house fires caused by faulty wiring. Unfortunately, in such cases, homeowners often face expensive repairs and hospital bills. If you know the signs of an electrical problem, you may be able to prevent a dangerous situation. If you recognise faulty wiring early enough, you can avoid the risk of devastating fires and make your home a safer and better place. You'll also save yourself the inconvenience caused by the erratic performance of electrical appliances. Even if you are able to fix some of these symptoms of faulty wiring yourself, it is always advisable to rely on the knowledge and experience of a professional to help you solve your electrical problems.  Look out for chewed or frayed cables: It is common for pets or rodents to interfere with wiring. If you discover frayed or chewed cables in your h...

  Like any other electrical device, a circuit breaker can become faulty . The reason for a circuit breaker failure can be anything from a short circuit to an overloaded circuit. Circuit breakers play an important role in every home. Installing circuit breakers in a circuit gives you peace of mind. They can protect your household appliances in the event of surges. As the name suggests, a circuit breaker is used to control the circuit. For this reason, you should be able to determine whether your circuit breaker is faulty or not. There are a few things you can do to detect problems with the circuit breaker. However, hiring a professional electrician can help fix the problem faster. Below are some steps you can take to determine if your circuit breaker is faulty. Identify the circuit A circuit breaker protects a specific circuit. You may have multiple breakers installed for multiple circuits. If you have a problem with a breaker, determine which circuit it is protecting. To identify t...

  Unsafe and faulty electrical connections are not only a fire hazard, but can also lead to life-threatening injuries. Therefore, it's important to keep an eye on the condition and age of your electrical system to spot potential problems before they become dangerous. We've listed some signs that it may be time to rewire your home. 1- Lights can flicker Lighting circuits are often the first signs that rewiring is important , as they are lower wattage compared to plug circuits. Flickering lights can sometimes be a sign that something is wrong. The light may dim or flicker if the bulb is not fitted correctly or needs replacing. In rare cases, however, it can also be a more serious problem caused by faulty wiring - especially if the lights are flashing throughout the house. 2- Electrical shocks Electric shocks are always a bad sign. If you feel uncomfortable plugging into a socket, there may be a problem that requires the attention of a professional circuit repair service, such as...

  With so many people interested in DIY, it's no wonder that the number of DIY enthusiasts is on the rise. One way to learn DIY is to follow online guides and tutorials to make quick repairs around the house. But with all these newbies jumping into this world where mistakes can cost them their home or even their health, there needs to be a guide on what not to do when planning your first repair job. Most homeowners know that they will need an electrician at some point - but sometimes things just happen too quickly for our best efforts! Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately?) we often make basic mistakes, such as disconnecting one breaker before switching off another, which can have potentially fatal consequences. Wrong wires - extremely thick wires   When it comes to electrical faults, the most common mistake is not connecting the wires correctly. What are some examples of this? Perhaps unprotected and uncovered wires have been connected incorrectly, or you have connected an ...

 Rewiring a kitchen is one of the most challenging aspects of a home remodelling project. There are a number of factors to consider when planning the electrical rewiring of your kitchen. The most important thing is to create a plan for the electrical rewiring of your kitchen, as this can save both time and money. Take into account both stationary appliances and those that you will be moving from one place to another. Rewiring the kitchen is a great way to rearrange your appliances, lighting and sockets. It's a great way to change the look and feel of your kitchen. When it comes to wiring, the kitchen is one of the most important areas, but also one of the most difficult. You need to work with a licensed electrician to get the job done. We've outlined some of the licensed electrician tips to help you go with kitchen electrical rewiring. Tip #1 - Create a plan for rewiring Creating a plan is the first step to getting started with electrical rewiring. In this plan, you should con...

  Introduction Most of us tend to overlook electrical problems until they grow into a bigger problem. While this may be okay in certain cases, electrical problems should be fixed immediately to avoid serious accidents. Dealing with electrical wiring and fittings is dangerous, and you should not do it alone if you are unable to fix it. The time when you need an electrician/electrical engineer When you see flashes from your electrical outlet If your outlet sparks when you use it, you should call in an electrician immediately. The appliance plugged into the socket may be fine, but the panel itself may be faulty. This can lead to electric shocks, short circuits or even a fire. To avoid these disasters, you should seek expert help. If you are organising a meeting If you're hosting a large gathering at home, hire an electrician to perform a standard check of all wiring, sockets and fittings. This will help you avoid the indignity of a power cut in the middle of the party and ensure the...

  Are you l ooking for a professional, qualified electrician ? When hiring an electrician, there are some important qualities you should look for. In addition to qualifications and skills, these qualities go beyond the technical abilities of the electrician. The qualities you should look for are known as soft skills. These skills enable any worker to interact effectively with others. Therefore, paying attention to some important qualities can help you hire a professional electrician. Here are some of the qualities or traits you should consider: Quality  #1 - Excellent communication skills Many people hire electricians for their technical skills. However, you should look for excellent communication skills. Remember that you will be interacting with the electrician through various channels. Therefore, make sure that the electrician has good communication skills. He should work closely with you and respond in a timely manner. In addition, the electrician must be able to respond t...

 Imagine coming home after a long journey and realising that your plug socket isn't working - no matter how hard you try. This can be overwhelming and annoying at the same time, especially if the outlet controls your air conditioner or fan. Your first thought is probably to call an electrician or a professional for electrical services or electrical repairs to fix the problem. However, before you decide to call an electrician, you should do a little research on your outlet and why it has stopped working. What is a power socket? An electrical outlet, also known as a wall socket or electrical plug , is installed in the wall by an electrician or electrical service team to plug in your electrical appliances. Sockets can vary in size, shape and voltage capacity depending on what you want to plug into the socket. Reasons why your socket doesn't seem to be working Dealing with a problematic socket can be a nuisance. That's why we've listed below various reasons why it may not ...

  Nowadays, electricity is a basic necessity for every household, but it can also cause problems, especially if you don't follow standards and guidelines. Have you ever noticed the lights dimming frequently or a buzzing sound coming from a socket? If so, then your circuit is overloaded . This happens when there is too much current flowing through your home's electrical wiring. When the current exceeds the capacity of the wiring, the likelihood of a mishap increases. Signs that the circuit is overloaded Imagine it's a cold night, and you're sleeping with all your tech devices plugged in. To combat the cold, you suddenly plug your heater into the socket. This puts more strain on your electrical system, which may be signalling before things get out of hand.  Frequent tripping of circuit breakers The circuit breaker will trip if you draw too much current from the circuit to prevent potential damage. So if you are already using full capacity and plug in the heater, the circ...

  The electrical outlets in your home are called outlet boxes and are attached to a wall stud. The screws on the outlet boxes loosen over time. Are you trying to plug a power cable into the plug, but it feels like the whole thing is falling out? Then you're probably dealing with a loose socket box. Someone who knows a thing or two about DIY would love the opportunity to try and fix the problem. However, a loose electrical box is not just a matter of tightening the screws; the box needs to be replaced or the holes in the wall re-cut. Why is it important to repair a loose socket? Loose electrical outlets cause the power cables to be susceptible to damage because the wires can rub against something in the drywall. This leads to heat build-up, which can cause problems in the wiring and put your dream home at risk of an electrical fire. Watch out for warning signs Below are some warning signs that you should definitely not ignore: The socket box comes loose from the wall when you try t...

  Switch off affected lights and appliances The last thing you need is not only for your circuit breaker to trip , but also for the fuse in your living room TV or other important appliances to blow. Not only will you have no power, but you'll also have a very unhappy household. To avoid this problem, switch off all major electronic appliances before you attend to the circuit breaker. If there is no off switch, unplug the appliance to disconnect the power source before proceeding. Find your circuit breaker box Don't know where to find your circuit breaker box? Circuit breakers are usually located in a grey metal box located in a utility area, such as the basement, laundry room or storage room. If the breaker box is located in a finished room, it may not be immediately visible. Check if there are wall cabinets in the room where the box could be located. If you can't find your main breaker box and you own an older home, you may have a fuse box instead. Fuse boxes are similar ...

  Have you ever been pouring your morning coffee when suddenly the power went out and then came back on, only to find that you had misjudged the distance between the spout and the cup in the dark? Have you ever thought about what might happen if something worse than a spilled coffee happens, such as your appliances and equipment being permanently damaged? While you can't prevent a power surge from ever happening again, there are some steps you can take to prevent short- and long-term damage to your home and electronics. Unplug the power cord during a thunderstorm Electronic devices are not only very expensive, but they also contain a lot of personal and important information. The best way to protect your most sensitive devices during a thunderstorm is to simply unplug them. No matter how advanced your technology is, lightning voltage is always higher than what your devices can withstand. So if you know a thunderstorm is coming, you can ensure the safety of your important electroni...

  How does an electrical short circuit work? What happens during a short circuit may seem like a mystery, because electric circuits are complicated systems. Simply put, electricity flows through the circuit to power devices such as lamps, household appliances and phone chargers. However, when a "hot wire" touches a neutral or earth conductor in a socket or appliance, a so-called "short circuit" occurs. When a short circuit occurs, excess current flows through the circuit for a short time until the fuse blows or the circuit breaker turns off the circuit. The excessive current flow can lead to such serious consequences as damaged appliances or even a house fire, which can cause devastating damage. What causes an electrical short circuit? An electrical short circuit occurs when the hot wire comes into contact with the neutral wire (the wire that makes the return path to the control panel) or the earth wire (the green or bare wire that also returns current to the contr...

 Dryers require a special dryer socket to function properly. This outlet is designed to provide both 240 volt and 110 volt power to the dryer. The dryer needs the 240 volt supply to heat up, while the 110 volt supply is used to control the timers in the dryer. Over time, sockets can become damaged or simply stop working, for a variety of reasons. There is no point in trying to repair these sockets as they are very cheap to replace for safety reasons . Switch off the power Before you start working on your home's electrics, make sure you switch off the power. If the power is left on, this work can be very dangerous. Either turn off the circuit breaker for that circuit or, if you are not sure which circuit breaker to remove, turn off all the power in your home. Remove the old socket The old socket must now be removed from the wall by unscrewing the two screws that hold the faceplate. Once these screws are removed, it should be possible to pull the socket out of the electrical box. Be ...

  Knob and tube wiring Knob-and-tube wiring was an innovative way of wiring houses in the pre-1930s. Essentially, wires are run through the rafters, usually along the centre beam, and held in place by porcelain knobs. When wires needed to be connected to knobs and pipes, they were soldered together to make a permanent connection. The porcelain knobs are usually placed at a distance of 15 cm from the joint to avoid stressing the wires. The only insulation that protects the wire is the insulation of the wire itself. There is no plastic sheathing surrounding the wires, as is the case in modern applications. One of the main reasons for using knobs and tubes is that the neutral wire is normally the wire that is turned off and on in a switch. This means that although voltage still flows through the wires, the circuit is not complete. I call button tube "innovative" because the wires actually pass through open spaces and are not stapled to plates. The free-space aspect results in ...

  Switch off the fixtures The first thing you need to do is switch off all lighting fixtures and unplug any appliances that may have caused the problem. Then equip yourself with a torch to make sure you have enough light when working on the circuit breaker. Locate the electrical panel Locate the electrical panel, which should be where the electricity comes into your house (e.g. in the entrance, garage or basement). The panel has either a lock with a key or a plastic latch that needs to be opened. If you examine the circuit breaker , you will notice that the switches have three positions: ON (in the centre of the panel), OFF (at the edge of the panel) and a middle position. If the breaker is in the middle position, it has tripped and needs to be reset. Press the switch Slide the switch to the OFF position and then back to the ON position, towards the centre of the control panel. You will hear a click. If the switch remains in this position, you have successfully reset the circuit br...

  Many DIY and remodelling projects require either new wiring or the replacement of old , worn-out or burnt-out connections. For extensive work, it is obviously best to hire an electrician, but some projects can be done by the average DIYer.  Wiring basics When working with wiring, always disconnect the power at the breaker box first before starting any actual work. Then check the surrounding area with a neon tester to make sure the power is off and you can proceed safely. Most wiring in a house is either 12-core or 14-core. When connecting existing wiring to an appliance or device, you usually follow the colour code by connecting each colour of wire to its corresponding twin. For example, light switches are operated with the black cable and connected directly to another black cable already in the system. Connecting to the socket As a rule, the wiring to be installed is connected to the last socket of the current cable run. You can determine this by looking for the socket whos...

  As rapidly as the construction of houses and flats is evolving, a large percentage of homes still consist of old houses. Over the last century, the way electrical wiring is built and installed in homes has changed drastically. One of the dangers associated with owning an old home is that fires are more likely to occur due to electrical accidents caused by outdated electrical wiring. Below are some signs that your home's wiring is a fire hazard. Wiring with knobs and tubes This type of wiring uses white ceramic knobs to hold the wires in place and ceramic tubes to protect the wires. There are a number of problems that make this type of wiring particularly dangerous in your home. These include a lack of earth wires, the use of rubber that degrades over time, and the need to avoid contact with insulation. Most insurance companies do not insure homes using this type of wiring at all because of the high risk of fire. Companies that do charge very high premiums for it. Aluminium wiring...

 It is helpful to know how to wire a light fixture that is controlled by two switches instead of one. It's a little more complicated than simply wiring one switch at the end or in the middle of a circuit, mainly because there are more wires and connections involved. If at any time during the process you feel unsafe or fear that you are doing something wrong, you should stop and call an electrician . Laying cables Make sure the plastic control boxes and light box are all properly attached to the studs or joists and that the Romex cable is routed through them. A cable from the main power source should be run up inside the light box. There should be a 2-wire cable - a black, white and bare cable - between the light box and the first control box. For the distance between the first and the second control box, run 3-core Romex. This cable consists of three wires and a ground: red, black, white and bare. Each cable should protrude at least 15 cm from the box, so you have enough space to ...

 An interruption in the flow of electricity is called a surge. It occurs when the voltage fluctuates to varying degrees. These voltage spikes only last a few seconds, but within those seconds they can burn your electrical wiring, destroy electrical appliances and cause multiple short circuits in your home. Types of surges Internal surges are common in the home. Remember the time when a hairdryer was plugged into the house too much and there was a complete power cut for hours. Power surges can be caused in the home when motor-driven appliances divert power from other appliances. Refrigerators and air conditioners are usually the culprits, but don't underestimate the power of hair dryers or microwaves. External surges, on the other hand, are caused by lightning strikes to transistors, branches entering main power lines and other external forces. An interruption in the flow of electricity (when energy flows in and out of the system) can severely damage equipment and power lines. Pow...