Technical Electrical

If you are looking to upgrade your current sockets and switches because they are worn and old then there a few things you may need to consider before doing so.

Metal finish – If you have decided to go with a metal finish its always a good idea to consider the other types of metal finishes such as door handles. Matching the metal finishes will give a more cohesive look.

Wall conditions – flat plate sockets and switches look great and will leave a great finish to your home, but you should always consider the conditions of your walls. If you have anything other than flat walls then steer clear, they show up differences easily so must be put on straight.

Recently plastered walls – if you have recently had your walls skimmed then avoid replacing your sockets and switches for 6 months. Newly plastered walls can take up to 6 months to completely dry and if you do replace when the plaster isn’t properly dried you run the risk of staining on your new sockets and switches.

As technology continues to develop, watches have too. Smart watches are the new gadget to get your hands on, well so it seems. But, what do they actually do?

Smart phones provide a discrete way to manage your phone simply at your wrist. Smart phones were created to help people manage their day easier and quicker than getting out your phone.

The main function of a smart watch is that they display any phone calls your phone is receiving. Meaning you can take a look at your watch and decide if the call is urgent enough to answer it or not, great for business meetings when you do not want to appear rude or cause distraction.

Another handy feature is syncing your phones Apps to the watch, allowing you to receive notifications directly to the screen of the watch. You are alerting in a discrete manor with a small vibration to the wrist.

Additional features such as quick calculator, camera control and calendar can all be synced from your smart phone to the smart watch. You can set alarms a set times which will come through to your watch as a notification.

Many contractors in the UK and overseas use wireless power tools, and it’s more frequent you’ll see contractors using wireless than wired, but why does it matter so much?

Well having no wires to get in your way makes the world of difference to a contractor who’s constantly moving, and though it’s cheaper to buy wired tools, most professional contractors will only opt for wireless. It’s also worth noting that the cost of these tools has come down considerable, especially over the last few years, and even DIY enthusiasts choose wireless over wired. It’s another sign that the technology is always evolving, and like we’ve mentioned in our most recent post, there are also wireless chargers for these devices now, so it’s incredible just how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time, especially in the UK construction/development industry where tools are used daily.

Wireless charging has been around for a number of years now, but it’s just come back into the limelight, and that’s because the next set of iPhones have been announced. The 8, 8 Plus and X (also referred to as iPhone 10) come with wireless charging. Many have expected this for some time, especially considering the fact that Many Android phones were ahead of the game, which is often the case. But this all leads to one big question:

What’s the big deal?

Well wireless charging prevents damage to your phone, it also ensures cables can’t be broken in the process of charging, as if often the case with wired chargers. Some charging speeds are also improved, but that’s really it. It doesn’t drastically change our lives, it’s just seen as a cool feature, and it will be interesting to see if all phone makers from now on follow the wireless charging movement.

Home automation is a term that’s used regularly by many home décor and furniture companies, and that because one single home automation system can control multiple fixtures, such as lamps, curtains, televisions, doors, windows and heaters.

Home automation is all about making life easier and controlling multiple devices with just one system. It’s still a relatively new concept right now, but more luxury brands are putting time and energy into marketing this concept. There are many devices to choose from, and some use a main console on a wall that can be used to control lots of devices, whilst they also come with a handy remote control, so you can simply be relaxing in your arm chair, whilst opening the curtains and turning off a lamp with the click of a button. Some will of course say this is lazy, but when you’ve had a long day and you want to relax, these devices are a must have!

It was interesting to hear that several months ago solar power in the UK broke records due to sunny skies and relatively low summer demand. What makes this record even more interesting is the fact that solar power was virtually unheard of 10 years ago and look where we are today.

Nearly every home will have at least one solar powered gadget, whilst you don’t have to look far these days to find a house or new development with solar panels mounted on top. So it does beg the question, will records continue to be broken going forward? The government has cut a great deal of funding in solar power, and this news puts pressure on the government to backtrack on these cuts, but there’s no denying the importance of solar power in modern society, and we’re sure we will see further developments and plenty of records broken in the near future!

Many of you reading this article have probably felt a small electric shock, often cuased by static electricity, and this goes to show that humans are really good conductors of electricity!

Of course a real electric shock is a lot more painful and it can actually kill instantly, so how does it work? Well electricity moves quickly through water and the human body is 70% water. There’s also the fact that electricity always tries to find the easiest path to the ground, so a heartbeat is interrupted and blood vessels tighten, whilst the burns occur where the electricity burns and leaves the body. Unfortunately, accidents happen and electricity is the cause of thousands of accidents each and every year, so we need to always remember these facts, and make sure our children know just how dangerous electricity is. With more reliance on electricity than ever before, it’s important to make sure your electrical appliances are as safe as they need to be.