Are you in danger of electrical shock or injury?

Electricity is very often taken for granted and it is only when something goes wrong that many people realise the true potential of electricity. When electricity goes wrong it goes wrong in spectacular style.

In fact electricity kills 7 people every week and injures 1000's more. It is often silly mistakes that leads to electricity injury rather than knowingly taking risks with electricity. Do you really know how electrically safe your home is? The truth is many homes in the UK are actually electrically dangerous and whether or not you own or rent your homes makes no difference. 

Unfortunately many people think that because their electrics are working then they must be safe. Don't wait for something to happen to your home electrics before you get them checked out.

Who should check your electrics?

The checking of your home electrics should be carried out by a qualified and registered electrician. Anyone offering electrical services in London should be qualified and registered to carry out work and electrical investigations within your property.

Unfortunately we have heard several stories of landlords, well meaning friends or unqualified individuals making assumptions on the condition of home electrical systems. Remember that electricity can kill and if you have any concerns about your electrics, you need to contact a qualified and registered electrician.

Working on your home electrics is mostly illegal

Did you know that carrying out work yourself on your home electrics is actually mostly illegal? You can replace like for like but like the vast majority of our clients here at Fulcher Edwards, you'll be looking for something different – perhaps an upgrade to chrome sockets or new lighting.

People who carry out DIY electrics are not only putting themselves at risk of electric shock but also their family and friends. You might think you know what you are doing but the truth is many people are quite literally shocked when they realise that what seemed like a simple job wasn't quite as straightforward as they hoped.

Also how safe is your work? Does it meet todays standard. Substandard electrical work can lead to house fire and expensive damage to other parts of your home electrical system. As electricians in East London we see the result of DIY electrical work on a daily basis. Our advise to you is not to attempt it and contact an electrician to do the work for you.

Are your home electrics keeping you safe?

The main reasons for needing an electrician to assess the safety of your electrics are:

• Not having them checked for more than 10 years (or 5 years in a rented property.)
• Carrying out DIY electrical work
• Having a wooden backed fuse box

Having an electrical safety inspection (known as an EICR) is highly recommended during these time scales to ensure your home electrics are working as they should and provides you with peace of mind. An EICR can save you from an expensive electrical job further down the line.

Make sure your next home is not an electrical death trap

Moving house is always a stressful time – whether you rent or own your home, finding your next home can be a bewildering choice. Most people have a tick or wish list of what features their next home must have, but how much notice do you take of the electrics? Sure you might have a cursory look at the sockets – a little knowledge will tell you if they're in need of replacing.

Factoring in the cost of electrical upgrades will be necessary in many homes, so before you buy or agree to rent, make sure you are happy with the electrics or provision is made to upgrade them to suit your needs.

Look beyond the location and window frames!

A house in the best location and with excellent kerb appeal, may be hiding a multitude of electrical sins under it's wings. Don't fall for the looks alone, scratching more below the surface when viewing could uncover electrical problems that you may not have been aware of until you had already moved.

• Lack of electrical sockets

Many homes in the UK were built when reliance on electricity wasn't so huge. It is not unusual to see homes built in the 1960's or 1970's have just a couple of single sockets in the living room and perhaps one double socket in the kitchen. When you consider how many electrical gadgets we own – from TV's to games consoles, sky boxes to cordless telephones, it is quickly obvious that two single sockets would be nowhere near enough to cope with the demand!

The reality is, many people are living in households with not enough sockets for their needs. In turn this is creating a reliance on extension leads. This in itself is not the crime of the century, however extension leads used in locations such as a kitchen where most powerful household appliances are located, are when dangerous electrical issues such as overheating, fire and electrical shock or injury could occur due to unintentional extension lead misuse.

What needs to change: If purchasing a house which appears to have had no electrical updates carried out recently, it is a good idea to ask a qualified and registered electrician to carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) to ensure the wiring is safe. You can request an EICR prior to purchase so you know what you dealing with. If the wiring is sound, it would be a good idea to ask the electrician to install additional sockets where they will be needed. As electricians in East London, we bring many owned and rented homes up to modern living standards by simply installing extra sockets in prime locations such as the kitchen and living room.

• Age of electrical accessories

Signs that the property needs electrical attention sooner rather than later is the age of electrical accessories. As electricians in South East London we still come across homes that have not had any electrical work carried out since the 1920's! So when we say old accessories we really do mean old! Look out for round switches and sockets rather than square. The pins and switches will also be round. Additionally look out for old style sockets installed in skirting boards rather than on the wall and take a look at the light fittings – if you don't see a PVC cable hanging down into the light pendant, this means that the wiring may well be outdated and needs attention from an electrician.

What needs to change: Electrical accessories of this age will need to replaced as chances are they're going to be unsafe. Using an electrical installation of such an age will be putting you and your family at risk of electrical shock and injury. The property may well need a full rewire, so make sure you factor in the cost of this in the offer you make on the property. Ask an electrician as soon as possible to advise on the best solution.

• Wiring condition

A common problem we see in homes here at Fulcher Edwards is the condition of internal home wiring. Many householders assume that because the sockets and switches seem modern that the wiring will be fine too. Unfortunately we have seen too many times shocking wiring systems that are either out of date, have been tampered with or are showing signs of deterioration due to age. Many home owners want to upgrade their switches and sockets from white to chrome for example only to find out from the electrician that the wiring is in a dangerous condition.

What needs to change: Old wiring in itself is not necessarily a safety issue so long as there is no sign of tampering and it is being kept as it is. However wiring of this age would not allow for upgraded electrical accessories. Wiring that is found to be dangerous would require a full or partial rewire dependant on the overall condition of the home electrical system. This is why as electrical contractors in London, we advise that an EICR is carried out to ascertain what condition the electrical installation is in your London property.

Many people assume that because the sockets and switches seem OK that everything else is. If you rent your property, ask your landlord for the EICR certificate. If there isn't one, what are they trying to hide?

• Look out for DIY electrical work

Some signs of electrical DIY are obvious, others less so. One of the easiest methods of looking out for substandard or DIY electrical work is to look for cables that are situated on walls in a haphazard way. A prime example of this is cable running up the centre of a wall that has been covered with wallpaper. You will be able to see the cables underneath the wallpaper. Whilst this does not automatically mean the installation is unsafe, it gives you a good idea of the standards, and the fact that someone thought this was acceptable.

If the seller or landlord mentions that electrical work has been carried out recently, ensure that you see the Part P certification for the work as this is a legal requirement. Without it, you have no way of knowing if the work is even safe.

Well maintained property electricals are a valuable property asset (rewires are pricey.) They also provide you and loved ones with peace of mind day to day.

What needs to change: Signs of DIY electrical work and uncertified recent electrical work will need to be corrected by a qualified and registered electrician. If no EICR has been carried out on the property in the last 10 years (or 5 years in a rented property) then this should be carried out as a priority to ascertain what condition the electrics are currently in.

• How old is the fuse board or consumer unit

If you are looking for a swift answer as to the likely condition of the property electrics, then take a look at the fuse board/consumer unit. The age of the fuse board does not automatically deem the electrics safe or unsafe, but it will indicate how likely it is that you need to spend money on upgrading the electrics. Fuse boards with a wooden back could have been installed as long ago as the 1950's and chances are will need to be upgraded to ensure electrical safety. Older fuse boards may still be safe so long as they are checked over by an electrician to ascertain this fact. However, if you are looking for the highest standard of electrical safety in your property, the consumer unit should be fitted with a working RCD. The presence of an RCD is normally marked clearly on a switch located on the consumer unit itself as either RCD or T (for test.) Sometimes the RCD can be separate but either way will be clearly identifiable.

What needs to change: A fuse board with a wooden back needs prompt attention by an electrician, older fuse boards or consumer units without an RCD would benefit from testing for safety by a qualified electrician. As far as electrical installations in London go, we would not necessarily recommend a consumer unit upgrade if the householder didn't want to spend the money as long as the consumer unit was safe as it currently stood. However, to obtain the recommended level of electrical safety, it would require a consumer unit upgrade if no RCD was present.

A consumer unit upgrade can cost a fair chunk of money – make sure you account for this in your purchase price!

• Check the earthing to the property

This is something that is nearly always overlooked by house buyers and almost always by tenants. Correct earthing in a property is essential to avoid serious electrical injury and shock from the lack of earthing. Lack of earthing to a property can cause items such as taps, boilers and other metallic surfaces to become live without warning. If you touch such items, you then act as the earth with the electricity passing through you. A very scary prospect.

You can check for earthing by looking at the gas and water pipes to the property. You should see the earthing conductors clamped to the pipes. If you don't see anything like this, then you should contact an electrician as soon as possible to rectify this problem and avoid an horrendous electrical shock taking place.

Electrical Safety will always be important

Leaving electrical safety to chance is never a good move and if there is a problem it won't just go away. This 'Think Electric' video was used by Electrical Safety First back in 2008. The principles still have not changed, so for more information or to recap on our blog post, give it a click!

Set your heart not your house on fire this valentines day

If you are planning a weekend of loving this weekend, make sure that the flames of love do not spread to your home undetected.

What are we talking about?! Well it's none other than a timely reminder to test your smoke alarm! Special occasions such as Valentines Day actually puts you at greater risk of a house fire occurring. From a forgotten steak catching fire in a frying pan to getting carried away with electrical impulses of another kind ;) the last thing you need to deal with is an unexpected fire – and your skills with a fire extinguisher may not be as impressive as you hope! ;)

Is your home even fire safe?

You might consider yourself careful when it comes to fire safety, however we don't need to tell you that fires, particularly electrical fires, can start without you realising. You could be asleep in bed getting some post Valentines Day rest when a fire breaks out. The only way of getting out of your home in one piece is to have a working fire alarm that is located correctly.

At Fulcher Edwards we see all kinds of fire alarm 'situations' in peoples homes. The classic one, I've pulled the battery out, is very much alive and kicking. There are also the 'well meaning people' who have brought their fire alarms and now they're sitting in their box in the garage where they might be fitted in the next year or so....then there's the people who don't really like the look of fire alarms so they'll put it out of the way in a windowsill or on a shelf. And finally (phew!) there are the people who have a nicely placed fire alarm, but never test it!

Help! I've never fitted a fire alarm so mine is on a shelf!

Fitting a fire alarm is thankfully easier these days and you don't need to opt for screws. However, where you place the fire alarm is important so that it alerts you to a fire at the first opportunity.

Some form of smoke alarm is better than no smoke alarm at all, however it is important that you place your smoke alarm in a better place (like the ceiling) as soon as possible. There are two options:

• Consider having mains powered smoke alarms fitted in your home. These need to be fitted by a qualified and registered electrician. Not only will they be expertly placed, but you won't be reliant on just batteries. As electricians in South London we fit fire alarm systems for home owners and businesses in and around the city.

• Contact your local fire and rescue. In many areas there is the opportunity to have a fire safety inspection of your home and if eligible, you can have free smoke alarms fitted in your property.

I've got smoke alarms fitted what should I be doing now?

Once fitted and regardless of whether they're mains or battery powered, your fire alarms will need to be tested once a week. You do this by simply pressing the test button on each smoke alarm and hold it in for a few seconds. It should produce a loud beep so cover your ears!!

It is easy to forget to do this, so we support the 'test it Tuesday' campaign that reminds people to test their fire alarms on a Tuesday. The campaign has lead to many fire alarms being fitted and tested weekly in UK homes.

Having a working fire alarm ready for Valentines Day means your home is being taken care of, leaving you free to enjoy a night with that special someone ;)

Implementing the Lifetime Homes Standard

A home is for life so they say and isn't an Englishman's home his castle? Perhaps that's enough of the history lesson for today (it was never our strong point!) ;)

Many homes in Britain are becoming out of touch with todays modern living standards – from problems with compatibility of renewable energies, to low energy efficiency there is yet more doom and gloom on the horizon which suggest many homes would be of limited use as we get older or develop a disability.

Building useful homes

The Lifetime Homes Standard is actually not a new concept, it was developed in the early 1990's by a group of housing experts and was designed to make homes more accessible and inclusive to address the changing needs of individuals at different stages of their life.

From wider car parking spaces to level thresholds, wider door space and walls strong enough to support a grab rail, these living conditions make sense to most people. From families with young children, to coping with special needs or illness, you don't need to be elderly to benefit from a home designed with flexibility and adaptivity in mind.

With this in mind, it makes sense to be building all new homes with the Lifetime Homes Standard in mind. Unsurprisingly, it is never that easy with adaptation of the standard slower in rural areas than within urban areas. This is because there are more older homes in rural areas and less demand for new future proof housing.

How does electrical work comply with the Lifetime Homes Standard?

Aside from the physical features of the standard, home fixtures and fittings need to also meet the Lifetime Homes Standard. Of course an integral part of any home is the electrics and easy access to switches, sockets and the consumer unit is essential particularly to people with limited mobility or who use a wheelchair.

As electricians in South East London we are very aware of using the latest technologies when carrying out electrical installation and the fitting of fire alarms. We are very experienced in working in environments where adaptations are required and this includes adapting the fitting to suit the needs to the individual.

Criterion 16 of the Lifetime Homes Standard states that switches, sockets, ventilation and service controls should be at a height usable by all. This is a height of between 450mm and 1200mm from the floor. Basically speaking this means that sockets should be located within the height criterion (rather than near the floor ) and switches should be located at a similar height.

Consumer unit switches and associated devices like separate RCD are known as service controls and also need to be located within the height criterion. It is essential that electricity can be switched off in an emergency and switched back on in the event of a switch tripping.

We often install consumer units in a cupboard which prevents children from playing around with the switches.

Here at Fulcher Edwards we are often involved with installing adapted electrical installations and fully support the requirements of the Lifetime Homes Standard.

Good practice – looking to the future

If you are looking for an electrician to install electrical fittings for a person with changing needs, it is a good idea to identify what needs might occur in years to come such as a requirement for a stair lift, automatic window controls for inaccessible windows, additional lighting for any knock out panel area, and task lighting for underneath kitchen units if not already installed.

It is far more cost effective to anticipate the needs for such measures now, by asking your electrician to install capped off electrical outlets or fused spurs at the relevant locations.

Remember, never attempt to make electrical modifications yourself. Always ensure you use a qualified and registered electrician to carry out the work.

A new home is not required to meet the standard

There is no need to consider moving house in order to meet the Lifetime Homes Standard, it is possible to modify existing homes to meet the standard. Your electrician will be able to advise of the electrical aspect which should be possible to achieve in most homes.

Is an elderly person you know in electrical danger?

Ensuring electrical safety is an important matter regardless of age, but as we get older, possible electrical dangers can become more apparent due to memory or mobility problems. If you have an elderly relative, it may be worth your while checking their home electrics. Ageing electrical wiring can pose a problem for an elderly person and they may be unaware of it's danger until they receive an electric shock or injury.

Now we know that persuading an older person to consider their electrics (and anything else for that matter!) is easier said than done. There are many older people who are perfectly happy and are able to make decisions about electrics themselves. However, if you are aware of any electrical danger in their home, it is worth mentioning it to them. You never know, they might be unaware of the real dangers.

What electrical dangers might be lurking around

Older people are often more at risk of electrical accident and injury because of old or poor quality housing and faulty appliances. At Fulcher Edwards we carried out an electrical visit to a lovely man who was attempting to use an ancient vacuum cleaner. Every time he used it, it blew the fuse plug! Thankfully no electrical accident or shock occurred, but he did cause damage to his wiring because of it. Luckily we were able to persuade him to part with it, before an electrical accident occurred.

Modern facilities that we are used to in our own homes simply do not exist in some older homes. From basic kitchens to the flowered wall paper and carpets, it is easy to tell how modern a home is from just looking around. However the hidden electrical dangers can potentially make things far worse.

Checking the age and condition of some essential electrical fittings will give you an idea of the level of electrical safety in the property. Look out for:

• Fusebox

All fuse boxes should have a mains switch (a way of being able to switch it on and off) and a full set of breakers or fuses. If all seems fairly modern then that is a good sign. Look out for fuse boxes with wooden backs, cast iron switches or a mix of fuses or breakers. If there is evidence of these things then a call to a qualified and registered electrician would be a good move. Fuse boxes of this type are very much out of date and would benefit from an upgrade.

Similarly, if a more modern fuse box appears to be tripping often or fuses are regularly blowing, then it would be a good idea to contact your local electrician. As electricians in South East London, we get calls of this nature on a regular basis. We can often put right a simple problem cost effectively as long as the householder does not leave it too long before contacting us.

• RCD

Ideally, an RCD protected house is the safest one. Fuse boxes (known as consumer units) fitted within the last few years should have RCD protection as standard. Have a look on the consumer unit for a T or Test button. If it has one press it to ensure it is working as it should. An RCD cuts the power in a fraction of a second if an electrical fault develops, an appliances malfunctions or someone in the house accidentally touches a live wire.

An RCD is great peace of mind, however it is not essential. If the cost of replacing an otherwise safe fuse box would be too costly, then some RCD sockets or plugs would be a good alternative to ensure the safety of high risk appliances such as kettles, lawn mowers and washing machines.

• Plugs and sockets

Potential electrical danger can often be spotted by taking a closer look at the sockets and switches. Cracks and breaks are an electrical danger and affected sockets or switches need to be replaced. Look out for singe marks (where the shape of a plug can be seen) and discolouration. Both of these are a sign of over heating. Buzzing and crackling when the socket is in use and 'green goo' coming from below the socket are also signs that you need to call in an electrician to take a look.

The type of plugs and sockets will give you an idea of the age of the wiring in the property. Look out for round pin sockets and sockets fitted on skirting boards, these are signs that the wiring is over 50 years old and should be checked by a qualified electrician.

• Light fittings

Look out for signs of cracking or burn marks around light fittings. This is a sign that all is not well. If you spot this, stop using them immediately and contact an electrician. Further signs that all is not well include curled labels on flex, discolouration and scorching. If a switch sparks when you switch it on then this is also something that an electrician should look at.

Braided flex hanging from ceiling light fittings is another sign that the wiring is very old.

• Cables

Take the time to inspect the cable condition of appliances that are being used. Look out for cuts, wear and tear and ensure that no bare cable can be seen. Check that plugs are securely on the end of the cable. Damage to the cable would need to repaired by replacing the cable and plug or alternatively replacing the appliance.

Never use PVC tape to repair cable and avoid trailing cables over carpets and under rugs as these can present a trip hazard.

• Check the smoke alarm

Having a working smoke alarm can prevent a serious house fire. Electrical fires are currently the biggest cause of a house fire in the UK. Smoke alarms save lives, and are low cost or free to fit. Local fire services can fit smoke alarms to eligible households free of charge. If you are looking for mains powered smoke alarms, then these will need to be installed by a qualified electrician. Here at Fulcher Edwards we are fire alarm specialists in South London.

What else you can do to help

If the home is rented, then some of the electrical concern can be alleviated by asking the landlord to carry out an EICR on the property. It is recommended that an EICR is carried out once every 5 years or with every change of tenancy. Responsible landlords ensure this is carried out and certainly if the property is rented to an older person, this responsibility becomes more justified in our opinion.

If the home is owned, a full electrical check is recommended once every 10 year to check all is working as it should be. Ask an electrician to carry out an EICR report to determine the condition of the electrics.

Call for Government Support

Such is the concern for electrical safety for the elderly, that the electrical safety charity Electrical Safety First has asked for Government support to ensure older people live in safe homes. The initiative is backed by several care charities including Contact the Elderly and the Carers Trust.

Carrying out a good deed for an elderly relative or neighbour could be a life saver.

Are you aware of the charging dangers of E-Cigarettes?

Since the New Year, we have been particularly busy here at Fulcher Edwards with call outs relating to charging problems with e-cigarettes. We have been repairing some alarming electrical damage caused by e-cigarette chargers – not to mention the frustration caused to our poor customers who have unwittingly purchased an incompatible charger for their e-cigarettes.

Read this if you use e-cigarettes

E-cigarettes are amongst the most popular option when quitting smoking. In recent years, the number of people using them has risen dramatically. However amongst the popularity, there has been an increase in the number of chargers available on the market that can cause significant damage if they're not compatible with your type of e-cigarette.

To date, there has been over 100 house fires alone caused by e-cigarettes across the UK. Using a charger that is not designed to use with your e-cigarettes can cause it to explode – quite literally. We don't need to tell you what the outcome of that can be, however it seems like people are buying spare chargers which are not designed for use with their particular e-cigarette.

What kind of electrical damage e-cigarette chargers can cause

As electricians in South London, we have seen first hand the extensive damage caused by e-cigarettes in 2015 alone. Many e-cigarette users will leave them charging unattended whilst they sleep or go to work. However, incorrect chargers can quickly overheat causing fire not only to the e-cigarette but also to the wiring within the socket. This can quickly spread to the wiring inside your walls and in severe cases can cause a serious fire.

If the problem is not discovered, it can lead to the explosion of the e-cigarette which could cause serious injury and damage.

Unfortunately the cost to replace wiring and sockets damaged by the charger can be quite costly and will far exceed the cost of a genuine charger!

Make sure you know what charger you should be using

Here at Fulcher Edwards, we recommend that you purchase only genuine chargers and accessories for your e-cigarette. Although retailers of 'universal' chargers will tell you it will work, we recommend that you do not use the safer option as there is no guarantee that it will work. We know how handy it can be having an additional chargers, however only purchase genuine chargers that are designed for use with your e-cigarette.

Meet Clueless Colin!

The problem with e-cigarette chargers is a growing problem and as such, the electrical safety charity Electrical Safety First have compiled a video demonstrating the danger of e-cigarette chargers. If he resembles you (and we're definitely not suggesting you are actually clueless ;)) then you may need to think twice about your charging habits!

Have you used the wrong charger and concerned about your home electrics?

It is better safe than sorry as electrical fires can start unnoticed inside walls. If you have been a user of a universal charger, then it would be a good idea to call a qualified and registered electrician to check if any damage has been caused. They're likely to suggest an EICR which will involve inspecting the wiring in your home to see if any damage has occurred.

When it comes to dodgy e-cigarette chargers, it is better to be safe than sorry!  

Why registering your appliance is so important

Now that another New Year has been and gone, those sparkling new gadgets that you received for Christmas will now be a part of your life! How do you know that they'll carry on providing you with a great service? Even the best quality products can develop faults and it is essential that you are made aware if this is the case.

Look out for that little card in the box!

You may well have overlooked a small card in the box which mentioned registering your appliance. Now you would be easily forgiven for ignoring the advice for fear of receiving relentless amounts of junk mail as a result of filling it in. However this card is not actually for this purpose. It is there for your own protection and peace of mind. In general the card serves two purposes:

• To guarantee the product
• To inform you of any product recalls

You may well have a guarantee in place from the retailer but manufacturers guarantees often last far longer and it is well worth your while registering for additional guarantee on offer. Perhaps what is far more important is that the manufacturer will be able to contact you in the event of a product recall.

Got it! But what about my older appliances I've forgotten to register?

Once a customer realises the importance of filling in that all important card, panic can quickly set in when considering the whole multitude of other appliances in the home that were never registered. Luckily there is help at hand. A brilliant website known as Register My Appliance allows you to register the details of all electrical products in your home. In turn you will be made aware of any product recalls, safety repairs and upgrades that are available for your individual items.

Why you should register your appliances on this website

If you've had some electrical items a number of years or even if you've recently moved, you probably hadn't thought of contacting the manufacturer to change your address (there’s enough of those already!) With Register My Appliance you are able to receive any notices directly via email wherever you are living.

Register My Appliance is supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and ROSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.)

Product recalls are easily fixed

One of the main problems faced with product recalls is the ease of which potential problems can be rectified if the customer gets in contact. However leaving an item currently under recall can cause all manner of problems including electrical shock, fire and even explosion.

Getting a product fixed under product recall is often very simple. Normally a technician will visit your home and carry out the repair at a time that suits you. It makes sense to register your products so that manufacturers can contact you if necessary.

Avoiding electrical appliance malfunction

As electricians in South East London, we often receive call outs after an electrical appliance has malfunctioned. In many cases it is misuse by the customer that has lead to the problem occurring. Make sure you follow these safety tips when using electrical appliances:

• Ensure you have working smoke alarms in your home

Smoke alarms can alert you quickly to a problem. If an appliance has overheated and a fire has occurred you may not be aware until the fire is out of control without a smoke alarm.

• Don't overload extension leads

Here at Fulcher Edwards, We have lost count of the amount of times we have seen overloaded extension leads. There may be four spaces on a lead, but together the products used on it should not exceed 3000 watts of energy. Overloaded extension leads can cause overheating and fire.

• Keep electrical appliances indoors

A common mistake that is often made is having electrical appliances located in areas that are not 'household temperature'. We have seen freezers in outhouses, washing machines in garages and tumble dryers in conservatories. The problem is the temperature. When the temperature drops it can cause malfunctioning. The cold weather can affect sensitive electric components which are only designed to operate in ambient temperatures.

• Use an RCD socket if necessary when using electrical products outside

If your home is not protected by an RCD then we highly recommend you use an RCD socket or plug when carrying out work outside. Electrical items designed for outdoor use are more susceptible to electrical dangers. Water that may have leaked onto the item, damp grass, accidentally chopping through the cable are all real dangers when using electrical equipment outside.

• Take care with appliances with no on/off switch

Electrical appliances which do not switch on or off such as irons, need to be unplugged when not in use. Accidentally leaving these appliances on can lead to overheating, fire and damage to upholstery or carpets.

• Keep instruction manuals

Instruction manuals can be a godsend should you need to refer to them at some point. If there is a power cut for example, it can be useful to find out how to reset the clock! Instruction manuals can also help if you sell the product or if you rent your home.

• Only use appliances for what they are intended for

Never take risks with appliances by using them for an alternative purpose. Electrical accidents can occur!

However you choose to register your product, please make sure you do it, your life could actually depend on it!