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VC Electrical Contractors Ltd
15 Muirfield Station 
Gullane
EH31 2HY

15 Muirfield Station
Gullane, EH31
United Kingdom

01620 843 804

Blog

Read our range of topical monthly blogs providing you with top tips and best practice from our professional and experienced electrical team.

Electrical safety in the home for the elderly

Val Chisolm

As you can imagine, the elderly are extremely vulnerable and electrical accidents naturally pose a greater risk to them in many cases. Often, the homes of the elderly are in a state of disrepair and lack modern facilities. If they don’t meet certain safety standards, then the whole house can be a danger zone.

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Tenants and landlords electrical safety advice

Val Chisolm

If you live in rented property you’re at the mercy of the landlords and if they’re not up to the job of making sure you’re safe in terms of gas and electric, then you’re in trouble. You could be at risk of being involved in an accident at any time, so you need to make sure your landlords are doing everything they can to ensure your safety. In this post, we’re going to be looking at electrical safety advice, so it’s useful to a tenant and if you’re a landlord.

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What are the benefits of CCTV cameras?

Val Chisolm

CCTV cameras act as a deterrent as well as helping you to capture footage of would-be criminals who venture on to your property. They can range from simple security systems to more sophisticated technology, and if you run a business, it's crucial you invest in some good quality CCTV equipment. Today in this post, we're going to be taking a look at the benefits of having CCTV cameras on your property and why its important.

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What is an EICR?

Val Chisolm

EICR stands for Electrical Installation Condition Report and its a periodic electrical inspection of your property to make sure everything is working as it should. It examines all electrical installations, reporting any faults that need to be rectified. This report is governed by the British Standard 7671 and this must be adhered to while the inspection is being carried out.

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Recycling electrical goods guide

Val Chisolm

Once you've finished with an electrical appliance do you find yourself wondering how to dispose of it? It is a bit of a minefield, because you know it's probably not a good idea to put it in your bin as it will end up on a landfill site. That's not good. An electrical appliance decomposes on a landfill site over time, it can contaminate the soil and water.

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Why choose a 'Select' Registered Electrician?

Val Chisolm

If you're looking to hire an electrician in Edinburgh then you're probably looking for skills, qualifications and training. Naturally, experience, knowledge and expertise are all important factors. What we're suggesting today in this post, is that you choose a Select registered electrician to install your electrical installations and to repair your electrical faults. Select is one of the most influential and most trustworthy organisations in Scotland, so read on to find out more about them, and why it's in your interests to hire Select registered electricians.

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Smoke alarm responsibilities for landlords

Val Chisolm

One of the most important responsibilities as a landlord is to ensure your tenants safety throughout the duration of their tenancy. There are many different ways you can do this, but today's focus will be on smoke alarms. It is now required that a landlord is to make sure each apartment or house has a smoke alarm, and that is what we will be talking about today. As well as smoke alarms, from 1st December of last year (2015), landlords were required to have carbon monoxide alarms fitted where there was a fixed combustion appliance. This is an add on to the requirement to have smoke alarms.

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Choosing an electrician in Edinburgh

Val Chisolm

Choosing an electrician can be a minefield. It's important that you choose the right one, because if you end up with someone who doesn't really know what he's doing, you could put your family's lives at risk. That's one risk not worth taking, so why don't you read our guide on choosing an electrician in Edinburgh, and find one that helps you to solve your electrical problems safely.

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Use a registered electrician to conform to building standards

Val Chisolm

Since may of 2015, new legislation means that homeowners and landlords have to prove that all new electrical work and changes to existing wiring meet with the new rules, and your local authority now have the right to remove or force you to change any electrical work you have carried out if it doesn’t. It’s important therefore that you contract an electrician in Edinburgh that is registered with a government approved scheme, otherwise known as a ‘registered installer’, for all electrical work carried out in your home.

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How to keep your children safe from electric shocks

Val Chisolm

We are surrounded by electrical appliances in our homes and so it’s important to understand the risks involved, especially to children. However, that said, there aren’t as many injuries per year involving electricity like electric shocks as you might think. In fact, there is on average less than 60 children (under 15 years old) admitted to hospital after an electric shock per annum, compared to almost 50,000 being admitted due to falls.

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How safe are your home electrics?

Val Chisolm

Electricity is a vital part of modern life, but it can cause fire, injury, and even death. Ensuring that your electrics are in good working condition doesn’t take much effort, and it can save you from serious consequences. Here’s a quick look at what you need to consider in order to make your home safe. If you find a fault, or aren’t sure about something, get in touch with a qualified Edinburgh electrician.

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Electrical safety at Christmas

Val Chisolm

Christmas should be a magical time of year. But one small oversight, or a tiny electrical fault could spoil everything. From electric lights and decorations to fresh Christmas trees, Christmas brings with it a whole host of additional fire hazards. There’s no need for safety fears to take the joy out of Christmas. All you need is to exercise a little extra caution, and you can enjoy the festive period while avoiding any accidents. Here are some tips from an electrician in Edinburgh about staying safe this Christmas.

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Rewiring FAQ

Val Chisolm

Small problems with the electrics on your business premises could hint at bigger issues with your wiring. In the case of faulty wiring, damaged cabling and fixtures will need to be removed so that new, safe wiring can be installed. There are no guidelines set in stone regarding when a property has to be rewired. However there are some simple things to look out for, and an electrician in Edinburgh can always provide a professional opinion after a thorough inspection of your premises.

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Things to consider when choosing a commercial electrician

Val Chisolm

Electricity can be very dangerous when it goes wrong. Electrical work on your premises is not the kind of thing you want or can afford to have done badly. Poor workmanship, cheap components, or unfinished jobs can be inconvenient and even cause serious risks. How would your business cope if someone received a serious electric shock or the premises caught fire due to a faulty electrical installation? There could be serious financial and criminal penalties.

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What does an EICR cover?

Val Chisolm

Once this report has been carried out, you should be given a copy of the report. This will include the date the inspection was carried out. The address of your house, the name and address of the landlord, if this is applicable, and the name and address of the electrician who’s carried out the inspection. Importantly, this should include evidence of the electrician’s competence to carry out the inspection.

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When and why get a fuse box replacement

Val Chisolm

You probably only ever pay attention to your fusebox when a switch is tripped. Also called fuse boards or consumer units, the fusebox sits away in a corner somewhere, quietly keeping you safe from the potential dangers of electricity. Should something go wrong, it is your fusebox that will protect you from the risk of electrocution or fire.

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A Guide To Electrical Rewiring

Val Chisolm

If you’re moving into a new property you may be wondering if the wiring is safe, you may be thinking about making changes such as electrical rewiring. However, the wiring may be of concern to you if the property is over 25 years old – or least it should be.

What signs should you be looking for?

There are certain clues to look out for and here we’re going to take a look at what should be your primary concern when considering electrical rewiring Edinburgh, in this friendly guide, so read on.

As we’ve already pointed out if your property is over 25 years old then it’s more than likely you’ll have to consider electrical rewiring, especially if you’re considering remodelling and carrying out major alterations. Your new electrical rewiring will need to conform to Part P: Electrical rewiring of the Building Regulations too. You’ll also in all likelihood need to replace the fuse box.

Cables, black rubber, lead and fabric

If your wiring is old then there are things you can look out for such as, cables coated in black rubber, lead or fabric. Check that the fuse box has a wooden back and if there are cast iron switches. You can also keep an eye out for round pin sockets (rather than the square ones we’re more accustomed to), flex with braiding that hangs from a ceiling rose and also look out for brown and black switches that are on skirting boards, and any wall mounted switches in bathrooms.

All of the above has probably been installed during the 1960s and will need changing along with the fuse box in order to be safe and to pass any safety checks under the Building Regulations.

Now you’ve identified what needs rewiring, what next?

You need to prepare the house before you let the electricians start work – this will make their job so much easier. You need to decide what it is you need doing from the outset, and this will make the job far more straightforward and less costly for you. If you change your mind halfway through because you’ve remembered something else you need doing as part of the rewiring job plans will have to be changed.

What is likely to happen during the rewiring of your property?

We aim to minimise disruption with dust, noise and mess during electrical rewiring using advanced equipment that helps us clean as we go. Don’t worry most electricians, including ourselves, will do a full clear up after they’ve finished as well as the ongoing tidying. It should take from a week to 10 days to complete, maybe less. There’ll be a team of electricians, up to 3, and they’ll start from the top and work their way down.

VC Electrical - Rewiring Edinburgh

Here at VC Electrical we like to make sure we know and understand exactly want you want and you know from us what to expect. That means the lines of communication should be open at all times and we feel that communicating with our customers is of paramount importance.

If you feel there are still certain aspects electrical rewiring in Edinburgh you’re not sure about or you’re worried about something, then get in touch and we’ll talk things through with you. You don’t have to choose us for your rewiring in Edinburgh, but if you do, you’ll have a professional, experienced and well qualified team of electricians on your side every step of the way, making sure that your rewiring job is done well, with minimum fuss and in a timely fashion.