In these strange times, we are all spending a lot more time at home and in the garden (if we are lucky enough!)  So we thought we’d give you a mini guide to something we all have in our homes and probably take for granted that they’re keeping us safe.

Fuse Boxes – also known as Consumer Units – are used to control and distribute electricity around our homes.

You probably know where your fuse box is located in your home.  It is important in case we ever need to turn the electricity off in an emergency.

A fuse box contains three things:

1. Mains Switch

This allows you to turn off the electricity supply, and so should be easily accessible.  Some homes will have more than one mains switch if there is more than one fuse box.

2. Circuit Breakers or Fuses

Most homes built after 1960 will have circuit breakers. These are automatic protection devices that switch off a circuit if they detect a fault.  Despite being a similar size to fuses, they offer more precise protection.  If they “trip”, you can reset the switch after finding and correcting the fault.

Fuses have a piece of special fuse running between two screws.  If a fault occurs, or in the event of an overload, the fuse wire will become hot and melt.  The melted fuse then breaks the circuit, disconnecting it and keeping you safe.

3. RCDs

RCDs (residual current devices) are switches that trip a circuit under certain conditions and disconnect the electricity supply.  If it detects an imbalance in current, or electricity flowing down an unintended path, it will switch the circuit off, reducing the risk of death or serious injury from an electric shock.

If you have a wooden back on your fuse box, a mixture of fuses and circuit breakers, or no RCD protection, then you might benefit from upgrading to a new consumer unit that would offer you more protection.  It is also worth considering if you are planning an extension or an improvement project or your fuse box is overloaded.

A professionally installed consumer unit by a certified electrician will improve your electrical safety as well as put your mind at rest by checking the integrity of the existing circuits in your property.

Fulcher Edwards carries out all types of electrical services, including fuse box replacement in homes in and around St. Albans. Why not give us a call us today for a free quotation on 01923 616985 or drop us an email on our Contact Us Page.

When looking for an electrician in St. Albans, people look for good reviews, recommendations, costs and sometimes check they are registered, but do you consider using a Company that is SafeContractor accredited?

SafeContractor is an accreditation which demonstrates to potential customers that your Company meets specific standards of health and safety. SafeContractor reviews and audits health and safety policies, procedures and documentation and only when they are satisfied do you received your accreditation.

Fulcher Edwards Ltd has been SafeContractor accredited for many years and prides its self on being health and safety compliant in all of our works, big or small. Each year we are audited and have to prove our competence by showing all our Health and Safety documents such as our Policies, our Method Statements and Risk Assessments and proving our electricians are fully qualified and trained on things such as step ladder use and access equipment.

Customers usually expect Health and Safety to come as standard but unfortunately there are many electricians out there that are not carrying out safe working practises and putting you and your property at risk. The horror stories you read about tradespeople are usually companies or sole traders that don’t follow simple Health and Safety guidelines or believe in qualifications. Both of these are fundamental in providing a safe working environment for staff and customers as well as providing a job well done.

This accreditation isn’t just for electricians but for all trades and covers all sectors and industries, so it is worth checking the electricians or builders you are considering have the SafeContractor badge on their website, letterheads or vans. We have our Certificate on the office on our wall to show that we are accredited and often forward a copy to prospective customers to give them peace of mind when giving us electrical or maintenance works.

Next time you are looking for a electrician then why not ask the question if they are SafeContractor approved as well as all the other questions you have when making a decision on which Company to use.

Safe Contractor Approved Electrician in St Albans, London and Hertfordshire

If you have any queries about our SafeContractor accreditation or would like to discuss any electrical works you are considering, then feel free to call us on 01923 616985, email us at info@fulcheredwards.coSC Certificate – 18102018SC Certificate – 18102018.uk or you can use our Contact Us Form via our website.