Find an Electrician you can trust in Carrickfergus.

Unlike in houses built in the 1970s where a good majority of the houses will not need to be rewired, for houses built in the 1960s you’d probably need to rewire the entire house unless the wiring is the modern PVCu coated type. Generally, the homes built especially in the 1960s and 1970s brought about enormous changes. This is because over the years our way of living began to change and as a result, our need for electricity became even greater. In response to this, the electrical systems we incorporate needed to change in order to match the new set standards.

In the 1960s, the amperage normally used was increased to 100, which enables home and property owners to power their dishwasher, microwave as well as refrigerator all on one circuit. However, while this may be a remarkable improvement for our grand parents, this is just enough to cater for our modern day appliances. In recent times, new homes are constructed using a wide range of dedicated circuits due to the fact that each of our appliances makes use of much more electricity to function. Consequently because the 100 amp panels of the 1960s possessed restricted space for breakers, home and property owners who still had the units in their homes will inevitably require a sub panel or a new panel entirely - meaning a total rewiring of their property.

Furthermore in the 1960s, builders turned to aluminium from the previously used copper as it was a great conductor and also happens to be relatively cheap. However, after a couple of years a host of electrical fires cropped up in houses that are wired using aluminium. It was later discovered that when the switch to aluminium was made, the light switches or receptacles which were originally made for the previously used copper was overlooked. It was learned that there’s a corrosive chemical reaction that arises as a result of the two dissimilar metals when connected. Hence, the more reason why aluminium wired houses in the 1960s needs to be rewired.

If your fuse box keeps tripping or blowing fuses, it may need replacing. Other signs that your fuse box is not working properly include humming, sparking and lack of power. Contact an electrician and ask for a safety report, this will diagnose the problem and lead to a quick fix.

Whether solar panel batteries are worth it depends on how much you’re at home and how big your solar panel system is. If you’re at home most of the day and your solar panels only generate enough electricity for you to use while for that day, then a battery probably isn’t worth investing in. However, if you have a large system that generates more than you can use or you’re out most of the day, then solar panel batteries are definitely worth it.

A solar battery storage system works by storing the electricity that your solar panels generated until you need to use it. That’s why they’re great for people that are out all day – your solar panels generate electricity all day whilst the sun’s out, but no one’s home so you’re using minimal energy except for things like your fridge and any appliances on standby. Most of the electricity charges your solar panel battery. Then, when you get home, your battery will discharge, and you’ll use all the solar electricity that your panels generated during the day.

Solar batteries are also excellent for people with large solar panel systems that generate more than they use in the day. Any electricity that you don’t use during the day will charge the battery, so in the evening when the sun goes down, you’ll just use the excess electricity that’s stored in the battery.

To work out whether solar panel batteries are worth it for you, you’ll need to work out how much of your solar electricity you’re using already. If you’re at home and you’re able to run your appliances all while your solar panels are generating electricity, a battery might not be worth it. Also, if you’re receiving export payments from the Feed-in Tariff Scheme (FITs) or the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), you might want to look at the rate you’re getting paid. If it’s a good rate, it might be more cost-effective to continue exporting unused electricity to the grid. Speak to an MCS-registered installer that will be able to help you work this out.

If you’re about to acquire an electrical safety certificate, it’s quite normal to be a bit curious about the length of time the certificate is expected to last for. Well, this is also a bit tricky as the duration is determined by your type of property. In this post, we aim to shed more light into this topic in order to give you a detailed insight and help you make informed decisions moving forward.

As earlier stated, the validity of your electrical safety certificate or report is based on the type of property you own. In event whereby you happen to have tenants living in the property, the electrical safety certificate will last for 5 years or with every change of tenancy, depending on whichever comes first. However, in the event whereby you happen to live in your property, the electrical safety certificate is going to remain valid for 10 years. What’s more? For commercial properties, the electrical safety certificate is also valid for only 5 years. Meanwhile for caravans and swimming pools, the electrical safety certificate possesses a shorter lifespan of just 3 year and 1 year respectively.

The suggested length of validity is only the industry standard. And as such, landlords are not under any legal obligation to get their electrical safety certificate updated at the aforementioned times. According to the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1985, landlords are only required to keep the electrical wiring in proper condition at all times. It does not in any form require landlords to get an electrical safety report or certificate.

One of the primary reasons why you need to get an electrical certificate is that you may not be allowed to show legal proof that the wiring and electrical set up in your property was in the best possible condition in the event of an electrical accident. Several insurance companies will not accept your claims if you’re unable to present the electrical safety certificate.

If you’re looking to install a solar thermal system in your home, this is usually one of the first concerns several homeowners have. Being fully aware that solar water heating systems are usually more expensive than their counterparts - the conventional water heating systems, the question arises whether or not you’ll be able to save some money from your solar water heating system in the long run. In this article, we aim provide an answer to this important question. Let’s take a closer look!

When it comes to solar thermal systems, the money you’ll be able to save in the long run depends on a wide range of factors. These factor includes:

✓ Your system’s performance.

✓ Your geographical location and solar resource

✓ Your household’s hot water demand

✓ Financing and incentive options that are available.

✓ The cost of fuel that’s being used for your alternative or backup water heating system, if you own one.

✓ The cost of conventional fuels such as oil, electricity or natural gas.

There are several benefits, however, that comes with the installation of a solar water heating system. Since the sun is absolutely free, future fuel shortages and price hikes will have little impact on you. Also, on the average if you decide to fit a solar thermal system your water heating bills is expected to drop about 50 percent to 80 percent. What’s more? The economics are even a lot more attractive when you’re just about to build a new home or refinancing. When you include the price of a solar water system in a 30 year mortgage, it’ll normally amount to very low price per month. Therefore, on a monthly basis you’ll be saving more and paying less.

The cost to charge an electric car in the UK varies between home, work and public charging.

For a typical electric car with a 60kWh battery and ~200 mile range:

• Charging at home: Costs about £9.20 for a full charge. *
• Charging at work: Many employers will install workplace charging points and typically offer free access throughout the day.
• Charging at public locations: Public chargepoints at supermarkets or car parks are often free to use for the duration of your stay.
• Rapid charging: Rapid charging points are normally found at motorway service stations and typically cost £6.50 for a 30 min, ~100 mile charge.

Charging an electric car at home costs about £9.20 for a full charge* and is the most convenient and cost-effective way to keep your car fully charged. Most drivers will charge their electric car overnight, waking up to a full battery every morning.

Average domestic electricity rate in the whole of the UK is about 17p per kWh.

Fully charging a 60kWh electric car will cost between £9.00 and £9.90 (depending on where you live) and give you about 200 miles of range.

* Costs calculated at 17p/kWh based on usable battery is ~54kWh (90%).

Also commonly referred to as a consumer unit in recent times, a fuse box is responsible for controlling and allocating of the electricity in your home. They hold the power any time there’s an overload in one of the circuits which in turn, prevents fire as well as electrical damage. Fuse boxes are often incorporated in homes but consumer units are very rapidly replacing them. Therefore, when your fuse box breaks down, it’s always a smart decision to replace them with consumer units due to the fact that they’re safer and also comply with building regulations while also being a lot easier to use. If you’re extending your home, upgrading to a larger capacity model enables you to make use of more power with the power overloading. In this post, we’re going to cover the amount you’re expected to pay to replace or install a new fuse box or consumer unit as well as the factors that may affect the cost.

For a 10 way dual RCD consumer unit, the typical cost range will be between £250 to £600, meanwhile 15 way dual RCD consumer unit should cost within the range of £300 to £700. Overall, the smaller the house, the fewer the circuits that’ll be needed, hence the difference in the aforementioned prices.

There a number of factors that can affect the cost of replacing a fuse box. These factors includes the the size of the house in question ( the bigger the house , the more the circuits there are and the bigger the fuse box needed), the location ( for instance, places like London where there are higher demands are likely to be more expensive than other regions ).