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Posts Tagged ‘socket<’
Posted in Electrical Work on May 02
Sometimes, the electricity supply to our homes is irregular, and this could cause a dip or a surge in the supply to an appliance. Fortunately, the design of our domestic plugs includes built-in protection in the form of a fuse-breaker. This clever gadget protects the appliance while it’s operating – a heavy power surge will result in a blown fuse, thus preventing damage and possibly even fire. 
Replacing the fuse is not a difficult task provided you have a basic knowledge of, and a healthy respect for electricity! To do this job yourself, you will need the correct-sized screw driver, pliers and of course, the replacement fuse. Check that the new fuse is suitably matched – amperage rating – to the old fuse. If this is all sounding a bit intimidating, why not find an electrician right here on Mr-Skill.
Start with safety first – isolate the circuit breaker on the mains board for the wall plugs that you plan to work on. Now you can safely remove the plug from the socket and take off its cover using your screw driver. Some plug covers are a clip-tight fit, and will need to be carefully prised open.
Look for the small glass tube inside the plug and remove the blown fuse from its cradle using the pliers. Blown ones will have a burnt or smudged appearance. Insert the new fuse into the cradle, checking to see that it is of the correct rating.
Recommendation: if your plugs are very old, you should consider getting an electrical quote to upgrade them all.
Clip or screw the plug cover firmly back in position. You are now ready to test the new fuse, so place the plug in the socket and switch on the circuit breaker on the mains board. Now switch on the appliance to check that everything is working as it should.
One of our London electricians recommends that you don’t take unnecessary risks with potentially faulty plugs. If after changing the fuse, the plug still does not work seek professional assistance instead.
Tags: circuit breaker, electrical fire, electrical quote, electricity, find an electrician, fuse, london electrician, mains board, pliers, plug, power, power surge, safety, screw driver, socket
Posted in Electrical Work | Comments Off
Posted in Kitchen Fitting on Jul 25
Despite what the world’s philosophers say, the future is often the same as the past, and that’s because humankind simply can’t think laterally. We keep on polluting the air, fighting pointless wars and eating unhealthily too.  The same failing applies to many remodelled kitchens that I have seen as well.
I wish I could have a free pint down at the local pub (naturally taken over a responsible period of time) for every brand new kitchen that I’ve seen festooned with double adaptors and ugly cables, when just a little planning could have avoided all of that. Most London Kitchen Fitters that I’ve dealt with over many years have a simple take on this. If there’s a work surface, they say, that’s not too close to water, then fit an electric outlet socket in the wall right next to it.
After you have sorted all these and similar things out in your mind, decided on the layout for your kitchen and got your Kitchen Fitter Quotes from Mr-Skill, the next thing to do is to appoint a kitchen fitting firm, and to iron all the nitty-gritty out with them before they start.
 And here I’d like to make a special plea on behalf of all the world’s tradespeople. You can Find a Kitchen Fitter who looks perfect, but, if you don’t allow the poor fellow the space he needs to do the job and put up with a modicum of mess, then your chances are reasonably good that you could end up with an unenthusiastic job.
So please let them park their van outside the front door and wander in and out with dusty feet. Give them space to leave their tools overnight somewhere safe and dry, and don’t forget that friendly cup of tea every time they take their breaks. That way, chances are that you could get a happy kitchen, and that, I think, is where all happy families belong.
Good luck with your new kitchen project from Mr-Skill.
Tags: adaptor, appoint, cable, detail, dirt, dry, dust, electric, enthusiastic, find a kitchen fitter, firm, fit, front door, future, happy, kitchen, kitchen fitter quotes, layout, london kitchen fitter, mess, outlet, park, past, plan, remodel, repeat, safe, socket, store, tools, van, water
Posted in Kitchen Fitting | Comments Off
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Jul 03
All of us start off in life with the simplest of workshops, especially when we move away from parents to our first own homes, and need to make a quick adjustment.  If we are lucky enough we have a garage to store our tools. Otherwise we have to keep the few tools we have in bedroom cupboards, use the kitchen table as a workbench, and generally risk criticism from you-know-who. If you have passed this point in time and are ready to upgrade, here are a few tips to get you salivating.
I agree with you that it sounds like Taking Coals to Newcastle to Find a Carpenter to help you set things up. On the other hand, if you are busy and lack the heavy tools you need to do the job, this could just make a great deal of sense. Mr-Skill makes it really easy to get a couple of Carpentry Quotes, and you don’t have to accept any if they turn out over budget.
You need to have a proper plan before you start. By this I mean of scheme of things where you have sufficient working and storage space that’s properly separated for safety. If you are planning to afford a lathe next Spring, by all means plan it in. Who knows, you may influence somebody’s Christmas Gift list.
This time you really should do something about decent extraction. Modern power tools create a deal of dust and most of this is bad for us because of the chemicals present. I know a Carpenter in London who  specializes in creating home workshops for the rich and famous. He refuses any job, no matter how grand it may seem to be, if extraction is not part of the basic plan.
Lighting and electricity are an essential part of any workshop, and here there should be no skimping for safety’s sake. You need comprehensive lighting without shadows, and a ring of counter-top-height plug sockets all the way around the room. Do remember to ask Mr-Skill to send an Electrician around to do this bit for you. Some power tools are still are not properly earthed back to ground.
Keeping the floor clean is another thing to think about. A screed over an under-floor heating grid is the best dream that I could think of, and if you bolt everything to the walls there’s even a chance that the floor could get swept from time to time. Besides, how else will you ever find the springs and screws that mysteriously go to ground?
Tags: adjust, bedroom, bolt, budget, carpenter london, carpenter quote, chemical, clean, cupboard, dust, electric, extraction, find, find a carpenter, floor, garage, heat, help, home, kitchen, light, plan, scheme, screed, separate, shadow, simple, socket, storage, store, sweep, table, tip, tool, upgrade, wall, work, workshop
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
Posted in Electrical Work on Jun 26
At Mr-Skill, electrical safety is paramount to all of us, and this is why we recommend that you Find an Electrician on our Pages if in any doubt at all. We use this wonderful source of instant energy so many times a day that we too easily forget that it could also be dangerous too. Avoid risks by having your home installation checked once a year (or sooner if in any doubt at all).  You can ask for competitive Electrician Quotes any time of the day or night here, and we’ll reply soon.
Electrical safety is especially important in the bathroom. Stick to the following safety hints when you are there. Enjoy greater peace of mind. Remember that water is a conductor that can take electricity to ground through you, and that wet skin reduces your resistance.
o With the exception of professionally installed and grounded shaver sockets no electricity outlets are allowed in bathrooms. This includes connections to light fittings, plugs inside illuminated cabinets, and extension cables brought in through windows and doors.
o Shaver sockets must be positioned a safe distance from water sources. You ought not to be able to reach across with hands outstretched. My Brother, who is a well-known Electrician in London refuses to  install these fittings at all. Bathrooms are small, he says. Besides, what’s the point of it, in these days of rechargeable razors.
o Only, ever install ceiling light fittings in any bathroom, and make sure that these are fully enclosed. If you must install a light switch inside the room, the only ones permitted are insulated pull-cord types.
o Under no circumstances install electric heaters in the bathroom of your home. A power shower must be connected directly to the mains distribution board, well grounded, and without any joints in the cable.
We’re in a more serious mood today. People get hurt, maimed or even killed by electricity in the UK every week. If what we wrote this time makes you more cautious then maybe that is good. Remember, it costs you nothing to get Electrical Quotes from Mr-Skill. Please be careful with electricity.
Tags: bathroom, cable, care, careful, cautious, conductor, cord, danger, dangerous, electric, electrician london, electrician quotes, enclose, energy, extension, find an electrician, fitting, ground, heater, hurt, joint, kill, light, maim, outlet, plug, power, safe, safety, shaver, shower, skin, socket, water, wet
Posted in Electrical Work | Comments Off
There is a little confusion amongst homeowners and DIY enthusiasts about what can and can´t be done in terms of electrical work in the home. Although it is always best to refer to a qualified electrician in London, there are a number of jobs you can still do by yourself without having to seek approval from your Local Authority Building Control.
 Change white electrical switches, sockets etc. and replace with decorative finishes- Replace or repair a socket, light or cable in any room Add extra spurs, sockets or lights to an existing circuit (except in a kitchen, bathroom, or outdoors)
- Fit or replace an electric shower, cooker, garage doors or gates (unless a new circuit is needed)
- Install CE marked prefabricated modular kitchen lighting systems to an existing connection unit or socket outlet
- Install security lighting or air-conditioning to the outside wall of the house provided that there are no exposed outdoor connections (unless a new circuit is needed)
Instances where you do need to get Building Control approval include:-
- Adding new circuits to your existing installation
- Any work (other than repairs or replacements) in a room where there is water (e.g. kitchen, bathroom, etc.)
- Any work (other than repairs or replacements) outdoors (e.g. installing garden lighting or sockets, etc.)
- Replacing a consumer unit
- Installing new central heating control wiring
- Installing a socket outlet on an external wall
It is strongly recommended that any electrical work you carry out yourself is checked by a registered electrician in London to ensure your safety and also that it complies with Part P of the Building Regulations.
It is also advisable that you familiarise yourself with the cable colour changes that were introduced in 2006 – particularly if working on an older property which may still have the original wiring. You can > Click Here < to download the IET guide to the new cable colours or consult with one of the local electricians in London featured in our Tradesmen´s Directory.
Tags: bathroom, Building Control, building regulations, Building Regulations Part P, cable, cable colours, Central Heating, Electrical Work, Electricians in London, Find an Electrician in London, lighting, plug, Plumbing, socket
Posted in Electrical Work, Handyman Services | Comments Off
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