Electricians can be classed as either domestic electricians or commercial electricians. Here at Dragon Gas & Electrics, we offer domestic electrician services. But what exactly does that mean?
As the name suggests, domestic means we work within residential properties. While you the homeowner may see beautifully smooth walls and ceilings, electricians see endless bundles of wires hidden away underneath. All of which work together to power your appliances.
However, over time you may notice you have a fault with your electrics. Or if renovating you may even wish to install new appliances or plug sockets. In which case, you’ll require the services of a domestic electrician.
Here are just some of the services domestic electricians can provide to tell you more.
Board Changes
The electrical demand on our homes is constantly changing, especially now we are all glued to so many electronic devices. Over time, all electrics deteriorate and so will need occasional repair, upgrades or a full replacement.
A consumer unit or distribution board (previously known as a fuse box) oversees all of the circuits in your home. This means if an electrical circuit is faulty or unstable, your consumer unit can detect this and will trip the affected part of the circuit as a protective measure.
If your consumer unit is old enough that it doesn’t have any RCD protected circuits, it will likely need an upgrade. Likewise, if your consumer unit is regularly tripping, then this could indicate a problem with the wiring in the affected circuit.
A domestic electrician can repair or replace the following elements of consumer units:
- Bus bar
- Circuit breakers
- Main panel
- Residual current devices (RCD)
- Two-pole RCBO’s
EICR Reports
EICR (electrical installation condition report) also known as an EICR report, is the equivalent of an MOT of your electrical system. The electrician performing the EICR will conduct a thorough visual examination of the board, supply, earthing, accessories and switches. He will also conduct a number of tests on the circuits. The test results and observations can then be categorised with a safety rating and the whole installation can be deemed satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Electrical faults are to blame for 20,000 house fires in the UK every year, which is why it’s important to ensure your property’s electrics are up to scratch.
In July 2020, it became law for all landlords in England to carry out an EICR report, and as of April 1st 2021, properties of all existing tenancies must also have the report carried out. It is also recommended that all homes have an EICR report carried out every 10 years.
Signs of faulty electrical wiring in your home include:
- Flickering, buzzing or randomly dimming lights
- Frayed or chewed wiring
- Discolouration or scorch marks on plug points
- Warm or vibrating wall outlets
- Burning smells or odd odours
In some cases, you may be totally unaware that your property has any electrical faults, which are graded on a scale of C1 (Danger present – Immediate remedial required) to C3 (Improvement recommended). Therefore, if you can’t remember the last time you had your electrics checked it’s probably time to schedule an EICR report.
Electrical Installations
When it comes to installing any new electrical work, this is one job you should always leave to the professionals.
It’s easy to forget the condition of your property’s electrics when renovating, in favour of focusing on the interior design elements alone. But guess what powers your home in the first place? Electricity!
We would always recommend consulting an electrician early on in the process for bigger jobs ,so that the messy work can be taken care of first such as in the case of rewiring.
Some of the electrical installation work a domestic electrician carries out includes:
- New build properties
- Full or part rewires
- Power to outbuildings
- New kitchen circuits
Electrical Repair
Your electrics may need repairs for all kinds of reasons, from a fault within the system to damage caused by building work. Either way, you need to get the problem repaired before it has a chance to injure someone and so that power is also restored if it’s currently out.
The first stage of repair is diagnosing the problem and locating the exact component causing the fault. Depending on the nature of the issue, an electrical repair can involve changing a broken socket through to rewiring.
Home Automation
Remember when you had to read a newspaper to see the weather forecast? Or add more coal to the fire to make your home warmer?
These days more of us are embracing technology by creating smart homes. Such gadgets are designed to make our lives easier with every whim at the touch of a button. However, home automation systems often require an expert installation to get them up and running.
Examples of home automation include:
- Hidden TVs
- Music & entertainment
- Programmers
- Room thermostats
- Safety systems
- Security
- Smart controls (Nest and Hive)
If you are renovating or looking to add value to your home, it’s always worth consulting an electrician about any automation they can install for you, since you may not be aware of the full range of technology that is currently available.
How To Find A Good Electrician
First and foremost, any electrician should be fully qualified and a member of a relevant body such as NICEIC. This will ensure they are regularly trained and assessed to the highest standards, as we are here at Dragon Gas & Electrics. Always lookout for the relevant logos on the contractor’s website or social media pages, which they can only legally use if they are a registered member.
Don’t forget to do your research! Now we are in the era of the online review, the public can see customer feedback from a tradesperson so that they know what they are getting into. Known as user generated content, independent customer reviews provide an incredibly valuable service to the public and help instil trust in the professional.
Domestic Electricians Penarth
Are you in search of a domestic electrician for your property? Dragon Gas & Electrics offer domestic electric installations and repairs across South Wales.
We’re based in Penarth and cover a 30 mile radius including Barry, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Cwmbran, Dinas Powys, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport, Port Talbot, Pontypridd and Sully.
You can be rest assured we are NICEIC registered so all our electrical work is covered by the NICEIC platinum promise of a 6 year warranty.
Give us a call on 07306507879 or contact us for an estimate and we’d be more than happy to assist you.
