We’re well and truly in the festive spirit here at Fulcher Edwards, your local, reliable and trustworthy electricians in London and Hertfordshire. As thoughts are now turning to decking our ‘halls’ with an array of decorations and lighting effects (and maybe some boughs of holly!). We are receiving many calls to help source and repair electrical problems in homes and businesses in London and Hertfordshire.

In the run up to Christmas we get a lot calls and find that in many of these cases, Christmas lighting has been installed incorrectly – with too much reliance on extension leads or adapters plugged into adapters.

Of course Christmas doesn’t need to turn into an electrical nightmare, and don’t forget all that electricity requires is a common sense approach. We thought we’d share with you some essential electrical safety tips to keep you and your family or business safe over the festive season.

Electrical Safety Tips

1) Always purchase Christmas lights from reputable sources. Many Christmas lights are sold second hand on nearly new websites and car boot sales. Buying second hand means you don’t know if the item is safe to use or even if it works or not. Christmas lights don’t need to cost a fortune but they do need to meet minimum electrical safety standards.

2) Use an RCD – if your home does not have an RCD installed already, it makes sense to use an RCD plug for your Christmas lights. It will immediately cut the electrical supply if there is a problem with the lights. If you are installing lights outside, ensure that they are suitable for outdoor use- the products will tell you whether they’re suitable for outdoor use or not. Don’t ever be tempted to use extension leads designed for indoor use outside. All electrical outdoor lighting should be connected to an outdoor socket.

3) If you need additional sockets either indoors or outdoors, consult a Part P registered electrician in London or Hertforshire. Don’t try to do this work yourself. There are more fires this time of year due to unsafe Christmas lighting than at any other time of year.

4) Always follow the manufacturers instructions on how to use the electrical lighting safely.

5) Think about where you are going to install your lighting – keep out of the reach of children – particularly electrical sockets and lighting on trees. A curious toddler will like nothing more than tipping your Christmas tree over to study the lights! Never situate your lights in the way of pathways, and ponds.

6) Select Christmas lighting with low voltage bulbs. Most modern Christmas lights are low voltage which means they won’t heat up with continued usage. If you own a set of old fashioned bulbs, now is the time to replace them.

Lastly, don’t forget to check your lights work before hanging them up! Also take care on any ladders.

We cant promise to arrive in a one-horse open sleigh, but please do not hesitate to contact us HERE for any assistance with your electrical needs this Xmas.

Saving money and Christmas don’t go exactly hand in hand with each other. However, Christmas doesn’t have to be a huge spending frenzy and it is possible to save money, particularly on your energy bill this Christmas.

Fulcher Edwards – your local, reliable and trustworthy electricians in London and Hertfordshire, tell you how you can save money on electricity and other energy in your home without going without – and your guests will never even know!

Don’t get us wrong, we’re the first in the queue for Christmas fun and parties, and after a year of working hard helping our lovely customers with their electrical needs, we certainly know how to enjoy Christmas.

Here we have some handy tips on how to save energy in your home this Christmas – oh and we might even have some handy present tips for those last minute stocking fillers – ho ho ho!

Tip 1

We say this often because it really is an easy low cost way to save a packet on your electricity bill. If you don’t already have energy saving light bulbs in your home, you’re missing a trick! Energy saving light bulbs come in a whole range of sizes, including the same shape as a regular incandescent light bulb. If you are thinking of adding a few festive lights outside, you will be pleased to know that there is a growing range of solar powered Christmas lights which will cost you nothing to run and can charge up even in the smallest amount of sunlight we get at this time of year. Also why not consider buying an energy meter for your home? Its a great way to keep track of the energy you’re using in your household.

Tip 2

If you are buying electrical appliances and gadgets for loved ones this Christmas, did you know that many are now Energy A rated? Look out for the label on electrical items which show you how energy efficient they are. You need to be looking for Energy A as a minimum (there are also now A+ A++ and even A+++) this will mean that not only is the electrical item energy efficient it will also cost less to run.

Tip 3

Looking for a great idea for stocking fillers? The shops are filled with tacky presents which will either get lost or broken in no time. Therefore why not give an Eco gift? Its something different and will save money! You can buy eco versions of hair dryers, coffee machines and kettles.  There are also solar versions of mobile phones, watches, laptop chargers, toys and radios which require only the sun to power them. For camping and outdoor enthusiasts you can discover wind up torches and radios as well as water powered digital clocks.

Tip 4

With all the extra guests you have over Christmas, its a great time to turn your central heating down a couple of degrees. No one will notice – the heat from the cooking the turkey as well as the additional body heat will more than compensate for the heat reduction. You will certainly notice the difference on your energy bill though in the New Year! Furthermore, underfloor heating is great energy efficient way to heat your house! There is an initial expense with the installation, however you will find it distributes heat more evenly which makes your house nice and cosy, and you wont even have to have your radiators on! One of our customers even removed some of the radiators in their house after having underfloor heating installed, leaving more room for Christmas decorations!

Tip 5

For the eco conscious amongst us, there are other ways of saving energy when cooking the all important Christmas dinner. Turn off the ring before your vegetables have finished cooking. Heat from the water and the steam will keep the vegetables hot for some time and is a great way of finishing them off completely free! Steaming is also a great way of healthy cooking and it uses less water and keeps the essential vitamins and nutrients within the food.

For all your electrical needs in the New Year, please do not hesitate to contact us HERE

Call us now on: 020 7922 1101 for your local electrician in London  |  01923 616985 for your local electrician in Hertfordshire