Winter brings with it mixed emotions for most people. Is it a fun time to play outside and build snow cones or is it a time to stay indoors with a cup of chocolate and a blanket. No matter how you feel about winter, one thing is for sure; you will need some warmth. Here are some of the preparations you should make to your home's electrical system to ensure the winter season is nice and warm.
Service the HVAC System
There are two times in the year that the HVAC system is forced to work overtime; summer and winter. To ensure the air conditioner doesn't leave you in the cold, make sure the entire HVAC unit is serviced before the cold season starts. This will avoid unexpected breakdowns which can force you to endure a cold period with no heating system in the home.
Get Alternative Power Sources Ready
The one thing you can bet on during winter is that there will be power outages much more often because of the snow and the rain. The smart thing to do before winter starts is to buy a generator if you don't have one or service the one you have and load up on gas. If you happen to work from home, get yourself a UPS for the computer. Gather enough firewood and gas for lighting and heating so you don't have any issues when there is no power.
Protect Electrical Equipment
As power comes and goes, there will definitely be some serious power surges that can affect your TV, fridge, and electrical components. Protect your appliances with a surge protector that an excellent electrical contractor can recommend and install. You should also make sure that all outdoor power points including swimming pool pump, bulbs, air conditioner and other items are turned off and covered so they won't be ruined by water and snow.
Insulate
Just because it is cold outside doesn't mean it has to be inside too. The idea is to ensure cold air remains outside only by insulating every corner of your house. If you keep the cold air outside, you will be using less power to heat the house, and you won't even suffer during power outages. Your water tank should also be covered with a huge warm blanket so that the water can get warm faster in the morning and not freeze up. Do the same for your HVAC's outdoor unit and any other electrical systems that are exposed to the winter weather.
Preparing your homes electrical system before winter is crucial because emergency electricians may not be able to come to your home during snow days. Hire professional electrical contractors to evaluate your home and make any changes and upgrades that should be made before winter.
Share1 December 2017
Most modern Australian homes rely heavily on electrical power. Unfortunately, not many people realise just how much they rely on electrical power until the power supply to their home is disrupted in some way. There are a number of steps you can take which will help to protect the electricity supply to your home. I am not an electrical contractor, but after a couple of power failures, I have learnt an awful lot from the professional contractors who came out to repair the wiring and fuses in my home. I hope this blog will help you to keep the lights on in your property.