When water and electricity mix the results can be deadly.  With this in mind, we thought we’d give you a few tips on bathroom safety.

When it comes to electrical safety, the bathroom can become the most dangerous room in the house.  Electrical installations in bathrooms come with their own set of special safety requirements and most electrical work must comply with Part P of Building Regulations.

For any electrical work in the bathroom we strongly recommend using registered electricians such as Dalec.

Power sockets- with the exception of shaver supply sockets – are not allowed in bathrooms unless they can be installed at a safe distance of at least three metres from the sink, bath or shower.  Shaver supply sockets must also be installed at a safe distance from the shower or bath to avoid contact with water.

The best type of bathroom lighting is a recessed light or a light that is enclosed and does not hang down.  Ceiling mounted pull-cord switches are the safest option for bathroom lights as everyday light switches can be dangerous when operated with damp hands.

The safest way to heat your bathroom is with a central heating radiator but if you do have an electric heater, it must be installed at a safe distance from the sink, shower or bath.  Again, a pull-cord switch outside the bathroom is the safest way to operate a bathroom heater.

Electric showers should be installed by a qualified electrician and must be supplied on their own circuit, directly from the fuse box.

Last and by no means least, never, ever bring a mains-powered appliance such as a hairdryer into the bathroom as the results can be deadly.

If you have a fire alarm system it’s important to understand the importance of
annual servicing. Here at Dalec we are experts in not only fire alarm
installations but also in their servicing and repair.

Annual servicing is the best way to ensure your alarm is working properly and to predict any future faults which could appear. The last thing you want is for a fire to start in your property only then to discover that your alarm isn’t working!

It’s also important to remember that regular maintenance is a requirement of
many insurance companies and if you are unable to supply an up-to-date service
log for your alarm, your insurance policy could be made void.

Inbetween inspections and an annual service carried out by a registered alarm
specialst such as Dalec, it’s important to carry out simple checks such as
making sure that your alarm sounds and any checks you make need to be logged in
your alarm maintenance record book.

If you would like more information on on our fire alarm installation and
maintenance services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We have the
expertise to install a range of fire alarm systems, with different options
suitable for residential, commercial and industrial buildings and we’re always
happy to provide further advice on the most suitable system to suit your
requirements.

Homes come in all shapes and sizes and whether you live in a tenth-floor flat or a large detached property, here at Dalec we’re happy to offer advice and guidance on the best burglar alarm for you.

Studies carried out by the Metropolitan Police have shown that a burglar alarm which is correctly installed and maintained will ensure that your home is less likely to be burgled.  However, there are a number of different types of alarm available and many homeowners are daunted by the choice so we thought we’d cover the basics of what to consider.

The best type of alarm for your home depends on several things, such as the type and size of property, your personal preferences and your budget.  However you’ll need to begin by thinking about what you’d want to happen in the event of the alarm being triggered.  For example, a bell-only type of alarm will simply sound in the event of a break in but will not contact anyone, such as the police or a registered contact.

Alarms with a built-in speech dialler are designed to automatically contact you or a nominated contact (such as a neighbour or friend) when the alarm is triggered.  The other option is to choose an alarm which is part of a monitoring contact: alarms of this type require an annual or monthly subscription payment for a company to take action or call the police in the event of the alarm sounding.

Costs can vary hugely between the different systems and we’ll carry out an initial assessment of your property to find the best alarm to suit your home and your budget.  If you would like further information on our burglar alarm installation services in Leeds, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

LED lighting is becoming an increasingly popular option for homeowners and businesses alike.  Extremely energy efficient and long-lasting, by switching to LED lighting you could make significant savings on your energy bills.

LED lighting offers the best of both worlds: reduced energy consumption combined with exceptional visual performance.  A standard incandescent light bulb wastes around 80% of the electricity it uses in the production of heat and just 20% as light.  In comparison, LED emits 80% of the energy they produce as light and just 20% as heat.  LED lights can be fully dimmed and can be introduced into circuits with sensors.

LED lights will also last far longer than their incandescent for fluorescent counterparts. An LED bulb has the potential to last a staggering 100,000 hours which equates to 11 years of 100% usage.  With 50% usage, an LED bulb can last over twenty years.  This incredibly longevity makes LED bulbs by far the most cost effective option available.

LED lighting is suitable for any room in the house and if you’d like further advice on using LEDs in your home, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We’re often asked by customers if their home needs re-wiring and it’s a question that can usually be quickly be answered after a simple visual inspection by one of our electricians.

The majority of British homes didn’t have electrical wiring installed as standard until the inter-war period and it’s not uncommon for us to come across homes that still have the original wiring.  During the 1950s electrical and lighting circuits were encased in lead or rubber – wiring of this type can deteriorate very quickly leaving wires exposed.  Old wiring can be extremely dangerous and if you’re concerned about the wiring in your home, it’s essential to call a qualified electrician as soon as possible.

Rewiring a home can be expensive but by working with a reputable electrical company such as Dalec, you’ll have the reassurance that the work carried out on your home is being carried out to the highest safety standards.  If you are concerned about the wiring in your home – regardless of the age of the property – we’re happy to offer free, no-obligation quotes or advice at a time to suit you.  Why not get in touch with us today?

Now we know it’s early to be talking about Christmas and we find the sight of mince pies in the supermarket in October depressing too, but when it comes to electrical safety we believe that planning ahead to ensure your Christmas lights are installed safety could literally save your life.

When it comes to installing outdoor Christmas lights, you need to take safety very seriously indeed.  The fashion for outdoor Christmas lights started years ago but over recent years we’ve seen a huge surge in the popularity of eye-catching lights, with some displays covering almost every inch of the outside of a property.  Outdoor Christmas lights do look great but installing and using them can prove very dangerous indeed.

With this in mind, it’s important to stress that if you are in the slightest doubt about installing outdoor lights safely, you need to contact someone qualified to carry out the installation for you.  Working high up on a ladder is something most people just aren’t used to but if you’re sure you want to carry out the job yourself, we recommend hiring a specially designed access platform.

It’s vital that you only use lights which are specially designed to be used outdoors and which can be left outdoors for extended periods and if in doubt as to the suitability of your lights, don’t use them but buy new outdoor specific lights instead.

Last and by no means least, never try and install outdoor lights in bad weather – wait for a dry, fairly still day.

Here at Dalec we are accredited and approved installers of fire alarm systems and smoke alarms for commercial properties, homes, schools and businesses in and around Leeds.

Even the most basic smoke detectors and fire alarm systems can go a long way to protect your home or business.  Smoke alarms should be tested on a weekly basis and the batteries replaced at 6 monthly intervals – regardless of whether the alarm is beeping to warn of a low battery.

Several different types of smoke alarms are available and optical smoke detectors are designed to detect smoke particles whether they are visible or invisible.   Smoke detectors have an individual coverage radius of 7.5 metres; however it is important to ensure that the individual radiuses overlap to ensure that there are no ‘blind-spots.’

Fixed temperature heat detectors are ideal for use in rooms that tend to have higher ambient temperatures and in rooms where sudden rises in the ambient temperature are commonplace, for example drying rooms and kitchens.

Rate of rise detectors can be used to detect a fire as soon as the temperature in a room rises.  This type of detector incorporates a fixed upper temperature limit which will trigger the alarm if the rate of the temperature rise has been too slow to trigger the detector.  Rate of rise detectors are best suited to environments with a stable ambient temperature.

Heat detection alarms cover an area of 5.3m but again the radius must overlap to ensure that there aren’t any blinds spots. .

If you would like further advice on protecting your home or business from the risk of fire, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Alongside fire alarm and security systems, emergency lighting has become an important element of the safety systems used in business, commercial and industrial buildings.

Emergency lighting can literally prove to be a life saver as it will provide a safe escape route in the event of a fire or as a lighting source during a power cut.  However when installing emergency lighting systems, it’s essential to install the correct type and to ensure that a suitable layout is used.

Here at Dalec we are specialists in all aspects of security, safety and emergency lighting for business and commercial customers.  We have the expertise to carry out safety lighting installations and once your lighting system has been fitted, we also offer testing and maintenance services to ensure your system is reliable and meets safety legislation.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like further information.

At this time of year homes are at their most susceptible to burglary: during the build-up to Christmas intruders are all too aware that many of us stock up on electrical items such as iPads, laptops or cameras to give as gifts to loved-ones, leaving many homes at increased risk of being broken into.

With this in mind it can be sensible to review the security of your home and aside from installing a new or more advanced burglar alarm system; there are lots of things you can do to help protect your home from intruders.

Many burglaries are carried out opportunistically but in some cases, burglars will check out a property in advance so it’s wise to make that your home always looks occupied and to make sure that the entrances to your home are visible at all times.  Simple steps to take include using timer switches to turn lamps on and off automatically and dawn to dusk exterior lighting installed over your front and back door.  Don’t leave your curtains closed all the time when you’re away and if you can, ask a friend or neighbour to move the post from your front doormat.

A visible burglar alarm can prove a very effective deterrent so it’s important to ensure that the bell box of your alarm system is visible from the road.  If you don’t have an alarm it is possible to buy fake burglar alarm bell boxes and these are a good alternative if you can’t afford a full system.

Don’t overlook the security of your shed or garage as they can be particularly susceptible to theft at this time of year: simple alarm systems can be purchased to protect out-buildings and a decent bolt and padlock is usually sufficient to put off most opportunist thieves.

Here at Dalec we’re specialists in all aspects of home security and our services are available to homeowners in Leeds.  If you would like further advice or information on protecting your home, please don’t hesitate to get in touch today.

 

 

Security lighting is known to be an effective deterrent to intruders.  Designed to make burglars more visible, security lighting will put off even the most determined of intruders.

A range of different types of security lighting are available; from simple exterior lights which can be left switched on during the hours of darkness, through to sophisticated lighting systems which can be linked to a comprehensive home security system.  Security lighting can also be used inside the home in the form of timers designed to switch internal lights on when it’s dark and to turn them off again at a pre-set time.

Here at Dalec we’re specialists in all aspects of home security and if you would like advice or information on how to protect your property with security lighting, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.