Government regulations to crack down on retailers of faulty electrical goods

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Government regulations to crack down on retailers of faulty electrical goods

Last month, we came across an article by the Sydney Morning Herald explaining that fines may be doubled for retailers of faulty electrical goods, and we thought you might be interested in what it had to say. Why? Well, as always, your electrical safety at home is our number one priority. You might like to start by reading more on electrical safety at home here. But how does changing government regulations and fines for retailers impact you as a consumer? Well, aside from the satisfaction of knowing that any traders who are caught selling you non-compliant, unsafe electrical items will be receiving an on the spot fine of $1000, there’ll also be new protections for consumers put in place. Subsequently, the Department of Fair Trading will be demanding greater transparency from conveyancers, pawnbrokers and electrical appliance retailers. This means you’ll be able to request emailed, itemised accounts of all transactions for your future proof of purchase, should anything be faulty. While these regulatory changes are a major plus for the consumers of electrical goods, there are two other key considerations you should be aware of.
  • If you do have a faulty electrical appliance that causes a fire in your home, how do you deal with the problem?
  • What do you do with the faulty appliance and what are your rights as a consumer?
What to do in the case of an electrical fire Of course, preparation is key. When it comes to electrical appliances, testing and maintenance upkeep and replacement (if necessary) are vital. You might have noticed that electrical appliances can wear out pretty quickly. This is a result of both the materials they are made with – nothing is really built to last these days – and the heavy reliance we all place on our home appliances. In order to keep your family safe at home, it’s important to carry out routine maintenance checks or replace appliances when necessary. You’ll probably find that kitchen appliances and heaters (especially at this time of year) can be the biggest contributors to electrical hazards in your home. Just a reminder before we continue – have you tested your appliances, including your safety switches and fire alarms, yet? (You can find more on how to do that in a recent blog “safety switches part 2”) or alternatively, you can call your electrical professional to help. If a fire does break out, disconnect the power at the power point (only if you can do so safely) or you can switch off the power at your home’s circuit breaker. Using a Class C fire extinguisher, first coat the place where the fire started and then move to cover all other affected areas. Never, ever douse an electrical fire with water. You might be thinking ‘why a Class C fire extinguisher?’ Well, Class C fires, also known as electrical equipment fires, are contained using Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Dry Chemical fire extinguishers. You can find more information on the types of extinguishers that work on Class C fires here. Fire blankets and extinguishers can be used to put out small fires, and we definitely recommend having these on hand in your home at all times, but always call 000 in the case of an emergency.

What to do if you have a faulty electrical appliance – your rights as a consumer 

Faults are classified by the ACCC (Australian Competition & Consumer Commission) as being either minor or major. A major fault occurs when an electrical item is significantly different from the description, is unsafe, doesn’t do what the claim said it would, cannot be easily fixed or has a problem that would have stopped you buying it, had you known about it. Minor faults, on the other hand, are those such as small defects associated with appearance. According to the ACCC, if you have a minor problem with a product, a business can choose to give you a free repair instead of a replacement or refund. However, if you have a major problem, you have the right to ask for your choice of a replacement or refund. The retailer or manufacturer who sold you the goods has no right to refuse to help you by sending you to the manufacturer or importer. Did you know? Your rights under the consumer guarantees do not have a specific expiry date and can apply even after any warranties you’ve got from a business have expired? You can read more on that on the ACCC’s consumer rights page, here. Of course, if you’re experiencing electrical faults or would like help testing your switches, smoke alarms and appliances, we’d love to help! You can give us a call on 1300 045 103 or request a quote now.

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Winter electrical tips to keep your home running safe and smoothly

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Winter electrical tips to keep your home running safe and smoothly

Some say June/July is the busiest time of the year! With the rush of the end of financial year and the mid-year school holidays, you might’ve found yourself a little “too busy” to check your electrical appliances are in order, right? And now it’s August already (can you believe it!?) and the temperature is dropping (and finally there’s snow on the ground for all you skiers).

But did you know? According to NSW Fire & Rescue, more than 43% of all fire fatalities occur in winter, with about 56% of all home fires starting in the kitchen.That’s why, with the end of financial year madness behind you, it’s time to consider a few simple appliance checks to keep your home running smoothly for the remainder of the colder months, and to keep your family safe from electrical hazards.
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  1. Heaters

Data from all Australian Fire Services shows that the increased risk of house fires during winter is often due to higher usage rates of electrical appliances. And, as you might have guessed, heaters are one of the greatest users of electricity during winter. There are a number of ways to ensure your heater is safe for use:

  • Prior to use, consult the manufacturer’s instructions for service and maintenance tips.
  • Check that power cords and plugs are in good working condition (i.e. cords aren’t frayed).
  • Vacuum any heater filters to remove any dust build-up before use.
  • Avoid plugging into a powerboard, double adaptor or extension cord as this may overload and cause a fire.
  • Don’t leave your heater unattended, particularly in high traffic areas, walkways or in the presence of children.
  • Ensure a 1m distance to wet clothing or potentially flammable material.
  • If gas is your preferred heating fuel, purchase a flued heater to avoid the air pollutants produced by unflued gas heaters.
  1. Smoke alarms

Are your smoke alarms in good functioning order or are they merely ceiling decorations? It’s important to make sure that you have an adequate number of smoke alarms throughout your home and that they are in good working order to keep your family safe. Testing is as simple as pushing the test button to make sure it beeps.

Changing the battery at least once a year is a good place to start. Not sure when the last time you changed the batter was? Try this – change your clock, change your battery! At the end of daylight savings (March), change your smoke alarm batter when you change your clock, that way you know you are entering the winter months with a working smoke alarm!

But if you haven’t done it yet, do it now.

  1. Test your safety switches

Your safety switch is a safety device that can switch off the electricity in a circuit – in the case of a fault – in as little as 0.3 seconds. To understand the difference between safety switches, circuit breakers and surge diverters (and why you need all three in your home), you might like to read a recent blog on safety switches.

It’s important to test your safety switch regularly to ensure it is working properly. You can locate your safety switch in your switchboard (it will look like a circuit breaker, but will have a ‘test’ button on the front). You may find multiple safety switches in your switchboard and it’s important to test them all.

To test, simply press the ‘test’ or ‘T’ button and power should switch off immediately. To return power to your home, flick the switch back to the ‘on’ position. If you’re switch doesn’t change to the off position after pressing the ‘test’ button, call your electrician to have it checked further!

  1. Fire place

Nothing beats curling up in front of the open fire in winter with a good book and a cup of tea, right? But, in order to do so safely, there are a number of checks to do prior.

Firstly, make sure the chimney is clean and any matches or lighters are stored in a safe place, away from children. Secondly, maintain a safe distance from your fireplace (at least one metre) and never leave it unattended – if you have children or pets in your home, why not set up a safety perimeter by placing a screen in front of it when in use. And finally, remember to extinguish any open flames or fires before going to bed, so you can sleep safe and sound!

  1. Kitchen appliances

Who doesn’t love a slow cooked meal in winter? Nobody. Of course, leaving hot electrical appliances unattended, especially if you’re out for the day, is a major fire risk. So, it’s important to keep an eye on your cooking and remember to check kitchen appliances for frayed or damaged cords and plugs before use.

Also, turning cooking appliances (and any electrical appliances, for that matter) off after use can not only prevent electrical hazards and keep you safe, but you can save money on your energy bills too!

While conducting these checks yourself is a great place to start, calling in a professional for a comprehensive check of your home can be the best way to ensure your safety in winter and provide you, and your family, peace of mind.

Of course, if you’d like help installing or testing & tagging electrical items in your home, we’d love to help. You can give us a call on 1300 045 103 or drop us a note.

Safety switches (RCDs) – what is triggering your safety switch?

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Safety switches (RCDs) – what is triggering your safety switch?

In our last blog “Safety switches vs. surge diverters vs. circuit breakers” we looked at the differences and benefits of all three to ensure that your house is as safe as possible. Remember, safety switches save you, while surge diverters and circuit breakers save your home and equipment.

Safety switches, also known as residual current devices (RCDs), are installed in your building’s switchboard to provide protection against electrocution and fires caused by electrical faults.

It is important that your existing safety switches (RCDs) be tested every six months to ensure the mechanism is working freely. Testing is really easy – all you have to do is push the “test” button on the front face of the switch (note: if your safety switch doesn’t have this button, you might find you’re actually looking at a circuit breaker). Once the button is pushed, the safety switch should trip and reset by closing. Job done! How easy is that?

Be aware though, that some appliances will need to be reset after this test, for example your clocks/radios. So, why not take advantage of power outages to test your switches (after the power is reconnected and prior to resetting your appliances). You could also use daylight savings dates as a reminder to test your switches before changing your clocks!

Without a safety switch installed, there are a number of everyday occurrences that could be putting you and your family at risk in your home. That’s why we’ve highlighted the most common causes of triggered safety switches so you know where to look for potential problems.

What is tripping my safety switch (RCD)?The most common causes of safety switches (RCDs) being triggered include:
  • Faulty appliances (most commonly toasters, kettles, dishwashers, fridges and hairdryers)
  • Hitting a wire with a nail through construction, DIY or renovation
  • Termites or ants in power sockets
  • Rats or possums chewing and damaging wires
  • Water damaging wiring after getting in through outside power sockets or lights during rain or storms
  • Lightning
  • Faulty switches
  • Nuisance tripping – as the amount of electrical appliances in your home increases, so does the likelihood of tripping. A small amount of leaked current or a minor change in the electrical current (from your provider) can push the switch to its limit and cause it to trip.
Of course, if your safety switch is triggered, these 8 easy steps will help you deal with the problem and identify the cause:
  1. Turn all circuits associated with the safety switch off
  2. Re-activate the safety switch – If it does not remain activated, call an electrician
  3. Slowly, re-activate each individual circuit, until one circuit triggers the switch again – you have now identified your problem
  4. Turn all circuits off again, and then turn them all on except for the problem circuit
  5. Search your home to find where the power points aren’t working (a good place to start is the kitchen or laundry)
  6. Unplug all the appliances that are connected to the faulty circuit
  7. Once you have double-checked all appliances are unplugged from the circuit, go back to your switchboard and re-activate the faulty circuit
  8. One by one, plug each appliance back into the power point and again identify the one that causes the safety switch to trigger.
Congratulations! Now that you’ve identified the faulty appliance, you can have it repaired or replaced by a qualified electrician.Of course, if you need help identifying the cause of tripped safety switches (RCDs) or you’d like assistance with repairs or maintenance, we’d love to chat! You can give us a call on 1300 045 103 or request a quote.

Safety switches vs. surge diverters vs. circuit breakers

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Safety switches vs. surge diverters vs. circuit breakers

Have you ever wondered why your house needs a safety switch installed when you already have circuit breakers? To put it simply – safety switches save you, while circuit breakers save your house

All too often, safety switches are confused with surge diverters (protectors) or circuit breakers. All three are needed to ensure your house is as safe as possible – but in different ways.

What is a safety switch?

Safety switches, also known as residual current devices (RCDs), are installed in your building’s switchboard to provide protection against electrocution and fires caused by electrical faults.

Safety switches constantly monitor the flow of current in both the live and neutral wires supplying an electrical system or home appliances. If a fault is detected, the safety switch turns off the power within 0.03 of a second – literally in a heartbeat – to eliminate any risk to personal safety. It is the speed of a safety switch that saves lives.

Of course, appliances aren’t the only causes of potential danger in your home. There can be many electrical hazards around your home that you need to be aware of in order to maintain a level of electrical safety for your family.

You might like to check out a blog on electrical safety at home for more.

What is a surge diverter?

Surge diverters (sometimes referred to as surge protectors) protect your home or property from possible voltage surges. For example, in the case of a lightning strike, the surge diverter captures the voltage spikes in the wiring that would otherwise be transferred into your home/property equipment or appliances, possibly frying your computer or TV as it goes. Imagine losing all those important documents you’ve been working on or those family photos stored on your computer for the sake of not installing a surge diverter – it just isn’t worth it, right?

What is a circuit breaker?

Circuit breakers in your main switchboard provide short-circuit and overcurrent (the condition where the current in amperes is greater than the rated current of the equipment or appliance) protection such as when a power point is overloaded. These devices can be operated manually or automatically and control and protect the electrical power supply.

So do I need all three installed?

The short answer is yes.

Remember, surge diverters and circuit breakers do not act as safety switches for personal protection against electric shock. Without a safety switch installed, there are a myriad of everyday occurrences that could be putting you and your family at risk in your home or your staff members at work. At the end of the day, the use of a safety switch, surge diverter and circuit breaker, saves homes and lives.

In our next blog “Safety switches (RCDs) – what is triggering your safety switch?” we’ll be taking a look at the causes of tripped safety switches and the 8 easy steps to identify and deal with the problem.

Of course, if you’re experiencing electrical faults or you’re unsure if a safety switch is installed at your property and you’d like to know more, we’d love to help! You can give us a call on 1300 045 103 or request a quote now.

Top 5 tips for saving energy in the workplace

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Top 5 tips for saving energy in the workplace

Is saving energy in your workplace on the top of your to-do list? no? You might want to reconsider that and here’s why. Not only will energy savings allow you to do your part for the environment, but it can also make a real difference to your bottom line.

According to The NSW Business Chamber, workplaces that improve their energy efficiency levels see both a rise in productivity and boost morale. And given businesses have to do more with less, we put together 5 top tips for saving energy in the workplace, so you can enjoy the benefits of greater energy efficiency.

  1. Make the lighting switch

Consider replacing your existing lighting systems with with LEDs or Energy Saver down lights. Energy saving lighting is about reducing the wattage used in a light fitting, while still producing similar output. If you’d like to know more about making the lighting switch, you might read a recent blog on “Halogen vs. Energy Saver Downlights”.

  1. Buy it right

When you’re buying computers, monitors, printers, or any office equipment for that matter, consider the Energy Star compliant models. In 2009, the latest specification for computer monitors, ENERGY STAR V5.0 was introduced. These models power down after periods of non-use. And did you know that inkjet printers use approximately 90% less energy than laser printers?

Image courtesy of www.energyrating.gov.au

  1. Avoid those little green lights

Of course, if you’re not in the market for new equipment, there are still a couple of tricks to making your old ones as energy efficient as possible:

  • Check your office equipment is off after hours – and make sure they aren’t just on standby or sleep mode. You probably didn’t consider that those little green standby lights are unnecessarily draining your power when you’re not in the office.
  • Consider using smart strip power cords – These work to reduce your power usage by cutting power to equipment that goes into standby mode, by sensing when a device is turned off and cutting their phantom power, saving you in the long run.
  1. Use your air conditioner at its most efficient

In any business, small or large, air conditioners can be one of the biggest power vampires. It’s important to implement an energy management system, so that you know the optimal running times of your air conditioner.

According to Origin Energy, you should set the thermostat between 23-25 degrees in summer and 18-21 degrees in the winter. Changing the temperature by 1 degree (increasing in summer and decreasing in winter) can reduce related energy consumption by up to 10%.

Alternatively, why not limit the air conditioner and turn on the fans? Find out Why You Should Be a Fan of the Fan.

  1. Get your staff involved

Creating a culture of energy efficiency in your small business is key to ensuring your processes are successfully implemented and maintained. Saving energy means shared responsibilities – you can’t be the only one running around at the end of the day turning off switches. This can be as simple or as involved a process as you like. From setting daily reminders for employees to “shut down” at the end of the day, to implementing incentive programs or making it an official workplace policy. Your energy savings are up to you!

If you’re looking to maximise your office’s energy efficiency or you’re in need of anything electrical, we’d love to chat! You can call us on 1300 045 103 or get a quote now.

Halogen vs. Energy Saver Downlights

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Halogen vs. Energy Saver Downlights

It’s time to think about replacing those halogen downlights you have had in your home since, well… forever. While, yes, they were popular in the 90’s and early noughties as general room lighting, even though they were designed for ‘task’ lighting with their sharp, bright light and ability to highlight specific features in your home, they aren’t exactly saving you any money.

In 2015 you should be more conscious than ever of your energy consumption. Why? Not only due to a concern for all things environmental, but with energy prices rising all the time you need to think of your wallet too.

So let’s explore the real differences.

Halogen Downlights

Most commonly, people mistake the “low-voltage” in low-voltage halogen downlight for “low-energy”, thinking they are making the best choice, when they couldn’t be more wrong. David Howard, the president of the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors said that “[halogens] are so inefficient. They’re more like a heating source than a lighting source”.

Why? A halogen lamp uses a tungsten filament encased inside a much smaller quartz envelope than a normal light bulb. It is because of this closeness that a halogen light is extremely hot compared to a normal light bulb.

Halogen downlights actually operate at over 300 degrees Celsius and if not adequately ventilated or protected, can easily start a fire. In fact, inappropriately installed halogen downlights are one of the leading causes of house fires in Australia.

In terms of efficiency and energy use, there are three main factors to consider:

  1. Types of lighting – the cost of running a light is directly related to the input power (wattage) of the globe.
  2. Light fittings – using downlights means you’ll need to install more lights, therefore your overall energy consumption and running costs increase. Pendant, oyster or fluorescents use significantly less.
  3. Hours of use – of course, the longer you leave your lights on, the higher your running costs. Don’t forget to switch off lights in rooms that aren’t occupied (and the same goes for switching off appliances at the wall to save powering the standby lights).

Energy Saver Downlights

Energy saving lighting is about reducing the wattage used in a light fitting, while producing similar light output.

Low energy lighting alternatives such as CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) or LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) can last up to 30 years, however the initial expense can be greater to buy CFLs or LEDs than halogen lights. Fortunately though, the long-term benefits significantly outweigh the investment as they only use 10-20% of the electricity consumed by a standard globe.

If you already have halogen downlights installed in your home, they can be replaced. For example, if you can replace 12 volt 50 watt halogens with a 6 watt LEDs (saving you up to 90%) or you can swap a 240 volt downlight with an 11 watt CFL. However, if you are installing lamps of a different size or voltage, you may need an electrician to wire the new fittings! And yes, that might incur some costs, but you’re likely to recoup your costs reasonably swiftly by lowering your energy bills.

By replacing your halogen downlights with energy saving globes, particularly in high use areas, you’ll make sure you’re using the lowest wattage light you need. You can save huge amounts on your energy bills, while helping out the environment too.

Of course, if you’re ready to make the switch to energy saving downlights or if we can help by installing any lighting for you, we’d be delighted to help. You can call us on 1300 045 103 or request a quote.

Finding the Best Lighting Designer for your project

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Finding the Best Lighting Designer for your project

Have you ever taken a tally of how many people it takes to build your dream home? There are a lot to engage with, right? Builders, plumbers, tilers, electricians, landscape architects, window and glass fitters… the list is endless.

If you’re building your dream home, you wouldn’t have anything less than the best of these, would you? Which in turn means you wouldn’t want anything less than the best in lighting design. That’s why we have put together this guide on how to find the best lighting designer for your project.

What do Lighting Designers do?

Lighting Designers conceptualise and plan lighting designs for a wide range of industries. In terms of residential design, they are able to take a client’s vision for their home and bring it to life. Through the use of both natural and artificial light, a lighting designer can create ambience, project a mood throughout a room and create an aesthetically pleasing space.

Using a lighting designer will reap dividends in the future. Lighting is a continuously changing landscape that can be very difficult to understand if you are not well informed. A lighting designer is beneficial to any project as they are equipped with a complete understanding of industry standards, energy-efficient product choices and the local energy and lighting requirements of building regulations.

Knowledge is power – What should you look for in a Lighting Designer?

Qualifications really only need to remain a starting point. One of the fundamental things to look for in a lighting designer is that they are specialised in an area that fits with your needs. Seems obvious, right? You might think that all designers are equally knowledgable, however, a Lighting Designer working in the residential design field will have an understanding of the specifics involved in your State’s residential building standards and regulations, that another designer might not be aware of.

Where does a Lighting Designer fit in the construction process?

The best time to hire a Lighting Designer? Yesterday. Failing that, now – click here to drop us a note. Understandably, there’s a lot going on at the beginning of the construction process, however, the later in the process you leave it to bring in a Lighting Designer, the less options that are available. This means the result you’re trying to achieve will either be more expensive or unattainable.

The building process often requires a collaborative approach between the architect, interior designer and lighting designer. Therefore, the sooner communication begins, the more smooth the process for all involved. While it is possible to source a designer directly, your lighting or electrical suppliers often have an in-house team that can help you with all of your lighting design needs.

Vision is vital – How do I brief my Lighting Designer?

  1. Overall vision – Often the Lighting Designer will start with a floor plan complete with furniture layout. This allows them to gather as much detail as possible about the architecture and design elements of the home. While this can be communicated via architects and interior designers, however it ultimately comes down to you, the homeowner, to express your ideas about the design aesthetics and feel of the home.
  2. Practical needs – Ensure your Lighting Designer understands your specific practical needs. For example, young families might make use of low-level lighting for night lights, those working from home might require extra lighting in a study and older clients might need extra lighting in their every day life.

Having the right Lighting Designer for your project is key in communicating your ideas and bringing your vision to life.

Of course, if you would like any advice on Lighting Design or Electrical and Trade services, we’d be delighted to help. You can give us a call on 1300 045 103  or request a quote.

Why you should be a fan of the fan

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Why you should be a fan of the fan

You have the same thought every summer – the mercury starts soaring and it’s time to reach for the air conditioner switch. It might not be Summer anymore, but this is Australia! Aside from the occasional storm cloud, it’s still pretty warm outside. Consider this; can you really afford to always use your aircon to cool the house down? That’s a lot of energy and money that you could be unnecessarily throwing away.

Even the most efficient air conditioners hold their place at the top of the home energy consumption pyramid. On an average summer’s day, there is no other appliance in the typical Australian household that consumes as much electricity as the air conditioner.

According to consumer advocate CHOICE, your air conditioning system could be adding anywhere between $290 – $530 to your yearly power bill, while a ceiling fan will cost only about $30 a year to run.

Those figures alone should be enough to make you reconsider reaching for that switch. So why not be a fan of the fan?

Fans use 85% less energy than an air conditioner. To put that in perspective, you could run six fans and use less energy than one air conditioner. So why not cool down your home by circulating air through six different rooms, rather than just freezing one?

Even better, in the cooler months, when you’re reaching for that heater, you can use your fan on low to circulate warm air around your home too.

Fan tips

Circulation, Cross-Ventilation and Cooling
Fans should always be centrally located. As distance increases, air speed decreases, so it is vital to position your fans where your family spends most of the time i.e. the centre of living and dining area or over the bed in the bedroom to maximise circulation. The effect of increased air circulation on a hot day is achieved as moving air dissipates the heat of metabolism, driving it away from your body.

In warm climates such as ours, heat can be purged by establishing cross-ventilation. Put simply, if you have a cooler, shaded area on the East side of your home, open the windows during the day and allow the air to pass through naturally from the cool side and exit on the warmer side of your home. If you’re in a two-storey home, air will flow naturally from the lower levels up, so it’s essential to open the right windows to maximise air flow.

The combination effect

All of the above said, fans and air conditioners don’t need to be mutually exclusive. Essentially, your comfort is a priority. Thankfully, combining your fan and air conditioner use is a good way to both conserve energy and increase your at home comfort.

Most energy providers will recommend an air conditioning setting between 24 and 26 degrees. An increase in temperature by as little as one degree can save you up to 15% on running costs. With this minimal increase in temperature, you can justify using your ceiling fan as well as your air conditioner, which will add to the perception of coolness throughout your home.

Ceiling fans improve air conditioner performance by moving the chilled air around your home and adding a natural breeze which allows your body’s natural cooling to work most effectively.

By combining these efforts, you can minimise your energy consumption levels and subsequently save money. Just be sure to turn off your fan or air conditioner when the room is unoccupied!

Of course, if we can help by installing a fan or any other electrical equipment for you, we’d be delighted to help. You can call us on 1300 045 103 or request a quote.

New LED light source a new future?

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New LED light source a new future?

Did you know that 20% of the entire world’s electricity is used to power lighting? What if I told you that, that number could drop to just 4%. Imagine the implications of a cheaper, more efficient lighting source.Well, this may soon become a reality with the recent invention of a new LED light source by Nobel prize winners Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura. Who knew LED light could win you a Nobel Prize?! But I digress.We all use light in our daily lives. Whether it is to brighten up your room or to read your book, we all depend on light. However that dependence brings with it the issue of price.As you’re no doubt aware, electricity prices continue to rise and ultimately that will mean we’ll become more cautious about its usage. And price isn’t the only consideration for our electricity, so too is its environmental impact. The high energy use of many lighting sources significantly impacts the environment. So it makes sense to respond to these issues, and that is exactly what Akasaki, Amano and Nakamura have done.The trio have created a blue light-emitting diode which allowed for the creation of an efficient light source called white LED lamps. To create a white LED light, red, green and blue LED light s combine to create the steady white light. However up until the trio’s work, there was no blue LED light. Now that there is, white LEDs can be created.Right now lighting is still dominated by the old technology of an incandescent bulb. These bulbs are highly inefficient as they work by heating up a wire filament, which produces light. However it wastes a lot of energy as a lot of heat is generated and lost in the process.White LED light on the other hand emits a bright white light, which is long lasting and energy efficient. This energy efficiency means that compared to other light sources, white LED light is a cheaper source.Furthermore the environmental implications could be huge. Not only is the white LED lamp energy efficient, they are also efficient in terms of physical wastage. LEDs can last up to 100,000 hours, whereas incandescent bulbs only last around 1,000 hours and fluorescent lights, although longer lasting than incandescents, only last up to 10,000 hours. So we could see a massive improvement in material efficiencies in our lighting as well.But wait there’s more…. currently there are around 1.5 billion people who lack (often financial) access to lighting that may soon have greater access to affordable and long lasting energy sources.Clearly this little blue LED light has the potential to help progress humanity to an energy efficient, environmentally friendly well-lit future.In the meantime, if you’re looking for someone to help you create beautiful spaces in your home or in your garden or outdoor spaces, helped along by some lighting technology, we’d be delighted to talk to you. You can call us on 1300 045 103 or drop us a note.

7 ways to save with passive home design

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7 ways to save with passive home design

Whilst eco-designers will tell you passive design is extremely important for living in comfort, few home owners know what it is.

Passive design is about utilising the current climate to ensure your home maintains a comfortable temperature range. By understanding the basic measures of good passive home design, your home is likely remain comfortable in both the winter and summer.

A good passive home design is essential in maintaining a thermal comfort, low greenhouse emissions and of course, low energy bills! So here are seven ways you can optimise your passive home design:

The colour of your home can massively impact the comfort of your home. Using lighter colours on your roof and walls will reflect the heat from sunlight. Darker colours instead absorb the heat. Something as simple as changing the colour of your roof tiles can have a significant impact on the internal comfort of your home.

2. Plant some trees. Having bushy trees planted on the western side of your house will reduce the direct heat coming in from the western afternoon sun. Before you start to worry about what happens in the cooler months – make sure you plant deciduous trees and they’ll let the lovely warm sun through when they drop their leaves in Autumn/Winter.

3. Use awnings. Awnings are a great way to stop the heat that comes from outside. According to research done by the US Department of Energy, awnings can reduce the amount temperature rises by in your home from sunshine by up to 77 percent on windows with western exposures. Other alternatives include roof overhangs or pergolas.

4. Get your windows right. Heat rises right? So having high windows open will vent out the hot air. Now here’s something a little bit more technical for you. The Bernoulli Effect. To understand this effect you need to know that wind is sucked towards areas of lower air pressure. The Bernoulli effect basically causes the air on the downwind side of your house to be lower in pressure than air on the upwind side of your house. This is where double hung windows come in. With double hung windows you can open the bottom section of the window in the upwind side of the house, and open the upper section in the downwind side of the house, to let the low pressure suck the air through your house, keeping it cooler.

5. Fans should always be centrally located. Air speed decreases with increased distance, so position your fans where your family spends most of their time i.e. centre of the bed, centre of the living room.

6. Think twice about skylights. Skylights have their pros and cons. On positive side they are a great source of natural light and can significantly improve natural ventilation (as long as they open). But on the negative side the increased sunlight can become uncomfortable in summer, and in winter they could lead to heat loss. So, if you’re thinking about getting a skylight, you need to consider its size and location in the context of what you’re looking to get from it.

Of course if you’re looking to make your home more comfortable or more cost effective in terms of its energy usage, we’d be thrilled to talk to you. You can call us on 1300 045 103.