Electrical Safety Tips For Your Home This Christmas

As we welcome the time of year when the Christmas lights go up, the decorations come out, and a tinsel-covered tree becomes your home’s focal point, electrical safety is more of a priority. 

There’s plenty you can do to ensure everyone has a happy and safe Christmas at your house, including following our top five tips for electrical safety these holidays:

1. Check decorations before use

Ensure you check for damaged power plugs, loose connections and bare wires – anything that looks questionable on both old and new decorations. Although decorations may have been stored away safely or brand new, there is still opportunity for damage. If replacing bulbs in an existing set of Christmas lights, ensure your replacements are the correct wattage and all decorations are kept at least one metre away from any heat sources when turned on.

2. Keep an emergency electrician’s phone number handy

Make sure you can get hold of a licensed electrician when you need one. If someone is looking after your home while you’re away on holidays, they should have that number. We operate 24/7 to ensure we are here when you need us. It is also important to keep directions to your safety switch and instructions on how to identify and operate this should they need to.

3. Check your lights meet the Australian Safety Standards

Beware of buying Christmas lights and other electrical decorations in online markets or garage sales – you often don’t know what you’re getting. Some pretty dodgy products or decorations with different voltage allowances that can damage your electricals can make their way into Australia, so be alert for them.

TIP: Look for an Australian product approval number or the regulatory compliance mark on any lights you buy.

4. Turn off lights when they are not being used

Turning off your lights when they are not being used is especially important before you go to bed for the night. This is to avoid the dangers that come with overheating lights as Christmas tree lights should never be left on overnight. A good way to avoid forgetting is to buy a timer or lights that you can set on a timer, to automatically switch off at a certain time.

5. Avoid overloading your circuit

Specifically, when extension cords are used, ensure you are not overloading your circuit by maximising what your circuit is designed to handle. To avoid this, learn the typical wattages of your appliances, how many are in use on the same circuit, and think about how long the device will be used for.

Once you know how much power your appliances use, for how long, and how many simultaneously on the same circuit, you should refer to your circuit breaker to find out how many amps or watts it can safely load before it short-circuits.

If you would like to learn more about electrical safety in your home this Christmas, get in touch with the Ehlerth Electrical team on 1800 940 413 or make an enquiry here. We service clients across South East Queensland.

5 Simple Things You Can Do Now To Prepare For A Storm

Preparing for storm season is vital to protect your home. Here are five simple things you can do now to prepare for a storm and help reduce damage to your property this coming storm season.

1. Secure or store away outside items that could blow around in strong winds

Even large items such as outdoor furniture, trampolines, roofs and cars can be lifted or damaged in strong winds. Aim to tidy items in your backyard so you are aware of the location of potential hazards if strong winds or a severe storm is forecast. We encourage storing all loose items around your property, indoors or keep them tied down. 

You may like to include this information in your plan (refer to point five). Storms can affect your home even if you’re on holiday, so if you are planning to go away, consider securing these items.

2.Clean out gutters, downpipes and drains regularly

 Keeping your gutters and downpipes clear is important as blockages can cause water to overflow under the eaves and into the roof cavity. Focus on clearing the leaves from the valleys of your roof, as these will make their way into the gutters in heavy rain. 

Keep the drains around your property clear to help surface water move away and prevent water from pooling and entering your property. This included moving any pot plants or furniture that may be covering the drains.

3.Trim trees and branches that could potentially fall on your roof or car during a storm

Your safety is important so we recommend contacting a qualified (and insured) arborist or tree surgeon for advice if necessary. Have a qualified arborist inspect trees every 2-3yrs to identify any preventative action necessary. Root damage is a major cause of tree failure so take care when digging or excavating around trees. Remember to park your car away from trees if strong winds and severe storms are predicted.

We recommend checking with your local council about any guidelines or required consent applications.

4. Fix any roof damage

We recommend checking your roof* for major damage once a year or after major weather events such as storms or hail. If this hasn't been done, now is a perfect time. If needed, fix any cracked, broken, displaced or damaged sheeting or tiles. Dirt buildup should be removed as it can block the drainage channels on the underside of tiles. 

Check inside your roof space. Light shining through may indicate that your roof or sarking (waterproof insulation membrane) is damaged.

5. Make a Home Emergency Plan for your family that outlines what you would do in an emergency

Consider where you’ll go and how you’ll get in contact with each other along with any special circumstances or considerations for your household. Remember that storms and other emergencies can happen at any time of day so think about where members of your household may be (school, work, commuting), how you’ll get in touch with them and where you can meet up. Try to identify how you will manage in these circumstances and who you may be able to get additional support from. Make sure that everyone knows what the plan is.

If you would like to learn more about electrical safety in your home, get in touch with the Ehlerth Electrical team on 1800 940 413 or make an enquiry here. We service clients from South East Queensland.

*Please note, working on a roof is dangerous so we recommend you contact an expert tradesperson to conduct these damage checks.

Our Top 4 Electrical Safety Tips for Your Office

We have been visiting a few offices lately to refit lights, service air-conditioners and conduct general electrical maintenance checks. As we come into Spring and transition back into the office, after a long stint of working from home, we are recommending all our commercial clients to book in an electrical check-up. 

In the meantime, to help you stay vigilant, here are our top four electrical safety tips for your office.

Remember water and electricity don’t mix

Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. You can become electricity’s path to the ground if you are touching water that touches electricity - travelling through the water, you, and hitting the ground. It’s important to keep all electrical appliances away from water, this includes glasses of water sitting on your desk!

Avoid overloading your outlets

An overload occurs when you have too many appliances running on the one circuit. More specifically, it is when the electrical demand on the circuit is more than it is designed to provide. In your office, this may only occur when you have multiple staff members plugging in multiple appliances if there are not enough outlets in the desired spaces. You may be tempted to use power strips, extension cords or multi-tap outlets. Your offices will be wired to handle the number of appliances on the outlet, therefore you must avoid using more than this.

Use power cords safely

When plugging or unplugging your appliances to the outlet, you must do this safely to avoid any electrical harm. For common office appliances such as printers and desktop computers, we recommend you to take the following precautions when handling the power cord:

• Turn the device off

• Switch the appliance off at the outlet

• With dry hands, gently remove the plug from the wall.

Ensure electrical appliances are installed correctly

According to WorkSafe Queensland, the testing and tagging of electrical equipment must be conducted in the workplace to ensure the integrity of the electrical equipment. Specified electrical equipment and safety switches need to be tested at intervals according to the type of work they are used for. 

For manufacturing, service, office, amusement and rural industry work, information is in the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013. Or visit the Work Safe Queensland code of practice on Managing Electrical Risks In The Workplace, here.

If you would like to learn more about electrical safety in the workplace or book in a test and tag, get in touch with the Ehlerth Electrical team on 1800 940 413 or make an enquiry here. We service clients from South East Queensland.

What Is ISO Certified? And What Does It Mean For Ehlerth Electrical?

Organisations such as ISO (International Organization for Standardization) exist to keep a level playing field across the world. Ehlerth Electrical received their certifications for Quality ISO 9001, Environment ISO 14001 and Health & Safety AS/NZS 4801 and we are incredibly proud of our achievements in becoming recognised in our industry. Below we take you through what ISO is and what it means for us moving forward.

What is ISO Certification?

An ISO certification certifies that a management system, manufacturing process, service, or documentation procedure has all the requirements for standardisation and quality assurance. ISO is an independent, non-governmental, international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems.

ISO certifications exist in many areas of industry, from energy management and social responsibility to medical devices. Bottom line, ISO standards are in place to ensure consistency and quality. 

Each certification has separate standards and criteria and is classified numerically.

ISO 9001 Defined.

The certification ISO 9001 includes two components: ISO and 9001. Here's what each component represents:

ISO

As mentioned above, ISO refers to the International Organization for Standardization. This organization develops the standards, and it does to certify businesses or organizations. Certification is handled third-party and tested annually. 

9001

The number appearing after ISO classifies the standard. All standards within the ISO 9000 family refer to quality management. ISO 9001 is among ISO's best-known standards, and it defines the criteria for meeting several quality management principles. It helps businesses and organizations be more efficient and improve customer satisfaction.

What Do Our New Certifications Mean?

ISO 9001 

This requires us to define and follow a quality management system that is both appropriate and effective while also requiring us to identify areas for improvement and take action toward those improvements.

With this certification, we can now show that we have products and services that meet quality standards. 

ISO 14001 

This is the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system (EMS). It provides a framework that we can follow, rather than establishing environmental performance requirements.

Part of the ISO 14000 family of standards on environmental management, ISO 14001 is a voluntary standard that we can certify to. Integrating it with or management systems standards, ISO 9001, further assists in accomplishing organisational goals.

AS/NZS 4801 

This is the Australian and New Zealand standard for safety management. This standard is the benchmark in assessing Occupational Health and Safety across management systems.

We are excited to wear our certification ticks with pride to communicate with our clients and industry professionals that we comply and maintain high, industry recognised procedures and standards.

If you would like to learn more about ISO or see their updated standards, visit the ISO website. 

For further assistance with all of your commercial electrical needs, get in touch with the Ehlerth Electrical team on 1800 940 413 or make an enquiry here. We service clients from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

5 Electrical Details You Should Know When Building A New Home

The designing and planning stages of building a new home can be both exciting and overwhelming. During these phases, it's important to understand some simple electrical components to ensure you aren't overlooking essential requirements that will help your household in the long run.

We all rely heavily on electricity so it pays to know how you can assist in the safety, functionality and organisation of the home. Here are five electrical details you should know when building a new home.

1. Wiring Systems: What One Will You Need?

A home's electrical system is composed of the electrical service, lighting outlets and a range of hardwired appliances. This is important to know when planning and making decisions regarding the electrics because your electrical service needs to be a sufficient size to match the needs of the people living in your house. Typically, 80 amps are adequate for a standard-sized house and household.

2. Plan For Convenience

To plan the electrical coordination of each room and where the features will be situated, first determine the position of the electrical outlets and wiring for your devices. We recommend getting the house plans and mapping out where the furniture and electrical devices are likely to be placed.

Outlet placement is a chance to get creative and optimise the home. During your initial consultation with your electrician, expressing your ideas from the get-go assists in creating a solution that best facilitates your ideal home.

3. Switch It Up

After planning your outlet placement, now you can get very creative with light switches and outlets without breaking the budget. Consider upgrading your lighting to LED lighting. This may incur an upfront cost, but it will save you hundreds in the future. For every $1 spent on electricity, you get 55 hours of incandescent lighting or 550 hours of LED lighting. 

For your outlets, you can install USB charging ports into the wall to charge devices that power via USB, such as most phones. Consider placing these in the areas of the home you are known to use these devices more, such as the kitchen when cooking, the office, or perhaps the bedroom.  

4. Consider Energy Efficiency

There is no better time to consider installing solar than at the planning stage of a new build. As the install is done during the build, it’s convenient for both yourself and the electrician as it saves both time and money. This also allows for you to plan the inverter placement. We recommend installing the inverter closer to the switchboard to prevent voltage rise in the local grid.

5. Plan For Future Maintenance.

Despite all planning, there is a chance you will need to make changes in the future. We recommend documenting or taking pictures of the wiring and switches in each wall and room before the plasterboards go on. This will be useful if any renovations take place in the future as they can help the electrician or trades-person to avoid damages to the wires.

For further assistance with all of your commercial electrical needs, get in touch with the Ehlerth Electrical team via 1800 940 413 or make an enquiry here. We service clients from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

SAFETY SWITCHES: Your Questions Answered

Safety switches are the household or workplace safeguard against electric shock. They shut off the electricity supply when current leakage is detected. In the event of an electrical emergency, safety switches avoid serious injury from electric shock and possible electrical burns by stopping the current flowing through the person. Not to get confused with circuit breakers, safety switches will only protect the circuit it is connected to, therefore it is important to have multiple safety switches installed within your home or office as there likely would be multiple electrical circuits running. 

We answer your commonly asked questions about safety switches below to help you identify if you are at risk.

1. Are safety switches and circuit breakers the same thing?

While both safety switches and circuit breakers appear to do similar jobs, they have different objectives. Circuit breakers quickly cut power when there is a high current fault or overload that may generate a hazard, whereas safety switches shut off the electricity supply when it detects a leakage to earth. Circuit breakers are installed to protect the circuit wiring on the premise, while safety switches protect the people. This is extremely important to prevent injury and save lives.

2. Can I install my own safety switch?

Doing any electrical work yourself is dangerous and illegal. The installation of safety switches must be done by a qualified electrician to prevent safety hazards. If you have any concerns around the installation of a safety switch, you can check the Queensland Government’s Electrical Licence Search (ELIS), here.

3. How do I identify if I have a safety switch?

It is beneficial to know if your home or office has safety switches installed to protect yourself and others. To do this, all safety switches have a ‘T’ or ‘Test’ button on the front face. This is the distinguishing feature of a safety switch in comparison to a circuit breaker. If you cannot identify a ‘T’ or ‘Test’ button on your switchboard, they are probably circuit breakers. We suggest asking your electrician to help identify them during your next electrical service.   

4. I can identify one safety switch, do I need more?

Yes! Consider having safety switches installed on all circuits in your home or office. This may include power points, lights, air conditioning, oven, hot water and pool equipment circuits. If you are unsure, during your next essential electrical maintenance check, ask if the premise is properly protected and has safety switches installed on all circuits within the home or workplace.

4. Can I test a safety switch?

Remember the ‘T’ or ‘test’ button on the front face of the safety switch? This is what is used to test the liability of the switch. Safety switches are not failsafe and you should conduct a functionality test every 3 months to ensure the mechanism continues to operate freely and is not clogged with dirt or other foreign matter.

The below functionality testing guidelines are supplied from the Queensland Government: 

1. Simply push the button marked 'T' or 'test'. If the safety switch flicks off and cuts the power to the intended circuits, it is working correctly.

1. Check inside your home to see which lights or appliances have been turned off. The circuits turned off by the safety switch test mean they are protected by it. If it doesn't turn off the power, contact your licensed electrician to check it immediately.

2. After testing, turn the safety switch back on. For circuits with a refrigerator or air conditioner, wait at two to three minutes before resetting to avoid possible appliance damage.

For further assistance with all of your commercial electrical needs, get in touch with the Ehlerth Electrical team via 1800 940 413 or make an enquiry here. We service clients from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

4 Signs Your Air-Conditioner Might Be Due For A Professional Clean

Cleaning the air-conditioner is important for maintaining good air quality in the office or home. Filters inside air-conditioners are designed to catch dust and sometimes other pollutants such as pollen and bacteria. If not cleaned regularly, they can clog up and collect moisture and even mould. This can be detrimental to both the occupants of the office or household and the efficiency of the unit. Generally, a professional service involves the removal and cleaning of the filters and a maintenance check or repair on the internal systems. All units are different and require a different method of cleaning, which is why it is important to book in a professional.

As some workplaces across Australia are preparing for a return to work and workplace health is our top priority, there is no better time to check up on the air-conditioner. If you notice any of the following 5 signs, then your unit is most likely due for a professional clean.

1. It’s been a long time coming

Rule-of-thumb is that every 12 months the unit should have a professional clean. This generally occurs after the warmer months when the unit has been frequently used. If it has been longer than the recommended time there is a possibility the unit has clogged filters. This doesn’t only impact the air quality, it also puts more strain on the air-conditioner. If this is the case for your workplace or home and to prevent this from happening in the future, it’s time to organise a routine cleaning schedule.

2. Dust, dust & more dust

Dust develops as a build-up of things like dust mites, pollen and bacteria. If dust is left within the filters of the air-conditioner, it may be more hazardous for your health than you might expect. As there is commonly a lot of moisture around a unit, this can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria or potentially mould. If these particles are circulating around the office it may lead to minor health issues, especially for those with allergies. Be sure to check the Queensland Government’s factsheet on any potential health risks related to dust. A visual check for dust levels around the unit will help decide if you need to book in a clean sooner than the 12-month routine-check.

3. Health concerns

If staff or household members have had the following complaints associated with poor air quality from circulating contaminated air, then it is time for a thorough clean. Below is a list of common symptoms according to the Queensland Government.

1. Asthma attacks and allergies such as hayfever

2. Sore, dry eyes

3. Flu-like symptoms or frequent colds

4. Respiratory problems

5. Headaches

4. Efficiency is at an all-time low

A build-up of dust can lead to bad airflow, poor performance and reduced efficiency. You can monitor this if you notice a higher energy bill in comparison to previous quarters with similar system use or if you notice a performance decrease. When the filters inside your air-conditioner are due for a clean, the system has to work harder and it draws more power to push the air through the filters. A professional deep clean will make sure that there are no nasty particles or mould in your air-conditioning unit and also improve the energy efficiency of your system!

For further assistance with all of your commercial electrical needs, get in touch with the Ehlerth Electrical team via 1800 940 413 or make an enquiry here. We service clients from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

Ways to Reduce Your Energy Usage When Working From Home

With more people working from home to help slow the spread of Coronavirus, thousands of Australians will see an increase in their energy usage. This increase will be caused by using home appliances more often than we would if we were to leave the house for work. According to Energy Networks Australia, if you are spending 8 hours a day in a home office and have an average of two people working, your electricity bill is likely to double. With this significant change on the horizon, it’s important to understand the small, simple measures you can take to help keep costs down. 

Whether you are just starting out or have been working at home for a while now, these small measures could see huge savings. Below we have outlined our five ways to help reduce energy usage when working from home.

1. Turn energy-draining appliances off at the wall

To better help reduce energy consumption let’s look at the appliances said to consume the most energy with increased use. According to Energy Australia, the energy used by appliances that are plugged into an ‘on’ power outlet and not in use, can cost up to an extra $100 each year. In the home office, these appliances include desktops, lamps, printers and scanners. When you have finished using these appliances, at the end of the day be sure to shut them down and switch them off at the wall. For your ceiling lighting, air conditioners and heaters, turn off when you are not occupying the room.

2. Utilise home automation

We understand that some households have increase traffic during this time and these energy-saving tasks can be difficult to achieve. To combat this, we suggest utilising smart home devices. Setting up your home automation device to turn the lights off at a certain time each day will ensure you are saving energy where possible- without having to physically do it yourself. If home automation isn’t accessible to your household, a sticky note near the exit door reminding you to switch off the light works great too.

3. Make a switch

Identifying the cost of energy-draining appliances can help when making the switch to more energy-efficient options within the home. For every $1 spent on energy, you will get 2 hours of heating or cooling using a split-cycle air conditioner or 20 hours using a portable fan or ceiling fan. It will also get you 55 hours of incandescent lighting or 550 hours of LED lighting. Considering we can spend up to 8 hours a day in the home office, using the ceiling fan over the air conditioner, where possible, will lead to potentially huge savings.

4. Adjust the temperature

Once you have identified how much your split-cycle air conditioner is costing, consider making slight adjustments to the way you use it. As we prepare for the cooler days coming into Winter, your energy bill will skyrocket if you have the heater on for the entire day. To avoid this, start by reducing the heat loss in your home by closing the doors. In the southern states, we understand it can get quite cold so if you need to use the heater we recommend adjusting the temperature. For example, adjusting the temperature from 18℃ or 19℃ rather than 20℃ or 22℃ means you’ll barely notice the comfort level and your heater won’t have to work as hard. By doing so, households can potentially see up to a 10% saving on the power bill.

5. Invest in appliances with a higher energy rating

If you have the option to do so or looking to replace old appliances, investing in a more energy-efficient option will deliver long-term benefits. Energy-efficient appliances are designed to utilise minimum energy to complete the required task. As you are using more energy elsewhere such as desktops and printers, think about switching out the long-standing appliances such as fridges and washing machines. Opt for energy ratings of a 5.5 star for fridges and a 5 or 6 star rating for a washing machine.

For further assistance with all of your electrical needs, get in touch with the Ehlerth Electrical team via 1800 940 413 or make an enquiry here. We service clients from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.