Whether you want to protect against damage from random power spikes, or you just want to add more outlets, surge protectors are necessary. But, how do you choose the best of the many types offered on the market?

No worries! The number one electrician offering the ultimate electric services in Brisbane and the surrounding area – Thomas Blake Electrical – is here to explain what makes a good surge protector.

So, read on and find out everything you should know about surge protectors:

1. Surge Protectors and Power Strips

Even though both of these are referred to as surge suppressors, they are different. In general, power strips are an expansion of a wall outlet and are usually quite cheap. They include a circuit breaker but cannot protect from electrical issues 100%. On the other hand, surge protectors are rather cheap but offer power spikes protection to some extent.

2. Portable Power Strip

You already know that they don’t offer a high level of protection, however, a portable power strip can help avoid marital friction or invoke bliss from travel companions. In general, hotels and motels don’t have enough outlets so a portable power strip can really come in handy, especially if it comes with a USB connection.

3. Protection in Joules

As we already mentioned, surge protectors offer some protection which is usually expressed in joules. The higher the surge protector joule rating, the better the protection against electrical hazards. Precisely speaking, this rating tells you how much energy the surge protector can absorb before it fails. Eventually, as time passes by, some surge protector parts wear down and the device becomes less effective.

4. The Need for a Power Conditioner

The truth is, various manufacturers try to sell different products on the market one of which is a power conditioner claiming to improve the performance in your gear by conditioning the power from the wall. But, your gear does that already. A professional electrician has a power supply that takes the wall current, filters it, and converts it based on the device needs. Hence, you don’t really need a power conditioner.

5. Outlets Number

Without a shadow of a doubt, you’ve certainly had a situation in which you have regretted not adding more outlets in your premises. Over time, we all purchase more electrical devices and gear without ditching the old ones. Hence, once your electrician starts with the electrical installments, make sure to ask for more outlets than you currently need.

6. One for Chunky Plugs

If this occurred to you, you definitely know how annoying it could be not being able to plug in a device. Namely, certain devices use wall warts and look like little boxes with prongs sticking out which is hard to accommodate in a normal surge protector. Therefore, consider getting one with enough space between sockets or one on which you can rotate or move the sockets.

To sum up, everyone should get at least one surge protector, based on their needs. They are efficient and beneficial in protecting from power surges. And, since they are relatively cheap you can really afford to replace them from time to time to ensure maximum protection.

For any further information, contact Thomas Blake Electrical! We’ll be glad to help you with any electrical services you require!

With today’s rapidly changing technology, there have been continuous developments in almost all fields, and the electrical services industry is no exception. Faulty wiring and short circuits can pose a danger to lives, but with the advent of safety switches, this danger has been brought significantly down. So here is a quick guide that will give you a deeper insight about safety switches:

Myths about Safety Switches

Every home has, or should have, circuit breakers and fuses to gain control over the excess electricity passage. Safety switches do not just protect your appliances but also the people in your home, too. They can even detect faults in the wirings, which you may not be aware of. It is easy to overlook such faults, but safety switches can detect them and protect your house from potential risks by alerting you to these defects. When making use of safety switches, ensure that you keep a regular check on them so that they work in a proper condition.

How Safety Switches Are Different From Fuses and Circuit Breakers

People are often confused about how safety switches work with circuit breakers and fuses. Yes, all these three electrical devices prevent the excessive flow of current and help in saving your electrical appliances, LED lighting, and wiring, but safety switches also provide protection to the people residing at that place. Fuses and circuit breakers cut down the current when it exceeds what an appliance or wiring can cope with and thus prevents it from being damaged. Safety switches provide an extra layer of protection by safeguarding the people against any kind of serious injury, electric shock, or death.

Installation of Safety Switches

Installing safety switches does not cost a fortune and is quite easy to do, taking into account the extent of safety that they offer. Every home should have safety switches to ensure the utmost safety. In fact, in Australia, since 2006, it has been mandatory for property owners to install safety switches before renting out a home if they fall under the residential tenancy agreement.

Safety switches are capable of detecting fluctuations and can shut off the power automatically when they are detected. Your business and home switchboards run all day and night. Thus it is mandatory that you protect them with safety switches to prevent any kind of mishap or fatal accidents. Safety switches are no less than an extra defence army that safeguards your home, saving lives.

Conclusion

There are many benefits of installing safety switches in your home or business as it is a way to keep yourself and your surroundings electrically safe. You should seek professional assistance from safety switches electrician to have this done by an expert.

A smoke alarm is a crucial safety device that should be featured in every home. Plus, as of 1 January 2022 all domestic premises leased and sold; must have hard-wired interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms installed. And, as of 1 January 2027 all domestic promises; must have hard-wired interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms installed.

How do Smoke Alarms Work?

Smoke alarms are devices that detect smoke and sound an alarm when activated. Smoke alarms alert and wake people allowing valuable time to get out of a house during a fire.

Photoelectric smoke alarms are designed to detect changes in the intensity of light passing through the air as a result of the smoke. They can operate on two principles – light obstruction and light scattering. Plus, what makes photoelectric smoke alarms very effective is the fact that they respond fast to smoldering fires which have proven to be lethal in most cases of residential fires.

Hence, we may all conclude that installing smoke alarms at your home is of utmost importance. So, call Thomas Blake Electrical – the number one electrician in Brisbane offering expert electrical services including smoke alarm installation and replacement. Whatever your smoke alarm need is, Thomas Blake can assist you quickly and professionally.

How to Test Your Smoke Alarms?

In general, smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years to ensure that you have a reliable source of safety in your home. The reason for this is that over time, just like other electrical devices, smoke alarms develop mechanical issues and become less effective.

So, you have to test your smoke alarms from time to time to make sure they are in good condition. In this case, you’d better seek professional help from a qualified electrician, like Thomas Blake, to do the inspection.

Here’s a step by step guide on how to do a smoke alarm test:

Step 1 – Notify Your Family Members

First and foremost, you should tell everyone in your household that you are going to test your smoke alarms. Also, notify your security company if your smoke alarm is hardwired to a monitored security plan.

Step 2 – Check How Far the Alarm can be Heard

Evaluating the distance at which your alarm can be heard is also of crucial importance. To do so, ask a family member to go as far as possible when you do the test and tell you whether or not they can hear the smoke alarm.

Step 3 – Conduct the Test

To see whether or not your smoke alarms work you will need an aerosol spray that can be purchased at any home improvement store. Then, sprinkle some amount of the spray into the alarm and wait. If it produces a sound, then your alarm works well. Otherwise, you need to replace it.

Step 4 – Turn off the Alarm

Finally, once you have tested your smoke alarm, you have to turn it off. You can do so by vacuuming the aerosol spray from the alarm unit. Or, switch the silence button if there’s one on your smoke alarm.

To sum up, testing your smoke alarms is essential if you want to ensure that you and your family are safe. So, don’t hesitate and contact Thomas Blake today to test, fix, replace, or install smoke alarms in your home.

During winters we rely on electricity to keep our homes warm and comfortable for us. As we are largely home-bound during these harsh months. This means that in the cold months, the amount of electricity used rises and so will the electricity bills. Electricians in Coorparoo advise homeowners to reduce any wastage of electricity. You might think you are already doing all you can, but there are some adjustments in your home that you might have overlooked that will reduce any energy wastage. It is worth noting that electricity prices continue to surge year on year with no immediate relief in sight.

Here are some helpful tips that will decrease energy wastage to a greater extent:

1. Switch to LED Bulbs

You should ideally switch to LED bulbs as conventional incandescent light bulbs consume huge energy. These bulbs also produce excessive heat. Meanwhile, the light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs do not require too much energy. They also help in saving between 30 to 80 percent of lighting power. LED bulbs offer high durability and last for a longer time than conventional bulbs. They will help you save plenty of money in the longer run. So, contact an expert electrician to replace your traditional bulbs with the LED bulbs.

2. Start Utilising Natural Light More

It is important to get the most out of the natural light around your home. When there are bright and sunny days, you should opt for open curtains instead of relying on electricity to keep the home well-lit. Natural sunlight will not only help in keeping your home warm but will also reduce your electricity bills. Therefore, next time when you head to switch on the bulb during a bright sunny day, think again to assess the best option.

3. Don’t Forget to Unplug Appliances

A large number of appliances such as televisions, computers, etc. may remain on standby mode even after they have been switched ‘off’. This means that these devices are still using energy even when they are not in use. To save electricity, you should unplug them when they are not in use.

4. Think about Savings When Buying Appliances

You should purchase only those appliances that offer a good energy rating. The star rating for efficiency will give you a good idea of how an appliance performs, more stars you see the better. Think about the size as well. A larger model may emerge to be more efficient than a smaller one. For more information you might want to get in touch with a Brisbane electrician to seek expert suggestions before buying the right appliances for your home.

5. Reduce Wastage of Hot Water

In winter months we tend to heat water at regular intervals. You can introduce small changes in a bid to save more energy. These include installing water-efficient showerheads, using the cold water setting on dishwashers and washing machines, and using timers in the shower. It’s best to seek professional advice when you plan to reduce wastage of hot water.

Conclusion

The above tips will certainly help you save a lot of money and reduce your electricity bills. Buy LED bulbs from a Capalaba electrician  and install them in your home wherever required. You should also try to limit the use of appliances as much as possible. Children spend a lot of time watching TV and playing on electronic gadgets when the weather is bad. You can bring down energy wastage by encouraging children to spend less time with these electronic devices. Rely on natural light as much as possible. These practices will put a check on your escalating electricity bills.