What is all the fuss about Renewable Energy
We’ve all heard the term ‘renewable energy’ but many people still don’t really understand what it means or why it is important.
At one time, most of the energy we used came from renewable sources. Ancient civilisations learned how to harness the wind to power their sailing boats and biomass (matter from living or recently living organisms such as wood or dried grass) has been used since fire was first discovered.
However during the last two hundred years or so, we have relied more and more on non-renewable sources of energy.
Why are non-renewable energy sources bad?
The main issue with non-renewable energy sources is that […]
Switching Energy Suppliers
As January and the New Year get underway, most of us need to watch the pennies a little after all of the festivities over the Christmas period. Switching energy suppliers can be an effective way to cut your outgoings.
There is currently a large amount of political pressure on energy suppliers due to the drop in oil prices so it is unlikely that there will be any price hikes in the near future however it is still worth doing a comparison to make sure you are getting the best deal available. Also, going onto a fixed price tariff can protect you as and when the energy companies start to […]
Thanks for a Fantastic Year
As 2015 gets firmly underway, the team at Barton Electrical would like to thank all of our customers, suppliers and friends for a fantastic 2014. It was one of our busiest years yet and we are very grateful for the continued support you have provided.
As a local, family run business, we have worked hard to establish a solid reputation as a reliable electrician and are delighted that we benefit from lots of referrals and recommendations.
During 2014 we have revealed our new website and we are currently working on the next phase of our site to offer an even better experience to visitors.
We are also very proud to be […]
PAT Testing – what is it and does my equipment need it?
We understand that there are many questions asked by small businesses about PAT testing including what, why and is it essential.
PAT stands for portable appliance testing and basically means examining electrical appliances or equipment to make sure that it is safe. PAT tests are done partly by visual examination and partly by testing.
Are PAT tests a legal requirement?
In short, the answer is no. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that any electrical equipment is maintained to prevent danger but the regulations do not specify what needs to be done, by whom or how often. Hence the confusion faced by many […]
Christmas Safety Tips
It’s that time of year again when lots of us will be thinking about putting up our Christmas decorations. Children will be getting excited and many houses will soon be filled with decorations and lights, often inside and out. However, this can bring with it some extra hazards so read on for our safety tips.
Christmas Lights
Most people don’t buy new Christmas lights each year which means that your lights are likely to spend around 11 months of the year in a box or bag in your loft. During this time they can easily become damaged and therefore unsafe. Here is some advice to help to […]
So, why use a qualified electrician?
The UK has always had a huge DIY culture. It is not even always about saving costs. People often enjoy learning new skills not to mention the satisfaction of getting the job done.
So lots of electrical jobs around the home must be pretty simple? Surely as long as you turn the electricity off at the mains first and check what you’ve done, it will be fine? Wrong!
The Electrical Safety Council carried out a survey which found that 32% of respondents had received an electric shock while carrying out DIY electrical work. More worryingly there are 12.500 electrical fires every year across the UK […]