If you run your own business you’ll understand the importance of having an adequate fire protection system.  Essential for not only protecting your customers, clients or staff, fire protection is an essential requirement when it comes to insurance and meeting health and safety legislation.

Whether you are an employer, business owner, landlord or occupier of business premises, it is your responsibility to ensure that those who use the building are safe from the risk of fire.  At Dalec we are specialists in providing fire protection for business and commercial clients throughout Leeds.

Our expertise covers everything from small commercial premises and single offices, through to multi floor office buildings which require complex, multi-zone systems.

It’s very important to remember that regardless of the size or age of your fire protection system, it will require expert maintenance to ensure that it continues to work safely and offers the protection you require.  We offer a range of fire protection maintenance services, designed to offer the peace of mind that your system is reliable, but to also limit unwanted system failures, helping you to meet legislation and insurance requirements.

We’ve heard reports of a dramatic increase in the number of bike thefts from garages and sheds in Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Ben Rhydding and Addingham.  Whilst many homeowners ensure that their home is protected with a security alarm, garages and sheds are often left un-protected and at risk from burglars.

When you stop to consider that your garage can be home to some very valuable equipment – whether it’s expensive bikes, power tools, sports equipment or even a lawn mower – protecting outdoor buildings seems like a very good idea indeed!

Here at Dalec we’re specialists in all aspects of home security and are happy to offer advice on protecting your shed or garage.  Many homeowners don’t realise that many home security systems can be installed to incorporate out buildings and if you already have a home security system, we’re happy to offer guidance on the best way to incorporate your shed or garage into the system.

Security lighting can also prove to be an effective deterrent to burglars and by installing dusk-to-dawn security lighting or motion sensor lighting is yet another great way to protect your shed or garage.

Why not get in touch for details of our security services and alarms in the Ilkley area?

If you are a landlord in Leeds, there’s no doubt you’re aware of your obligations when it comes to electrical safety in your rental properties.  However, according to Electrical Safety First, many UK landlords are putting their tenants at risk of fire or serious injury through poorly maintained or badly installed electrical installations.

In brief, landlords are, by law, required to ensure that electrical installations in a property are safe, both before a tenant moves in, and for the duration of their rental agreement.  Houses which are occupied by multiple tenants must undergo an electrical safety inspection every five years.  Properties which are not occupied by multiple tenants are not required by law to be inspected but it is recommended that an inspection is carried out by registered electrician every five years.

Any appliances which are provided by landlords must be safe and at the very least, carry the CE marking.

It is also recommended that landlords use only registered electricians to carry out any work on their rental properties and that regular safety checks are carried out on appliances, as part of the rental agreement for the property.

Here at Dalec we are registered electricians working in Leeds – if you would like further information on any aspect of our electrical services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Summer seems to be here at long last and with this weekend being predicted to be the warmest of the year so far, most of us will be keeping our windows open in an effort to cool our homes down.

However open windows present a security risk and if you’re going out – even just a quick trip to the shops – it’s very important to make sure all your windows and doors are locked.  Window locks are simple and quick to fit and because they are a highly effective way to add an extra security feature to your home, we highly recommend them.

Window locks are especially effective when used on ground floor windows and patio doors.  These windows are often the first to be targeted by thieves – an easy way to gain entry to a property – gaining access through a window is often the first thing that an intruder will try.

If you’re interested in installing window locks on your windows, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

The long summer evenings are perfect for sitting out in the garden and if you’re thinking of installing some garden lighting, you need to spend a little time thinking about how to install it safely.

Before installing garden lighting you’ll need to make sure you have a transformer – a device which is used to transfer voltage from one level to another.  A transformer is an essential requirement for the majority of garden lighting because garden lighting usually operates at 12 volts whilst the power outlets in your home usually operate at 240 volts.

The number of garden lights which can be operated from a single transformer is limited: you’ll need to look at the wattage of each individual light and multiple that by the total number of lights you intend to use.  For example, if each single light works at 20 watts and you want to use eight of these lights in your garden, you will need a transformer of at least 160 watts.

The cables you use to power your garden lighting can, in theory, be as long as you want, however power will be lost as the number of lights and the length of the cable increases.  Ideally the cable should be kept as short as possible and depending on the size of your garden; a number of transformers may be required.

It is also important to consider other issues when installing garden lighting such as using the correct cables and our services are available to cover this.