Hey! Matt and Pat here.
It’s Spring and while lots of us have been doing a little clearing out since COVID-19 arrived, there’s still plenty of opportunities to get your home ready. In this newsletter we’re sharing a few tips to inspire you.
We’ll also explain why your traditional landline won’t work once you have the NBN installed.
We’re all about safety – yours and ours – so when we come to your home or office, we follow COVIDSafe guidelines. To arrange our next visit, call 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au.
Cheers,
Matt Cox & Pat Dobbs
Many of us have started our spring cleaning early this year but if your home is like ours, there’s probably a few trouble spots to deal with. So here are 5 ideas to help you keep your home neat and tidy with a minimum of fuss.
Tip 1 – Let the light in!
Have you noticed how dark it is inside some of your cupboards? Especially areas such as your:
We can let the light in so you can find what you’re looking for and help you clear out some of those dark corners. In fact, the lighting options available now are so cool, we can install a light that will automatically turn on when you open the door and turn off when you close it. Imagine that!
Tip 2 – Cleaning up outside
Electric lawn mowers and leaf blowers are more efficient and less smelly than their petrol cousins. And don’t you just love how good the exterior of your home, driveway and garden paths look after you’ve cleaned them with a high-pressure cleaner? Trouble is, these outdoor appliances need a power outlet to work. We can help you by installing a special outdoor powerpoint.
As an extra bonus, outdoor powerpoints make it easier and more secure to power your Christmas lights. Yes, we’re talking Christmas already!
Tip 3 – Get those devices in order when charging
At last count, the average Australian household has 17 devices and the number is growing. That’s a lot of devices cluttering kitchen benchtops and tables while they are being charged. But there are solutions to keep everyone happy and clutter free.
We can install powerpoints with built-in USB charges. They come in 2 or 4 gang powerpoints with a matching number of USB charges.
Alternatively, we can install a 3 USB charging shelf which can keep your mobile phones or tablets off the bench while recharging.
Tip 4 – Outdoor lights looking old?
If you love to entertain outdoors, you’ll have outdoor lighting. But when was the last time you updated them? Updating your outdoor light fittings is usually a simple way to enhance your outdoor entertainment space and perhaps add a little additional lighting around your barbeque or outdoor dining area.
If you haven’t done so already, converting your outdoor lights to LED options will also help to reduce your power bills.
Whatever your outdoor lighting requirements, we can help you with the planning and installation so get in touch.
Tip 5 – Planning a renovation
Did you know you can nominate your own electrician if you are planning a renovation? So don’t compromise on your safety. If you trust us, ask to use us in your next renovation.
Your safety is always our priority so for all your home, office and home office needs, contact Ku-ring-gai Electrical Service on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au.
Lately, we’ve received a lot of calls from customers who are having trouble with their phones now that they have the NBN installed. There’s a reason for that. Once you have the NBN, your old landline won’t work. Instead, you will need a new phone – one that uses the internet to make calls. It also means your old phone sockets won’t work either.
There are a few different names for a phone that uses the internet to make and receive calls. These include:
Whatever you choose to call it, we can help you with some quick and easy solutions so get in touch today by calling 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au
Hey! Matt and Pat here.
Over 900 Australians died in house fires between 2003 – 2017 and most of them occurred at night. While the figures may seem a little dated, the number of deaths from house fires remains fairly constant. That’s why it’s so important to have the right type of smoke detector installed in your home.
In this newsletter, we’ll explain why we think some smoke detectors are better than others – especially when seconds count!
At Ku-ring-gai Electrical Service, we take your safety seriously. To arrange a time for us to visit your home or office, call us on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au. For your protection, we follow COVIDSafe guidelines.
Cheers,
Matt Cox & Pat Dobbs
In NSW, every home must have at least 1 working smoke detector installed on each level, regardless of whether it’s owner occupied or a rental property. But we’re not just talking bricks and mortar homes. The legislation covers
To be compliant, smoke detectors must meet Australian Standard AS3786 so make sure your smoke detector has this sticker and if it doesn’t, get in touch with us urgently.
All smoke detectors should be located between the kitchen and sleeping areas. Fire and Rescue NSW recommends installing smoke detectors in every bedroom and in the hallways leading to bedrooms.
If a member of your family is deaf or hearing impaired, strobe light and vibrating pad smoke detectors are available. For more information, contact the Deaf Society of NSW on 02 8833 3600 or visit deafsociety.org.au/equipment/page/smoke_alarms
What do firefighters recommend?
Fire and Rescue NSW recommend installing hard-wired smoke detectors. Hard-wired smoke detectors are connected to your home’s electrical system and have a battery back-up power supply. This provides extra security because the battery will ensure the alarm will work – even if the fire disrupts your power supply.
Hard-wired smoke detectors need to be installed by a qualified electrician, like us.
Legislation has changed
Smoke detectors aren’t designed to last forever. In fact, they only have a 10 year lifespan. So if yours has been around for a while, or you have moved into a new home and don’t know the age of your smoke detector, it’s probably time to get a new one – just to be safe.
In addition, recent legislation changes mean the more traditional type of smoke detector (called ionisation smoke detectors) are no longer available and should be replaced by the photoelectric version.
The reason for the legislation change is that ionisation smoke detectors only tend to activate once there are flames. But a fire can smoulder for many hours before flames occur. In the middle of the night, with the house filled with smoke, this type of alarm makes it difficult to get you and your family to safety. On the other hand, photoelectric smoke detectors can detect smouldering fires to give you more time to get out of harm’s way.
How can you tell if your smoke detector is the photoelectric or ionisation type?
Ionisation smoke detectors (the traditional type) use a tiny amount of radioactive material so they have a radioactive symbol on the unit.
Photoelectric smoke detectors use a different technology so they don’t have a radioactive symbol.
If you see a radioactive symbol, you need to change your smoke detector.
How we can help you
When you are asleep, you lose your sense of smell so a working smoke detector is the only thing you can rely on to alert you if there is a fire in your home. If you don’t know how old your smoke detector is or you suspect you have an ionisation smoke detector, get in touch with us. We’ll install the Fire and Rescue NSW recommended hard-wired smoke detector with lithium battery backup.
It’s too important to put this off so get in touch today.
For all your home and office wiring needs, call the Ku-ring-gai Electrical Service team on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au
Did you know double adapters aren’t manufactured to the same safety standards as powerpoints? So never use double adapters to power heavy load appliances such as washing machines, clothes dryers or vacuum cleaners.
If you currently use a double adapter in your home or office, get in touch. It’s usually very simple to convert a powerpoint to a double or 4 gang point.
What about halogen downlights? Did you know they are one of the leading causes of roof fires? In fact, halogen downlights are so dangerous, there’s legislation that requires a warning notice to be installed in your roof.
The reason halogen downlights are so dangerous is because they create a lot of heat which can cause a fire if leaves blow into your roof cavity.
LED downlights are a safe and energy efficient option to replace any halogen downlights in your home. If you have halogen downlights, get in touch. We’ll be happy to discuss the options with you.
Don’t risk a fire. Get in touch with us by calling on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au
Hey! Matt and Pat here.
Well our mornings certainly have an icy chill at the moment and while it’s nice to sit by an open fire or crank up the heater, winter is also the busiest time of year for firefighters. So in this month’s newsletter, we’re sharing our top 10 tips on how to stay safe and warm this winter – without blowing the budget.
At Ku-ring-gai Electrical Service, we take your safety seriously. To arrange a time for us to visit your home or office, call us on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au. For your protection, we’re also following COVIDSafe guidelines.
Cheers,
Matt Cox & Pat Dobbs
1. If you use plug-in heaters, make sure you completely unwind the power cord. Coiled power cords can cause fires. It’s the same with extension cords. Always unwind them completely.
2. At the start of each winter and periodically throughout the season, check your heater plug. It needs to fit snuggly into the powerpoint. If the plug feels a bit loose or is too easy to pull out, it’s a possible fire hazard.
3. Never plug your heaters and iron, or your kettle and toaster into a double adaptor or powerboard. These appliances can overheat the adaptor or powerboard and cause a fire. In fact, any appliance that generates heat should always be plugged into its own powerpoint (even hair dryers and sandwich makers).
If you are currently using double adaptors or powerboards in your kitchen, bathroom, laundry or office, ask us to install a 2 or 4 gang powerpoint so you can operate everything you want, without risking the safety of you and your family.
4. If you have ceiling fans, use them in winter too – just change the setting to winter mode. (You’ll find a small switch on the base of the fan above the blades.) Hot air rises so changing the setting on your ceiling fan will move warm air down to where you need it. Just remember to change the fan to summer mode when the weather gets warmer.
5. If you have a swimming pool, reset the timer so it’s only running 4-6 hours a day over winter. In most cases, this should be sufficient to keep your pool clean while significantly reducing your running costs.
6. Shorter days mean your lights are on for longer so now is the perfect time to upgrade your lights to LED options. Due to the size of LED lights, they are ideal for under cabinet lighting to make cooking or washing dishes much easier.
There are some great options that are easy to retro-fit. Get in touch if you would like to discuss your options.
7. Clean solar panels are more efficient at generating energy than dirty solar panels. Over time, dust, pollution, leaves and pollen build up on your solar panels, creating a film that affects their efficiency. Winter is the ideal time to get them professionally cleaned and checked.
8. Did you know your air conditioning filter needs regular cleaning? Dust and fluff build up over time, collecting in and around the filter. As a result, your air conditioner needs to work harder to keep you warm in winter and cool in summer – creating soaring energy costs.
9. According to CHOICE, all electric blankets must carry the AS/NZS 60335.2.17:2012 safety standard. In addition, make sure you turn the blanket OFF before you hop in bed. Otherwise, it’s easy to accidentally leave an electric blanket on all day which can overheat and become a fire hazard.
10. If your power bill seems high, look for energy guzzling appliances. One of the services we offer is an Energy Audit. As part of the audit process, we investigate all your home electrical equipment, lighting etc. to identify both the high energy users and the opportunities to install more energy efficient options. We can also install energy tracking devices to help you control your home energy usage.
Your safety is always our priority and we’re keen to save you money on your power bills wherever we can. So for all your home, office or “home office” wiring needs, contact Ku-ring-gai Electrical Service on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au
Hey, Matt and Pat here.
The days are getting shorter so in this newsletter, we explain the benefits of installing photoelectric sensors for security and safety lighting in common areas of strata buildings and houses. We’ll also show you a motion sensor which gives a soft light for hallways and bathrooms.
If you’re finding Zoom meetings tedious and you hate looking at a small screen, we’re sharing 3 ways to make technology easier at work and at home.
Your safety is our priority. For all your home and office wiring needs, call us on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au
Cheers,
Matt Cox & Pat Dobbs
As a nation, our use and reliance on technology has really increased since COVID-19 arrived in Australia. So here are 3 ways we can help make work and leisure easier for you.
1. Wall-mounted TVs for Zoom meetings
If you have Zoom meetings with several people, you know how difficult it is to see everyone on your computer screen. We can help by installing a wall-mounted TV at your workplace. Get in touch if you would like to see your team on a bigger screen.
2. Home theatre set-ups
Wall-mounted TVs are not just for work. It’s the start of a home theatre set-up! We can help you with the installation of speakers, a large screen and any other home theatre accessories such as projectors, subwoofers and soundbars.
3. Data and ethernet outlets
Don’t forget, you can improve the speed of your home internet connection by adding additional data points or ethernet ports where you need them. While they won’t overcome bottlenecks in your internet service, they can help to boost speeds, improve the reliability of your connections and reduce interference by other online devices in your home.
For all your home, office or “working from home” wiring needs, contact Ku-ring-gai Electrical on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au
Security and safety lighting for your home or strata
Winter is here and the days are noticeably shorter. That’s when it’s easy to see the benefits of a good sensor lighting system.
The most convenient security and safety lighting systems use photoelectric sensors rather than timers. Timers rely on you to set the time you want the lights to come on and turn off. As a result, each time we swap to daylight savings and back again, the timers need to be reset. In addition, during Autumn and Spring, lights on timers are often not in sync with your lighting needs.
Photoelectric sensors actually detect the amount of light. If a storm is brewing and the light is reduced, the sensors activate the lights. They also automatically adjust as the days get shorter in winter and longer in summer which means, you never need to adjust the timer again.
If you live in a strata scheme, ask your building manager or strata manager to contact us for a quote. If you’re a home owner, call 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au to arrange a time for us to visit so we can assess your needs.
Not just for outside
Sensor lights are also available for inside your home or forthe common areas in your strata scheme (such as stairwells and garages). But if you are looking for something very quick and easy for us to install, we recommend the Clipsal Iconic Night Walk Sensor Light. Use it in hallways, bathrooms or stairwells - the Night Walk Sensor Light is simply a specially converted powerpoint. We usually adapt a double powerpoint to ensure you still have a power source where you need it. Best of all, if you no longer need the Night Walk Sensor Light, simply ask us to remove it and you’ll have your double powerpoint back again.
The Clipsal Night Walk Sensor Light comes in 4 different colours to complement your wall colour.
For lighting solutions that work at home or in your office, contact the team at Ku-ring-gai Electrical Service by calling 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au
Continuing to keep you safe
While COVID-19 restrictions are easing, we understand the coronavirus still poses a significant health risk for some customers.
To keep you safe, each team member will wash their hands before we enter your home. We won’t shake your hand and we’ll practice social distancing as well.
Please be reassured, your safety is always our number one priority.
For all your home and workplace wiring needs, contact Ku-ring-gai Electrical Service on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au to arrange your appointment.
Hey! Matt and Pat here.
Extra time at home is nice but it means many of us are using streaming services to catch up on programs we’ve missed. Or perhaps online gaming is your thing. If you’re frustrated by your Wi-Fi, read on. Perhaps a hardwired ethernet connection is the way to go.
We’ll also look at the benefits of hardwiring data cables for home office use.
If you’re concerned about us visiting your home, don’t worry. We’re taking extra precautions due to COVID-19.
At Ku-ring-gai Electrical Service, we take your family’s safety seriously. Call us on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au to arrange your appointment.
Cheers,
Matt Cox & Pat Dobbs
Hardwiring vs Wi-Fi – could an Ethernet outlet improve streaming and gaming?
Wi-Fi is great and really convenient. But when all members of your household are online at the same time, it can become a little unreliable – especially if you’re streaming your favourite show or enjoying online gaming with your mates.
Wi-Fi stability can be compromised depending on the layout of your home and the number of devices being used at the same time. Things like concrete walls, interference from other electrical equipment or your neighbours’ Wi-Fi networks can all affect your online experience.
Adding a hardwired ethernet port for your important devices can solve this problem.
For your smart TV, a hardwired connection will boost streaming quality. For gaming, hardwiring can increase speed which will give you a faster response time (and perhaps a winning edge). Hardwire access points for all your important devices will also prevent dropout.
To investigate whether hardwiring could make home recreation less frustrating, contact us to arrange a time on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au
Remember: Hardwiring data points won’t overcome bottlenecks in your internet service but they can help boost speeds, improve the reliability of your connections and reduce interference by other online devices in your home.
Hi-tech home office connections
Wi-Fi drop-outs while you’re working from home really impact your productivity and efficiency.
Drop-outs are often a problem when your wireless access point (which includes your modem) is some distance from your desk or if there are barriers (such as walls) between your computer and your access point.
Wireless Access Points enable all of your Wi-Fi devices to connect without a cable while increasing the size and stability of your wireless network. We can install data access points which will improve the efficiency of your home network.
Get in touch if you would like to install data points exactly where you need them. Call 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au
Keeping you safe
As COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease, we are now able to visit your home to provide a quote, as well as provide electrical installation and maintenance services. But we understand the coronavirus still poses a significant health risk for some customers.
To keep you safe, each team member will wash their hands before we enter your home. We won’t shake your hand and we’ll practice social distancing as well.
Please be reassured, your safety is always our number one priority.
For all your home and workplace wiring needs, contact Ku-ring-gai Electrical Service on 0418 442 578 or email info@kuring.com.au to arrange your appointment.
