Tips to Avoid Electrical Fires from Adelaide's Master Electricians

As featured in the Sunday Mail TV guide – Trades & Services section 17/8/14

This could be your house !

Avoid Electrical Fires – Don’t Play the Switchboard Problem Lottery

Sharpe Master Electricians, last week, were contacted to inspect and repair the aftermath of a switchboard fire in Modbury (refer switchboard photo above).

Electrical fires are surprisingly common and a very real risk if you live in a house with old or unprotected wiring. Adelaide City Council has warned that many older homes have outdated electrics which are considered to be below acceptable safety standards.

Heavy electrical use over winter and summer can inflict significant damage to old circuits and components.

Recent Electrical Fires in Adelaide

Less than two weeks ago, a house in Southern Adelaide suffered damages of $150,000 sparked by an electrical fault.

Earlier this year, a congregation of a South Adelaide Church had to flee a fire started by faulty electrics in the building’s roof.

Residents of a West Adelaide home were shocked to be woken by members of the Metropolitan Fire Service who had burst into their property in the middle of the night to put out a fire. The blaze was found to have been caused by old and decayed wiring that had started arcing in the roof. Had members of the MFS not arrived when they did, the residents might have perished.

Sharpe Master Electrician Aaron has extensive experience inspecting and installing electrical systems in Adelaide. His most frequently asked question:

Q: How can I make my switchboard safer?

A: Old or faulty switchboards can be very dangerous. I still regularly inspect homes with outdated ceramic or rewireable fuses, these older devices are less sensitive at detecting hazardous currents. This will eventually damage your wiring and increases the risk of an electrical fire (some have even been known to explode).

Homes with circuit breakers only get protection against high current overload, but won’t prevent against electrocutions or electrical faults. Installing Safety Switches on your switchboard is the best thing you can do to safeguard your home and family.

Signs and Symptoms: Swichboard Problems

Do your household electrics frequently overload and trip?

Are your electrics old, outdated or haven’t been recently serviced?

Do you use lots of appliances or multiple powerboards?

Do you regularly use radiant or fan heaters

Your switchboards age and quality can affect your home insurance?

If you notice any of these, contact Sharpe to inspect your system.

Only use an Accredited Master Electrician

Using an Accredited electrician ensures your electrical is carried out by an experienced and ethical professional.

Technical Secret?

Sharpe Accredited Technician Aaron says that for the best possible protection, you should have a maximum of two circuits for one safety switch.

Having too many connected to one device decreases the operational performance of the switch and could put you at risk in the rare event that one fails.

Standards Australia also recommends that you install at least two Safety Switches on a switchboard.

Thermal Imaging Cameras are used by Sharpe Master Electricians to detect whether your switchboard or electrics are generating dangerous levels of heat.