General Electrical

Electricians play a pivotal role in our modern world, where lights, appliances, and gadgets are indispensable parts of our lives, all reliant on electricity. Without electricians, these essential aspects of our daily routines would be impossible to manage. Their job encompasses a wide range of vital tasks, making them not only incredibly important but also highly versatile.

The responsibilities of electricians include installing various appliances, rigorously testing them for safety, establishing and maintaining electrical connections, efficiently handling repairs, and executing intricate and customised wiring projects, among other essential duties.

Typical tasks may may include:

• Connecting wires and cables to terminals
• Tracing and diagnosing faults
• Replacing faulty components
• Linking electrical systems to power supplies
• Testing circuit continuity
• Ensuring strict adherence to regulatory standards
• Performing installations, servicing, and repairs for air conditioners, solar power systems, and more.

Many homeowners lack the knowledge to recognise if their home needs rewiring. Outdated or damaged wiring can lead to fire or shock hazards, resulting in property damage, injury, or even death.

So, how can you tell if your home needs rewiring? Look out for these indicators:

• Lights frequently flickering
• Fuses repeatedly blowing or circuits tripping
• Burn marks on outlets or visible sparking
• Hearing unusual electrical sounds or detecting electrical burning smells
• Your home is particularly old (40+ years)
• Installation of power-hungry electrical systems.

Being vigilant about these signs can help ensure the safety of your property and everyone within it. If you suspect any issues, it’s best to consult a professional electrician to assess and address the situation promptly.

Your friendly local electrician will safely take care of this important task in full compliance with regulations. Set aside several hours for them to complete and safety-test their work. The switchboard is crucial, managing and distributing electrical wiring, connecting the community power system with your property. It includes switches, fuses, circuit breakers, and safety switches, usually located on the building’s exterior for easy access. Upgrades might be necessary for certain installations or older properties with outdated or deteriorated switchboards.

In Australia, the answer is almost always yes if you’re wondering whether electrical work requires the expertise of a fully-licensed electrician. However, it’s essential to verify the specifics with your local council and state jurisdiction to be certain.

Even for the most handy do-it-yourself homeowners who might feel capable of handling simple tasks like installing a new light fixture, it’s important to note that doing so without a license is not strictly allowed. To ensure safety, compliance, and protection for your home insurance, it’s wise to reach out to your local licensed electrician. They typically charge reasonably for swift and straightforward tasks like wiring a new light fitting.

It’s crucial to remember that working with electricity is inherently dangerous and can lead to severe consequences such as death, injury, or catastrophic property damage. Thus, it’s best to entrust electrical work to qualified professionals to ensure the utmost safety and peace of mind.

The quickest answer is “no“. While other countries may not take such a hard-line approach, in Australia, it’s important to recognize that our laws are there for a very good reason – to protect you, your family, and your home from catastrophic damage, including shocks, electrical fires, and death.

So while it’s perfectly fine, and almost completely safe, to do something as simple as changing a light bulb, the following tasks may technically be illegal to complete without professional training and the acquisition of a current electrical workmanship license.

You may not:

• Fix a light switch
• Replace a power point
• Repair an electrical appliance
• Install a light fitting.

However, while you’ll need to check with your local council and state regulators, there are a few DIY electrical works at home that are legal to carry out across the country. These include:

• Installing low-voltage garden lighting
• Installing a fish pond pump
• Replace an old-style switchboard fuse
• Change LED downlights
• Installing (but not connecting) a wall oven
• Changing smoke detector batteries.

To install electrical appliances in Australia, it is essential to hire a fully-licensed electrician. The strict regulations in place not only govern the installation process but also dictate the following:

• Installation Location: The designated areas where the appliance can be installed.

• Safety & Ventilation: The specific amount of space required to ensure safety and proper ventilation.

• Additional Licensed Help: Depending on the appliance, you may need other licensed professionals, such as a gas fitter.

Repair work and various types of servicing and general maintenance of electrical appliance installations also necessitate the expertise of a licensed electrician. These stringent safety-based rules apply not only to residential and commercial properties but also extend to caravans and boats. Failure to comply with these regulations exposes you to the risk of significant fines and even liability for injury, fire, and death.

Therefore, when seeking an electrical appliance installation, ensure that the professional you choose:

• Is fully licensed in your local jurisdiction.

• Can provide you with a relevant and mandatory certificate of compliance.