In case there is a flash flood or storm in your area or if there is a severe plumbing leak or pipe burst, that can result in flooding of water in different areas of your home. Water can cause a lot of damage to the installations and features on your property, and you would have to start the clean-up and repairs without delay. This is also when you start evaluating what can be salvaged and what would have to be replaced – and this includes your home’s wiring.

The wiring inside the walls can become dysfunctional and dangerous if it’s exposed to or submerged in water. If there is a severe flood, it becomes important to completely replace the wiring in your home. Not too many builders actually use wiring that’s rated for water exposure of this kind. Of course, not much can be done till the time all the flood water recedes and all the water has been cleared out from your home.

Even when all the water is pumped out from the indoor spaces, it’s best to shut down the electricity supply at the circuit box mains before continuing with anything. Call in your local electrician to test the wiring in your home. Even if it is still in a working condition, it’s never a good idea to use it.

The insulation can get degraded and that can raise the chances of an electrical fire in the future. In addition, when there are traces of moisture in the wiring, that leads to mould & mildew growth and the metal parts in the system can corrode. This is especially the case when the property has become flooded with salty water.

When it comes to rewiring jobs, you also have to factor in the cost of opening up the wall panels and fixing them. In instances of a flood, the walls are generally torn down right up to the framework. If you take this opportunity to upgrade the wiring in your home, you can save a significant amount of money.

Floodwater is never clean and that proves to be an additional hazard to the wiring and other installations in your home. Chemicals, oil, sewage and a number of other contaminants that come with the floodwater work their way into the smallest spaces, and this is why it’s best to just start afresh with the installation. In comparison, if your home’s wiring has been impacted by water from a burst pipe, you might be able to save these features; this is because it may not be fully-submerged in water.

However, it’s never a good idea to test the condition of the wiring yourself and you should call in a skilled and licensed electrician to thoroughly check and evaluate the installation and give their opinion. Regardless of whether the wiring in your home has got impacted by flood water or water from a damaged plumbing installation, it’s important to get it checked without delay. The professionals will provide suitable solutions based on the condition and location of the wiring.

We are a company that has been operating in this space for a number of years and have the skill, knowledge as well as the resources to handle this job in an expert manner. We can install and maintain all type of electrical installations on your residential or commercial premises. For more information, contact the Allround Electrical team at this number – 1300 169 263. Alternatively, you can write to us at our email address.

Thanks for reading,1300 169 263

With summer coming to an end, it is an excellent time to take advantage of the cooler weather to get some things down around the house. It is time to prepare for winter and the weather that accompanies the season. While you are taking care of putting away the outdoor furniture and blowing out the sprinklers, it is a good time to call an electrician in Beverly Hills to have an electric safety inspection completed. The team at The Electric Connection is here to help you discover any electric safety problems you may not be aware of. We tend to use more electricity during the winter plugging in Holiday lights, space heaters and spending more time indoors in general. It is important you make sure your home’s electric system is in good, working condition.

During the inspection, the electrician will evaluate your outlets, light switches and the electric panel to see if there are any issues. If you have been experiencing problems with flickering lights, an outlet that doesn’t work all the time or a tripping breaker, you need to let your electrician know. These are subtle warning signs of a bigger problem. You will want to get any Beverly Hills electrical repair work completed sooner rather than later.

You will rest easy knowing your home’s electrical system is up to code and doesn’t pose a serious risk to your family. During the inspection, the electrician will give you recommendations of things you can do yourself or have done by a professional to add another layer of safety to your home. These are optional and you will have the ability to decide if you want to go ahead and have it all taken care of or wait until it is a better time. Don’t delay, call The Electric Connection and schedule your electric inspection today.

1. Look for Energy Smart products and ENERGY STAR labels

2.  Invest in the best ceiling fans to provide cooling in summer and better warm air circulation during the cold, winter months.

3.  Opt for the latest automated systems, lighting controls and cool new switches.

4.  Accessorize with LED nightlights in hallways and bathrooms.

5.  Play it safe.  Keep clutter to a minimum and task light to a maximum.

Show off your fashion-forward, good sense—get rid of inefficient, old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs.  Why wait until January to comply with new lighting codes and requirements? Get a jump-start on making your home and office environments more energy-efficient now.  Replace old bulbs with new energy-efficient halogen, CFL (compact fluorescent) and LED (light emitting diode) bulbs.

Check out the latest energy-saving solutions in home lighting and accessories:

Under-cabinet LED strip lights and tape lighting.

LED Christmas lights and novelty lamps.

Tabletop candlelight and energy saving low lights.

Energy Smart outdoor lights.

ENERGY STAR-qualified ceiling fans.

BE CEILING FAN SAVVY

“The National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) annual survey of consumer preferences indicates that ceiling fans are one of the Top 10 most likely products to include in new construction.” –www.enlightenmentmag.com/ceiling-fans/ceiling-fans-come-of-age

Ceiling fans—especially those with ENERGY STAR-qualified AC motors and the latest DC fan motors* –will provide significant cost savings on monthly electric bills when used in conjunction with your heating and cooling systems:

•In warmer climates, you may lower your air-conditioning thermostat a few degrees and maintain the same cooling comfort by adding an energy-efficient fan.

•In cooler climates, you can save on heating costs and electric bills by lowering the thermostat and operating ceiling fans in the reverse mode to push warmer air down from the ceiling.

* “Saving an additional 70 percent in energy has made the DC motor ceiling fan the biggest advance in this industry,” according to Jeff Dross, Corporate Director of Education and Industry Trends, to enlightenment Magazine (August 8, 2013).

The latest ceiling fans and decorative portable fans include Traditional, Retro, Rustic and Futuristic designs.  Get expert advice and personalized attention:  Professional lighting consultants at Capitol Lighting will help you to custom-design ceiling fans and lighting control systems for your home or office space.

Experience illustrious energy-saving illumination and comfortable eco-friendly air circulation with the most affordable, energy-saving light fixtures and ceiling fans.

INVEST IN THE BEST ENERGY-EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

New Kichler landscape lighting products are the go-to choice for energy-efficient landscape lighting that is luxurious and affordable.  Cost-saving outdoor light fixtures accommodate LED lamps, as well as CFL and halogen.

Creative concepts in landscape lighting include Kichler’s TaskWork LED Tape Lighting.  Available in an outdoor/wet version, these LED lights are sleek and ultra-low profile.  They are versatile, easy to install and affordable.  This highly flexible, 24-volt tape is fully dimmable and comes in a variety of color options and convenient lengths up to 20 feet.

Kichler-The Premium Choice in Landscape Lighting TM  , offers decorative path lights, accent lights, specialty items, transformers, LED lamps and accessories for residential and commercial lighting applications.

For more information on LED lamps, energy-efficient landscape lighting and cost-saving light fixture applications, visit with a professional lighting consultant at Capitol Lighting or check out the latest energy-efficient landscape lighting, ceiling fans and light fixtures at 1800lighting.com.

May your days be merry and bright and may all your Christmases be in the right light.

Now that my wife has married an electrician, she insists that I take every possible measure to ensure that the electrical system of our Los Angeles home is safe. One important step was to ensure that it’s properly grounded.

What is electrical grounding, anyway? Grounding adds a safety factor for your family and your electronics. Here’s how it works. Electricity travels the path of least resistance. If an appliance like a toaster breaks, electricity can flow on the metal outside of the toaster. Touching it could result in a serious shock, causing injury or even death. But if the electrical system is grounded and the toaster is plugged in with three prongs, the electricity won’t flow to the outside of the toaster. Instead it will flow through the third prong back into the wires and harmlessly into Mother Earth. Thus, the term “grounding.”

An electrical system can be grounded with various types of devices. A “ground wire” is simply a wire attached to your electrical system that’s been pushed securely into the ground. Metal pipes (electricians call them “conduit”) that hold and protect your electrical wires can also act as a grounding device. Sometimes, grounding is provided by running a wire from your electrical system and attaching it to metal plumbing pipes that run into the earth.

Grounding protects not only people but also sensitive electronics. Without grounding, electrical charges build up in wiring and create slight but continuous damage to delicate electronics. This damage can shorten the lives of computers, phones, and any electrical appliance that has “smart” (computer) components — possibly your fridge or dryer.

How can I tell if my electrical system is grounded? Homes built before 1950 were sometimes grounded. Homes built after 1950 were usually grounded. Even if your system was originally grounded, wiring mistakes may have rendered the grounding ineffective. The only way to know for sure is to have a qualified electrician check out your electrical system with a special tester. My electrical company, The Electric Connection, offers this check as a complementary service. It’s part of our Free Home Safety Inspection when we do an electrical job for an L.A. resident or business. If you’re outside Los Angeles County, you may find an electrical contractor who offers testing as a free service or as a service call.

My electrical outlets have three prongs — are they grounded? If your home has electrical outlets which accept three prongs, it MAY have a grounded system. The third prong allows an appliance to be grounded IF it’s plugged into an electrical system that has a grounding device.

Sometimes three-pronged outlets have been installed in electrical systems that aren’t grounded. This can make it look like the system is grounded when it’s not. Do-it-yourselfers or handymen may install three-pronged outlets in an ungrounded system not realizing the hazard or that such a set-up violates the National Electrical Code.

Sleep sounder with a grounded electrical system If you’ll sleep sounder knowing that your family and electronics are safe, give your electrician a call. If you’re in L.A. County, we at The Electric Connection will be happy to provide you with a full safety check of your electrical system, including grounding. Give us a call at (800) 990-9490 between 8 and 5. If you have other electrical work that you want us to do, use this coupon for a Home Electrical Safety Check and we’ll add your safety check for free.

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