Richtek Blog

If you have a young child in your home, then it is essential to keep them protected from the dangers of electricity within your own home.

As young children start to grow, they learn to crawl and eventually walk – and when this happens, they love to explore. When they see little holes in the wall the size of their own finger, many are tempted to stick their fingers inside – which can lead to tragic consequences.

What Is RCD Protection?

RCD protection can help your child to explore their surroundings while safe from the horrors of electricity. RCD is short for residual current device, and these life-saving devices are designed to protect your new born from fatal electric shock if they are to touch something live like an uncoated wire.

I Don’t Have Any Young Children – Do I Need RCD Protection?

This is a question that people commonly ask when they hear about RCD. While you don’t need its protection if you don’t have young children, adults can benefit from it, too! RCD protection also helps to prevent electrical fires. RCDs are set apart by other tools by the fact that they offer a personal level of protection that your typical fuses and circuit breakers cannot.

How Does RCD Protection Work?

RCD protection functions by constantly monitoring the electric currents flowing through circuits in your home. When it detects an electrical change, such as the current flowing through a child, the circuits are abruptly cut off. This considerably reduces any risk of injury or death. For example, if a baby in your home touches a loose wire and it begins to produce sparks, you might not even realise that’s happened because the power will be cut off long before a fire has a chance to develop.

Types of RCDs

Here are the different types of RCDs you can find on the market:

Portable RCDs: These can be plugged into your outlet and then appliances can be plugged in through the RCD. These are useful when no other type of RCD is around, but they only protect your child with appliances physically plugged into the RCD.
Socket-outlet RCDs: These are socket outlets that have been improved with built-in RCD functions and are used to replace your standard outlet. This protects your child from any appliances connected through the socket itself, and you can install them throughout your home.
Fixed RCDs: This type of RCD is installed in your fuse box and offers protection from several circuits. This offers the best security as it protects children from all wiring, sockets, and appliances connected to the fuse box.

Can I Depend on RCDs?

Absolutely. Many studies have revealed these devices to have a reliability over 97%. This number increases further if you test your RCDs regularly (every three months is recommended). You can test them by simply pressing the test button and seeing if the RCD shuts down.

This keeps your whole family, adults included, safe from shocks and electrical fires. If you are expecting a child or already have one in your home, it’s essential to regularly check the wires in your home. This adds an additional layer of protection for your family.

Need assistance having your new RCDs installed in your home? Get in touch with an electrician in Perth today!

by Michael Gray

Looking for a licensed electrician in your area whom you can trust to do the electrical work on your home? It’s hard to know if a local electrician is what you’re looking for without doing your research first. To know if someone is a good fit for the electrical work in your home, these are the 10 questions you should ask them:

#1: Are you licenced to do electrical work in my home?

This may seem obvious, but it’s a good idea to ask this question. It’s a legal requirement in nearly every state in Australia to have a license to do electrical work. It should also be their own license – not that of someone they operate under.

#2: Can you show me any references?

If you’re going to have this electrician do any major jobs, especially house construction or renovation, it’s essential to ask for references. An electrician who has nothing to hide should be able to provide you with a list of clients they have worked with in the past and might even have testimonials listed online.

#3: Do you have insurance?

Electrical work poses a lot of risks, and even those who know what they’re doing can have things go wrong sometimes. If your electrician doesn’t have an insurance policy they can show you, then you will be taking on a huge risk – which could destroy you personally and financially if an unfortunate incident were to happen on your property. The insurance should protect the electrician working, you, your family, and others who enter your property in the years to come.

#4: What experience do you have?

The longer your electrician has been in the business, the better they will understand the trade. You want to find an electrician who has a minimum of three years of experience – but the more the better!

#5: Do you have a specialty?

Many electricians specialise in something, and if their specialty matches the job you need done, then it makes sense to let them give it a try!

#6: Do you have a fixed rate?

The estimate is essential when deciding if you want to hire an electrician, and it’s best that they offer a variety of payment options. Most electricians will allow you to pay by the hour for small jobs and offer fixed rates on bigger jobs.

#7: Have you won any awards?

It’s always nice to be recognised for achievements, so if your electrician has won any awards, give them a chance to brag about themselves a little and show you how good they are at what they do!

#8: Who will be doing the work?

You can’t assume that the person you talk to on the phone will be the one to come out to your property. This is especially true on large jobs that might involve an entire team.

#9: Will you be on time?

Unless you want to spend your entire day waiting for your electrician to arrive, it’s a good idea to ask beforehand if they’ll be on time. Asking this will also show them that you are serious about timeliness and will make them more likely to show up when they agree to.

#10: Does your work come with a warranty?

Getting a warranty on your electrical work offers peace of mind if something goes wrong, so ask if your work will come with any guarantee or assurance!

by Michael Gray

Do you prepare for the winter by unpacking the electric blankets and curling up by the fire with your hot chocolate? These are some of the best things to many people about the winter months. As you are snuggling up, however, it’s important to keep safety in mind! With the increased use of heating appliances, winter can become more dangerous in terms of electrical faults.

The good news is that it’s easy to take measures and precautions to safeguard both yourself and your family from these electrical hazards. Here are some steps you can take to stay safe from electrical hazards in the winter months:

Inspect Electrical Equipment and Appliances

 In the beginning of winter, check your electrical equipment and appliances for any issues. Keep an eye out for loose connections, frayed cords and wires, pinched insulation on wires, and similar issues. If your wiring is damaged, overheated, or cracked, this could be a hazard. Check everything on your property, from smoke alarms, to lighting, to sockets. Replace any appliances that show signs of damage, or at least have the equipment checked and then repaired if needed. When doing this, it’s a good idea to work with a qualified electrician to make sure you don’t miss anything!

Heater and Light Placement

 Keep your safety knowledge up to date when it comes to lights and plug-in heaters. Clean heaters to remove any build-up of dust. Keep heaters in open spaces instead of enclosed areas, as enclosed spaces can lead to fire or overheating. In addition, never leave your heaters unattended when they are turned on.

You also need to keep light bulbs positioned a safe distance away from flammable materials, such as upholstery, plastics, drapes, and bedding. Prior to changing your light bulbs, switch the light off and unplug it from the socket. Make sure the bulb you use is the proper wattage to prevent overheating.

Electrical Beds and Blankets

 Are you the kind of person who loves cuddling up under electrical or heated beds and blankets? To make sure they are safe for use first, ensure that there is no distortion, damage, or wires poking out. Also make sure to remember to turn your electric blanket or bed off when you’re not using them and keep heavy items off them to prevent accidental damage.

Water and Electrical Safety

 It’s best if outlets in bathrooms and kitchens are installed a safe distance away from showers and sinks. If they’re not, consider using outlet plug covers to prevent accidental contact with the water and electric shock as a result. Make sure your hands are completely dry before handling electrical appliances like hair dryers and make sure to educate any children your home about doing the same.

Get Help from an Expert

 Of course, these are just the basics on keeping your home safe from electrical hazards in the winter months. To make sure that your home and your family is safe from electrical hazards during the colder months, call in an electrician to inspect your home for any potential signs of trouble!

by Michael Gray