How to childproof your electric outlets

No matter what, kids always seem to find their way to anything remotely hazardous. Every parent wants to see their child grow up healthy and happy, so there’s no doubt you want to make sure your child is protected from danger. While we can’t wrap the kids in bubble wrap, there are definitely some proactive measures to make with electricity in your family home.

Why do kids like Power points?

Power points are everywhere and you can’t live without them! You probably have one two, or even three in every room of the house. While this is extremely convenient, unfortunately power sources are not designed with your child’s safety in mind.  

We don't know what is so appealing about power outlets, but children seem to love them! Maybe it is because they look like small faces or because they want to copy what they see us adults doing. Either way, they love to stick things into the powerpoint which can become a genuine nightmare!

Tips to childproof electrical outlets at home

When looking to childproof your home, you need to think about all the electrical things in your home that they can tamper with (we know that is a lot!). The most common things children are drawn to are power points, empty power points,  extension cords, phone chargers, computer cables and power boards due to the accessibility of these outlets. 

Below is a list of solutions to protect your children from their easy access electrical disasters. 

Get powerpoint safety caps

Power points are at prime eye level for babies and young toddlers to investigate. When there are no plugs an electrical outlet, curiosity of a small child is to poke something in it. Thankfully, there is a solution to this! 

Outlet caps are not only cheap, but they are highly effective in protecting your child from electricity. The flush plastic essentially plugs into the wall, filling the holes leading to electricity. Due to their shape and force of removal, the plugs are too difficult for a child to remove therefore keeping them safe from harm's way. 

Install electrical outlet covers

Outlet covers make sure your child can not pull out electrical appliance cords directly from an electrical outlet. Through installing outlet covers you can ensure your child is safe even when the outlet is in use. 

Move furniture in front of the outlets in use. 

You may have too many power points with too little furniture, however this may be an option to avoid your child's access to power outlets in use. We know this can’t always be the case, but where possible this is a good free option to childproofing. 

Use cord covers

When it's not electricity worrying you about your child's safety, it’s tripping over chords! We all have a few cords ourselves that we need to be mindful of. Therefore using a cord cover is handy for anyone entering your home! EssentIally, a cord cover acts as a rubber tape that secures cords to the floor or walks. This way your child can not pull at the cords, removing appliances from power outlets and keeps them safe from electrical exposure. 

If you need help child proofing your home with any of the above methods, contact the professionals at Response Electricians Perth. Response Electricians Perth are world class electrical experts who know everything there is to know about safety proofing electrical in your home or office.  Our prompt electrical solutions have helped hundreds of people seeking electricians in Perth. Contact an expert electrician today!

DIY Electrics - Why you should always call a licensed electrician

There is nothing more satisfying than being able to adore the outcome of a challenging DIY job. Planning and successfully executing a job that has been on your DIY list can save you money for a little extra effort and help you learn a range of new skills. While you may be looking to burn some of your extra time during lockdown, by looking up home renovation tutorials on a range of household options.  Despite the satisfaction of accomplishing home renovation goals -  there is good reason you will find little information on carrying out DIY electrical.  

If you’re looking for DIY electrical tutorials on youtube and having no luck, this is because doing your own electrical work in Australia is illegal. 

DIY electrical explained

If you’re thinking about doing your own electrical repairs, you need to know the law prohibits anyone without a current electrical license to complete these kinds of jobs. The reason being is simple, without proper training and qualified skillset, working with electricity is life threatening. 

Therefore anything beyond changing a light bulb, you will want to call a trusted licensed electrician to avoid risk to your personal safety. 

Qualified electricians are able to work on your home and office electrical as they have undergone years of training. Electricians are aware of all the potential hazards electrical work can incur to their personal safety while completing the job, and your safety after the job is complete. With the correct tools, safety protection and training qualified electricians will make sure they avoid the risk electrocution on the job and safety proof your home for potential electrical hazards such as electrical sparking leading to fires. 

Additionally, by hiring a licensed electrician to do your electrical work, you will avoid receiving fines and negative impact to your insurance cover. If you have completed your own electrical work and something goes wrong or you are found for installing illegal wiring, your insurance will not cover any damage. In turn, your electrical and home repair will cost you more in the long run if not using a licensed electrician. 

7 things you need to know about DIY electrical

• Rubber will not always protect you from electric shock

• You should never use an object such as a wooden broom to maneuver power lines. 

• Rubber boots and rubber gloves do not mean you are safe when dealing with power lines

• The danger of completing electrical work includes severe injury or death

• It is even possible for qualified electricians to have nasty accidents, therefore amateurs should never attempt at home electrical. 

• While you may complete a DIY job and it seems fine, you could be in for an unfortunate surprise down the track. 

• Electrical work completed without a license will mean you will receive no money back in case of error or damage.

Overall, you should never attempt to do DIY electrical work. Not only is it unsafe to yourself and the people around you, you will be breaking the law. If you have some Electrical jobs around the home that have been on your to-do list, it is best to contact the professionals at Response Electricians Perth. Response Electricians Perth are world class electrical experts who know everything there is to know about safely completing electrical in your home or office.  Our prompt electrical solutions have helped hundreds of people seeking electricians in Perth. Contact an expert electrician today!

How to Reduce your Electricity bill

Home electricity, we love the benefits of using it but always cringe when a huge electricity bill comes flying into the mailbox. If you want to enjoy the luxury of electricity but also cut down unnecessary spending on bills, thankfully there are plenty of simple energy saving solutions. To prevent and stop your energy bills draining your pocket check out the tips below.

Factors impacting your electricity bill:

1. Climate 

2. Size of home

3. Design of home

4. Appliances

5. Personal behaviour

How to mindfully reduce your bill:

1. Climate and location: When choosing a living location, think about the climate that you want to  live in. Do you like the hot or cold? While you can’t change the weather, the location you live in can offer options that appeal to your climate preference. For example, if you like the heat but want to avoid using heaters throughout the day you might want to find a home that lets in sunlight. Warming your house with natural sunlight is a great alternative to using air conditioning and will make a big cut to your energy bill in the long run. 

2. Size of residence: While a small home may be great in winter to keep the heat in, a larger open space in your home will offer a cool place to reside in summer. The size of your home will often determine your use of air conditioning; however, it will also determine the amount of power required to run the home. For example, if you live in a small studio apartment, your energy bill will naturally be less than someone living in a 5 bedroom home, simply because the space has less electrical circuits. 

3. Design of home: If you are currently looking at new places to live, it’s important to pay attention to the way in which design can reduce your electricity bill. IF you home is small but has many windows, this can be a great benefit to avoid using fans and air conditioning to considerably reduce your energy bill. Additionally it is important to consider the orientation of a home and how it is efficient in offering natural energy sources.

4. Appliances:   When choosing big purchase appliances like a fridge, washing machine, TV or dish washer, don’t merely look at the price and technical specs of the item - prioritise the energy efficiency stars. All of the appliances in your home roughly weigh up to 30% of your home electricity bill, therefore the energy rating on these appliances are extremely important. While the cheap fridge with a lower energy rating may seem appealing for you pocket in present, the ongoing running costs will be significantly higher showing in your energy bill. 

5. Personal behaviour: There are so many small tips on how to reduce your energy bill when it comes to personal behaviour. We all like things a certain way, however sometimes these personal preferences can be the difference between a couple of hundred dollars off your yearly energy consumption. Making these small mindful changes in your behaviour can save you hundreds of dollars: 

   1. Wash your clothes in cold water and wash full loads. 

   2. Evaluate how warm or cold you really need to set your aircon. Aim for 18-20C in summer and 25-27C in winter. Every degree more or less increases your energy bill by roughly 7%.

   3. Turn off appliances like fridges when not in use. Dry your clothes on a live versus a dryer. 

   4. Turn off switches at the wall if not in use. This can save you up to 10% of your bill.

If you’ve got an unnecessarily high electricity bill, contact the professionals at Response Electricians Perth for an electric maintenance check. Response Electricians Perth are world class electrical experts who know everything there is to know about safety proofing electrical in your home or office.  Our prompt electrical solutions have helped hundreds of people seeking electricians in Perth. Contact an expert electrician today!

What to do when you have an electrical circuit

What is an electrical circuit?

A short circuit occurs when there is a low resistance connection between two conductors that are supplying electrical power to a circuit. Essentially, this creates extra amounts of voltage which begin to stream and create an excess flow of energy to the power source. The electricity takes a shorter route, therefore causing a short circuit. 

Simply put, when a hot wire touches something it shouldn’t, a short circuit occurs.

Are there different types of short circuits? 

There are two types of short circuits:

1. Normal short circuit: The classic short circuit occurs when a live current touches a neutral wire,  therefore causing it to make a strange noise, spark, smoke or even create an open flame. 

2. Ground fault: This type of short circuit is a little different in that it occurs when a hot wire touches a ‘grounded’ section of an electrical system such as copper, a metal encasing box or section of a physical device. In the case this has happened, there is less chance a ground fault will cause fire, however it will cause electrical shock if touched. 

What are the implications of short circuits?

Both types of short circuits are hazards that should be taken very seriously. Due to imposing danger of both electric shock and fire, short circuits are a personal safety measure and also should be monitored for the safety of your home’s entire electrical system. 

How to prevent a short circuit?

There are various means to protect yourself from short circuits, which generally should have started when your electrical was initially installed. All wiring systems should include: 

Circuit breakers or fuses

All new wiring systems should be protected by a main service panel that can automatically cut any individual electrical circuit in the home. This is usually located at the side of your home in a metal meter box. These switches can be controlled by you, or alternatively if there is a change in electrical current detected internally in a circuit, the circuit connection will switch off to ensure safety. 

Ground-fault circuit interrupters - GFCI

To protect against ground-fault short circuits, electrical systems require circuit breakers in place. Essentially a GFCI will identify a change in electrical flow and shut the system off when the current changes from normal.  

Arc-fault circuit interrupters

Arcing is the sparking that occurs when electricity is jumping between contacts of metal. This often occurs when wires are loose from each other but not entirely separated. AFCI’s are installed to anticipate a short circuit and shut off power before the short circuit occurs. AFCI’s are most commonly installed to prevent fires caused by sparks. 

While your home may already have electrical safeguarding measures in place, it is good to hire an expert electrician in to assess the functioning. 

Aside from the technical prevention of short circuit, there are some measures you can take at home or in office to ensure you avoid any potential electrical hazards: 

1. Check outlets before use

2. Check appliances

3. Reduce electrical usage during storms

4. Check circuits for maintenance

5. Have a yearly electrical inspection with an experienced electrician

If you’ve got an electrical short circuit that needs fixing, contact the professionals at Response Electricians Perth. Response Electricians Perth are world class electrical experts who know everything there is to know about safety proofing electrical in your home or office.  Our prompt electrical solutions have helped hundreds of people seeking electricians in Perth. Contact an expert electrician today!