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
10 Top Winter Safety Tips (with some hints to save you money)
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