Preparing Your Electrical System For Winter

Winter is here – it’s the perfect time to check your home electrical systems are in perfect nick

Hand in hand with falling temperatures comes greater stress on systems that are suddenly asked to work harder.

Your home probably stays nice and warm during the colder months due to your heating system and a variety of other electrical systems, but what if it were to fail?

Here’s some common questions we get asked on how to ensure you’re all set for winter.

1. How do you know if your electrical system isn’t up to scratch?

If your lights flicker when an appliance is turned on or if your circuit breaker keeps tripping, if you notice melted fuses in your switchboard or humming sounds, you are overworking your electrical system. The fact is that it simply can’t keep up with your household’s demand for energy. Now might be a good time for an honest review of your current electrical system.

2. When is it time for a switchboard upgrade?

Any time is good, but it’s especially wise to upgrade before winter really kicks in, but even if it has, it’s not too late.

Upgrading your switchboard is not only an excellent investment to safeguard your property and ensure your family or business is safe, but it will also help save money in the long run by extending the lifespan of the equipment used on it. It is not wise to run your modern appliances on an antiquainted switchboard. Not forgetting that an emergency breakdown can end up costing you more. Besides causing annoying blackouts, degraded wiring, faulty fuses and overloaded electrical circuits can also be a fire and a shock hazard.

The sooner your old switchboard is replaced by a new one, the better it is for your personal safety and the security of your property.

3. What is a switchboard?

Your switchboard is the ‘central hub’ for all the electrical circuits in your home. It receives electricity from the street and distributes it through various circuits in and around your home. It is important that your home is electrically safe and it all starts here – at your switchboard! If you live in an old house, chances are that your switchboard is not just overloaded but outdated, highly unsafe, and most probably doesn’t meet current New Zealand electrical safety standards. The problem with outdated switchboards is they have both aging components and increased demand – a potentially hazardous combination.

4. What is RCD and why is it important?

RCD stands for residual current device. RCD is a device that provides protection from electric shock by shutting down the system if electrical leakage is detected. Did you know that old switchboards don’t have RCD protection? This fact alone is reason enough for an urgent upgrade, especially if you have young kids and pets.

5. How can we lower the risk of electrical fires?

Your trusty electric blankets and space heaters come out of storage every winter to keep you warm and happy, then get tucked away until next year. After many years, your winter electrical equipment might be
outdated and worn. Worn and fraying cords are a risk for both shock and house fires. Outdated devices are also incompatible with modern homes and can put stress on your electrical system. Check the
manufacturer’s warranty and replace these devices once out of date to keep your home safe and your electrical system happy.

6. How do we get winter-ready?

Check your heating systems and thermostats in good time. Ensure that the electrical aspects of your heating system, like thermostats or stand-alone electrical heaters, are ready for the cold so you don’t have to scramble when the time comes.

7. Is static electricity an issue?

While static electricity may seem like a minor inconvenience, it can be a real headache if you and your family are getting zapped constantly.

Static electricity is more prevalent during the winter when the air in your home is dry from running the heater. To combat this problem, invest in a humidifier to add moisture to your home’s air and reduce
the occurrence of static shocks.

8. How can we optimise energy use and reduce electricity bills this winter?

At Lake Road Electrical, we’re big on sustainability and we believe it’s our responsibility to introduce our customers to efficient electrical solutions that are climate-friendly, energy-efficient, and help save on your power bills. Call us for lots of friendly, no-obligation advice!

9. Why is winter a good time to upgrade?

Winter is a great time to get those niggly maintenance or small home improvement and renovation projects done, especially if you make the most of our special winter offers, which will save you a whole heap of money in the long run.

10. Do you offer both indoor and outdoor lighting upgrades?

Absolutely. With shorter days and less sunlight, it’s a perfect time of year to upgrade lighting both indoors and out to enjoy dusky winter evenings.

Lighting can make a significant difference to your home and lifestyle, with modern lighting options much more affordable than you may think. We particularly advise our customers to consider upgrading outdoor and garden lighting in winter so they can continue to enjoy their outdoor spaces. Importantly, outdoor lighting also boosts your safety and security for when you get back home during the darker winter afternoons and evenings.

 Lake Road Electrical, a family-owned local business based on the North Shore, offers a comprehensive range of electrical services from small jobs at home to full renovations and large-scale commercial projects, with an emphasis on cost-effective and energy-saving solutions. One of our specialties is electrical switchboard upgrades for older homes and renovations.

Lewis Rudall, Master Electrician and Director of Lake Road Electrical Ltd is both a UK and NZ fully qualified electrician with over 16 years’ experience in the industry.

We’re different from the average sparky company. We take time to listen to our customers and provide the highest-quality, professional and personalised services and advice, while making the experience with us an enjoyable one. We aim to be your family electrician of choice who can be called upon for any electrical work or advice at any time.

There is no substitute for quality. Reliability, honesty and integrity are our key performance indicators with customer satisfaction at the forefront – always!

Lake Road Electrical is located in Takapuna, servicing all North Shore communities. Lewis and his team will be delighted to hear from you any time you need a service, or simply if you just have a question. The Lake Road Electrical team are Master Electrician members with a $20,000 workmanship guarantee.

We have some great winter offers running, so be sure to get in touch with us now  to book your obligation-free quote now, and ask us about our Winter specials.

Article originally featured in Channel Mag.