The Benefits of Hiring a Local Electrician for Your Business

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Are you looking to hire an electrician in Brisbane? Look no further than Thomas Blake Electrical, the number one local electrician offering the best electric services. They provide their services in the southeast area from South Brisbane to Loganholme to Cleveland.

Hiring a local electrician for your business comes with many benefits because of their expertise and knowledge. Read more to find out how they can help you and your business.

Benefits of Hiring a Local Electrician

  1. Save Money

Seeking professional electric services can result in a reduction in costs for several reasons. First, an experienced electrician knows what supplies they will need and where to get them for the best prices. Also, a trained electrician knows how to finish the project in the least invasive manner. They won’t damage entire walls when replacing or repairing electrical issues. This can save you from having to pay more for extensive repairs when you need electrical work done.

  • Save Time

Not only you can save money when getting electric services from a locally trained electrician, but you can also save time. When dealing with inexperienced contractors, they are more likely to make mistakes. Mistakes will cause them to spend more time on the project than you originally agreed. By hiring professionals like Thomas Blake Electrical, you can ensure that your work is completed on time without any issues and delays.

  • Avoid Legal Issues

Keeping your business away from legal issues is very important if you want to be successful and avoid paying expensive fines. Legal codes and requirements for electrical work can vary from place to place, which is why hiring a local electrician can help. They can make sure your business is keeping in accordance with the law when it comes to wiring and electrical work. If you need electric services in Brisbane or the surrounding areas, contact Thomas Blake Electrical.

  • Ensure Safety

If electrical work is done poorly, you will expose your business and staff to potential hazards and accidents. Compromising on safety and going for just any company offering electric services isn’t enough. An experienced local electrician will ensure optimal safety and provide a warranty for the electric services performed. This way, you can avoid major issues like electrical shocks and fires.

  • Reliability and Energy Efficiency

Finally, when you hire a local electric services contractor, you can rest assured that all of your electrical wiring and systems will run effectively for a long time. Because of their reliability, you won’t have to worry about issues and repairs if future problems arise. Plus, an experienced electrician can use modern technology to improve your business’s energy efficiency, which will help you save energy and money in the long run. Their reputation comes from customer satisfaction, so you can be sure you are hiring a reputed electrician.

The Bottom Line

By hiring a professional and trained local electrician, you will enjoy numerous benefits. Let professionals do their job and call Thomas Blake Electrical if you are located in:

  • Annerley
  • Birkdale
  • Camp Hill
  • Capalaba
  • Carindale
  • Cleveland
  • Coorparoo
  • Hemmant
  • Mansfield
  • Mount Gravatt
  • Murrarie
  • Ormiston
  • Redland Bay
  • Sheldon
  • South Brisbane
  • Stones Corner
  • Victoria Point
  • Woolloongabba
  • Wynnum
  • Yeronga

4 Most Dangerous Home Electrical Hazards

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Potential electrical safety hazards are present in many homes and businesses. Luckily, Thomas Blake Electrical, the number one electrician offering high-quality electric services in Brisbane, is here to help. By improving awareness of the most common electrical hazards and providing you tips to eliminate their dangers with the help of a professional electrician, you can prevent potential life-threatening disasters.  

4 Common Home Electrical Hazards

Poor or Defective Wiring

Your wiring must conform to specific standards to ensure maximum safety and reduce the risk of power surges, fires, arc faults, and other electrical issues. These standards are why you need to hire a professional electrician instead of an amateur offering dubious electric services.

Call Thomas Blake Electrical to perform an electrical maintenance check at your home to detect any worn, cracked, damaged, or corroded wires. These issues can cause major electrical problems. Ideally, have your wiring system checked regularly by a licensed electrician. They can also make upgrades or replacements when needed, helping to keep your home safe.

Outlets Close to Water

Water conducts electricity, and because of this, many electrical accidents happen in the bathroom. Using a hairdryer, radio, or other devices in the bath can cause electric shocks, which can be lethal.  

Outlets in bathrooms, kitchens, and other areas with water must be properly installed by a licensed electrician and placed away from water sources. Also, be wary to never handle appliances with wet hands because this increases the risk of electric shock.

Light Bulbs Near Flammable Materials

This may come as a surprise, but light bulbs are sometimes electrical hazards in homes. When light bulbs are close to flammable materials, they become a source of potential electrical fires. Make sure you don’t have any light bulbs near the beds, upholstery, drapes, or plastic items.

Also, light bulbs are just like any other source of electricity and can cause electric shock. When you need to change a lightbulb, always make sure the light is off before you begin. Also, never replace a lightbulb with wet hands.

Heavy Coverings on Wires and Cords

As reported by many who perform electric services, one of the most common home electrical hazards is having electrical wires and cords covered. Heavy coverings over cables and wires can lead to overheating and eventually cause an electrical fire. Be sure to listen to your electrician’s recommendationsand make sure your wires and cords are uncovered.

You can also protect your electrical devices from overheating by leaving space around them to allow for proper ventilation.

The Bottom Line

Now that you know the most dangerous home electrical hazards, it’s time you contact Thomas Blake Electrical. They can take care of potential electrical problems quickly and effectively.

6 Simple Electrical Troubleshooting Tips

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The process of analyzing a faulty circuit in order to determine what’s wrong with it and identify defective components is called electrical troubleshooting. Many people think that they can do this by themselves; however, depending on the type of equipment, electrical troubleshooting could be both dangerous and quite challenging.

Therefore, it’s always best to seek professional help from an electrician if you notice any kind of electrical fault at your home. And, if you want to get the best electrical services Brisbane, look no further than Thomas Blake Electrical – the most experienced and highly-professional electrician in the area.

However, if you are a handy person and have some experience with home maintenance in particular electrical maintenance, to be sure you can check it yourself. Make sure you have proper safety equipment and follow these top electrical troubleshooting tips:

Top Simple Electrical Troubleshooting Tips

  1. Check the Faulty Device

First and foremost, before you even continue to look at whether or not there’s an issue with the wiring and switchboards, ensure you check the faulty device. It makes more sense to check the appliance first and then continue checking other parts. This way when you contact your electrician, you will have a better idea of what’s going on and you can answer more of their questions.

  • Determine the Size of the Fault

Then, once you’ve identified the fault, it’s time to observe how much the fault has spread. This is what every experienced electrician does since it saves lots of time in the electrical troubleshooting process. If the fault is widespread, it is very likely that transients occur, and that circuit breakers and surge protectors trip.

  • Check for Switch Connectivity

Checking the switches is the next step in the electrical troubleshooting process. In fact, switches often wear and tear, and cause electrical faults too, because they have parts inside that move when you turn it on and off. To check them you need to have an Ohmmeter. So, if you don’t have one, ensure you contact the best electrician – Thomas Blake Electrical.

  • Look at Circuit Breakers and Fuse Boxes

Next, you should inspect your circuit breakers and fuses because the issue could sometimes be as easy-to-solve as a tripped circuit breaker or blown-up fuse. Hence, check the power points or the house residual current device (RCD) to see whether they’ve tripped.

  • Take a Look at Your Electrical Schemes

The electrical schemes, which every household should have, can be really helpful in electrical troubleshooting. So, taking a look at yours can help you identify the issue, which is why an electrician would often ask for your electrical schematic drawing.

  • Inspect the Wires

After localizing the faulty circuit, you should shut it down (which is a necessary precaution measure) and check specific electrical wires to locate the flaw. You should look for discoloured fixtures or melted wires as a potential cause of the circuit fault. After that, scan the neutral wires because if a neutral wire can’t return the current back and complete the circuit, leading to the circuit shut down.

The Bottom Line

Although you can try to perform electrical troubleshooting yourself, we don’t suggest you do unless you have experience in this area. The number one electrician – Thomas Blake Electrical – can help you with any and all of your electrical maintenance needs. To ensure you get the ultimate electrical services in Brisbane – contact Thomas Blake Electrical.

Top 5 Household Electrical Myths

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For everyday people, it’s easy to fall for some common household electrical myths. Although we all use electricity, handling or repairing electrical appliances requires an experienced electrician who offers professional electric services. Trying to do their job is not only a waste of time but it can also be very dangerous.

For that reason, the number one electrician providing the ultimate electrical services in Brisbane and the surrounding areas – Thomas Blake Electrical – has come up with the following list of top household electrical myths to help you avoid misconceptions and keep your family safe.

  1. Rubber Objects are Enough to Avoid Accidents

First and foremost, some people believe that wearing rubber shoes or gloves and taking off metal objects is enough to avoid accidents when trying to repair electrical appliances. However, the truth is that rubber objects aren’t always well insulated. In fact, most gloves or shoes aren’t made of 100% rubber and only pure rubber objects are well insulated. That’s why every professional electrician has special equipment which you can’t find at home.

  • Power Lines are Always Insulated

We usually see birds standing on power lines without getting hurt which makes us think that power lines are always insulated. But this isn’t completely true because birds remain unharmed as they don’t touch other electrical wires with a different voltage or the ground. Therefore, regardless of the fact that cables and wires connected to appliances are properly insulated with rubber or plastic, make sure you stay away from them.

  • Only Old Wires Go Bad

The third household electrical myth is that only old wiring can cause problems and accidents. Namely, there are also cases where new wiring systems go bad soon after being installed. And, even though it sounds strange, wires should be properly and regularly maintained, just like any other object in a household. Rodents or overload are the main culprits for wires going bad. Therefore, ensure you contact an electrician to do a regular check or replace any dangerous wiring.

  • Static and Outlet Electricity aren’t the Same

Furthermore, people tend to believe that these two: static and outlet electricity, are completely different. That said, it’s important that you understand that the only thing different about them is that static electricity is instantaneously equalized whereas outlet, or flowing, electricity flows constantly. In other words, as soon as you plug in an appliance, the current remains constant until you unplug it.

  • Only High-Voltage Shocks are Dangerous

Last in order but not of importance, one of the most common misconceptions people have is that only a low-voltage shock is dangerous. However, this is totally wrong because it is not the voltage that is dangerous but the electrical current (which is measured in amp). So, wall outlets aren’t the only hazardous concerns you should have, and especially those having small children, but batteries and other devices, too.

The Bottom Line

If you require professional electric services from an experienced electrician, don’t hesitate – contact Thomas Blake Electrical today.

Are you protected by an RCD safety switch?

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Just like it is a must to have a smoke detector from Smoke Alarms Cleveland in your home, every house must also have an RCD Safety Switch.

In this post, you will learn everything about the RCD Safety Switch and the protection it provides.

What is an RCD?

RCD is commonly known as the residual current device. It is a life-saving device that is specially designed to prevent us from getting a severe electric shock if touched, something such as a bare wire. RCD also helps to protect against electrical fires. Ordinary fuses and circuit breakers often fail to provide personal protection like RCD.

What does RCD do?

RCD is a safety device that switches off the electricity if there is a fault. Earth Faults often cause electrocution and fire. RCD helps to protect against that risk.

How exactly does it work?

An RCD keeps monitoring the electric current flowing through one or two circuits it is used to protect. If RCD detects any sort of electricity flowing down in different paths such as through a human who has touched a live part, then the RCD will immediately switch the circuit off. This significantly reduces the risk of injury or death. If you live near Coorparoo, then look online for Electrician Coorparoo to help you provide the best RCD installation and electrical services.

What are the types of RCD found?

As RCDs can help people stay protected from electric shocks in dangerous areas, they are available in different forms:

  • Fixed RCD: Fixed RCD provides the highest level of protection. These can protect an individual or groups of circuits.
  • Socket outlet RCD: In a place of a standard socket-outlet, you can put these special socket outlets that have an RCD built into them. Though this provides protection only to the person who is in contact with the particular equipment.
  • Portable RCD: These can be plugged into any standard socket outlet. Then the appliance can be plugged into the RCD. Try to get these only when the other two are not available. Just like socket-outlet RCD, they protect a single person in contact with the equipment, including its lead attached to the portable RCD. An electrician will provide you RCD according to your requirement.

How reliable is RCD or how quickly does the RCD safety switch disconnect the supply?

RCDs are very reliable when it comes to the question of safety. The ones manufactured for homes are very sensitive and are set to disconnect within 10 to 50 milliseconds of detecting any sort of current leakage.

Circuit breaker and RCD; are they the same thing?

The answer is no. Though both circuit breakers and RCDs are safety switches, they both work differently and serve a different purpose. Circuit breakers are meant to protect your home’s wiring by breaking the electrical current when a short circuit is detected. They fail to provide any protection to the people. For more information, you can contact South Brisbane Electrical Services.

Steps to Check a Faulty Safety Switch

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At your home, you will find safety switches in the circuit boards that have a special design to prevent any kind of electrical hazards to you and your family and save their lives. Like any other appliance, these switches also need checking at every interval to ensure they are working without any issues. If you have LED lighting at your house then it is important for an experienced electrician to properly check the safety switches.

In the following steps, we have discussed in detail the different ways a professional will check your safety switchboard:

Locate the switchboards

The first step is to detect the safety switches in the RCD circuit. People often get confused between safety switches and circuit breakers and fuses. It is to be known that each of them has their task to complete in the circuit. The safety switch is responsible for controlling the electricity flow through the circuit. When it detects any kind of leak, it turns the power off in milliseconds.

Check and clean

The next step for the Brisbane Electrician is to check the switchboard door hinge and along with its locking mechanism to make sure that it is working properly. The electrician often cleans the general area and the outside region of the switchboard.

Barcode RCD circuit

RCD circuits are barcoded to keep a track of the data management procedure.

Safety switch testing

During this stage, the Electrician in Capalaba has two ways of testing out things to keep people safe from any hazards:

  • Push-button test: This test confirms the status of the RCD. Electricians perform the test to ensure everyone is safe.
  • RCD testing: This is the process to check the safe tripping of the RCD. It is done to identify whether it can perform quickly to avoid any electrical problems. A good working RCD trips in as small as 40 milliseconds.

How to check your safety switchboard at home?

It is important to note that asking for professional Electrical services is always better than working without any experience as these tasks can be tricky and life-threatening.

When you are checking your switch, make sure you do this during broad daylight. While you check your switch, the lights will cut out for a short period. If you do this during the night, it will be difficult to see anything

Once you are prepared, open the switchboard and look out for the ‘test button’. Once you see it, press it firmly.

After pressing it if the safety switch trips off and if the lights go out then it is a good sign that everything is functioning properly.

Once you complete the process, flick the safety switch to its original ON position.

If you cannot find the ‘Test button’ along the row of circuit breakers, it is possible that your house does not have a safety switch and this could lead you and your family to great danger.

Bottom Line:

Take all the necessary precautions before doing any electrical tasks. It is crucial to seek professional advice prior to jumping into any fixes yourself. Chat to Thomas Blake Electrical for any of your electrical needs today!

Circuit Breakers V/s. Safety Switches – What’s the Difference?

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Are you aware of the difference between a safety switch and a circuit breaker? Both safety switches and circuit breakers go a long way in boosting home safety. These electrical tools also nip any electrical fault in the bud. However, they do not bear any similarity. It is important to know the differences between safety switches and circuit breakers.

Below are some more details about safety switches and circuit breakers:

What are safety switches?

The major problem that arises with safety switches and circuit breakers is that many people believe that they have already installed them. But, in reality, they have not. Safety switches, popularly known as residual current devices, should always be installed in your home’s switchboard come what may. Safety switches have been designed to offer protection against any possible electrocution or fire caused due to electrical faults. These switches can regularly track the current moving in the live and neutral wires supplied to an electrical system. You may wish to get in touch with expert in Safety Switches Electrician Carindale Thomas Blake Electrical for installation services.

Why Installing Safety Switches on All Circuits is Important?

It is important to install safety switches on all circuits in your home if you want to ensure you and your family’s safety. This may include power points, ac units, an oven, geyser, pool equipment circuits, and lights, among others. You must install more than one safety switch in your home for stronger protection. You may contact Brisbane Electrician for installation of safety switches in your home.

What are Circuit Breakers?

Circuit breakers can be explained as vital fuses in your main switchboard. They go a long way in protecting the wiring from occasional overloads. You can operate circuit breakers manually or automatically. Circuit breakers are used for the purpose of turning off an electrical supply to a load. Circuit breakers bear similarity with safety switches but they do not protect you from electrocution. Circuit breakers do not have a test button and that is one of the main differences from safety switches.

Conclusion:

It is crucial to install both a safety switch and circuit breakers in your home. To complement your home safety, you may opt for LED Lighting as it is quite efficient at keeping you safe as well as being long-lasting. To learn more or have any of your questions answered, contact Thomas Blake Electrical today.

Electrical Safety Tips during Renovations

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Every year nearly 15 people lose their lives and more than 300 are hospitalised as a result of electrical accidents in their homes in Australia. Home electrical faults have emerged as the main cause of house fires in the country. This is why it is of the utmost importance to install safety switches to power sockets in newly constructed homes. You should hire a reliable electrician to install safety switches in your home.

Here are some important electrical safety tips that you must not forget during renovations: 

1. Install a circuit breaker:

If you don’t have a circuit breaker in your home before you start important renovations, you should contact an expert electrician to assist you with this. A circuit breaker can track electricity flow in your home sans any hassle. And, whenever it identifies any sort of interruption, it can immediately stop the power supply. For instance, when an electrical appliance comes in contact with water, the circuit breaker will instantly analyse if there is an issue and switch off the electricity to remove the possibilities of electrocution or fire. It is best to seek professional advice when you plan to install a circuit breaker in your home. You may call expert Electrician Brisbane Thomas Blake Electrician to install a circuit breaker. 

2. Avoid overloading power outlets:

When renovations are underway, you will require various power tools to complete several jobs. It is of paramount importance to avoid overloading power outlets as it may cause major electrical problems that may pose risks to your life and property. You must consistently use a single socket for a single appliance in a bid to avoid overloading power outlets. Get in touch with Electrician Capalaba if you have any questions regarding overloading power outlets.

3. Don’t leave water lying around your home:

It is extremely important to keep all work areas dry whenever any renovation takes place in your home. In the case that a water pipe is punctured accidently, you should instantly remove all electrical objects from the area. Plus you must always remember that you should never operate any electrical tools if your hands or clothes are wet.

Conclusion:

The above tips will help to keep you and your family members safe and secure during renovations. It is important to seek Electrical Services when you take up the task of renovating your older home. Also, you must get rid of any faulty wires in your home. When you renovate an older home, it is natural to find old or faulty wires however such wires have the potential to cause various risks. Never attempt to repair damaged wires on your own – leave such wires aside and call an expert to replace them.

Why Everyone’s Opting for LED’s

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Have people around you switched to LED (light emitting diode) lighting technology? Most of them have for sure. Why? – The answer is really simple. Opting for LEDs over other traditional lighting solutions offers plenty of benefits.

For that reason, the ultimate electrician offering the best electric services in Brisbane and the surrounding area – Thomas Blake Electrical – has come up with the following list of top 5 advantages of switching to LED lighting technology:

Top 5 Advantages of LEDs

1. Long Lifespan

First and foremost, the most important and beneficial characteristic of LEDs when compared to other solutions is the long lifespan. In general, LEDs last from 30,000 up to 50,000 operating hours which is 2-4 times more than other lighting solutions like fluorescent or metal halide, and even 40 times more than an incandescent bulb.

2. Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is also one of the main reasons why every electrician, including Thomas Blake Electrical, recommends switching to LEDs. By consuming an extremely low amount of power, LEDs result in a 70%, and sometimes more than 90%, improvement in the general energy efficiency of a home or other types of building.

3. Safety

Even though this advantage is the most commonly overlooked, we all know how safety is important. The truth is, the amount of heat released is the number one safety threat when it comes to lighting. Remember how hot is an incandescent bulb when you touch it? – That’s a hazard. On the other hand, LEDs emit quite a low amount of heat. Plus, since they are energy-efficient, LEDs can operate on low-voltage electrical systems which are considered to be much safer in case of an electrical accident.

4. Color Rendering Index (CRI)

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the colour rendering index (CRI), it is a measurement used to show a light’s ability to project the original colour of objects as if views at natural light. In general, LED lighting solutions have very high CRI which range between 65 and 95 depending on the type of LED lights which is an excellent CRI rate.

5. Size and Design Flexibility

Last but not least, LEDs are definitely very small in size which makes them extremely adaptable to a limitless number of lighting applications from stylish mood lighting, commercial, residential, to traffic signals and many others. And, being so small, LEDs offer great design flexibility and can be combined with other lighting solutions, used as a single small light, or in a linear fashion when strung out in sequence. The options are endless indeed.

Now that you know the reason why everyone’s opting for LEDs, it’s time you make a smart choice and contact Thomas Blake Electrical and ensure you get the best possible electric services in Brisbane.

Don’t hesitate and call us today!

Electrical Upgrades that will make your Home Office more Productive

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Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, people all around the world are working from home. But, this was the case even before COVID-19 spread globally thanks to technology and the gig economy model of employment. Regardless of the reason why you need to set up a home office, productivity should be considered as a number one priority. You don’t want to spend hours in your home office and not get the job done.

Hence, the best electrician offering professional electrical services in Brisbane – Thomas Blake Electrical – is here to help you make your home office more productive with some great electrical upgrades. Here’s what you should pay attention to when planning for a productive home office:

1. Office Lighting

In the first place, it is more than obvious that the kind of lighting you have installed in your home office will affect not only productivity, but also health, and costs. You can think of lighting as a decoration and use it to set the right atmosphere that helps you be productive. Just don’t be afraid to play with different lighting solutions like spotlights and downlights.

Furthermore, since you are working from home, you are the one who should pay your electricity bills. Therefore, you’d better ask your electrician to install energy-efficient lighting solutions like LEDs – there’s no better choice to reduce your energy costs.

Finally, as we already said, office lighting can also have an impact on your health. To be more specific, inadequate, or poor lighting can result in vision issues. It may sound like an irrelevant thing, but spending so many hours in that office can result in long term effects.

2. Power Points

When working at a commercial office you have different amenities. But, why not bring that convenience to your home office too? Whether it is a printer, a photocopier, a personal server, etc. you will need power points.

And, luckily to you, with the most experienced electrician in Brisbane and the surrounding area – Thomas Blake Electrical – you can power up your power points to be able to enjoy the same convenience at your home office.

A few power points simply won’t do the work for all of the gadgets or equipment you might need. Instead, ask your electrician to include power points on every wall of your home office especially behind computers or other large equipment. Think of the layout and ensure you have easily accessible power points to plug-in devices.

3. Surge Protectors

Finally, when planning for your home office personal safety should be on the top of the list of things to consider. That being said, hiring an experienced and highly professional electrician, like Thomas Blake Electrical, is of utmost importance.

Once you switch to working from home, it means that the overall electrical requirements at your home will be remarkably increased. Indeed, you will need surge protectors to ensure you don’t lose your work and equipment due to a power surge. Also, once you have an electrician in your home, you’d better get the wiring in the walls checked and inspected, both in your home and home office.

The bottom line

All of the above listed electrical upgrades are very useful when it comes to making your home office more productive. Now, all it takes to get things done is contacting Thomas Blake Electrical – the go-to electrician in Brisbane.