You may have noticed Fulcher Edwards like to remind you guys each week to Test It Tuesday aka #TestItTuesday via our Twitter, Facebook and our Instagram page. We do this EVERY Tuesday!

The reason we do this life can get in the way and its very easy to forget to test your smoke alarm and it could save your life.

We know with everything going on right now with Coronavirus is taking up a lot of our attention and rightly so, its a scary unusual time for us all. However, as most of us our working from home and schooling from home currently, its never been a better time to get into the habit of testing your smoke alarm each week.

Smoke alarms require very little maintenance but you want to know it will work should a fire break out at your property and you will only know if it will work effectively if it is tested regularly to make sure it’s working. A simple press of the test button on the alarm will show you instantly and could save lives.

If you don’t have any smoke alarms in your home or landlords property currently then why not get in touch and we can advise what you need, how many and where. All our electricians are Aico Approved Installers and can suggest the right ones for you. Quotations are free.

Though we are only carrying out essential works we can still provide you with quotations and discuss any requirements you may have

smoke detector of fire alarm in action, white background

. Just contact us via our website or give us a call on 01923 616985.

With just 5 days to go until Christmas Day, this is a third and final instalment of our blog post about electrical safety at Christmas.

We have covered the importance of checking your Christmas lights and when to use a registered electrician in St Albans, London or Hertfordshire like Fulcher Edwards Ltd. Another equally important thing to do over Christmas is testing your smoke alarm.

This is the time of year when you have more lights, candles, extensions leads and generally put your electrical system under more strain than normal. Your fire risk goes up unfortunately so therefore testing your smoke alarm has never been more important. The Fire and Rescue Service have very useful information on their website as below;

Maintaining your smoke alarm

To keep your smoke alarm in good working order, you should:

• test it once a month, by pressing the test button until the alarm sounds
• change the battery once a year (unless it’s a ten-year alarm)
• replace the whole unit every ten years
• clean your smoke alarm once every three months using the soft brush of your vacuum cleaner. This will ensure you remove any excess dust or insects.

You may see us use a hashtag on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook every Tuesday that says #testittuesday as we like to remind people like the rest of our industry of the importance of testing smoke alarms, fire alarms and emergency lighting. All of these things may help save a life! So a smoke alarm its not just for Christmas but something you should test all year round.

If you don’t have a smoke alarm or think you may need more than your local registered electrician can assist you with this. Fulcher Edwards Ltd installs Aico Alarms in our clients properties as they are one of the leading manufactuers.

We are NICEIC approved electrical contractors that cover St. Albans, Watford, Bushey, Radlett, Hemel Hempstead and most of Hertfordshire and even London, so why not get in touch with us for a free quotation by using the Contact Us form on our blog or website.

smoke detector of fire alarm in action, white background

Two children playing with electricity on floor at home

School is officially out for summer so it’s that time of year when we all look forward to jet setting off to a hot destination for some well deserved chill out time with friends or family. Even though your escaping the hustle and bustle of everyday life, electrical safety is something you need to stay very much on the ball with even whilst abroad. Some countries do not have the same safety regulations as we do in the UK so some vital checks should really be part of your holiday routine to keep you safe.

A a few vital checks when travelling abroad and how to keep safe when it comes to electrical appliances. Check out advice from Electrical Safety First’s website who have some helpful information for travellers.

Your hotel room – check that:

•there are no bare wires that can be touched where electrical accessories have been removed or damaged

•sockets and light switches are not damaged or have their covers missing

•light bulbs are properly inserted into all light fittings and are not broken or cracked

•there are no trailing extension leads or overloaded sockets and never ignore the warning signs of burning smells, sounds of arcing (buzzing and crackling), fuses blowing or scorch marks on plugs and sockets

Bathrooms – check that:

•electrical accessories cannot be touched whilst in the bath or shower

By the pool – check that:

•electrical appliances are kept away from the water

On camp sites – check that:

•there is Residual Current Device (RCD) protection or a similar device that will cut off the supply if there is an electrical problem

•flexible cables are positioned appropriately to prevent them being damaged

•electrical appliances are stored in a dry place

Keeping yourself & your family safe is not difficult if you follow a few simple rules:

1.Never touch electrical equipment with wet hands.

2.Never touch light switches if they are cracked or show signs of damage.

3.Never plug equipment into a socket which looks damaged/cracked or has part or all of the cover missing.

4.Never use mains powered electrical appliances in a bathroom.

5.Always check that cables are securely attached to electrical equipment and are not cut, nicked or damaged in anyway. There should be no joints in the cable and certainly no repairs with insulating tape. Cables should also be checked for signs of overheating, such as discoloration.

6.Always check that the travel adaptor you are using is the correct type for the country in which you are travelling and never force it into a socket if it does not easily fit.

Wherever you are on holiday, no-one should have to compromise their safety so always report any electrical dangers to the person responsible. This could be your hotel rep, tour operator or the hotel manager. If the danger is not removed immediately, insist on being moved.

These types of checks will put your mind at rest so you can really enjoy your break. Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday!