Homes come in all shapes and sizes and whether you live in a tenth-floor flat or a large detached property, here at Dalec we’re happy to offer advice and guidance on the best burglar alarm for you.

Studies carried out by the Metropolitan Police have shown that a burglar alarm which is correctly installed and maintained will ensure that your home is less likely to be burgled.  However, there are a number of different types of alarm available and many homeowners are daunted by the choice so we thought we’d cover the basics of what to consider.

The best type of alarm for your home depends on several things, such as the type and size of property, your personal preferences and your budget.  However you’ll need to begin by thinking about what you’d want to happen in the event of the alarm being triggered.  For example, a bell-only type of alarm will simply sound in the event of a break in but will not contact anyone, such as the police or a registered contact.

Alarms with a built-in speech dialler are designed to automatically contact you or a nominated contact (such as a neighbour or friend) when the alarm is triggered.  The other option is to choose an alarm which is part of a monitoring contact: alarms of this type require an annual or monthly subscription payment for a company to take action or call the police in the event of the alarm sounding.

Costs can vary hugely between the different systems and we’ll carry out an initial assessment of your property to find the best alarm to suit your home and your budget.  If you would like further information on our burglar alarm installation services in Leeds, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We’re often asked by customers if their home needs re-wiring and it’s a question that can usually be quickly be answered after a simple visual inspection by one of our electricians.

The majority of British homes didn’t have electrical wiring installed as standard until the inter-war period and it’s not uncommon for us to come across homes that still have the original wiring.  During the 1950s electrical and lighting circuits were encased in lead or rubber – wiring of this type can deteriorate very quickly leaving wires exposed.  Old wiring can be extremely dangerous and if you’re concerned about the wiring in your home, it’s essential to call a qualified electrician as soon as possible.

Rewiring a home can be expensive but by working with a reputable electrical company such as Dalec, you’ll have the reassurance that the work carried out on your home is being carried out to the highest safety standards.  If you are concerned about the wiring in your home – regardless of the age of the property – we’re happy to offer free, no-obligation quotes or advice at a time to suit you.  Why not get in touch with us today?

Here at Dalec we are accredited and approved installers of fire alarm systems and smoke alarms for commercial properties, homes, schools and businesses in and around Leeds.

Even the most basic smoke detectors and fire alarm systems can go a long way to protect your home or business.  Smoke alarms should be tested on a weekly basis and the batteries replaced at 6 monthly intervals – regardless of whether the alarm is beeping to warn of a low battery.

Several different types of smoke alarms are available and optical smoke detectors are designed to detect smoke particles whether they are visible or invisible.   Smoke detectors have an individual coverage radius of 7.5 metres; however it is important to ensure that the individual radiuses overlap to ensure that there are no ‘blind-spots.’

Fixed temperature heat detectors are ideal for use in rooms that tend to have higher ambient temperatures and in rooms where sudden rises in the ambient temperature are commonplace, for example drying rooms and kitchens.

Rate of rise detectors can be used to detect a fire as soon as the temperature in a room rises.  This type of detector incorporates a fixed upper temperature limit which will trigger the alarm if the rate of the temperature rise has been too slow to trigger the detector.  Rate of rise detectors are best suited to environments with a stable ambient temperature.

Heat detection alarms cover an area of 5.3m but again the radius must overlap to ensure that there aren’t any blinds spots. .

If you would like further advice on protecting your home or business from the risk of fire, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Whilst the powers that be seem to feel that we are, at long last, coming out of the recession, many of us are still feeling the pinch and looking for ways to cut down on our bills.

Energy prices have become the focus of much scrutiny over recent years and the main energy providers have been criticised for making bills and tariffs very difficult to understand with the result that many people pay too much for their gas and electricity.

If you’re looking for ways to cut the cost of your energy bill, there are many things you can do to help.  For example, leaving appliances on standby means that they continue to use electricity, even when not in use and turning off the TV, games console, washing machine and microwave will save you money in return for very little effort.

Energy saving light bulbs are another great way to save energy.  Particularly useful in locations where you might need to leave a light on for long periods, such as security lighting or lights in a porch, energy saving light bulbs will help you cut your electricity costs.  It can also be worth looking into LED lighting which can prove to be very power efficient when used in the right locations.

There has been much talk of smart meters in the news recently as the Government plans to have them installed in all British homes by 2019.  Smart meters could help home owners save money on their bills and British Gas are already encouraging customers to register their interest in smart meters, with the intention to upgrade all current systems in homes before 2019.

If you’ve ever been about to turn on a lamp or using the hoover and the fuse in the plug has blown, it can be really irritating to say the least.  Before you rush to change the fuse, here’s how to do it safely:

1. The first thing you need to do is to remove the cover of the plug and this can be done by either unscrewing it or sliding it off, depending on the type of plug.
2. Pliers are required for removing the blow fuse: needle pliers are the best tool for this and be careful not to break the fuse whilst you’re taking it out.  It should be fairly easy to tell if the fuse has blown because it will look dark and ‘smudged’ or the wires that you can see inside will be broken.
3. The new fuse (make sure it has the same amp rating) should be inserted into the metal clips that form the fuse housing.  Please note that using the correct fuse is essential and if you’re unsure, you need to speak to an expert.
4. The final step is to replace the cover of the plug – whichever appliance the plug is attached to should be safe to use.

A word of caution: remember that electricity is extremely dangerous and if you need advice on any aspect of using electricity in the home, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.