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Winemark hasn’t looked back since it decided to convert all its lighting to LED. Northern Ireland’s biggest independent chain of off-licences had experimented with using LED for a little while but had been put off a wholesale switch to LED by the ­prohibitive cost. However, two years ago the “graph of costs and ­benefits crossed, and we Read more...

The sale of halogen bulbs which are used in millions of homes could be banned as early as next year as part of the EU’s energy-saving drive. It follows the prohibition of traditional incandescent bulbs, which have been phased out in an effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Millions of halogen bulbs are sold in Britain every year, often for Read more...

A new law is to be introduced which will see landlords obliged to carry out electrical safety inspections on rented properties. This new law is to come into effect from December 2015 and it is designed to reduce the number of electrical related fires. Anyone carrying out electrical inspections must be employed by a firm that is registered with the Read more...

The annual fuel price is set to rise by 8 pence so by 2023 your electric bill could be more than double the price it is today. Consumers seeking ways to cut their power bills are asking: ‘Do solar panels make sense for me?’ If you do decide to put solar panels on your roof it means you would not only save yourself money but you will gain funds Read more...

Downlights are the most popular type of lighting in the home today but if the lights are poorly installed they can cause horrific fires and this is one of the most common fires in the home over the past few years. Downlighters are known to be described as low voltage as they operate at a mains voltage of 230 volts or at 12 volts if they are Read more...

Garo's Conor Charnley, discussing priority boards and the importance of having control over loads in the home, particularly with EV chargers coming into play, and heavy loads on cookers etc. Many homes today have more than one shower and in many cases they are electric showers. Electric showers are usually rated between 9 & 10KW and take a Read more...

Proper lighting in the home helps make a house a home as it enables you to perform tasks easily as well as making you feel safe. However lighting comes in various designs, shapes and sizes and depending on the room it will more than likely determine what type of light you go for. Here are some ideas to consider when planning your lighting needs for Read more...

Emergency lighting is a prime factor for fire safety as it enables individuals to locate both fire exits and fire equipment. Emergency lighting can be broken down into two parts ‘emergency escape lighting and ‘standby lighting’. Standby lighting is self-explanatory as it comes into action if there is a power failure in a building. Read more...

With homes constantly changing their lighting to suit updated décor or to improve security around the home it is best to have a good understanding of what some of the lights are for. PIR LED floodlight A PIR floodlight is also known as a passive infra-red floodlight as it reacts to motion through its motion sensor. Depending on the brand or Read more...

Most modern consumer units will have more than one RCD or RCBO fitted therefore it is essential that there are monthly checks carried out to make sure they are functioning properly. These checks should be carried out regardless if you own a property or if you are renting the property to someone else.   The reason that RCD Read more...