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The number one top tip for saving money on your heating bill is simply to adjust your heating controls. So just turn your thermostat down. You could cut your heating bills by up to 10% and save around £65 per year by simply reducing your room temperature by 1°C. Set your heating and hot water to come on only when required rather than all the time if you have a programmer. During warmer weather either switch your central heating off all together or set it for the warmer weather.

It can be really efficient to set your heating to go off 30 minutes before you leave the house for work, and come back on again 30 minutes before you expect to return. On a similar line, putting on a jumper rather than dialling the thermostat up when it gets colder can be effective.

Add some loft insulation. Clear out those dusty boxes and give your loft an energy efficient makeover. If there isn’t any loft insulation there already, it could save you about £200 a year. You could also consider cavity wall insulation. Consider topping up your insulation if you have very little existing. The recommended minimum depth is 270mm.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Is your water too hot? Try putting the thermostat on your hot water tank down to 60C which is comfortable for most people. This will save on your heating costs. Also a dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and make sure they’re fully turned off!

Check for draughts around windows and doors and close your curtains at dusk. This will stop heat escaping through the windows. Make sure curtains or furniture are not obstructing your radiators.

Insulate hot water pipes and lag your hot water tank. Tank jackets are simple to fit and could pay for themselves in 6 months or less. They cost from just over £10.

Having a bath uses two and a half times more water than taking a standard shower.

Replace any boilers over 15 years old with a newer energy efficient model. Efficient condensing boilers can save you 30% on your heating bills.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of your electrics call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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We all know that items on stand-by use almost as much energy as when they are on and that chargers left on generate heat and that heat is money. What could be the answer? Use a timer.

Many of these cash sinks are not actually used for the full twenty-four hours a day. Just think about that rechargeable toothbrush that needs only a short time to charge or the mobile phone you charge overnight. A timer means that charging only happens for a short period overnight. Increasingly companies are looking to utilise off-peak electricity which is on a cheaper tariff.

You can avoid wasting energy by using smart timers. You can avoid wasting energy by leaving items on needlessly and reduce your bills with eco friendly countdown timers or “dusk ‘til dawn” timers that will turn any appliances on and off at the times you choose. You can make the most of low priced power, to make sure everything’s turned off while you sleep or set your washing machine and dishwasher to run at night.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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You have a choice of two types of plug-in timers. They are mechanical timers or digital timers. To use a mechanical timer you manually set pins to control the on and off times. They typically have one or two on/off cycles each day. Digital plug in timers allow for more frequent on-off cycles, they have battery back-up and can allow for different timer settings on different days of the week, such as the weekend. There are also 240 volt plug-in timers for heaters. So you could set the heater to turn off when everyone goes to work and turn on before you get back in the evening so that it’s a comfortable temperature when you arrive.

You can possibly use a timer to save energy for all the devices in your home that are on all day while you are at work or on at night when you are asleep!

In addition a timer is a useful security device to control lights and a radio when a house is left un-occupied. Some timers have a random function. This is an additional safety feature and acts as a very effective deterrent for any potential intruders.

Where you have some appliances close together (a computer, monitor and printer or a TV, DVD, speakers and set top box) there are now multi outlet bars with timers. These could have a combination of outlets controlled by timer and some controlled by switch so if you need some appliances to remain on these can be put in the switched sockets. Using a power bar will avoid the situation where you turn off your computer, but leave your printer, scanner, speakers, and DSL/cable modem turned on.

An even better idea for the computer is a power bar with a USB connection to your computer, so it detects when the computer is turned off, and then shuts down all of the peripherals. Now when you turn off your computer, all your peripherals will automatically be turned off, too!

If you have any questions or would like a quotation call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Using modern dishwashers correctly and optimising their use uses much less energy and water than washing up by hand.

A half load uses the same amount of energy as a full load, so only use your dishwasher when you have a full load. The fuller the load the more energy efficient the washing cycle. Run the cycle without the drier option if you can. For older models this will mean stopping the dishwasher’s cycle when it gets to the stage of drying the load, and open the door up, letting the load dry naturally.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Interestingly a lot of energy is used just to heat up the water when using your dish washer. You could therefore significantly reduce your energy consumption by simply turning down the water temperature on your machine. Use energy-saving cycles whenever possible. If your dishwasher has a temperature booster, turn it down or run it on a lower setting.

Don’t pre-rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. More modern dishwashers do a great job of cleaning even those heavily soiled pots and pans. Scrape off food and empty liquids—the dishwasher will do the rest. Use cold water if you must rinse the dishes first.

Putting dishes in the dishwasher throughout the day and running it once in the evening will use less water and energy than washing the dishes by hand throughout the day. Ensure you load dishes according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Completely fill the racks to optimise energy and water use. Hence you allow for proper water circulation to ensure adequate cleaning.

Finally, if you are purchasing a dish washer, try to look for one which has an eco-cycle. Most modern washing machines and dishwashers have them, and they’re designed to use less water and electricity than traditional daily programs. 

If you would like a quotation or have any questions call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Electric tumble dryers use a lot more energy than the average washing machine and are second only to the fridge in their total usage. They are used much less, but they still use a massive amount of electricity when on. You may not be able to cut down how often you use them, but you can make some small changes to how you use them that will help you save energy and money.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

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Have a washing line in the garden where possible, or have a clothes horse inside when the weather is too bad. Use a clothes rail rather than a radiator when drying clothes inside as this stops the radiator heat from reaching the rest of the house.

If you do need to use a tumble dryer, use a fast spin on your washing machine as this will take out more water from your clothing and ensures your clothes are as dry as possible after washing. This will reduce drying time considerably.

When putting a load into your dryer, ensure you do a full load, but do not overload the machine. The fuller the load, the more energy efficient the drying cycle will be.

If every family in the UK hung out just one load of washing a week, we could save £88 million in electricity bills every year. On average hanging out one load of washing per week for a year instead of using a tumble dryer could save you more than £15 off your annual electricity bill.

Combining loads once a week to fill your washing machine and your tumble dryer will save you £10 per year.

If you have any questions or would like a quotation call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician.

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Damian Bennett Electricians – The Poole Electrician – Call Today – Tel : 0793 255 7563

TVs and stereos on stand-by switched off by remote control use almost as much electricity (up to 70%) as when they are on.  In the UK each year stereos on standby cost £290m and TVs £88m. Over 15m TVs are left on standby for about 20 hours a day. Turning appliances off at the power switch (or the socket) instead of leaving them on stand-by saves money on your electricity bill.

The list below shows the typical cost over a year of common appliances left in standby mode.

TV                                               £6

DVD Players                                   £1

DVD Recorder                                 £5

Free-view set-top boxes           £8

Computer Monitor                     £30

So if you have three TVs, two DVD players, a DVD recorder, a computer and two Free-view boxes left on standby it could cost you over £70 a year.

Alternatively get a twenty-four hour timer so the power is only on when you need it. This is especially useful for chargers which you only use for a short time over night.

Small changes equal big energy savings! Drastically reduce your bills – start today!

Damian Bennett Electrical, The Poole Electrician, is a family business based in Poole offering a complete electrical contracting service to Domestic clients in their own homes and Commercial and Industrial clients.

Contact us here:

Telephone :         0793 255 7563    

  Damian@DamianBennettElectrical.co.uk

Small or large jobs call us today!!

If you’re looking for a well qualified, thoroughly professional electrician in Poole or the wider Dorset area, look no further. We here at Damian Bennett Electricians are committed to providing top quality customer service and workmanship, and will never leave a job until the client is 100% satisfied.

Whether you’re a domestic, commercial or industrial customer, whether you require new lighting or fuse boards in Poole, we can help you. Why not contact us today and arrange for an initial consultation?

All work guaranteed, Damian Bennett Electrical are proud to offer the very best in electrical services including a 24 hour call-out.

Contact us for advice and a free estimate.

Damian@DamianBennettElectrical.co.uk

Damian@DamianBennettElectrical.co.uk

Telephone: 0793 255 7563

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In January 2005 the government introduced Part P of the Building Regulations for England and Wales, so most fixed electrical installation work carried out in homes must, by law, comply with the Building Regulations. Part P states that anyone carrying out electrical installation work in a home must make sure that the work is notified to the local authority prior to the work being carried out and an inspection fee paid, unless the work is carried out and certified by a person registered with a government-authorised scheme such as NAPIT. Landlords have to have a valid Landlord Safety Certificate.

If you fail to follow the regulations:

• You will have no certificate to prove that the work has been carried out by a registered electrician, or that the work performed has been passed as safe by your local building control.
• You may have problems when you come to sell your home if you cannot prove that electrical work has been carried out in accordance with the Building Regulations.
• Failure to comply is a criminal offence. If you carry out work that does not comply with building regulations you may be liable to a fine of up to £5,000.
• If you don’t have the appropriate approvals, your local building control may insist that the electrical work is redone.

If you have any doubts or questions call me or drop me a line at The Poole Electrician. I can give advice on whether a certificate is required and do the appropriate work.

Damian@DamianBennettElectrical.co.uk

Telephone : 0793 255 7563

Damian Bennett Electricians is a family business based in Poole offering a complete electrical contracting service. If you’re looking for a well qualified, thoroughly professional electrician in Poole or the wider Dorset area, look no further. First choice for electricians Poole based Part P Registered and providing Landlord Safety Certificates.

Damian@DamianBennettElectrical.co.uk

Telephone: 0793 255 7563       

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In January 2005 the government introduced Part P of the Building Regulations for England and Wales, with the aim of reducing the number of accidents in the home related to faulty electrical installations. Similar laws apply in Scotland.

Because of this, most fixed electrical installation work carried out in homes must, by law, comply with the Building Regulations. Part P states that anyone carrying out electrical installation work in a home must make sure that the work is designed and installed to protect people from fire and electric shocks. Part P applies to newly-built homes and to any changes made to existing installations, including any parts that have been rewired. It gives legally enforceable rules relating to electrical safety in houses and flats. Landlords require a Landlord Safety Certificate.

Under Part P electrical installations carried out in a property are now notifiable so the local authority building control must be notified prior to the work being carried out and the appropriate fee for them to inspect the work must be paid. The exception is if it is carried out, and certified by a person registered with a government-authorised scheme such as NAPIT. This brings electrical work in the home under statutory control along with other types of building work, such as gas installations.

As noted above failure to comply with Part P is a criminal offence and local authorities have the power to require the removal or alteration of work that does not comply with regulations.

 The law requires an electrician registered with a government-approved scheme, such as the one operated by NAPIT, to carry out most electrical work in the home. After completion of any work your NAPIT registered electrician will issue you with an electrical safety certificate and a Compliance Certificate to confirm it meets the requirements of the Building Regulations.

You can only carry out electrical work yourself if you can inspect and test that it is safe for use.

If you have any doubts or questions call me or drop me a line. I can give advice on whether a certificate is required and do the appropriate work.

Damian@DamianBennettElectrical.co.uk

        Telephone :     0793 255 7563       

Damian Bennett Electrical is a family business based in Poole offering a complete electrical contracting service. If you’re looking for a well qualified, thoroughly professional electrician in Poole or the wider Dorset area, look no further. First choice for electricians Poole based.

At this time of year thoughts turn to our gardens. Electricity can kill in the garden – there are over 30 electricity related deaths a year in the UK and almost 3,000 injuries.

1.    Always use an RCD (Residual Current Device) also called a circuit breaker. Normally orange, plugs into your socket – if you cut the cable it cuts off the power and stops you getting a shock. Costs a few pounds – it could save your life!

2.    Check tools, plugs and cables for damage before use.  Never touch damaged equipment, plugs or cables before turning off the power.

3.    Use good quality equipment with a “Kitemark” or BEAB approved sticker. Follow manufacturer’s equipment instructions.

4.    Never clean, adjust or check equipment with the power on. Stop and disconnect all appliances and tools before working on them.

5.    Never use electrical equipment outside when it’s wet or raining.

6.    Keep the flex safe – know where it is and cut away from it. Have enough to move freely.

Don’t become a statistic – take precautions when using electricity in the garden. Stay safe until next time!

Damian Bennett is The Poole Electrician

www.ThePooleElectrician.co.uk

The Poole Electrician Garden Safety

HERE for a Google Review

or

HERE for a Freeindex Review

where you will be redirected to our feedback form.

Once you have completed a review simply cut and paste the thank-you page from Google or Freeindex and email to Damian@ThePooleElectrician.co.uk and we will send you a FREE 24 hour time which you can use for security (so the house looks occupied while you are away) or to save money (by turning devices off when they aren’t being used).

All feedback is gratefully recieved. It will help us improve the service we offer.

Thanks in advance.