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Marshall Sadler, you local, reliable and trustworthy Electricians in Sleaford are now pleased to announce that we are Which? Trusted Traders. 

So, What is Which? Trusted Traders?

Which? has been testing products and services for more than 60 years. Now they are doing the same for Electricians and in fact all trades people. Just like the Which? Best Buy award, Which? Trusted trader icon is a sign of reputation and trust.

Which? Trusted Traders is an endorsement scheme that recognises reputable traders in the home improvement and motor industries, such as electricians, plumbers, mechanics and kitchen installers. 

Which? Trusted Traders aims to raise standards for consumers, by setting a benchmark we expect all traders to meet before they can be endorsed. All traders who meet their standards process can become a Which? Trusted Trader and can display their Which? Trusted Trader logo on their branding and promotional material.

Research carried out by the UK electrical safety charity, Electrical Safety First, shows that many people tend to ignore product recall notices or worse still, are not notified that their electrical appliance could be dangerous.

Would you ignore a product recall notice?

Four million household appliances have been recalled by manufacturers over the last four years but yet the typical response rate is between 10-20%. Therefore, there are potentially millions of dangerous electrical products in use on a daily basis in homes all over the UK.

As an electrician in Sleaford, I have seen first hand the devastating effects of the damage caused by dangerous electrical products. Electrical items which are recalled by the manufacturer (product recall) have the potential to cause electrical injury, shock or house fire. It is important that you act on a product recall notice if you receive one to ensure your electrical safety is not compromised.

As a Landlord, it is your legal duty to ensure all electrical equipment in your property is safe and maintained throughout the whole tenancy.

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 1 June 2020 and apply to all tenancies created on or after that date in England from 1 July 2020.

These new regulations require landlords to have the electrical installations in their properties inspected at least every 5 years and tested by a person who is qualified and competent. Landlords will also have to provide a copy of the electrical safety report to their tenants as well as to the local authority if requested.

Most of us don’t even thick twice about getting our car MOT’d and serviced.  We just accept it as something that we need to do that also keeps us safe.  So, much like an MOT for cars, it is important for us all to carry out checks on the condition of the electrics in our homes at regular intervals.

It is true that most of us take electricity in our homes for granted.  Perhaps because we can’t always see the cables and fuse boxes that are hidden away in our homes, it is all to easy to forget that they are there, working away to power our homes.  However, all electrical installations deteriorate with age and use.  They should therefore be inspected and tested at regular intervals to check whether they are in a satisfactory condition for continued use.  This will help identify any faults or defects which could require improvement and will ensure the continued operation of the electrical installation in a safe and effective manner.

There are two kinds of checks that can be carried out.  It is recommended that you always use a registered electrician to carry out any kind of electrical check.

You may have heard these terms used before and wondered in amazement about the glamorous lifestyle of a qualified electrician in Sleaford! But what actually is electrical earthing and bonding?

Before we start, the first thing to mention is the huge importance of the electrical and bonding arrangements. They are a highly essential safety element in your home. If you are having any additions or alterations made to an electrical installation, they are one of the things that your electrician must check, as the safety of the work carried out depends on them.

Earthing is essentially used to protect you from an electric shock. If there is a fault with an electrical installation or appliance, it could become live. If you then touch a live metal part (for example the metal case on a washing machine, cooker or fridge/freezer), you could get a nasty shock. This is because the electricity is using your body as a path from the live part to the earth part.

This is a question we get asked a lot in and around Sleaford. It’s completely understandable that clients might question this when their fusebox has been quietly working away in the background, not causing them any issues for years.

However, just because something has been working, it doesn’t mean it’s safe. What was considered the best twenty years ago may now be obsolete and in a few cases actually unsafe. Take the use of asbestos for instance.

Replacing your fusebox will improve the standard of safety in your home, and therefore protect you and your family.

In 2008 the electrical wiring standards and regulations changed meaning all circuits required a Residual Circuit Device (RCD) protection by law. AN RCD is a life saving device which is designed to prevent you from getting a fatal electric shock if you touch something live. Having a modern consumer unit (fusebox) fitted with RCDs gives you the best protection because they usually cover all the wiring, sockets and appliances in your home.

As we approach the time where the evenings are drawing in, many of us start to pay more attention to the lighting in our homes.

Downlights are a popular and attractive way to brighten up your home. However, poorly installed downlights are also the cause of a substantial number of fires in homes every year.

Also known as “recessed luminaries”, "spotlights" or Recessed Lighting" they are essentially light fixtures installed in hollow openings, usually ceilings. By installing them into these recesses, the light looks as if it is part of the ceiling instead of hanging down as a separate entity.

When a hole is cut into a ceiling to mount a recessed downlight, a potential fire hazard is created. This is why it is recommended that you always use a registered electrician to install any downlights.

So, can you get different types of downlights?

Yes you can.

Downlights operate at mains voltage (230 Volts) or are powered by a transformer at extra-low voltage (12 Volts).

Extra-low voltage (ELV) downlights are often described as "low voltage" or “safety extra low voltage” (SELV).

More than half of all accidental house fires start in the kitchen. Last year, nearly 5,500 electrical fires were reported in British domestic kitchens – that’s 15 every single day.

Even more worrying is the fact that over 70 casualties and fatalities per month were reported as a result. Most of these were due to people misusing electrical appliances, so it’s important that you take extra special care when using them.

Here are our top 14 tips to ensure you keep safe in the kitchen:

If so, are you aware of the recent legislation that came into effect in June 2020?

It states that all rental properties need to have the electrical installations in their properties checked at least every 5 years.

There are currently over 4 million households in the private rented sector so this is an important step in improving electrical safety.

These periodic inspections will highlight any problems or defects that need to be fixed in order to make the installation safe.  They will need to be carried out by a qualified electrician.

Checks will include identifying any potential fire risks and hazards including overloaded circuits or equipment, and finding any defective electrical work.

The electrician will then issue an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) that includes details of the inspection and any recommendations for action.

It is a Landlord’s responsibility to ensure the following: 

Power cuts can occur for a variety of reasons such as a storm or a cut power line. Not only do they cause us inconvenience, they can also be highly dangerous. Here are a few tips to keep you safe:

• Check if your neighbours still have power. If their power has gone too, it could be a sign that there has been a local power cut. If this is the case, contact your network distributor. If your neighbours do have power but you still don’t, it’s likely there is a problem with the fuses or trip switches in your home.
• Check your trip switch and fuses - Your trip switch should be on or near your fuse box/consumer unit. If the trip switch is off, try switching it back on. If it switches off again, this could indicate that one of your appliances may be faulty, so unplug all appliances and reset the trip switch. The best thing to do in this situation is to call an approved electrician. They will be able to inspect your system and repair any faults straight away, giving you peace of mind.

The importance of your Fusebox