There are two things everyone could do with more of - time and money. To help you with this goal we have put together some helpful tips on getting more from your electrician's visit and therefore, minimising cost (saving money) and disruption to your day (saving time).
Scheduled electrical maintenance
The old adage 'If it ain't broken, don't fix it' only goes so far. Carrying out preventative electrical maintenance will reduce breakdowns and keep your electrical equipment and systems running efficiently. Systems which benefit from preventative maintenance include:
- air conditioning
- electric hot water
- solar power
- electrical infrastructure - such as safety switches, hard wired smoke alarms
- emergency lighting
Scheduling servicing also allows you to allocate a time which suits your life rather than fitting in an electrician repair visit when something breaks down (saving time and money).
Combine jobs
Your electrician's call out fee is a one off so why not combine all your little electrical jobs into one visit. If you have an appliance installation scheduled include an extra power point install to ensure you're not overcrowding existing power sockets. Book in for your safety switch and hard wired smoke alarms to be tested at the same time as a fuse box repair or light fitting installation.
Just remember to let your electrician know you need to include the extra jobs when you're booking so he or she can allocate extra time and bring any parts which could be needed for the work.
Minimise emergency electrician call outs
Don't put off getting electrical equipment or electrical systems looked at if you start having trouble with them. Murphy's Law, your electric hot water system will eventually give up the ghost on a Saturday night when your home is full of visiting in-laws.
Emergency after hours call out fees will usually cost more than a scheduled electricians visit. Plus it makes sourcing a replacement part or appliance so much harder.
Be smart about how you use your electricians time and skills and keep costs and time to a minimum.