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Capital City Electrical - Electricians in Edinburgh
  • Fire and Smoke Alarms to Be Mandatory in ALL Homes in Scotland
    In Scotland, only rented homes and new builds are currently required by law to have a mandatory minimum number of smoke alarms and heat detectors fitted. However, this law has recently been updated and in February 2021 new regulations will come into force which will apply to ALL types of housing, including privately owned. Why have the rules been changed? In 2017, there was a devastating fire in Grenfell Tower, a large tower block in London. Seventy-two people tragically lost their lives as the fire swept uncontrolled through the building. This led to the Scottish Government setting up a consultation to investigate fire safety regulations in private housing. The changes to the regulations (Housing Scotland Act and Scottish Housing Quality Standard) are the result of this consultation. What are the new rules? The changes to regulations mean that in ALL homes the following will be required at least one smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general daytime living at least one smoke alarm in spaces such as hallways and landings at least one heat alarm in the kitchen a carbon monoxide detector where there is a carbon fuelled appliance e.g. boiler, fire (including open fire), heaters and stoves. In addition alarms should be ceiling mounted and interlinked alarms must be either tamper-proof long-life lithium battery alarms or mains-wired alarms How long do I have to comply? The new rules come into force in February 2021. This means that as a private house owner, you have until then to comply. However, smoke and fire alarms have been proven to save lives and significantly reduce injuries. Getting them fitted in your home now will immediately improve the safety of your home. It is a fact that you are at more than twice as likely to die in a fire at home if you haven’t got any working smoke alarms. They alert you to any imminent danger, giving you and your family precious time to escape and call the emergency services. If you need some advice about smoke alarms or would like some smoke alarms or heat detectors fitted in your home, Capital City Electrical can help. We are NICEIC approved electricians in Edinburgh, get in touch or give us a call on 0131 202 9188
  • How Outside Lighting can Transform Your Summer Garden
    It’s almost summer here in Scotland and you could be thinking about spending more time in your garden. It’s a great time to think about ways to make your outdoor space look great so you can relax and enjoy the sunshine. If you’ve never thought about installing some outside lighting before, it’s well worth considering. Here are our tips for coming up with the perfect lights. Enjoy the warmer evenings It’s wonderful being able to sit outside enjoying a drink on a summer evening or getting your friends and family round for a barbecue. Good outdoor lighting will allow you to carry on enjoying your evening after the sun has gone down. To work out where your lights need to go, think about where you spend the most time. Position lights near your garden seats so that you and your guests can carry on chatting. Of course, it’s important to think about your neighbours as well. Make sure that any lights you install won’t disturb them if they retreat inside earlier than you. Enhance a feature Outside lighting can be wonderful for camouflage. When it’s dark you can use your lighting to highlight the best parts of your garden and hide the areas you’d rather not display. If you have a beautiful garden feature, for example a tree or a lovely pond, why not show it off? You can use an uplighter at the base of a tree or create a subtle glow around your pond. Depending on the lighting you choose, your favourite garden feature could be transformed at night. You won’t just get to enjoy the warmer weather, it will enhance your enjoyment of your garden too. Create atmosphere We’ve already mentioned some things to consider when you’re positioning your lights. It’s just as important to think about the atmosphere you want to create. An afternoon in the garden that carries on into the evening is great for relaxation. The last thing you want is to shatter the mood by turning on lights that are too bright. We generally recommend using up lights in garden seating areas as the light is quite subtle. By contrast, lights that point downwards often feel overly formal. If you’ve used lighting around any features, this will create layers of lighting that give a lovely effect overall. Safety first When you’re using your garden at night, safety should be a key consideration. Make sure that any steps or paths are clearly visible so you can go inside safely when you need to. This is especially important for guests who might not know your garden as well as you do. If you have any potential hazards, for example an uncovered pond, make sure that’s highlighted too. Of course, there are more general safety considerations when you install outside lighting. Your lights will be exposed to the elements throughout the year. Make sure that your lights are installed by a qualified electrician who will ensure that your lights meet all the right safety standards. If you need assistance with selecting and fitting the right outdoor lighting for your needs, please get in touch. Capital City Electrical can help you to design outdoor lighting that will transform the look of your garden and allow you to enjoy your summer evenings to their fullest.
  • Easy Energy Saving Solutions for Businesses
    If you run a business you will know the importance of keeping costs down. One way of doing this is to reduce your spending on energy bills. This can seem like quite a daunting challenge if you have large premises but making some very simple changes can lead to a substantial reduction in the overall energy consumption of your business. In fact, The Carbon Trust believes that most businesses could use a lot less energy and that Low and no cost actions could reduce energy costs by 10% A 20% cut in energy costs is equivalent to a 5% increase in sales for many businesses. Here are four main areas where business energy costs can be most easily reduced 1. Lighting It has been estimated that lighting accounts for approximately 40% of all energy used in business premises. Easy ways to reduce this are Switch to energy efficient light bulbs such as CFLs and LED lighting. They use a fraction of the energy and have a much longer lifespan Install motion sensors, or light sensors so that lighting is only on when it is required Keep windows, skylights etc clean to allow maximum natural light through Switch off lights when not in use   2. Office Equipment Power off all IT equipment when not in use and at the end of the day Encourage staff to not leave PCs, laptops and monitors etc on standby as this consumes significant amounts of energy Laptops use less energy than PCs, so it is worth considering switching when it is time to replace Always choose electrical equipment with a high energy efficiency rating. It may cost slightly more to buy but will save you money in the long run.   3. Heating 60% of businesses’ energy consumption can be on heating and hot water so improving efficiency here can lead to substantial saving. Turn the thermostat down. Even lowering the temperature by 1⁰C can reduce your energy costs by 8% over the year. Replace old boilers with energy efficient ones Reduce drafts to stop heat escaping from the building. Seal doors and windows and install automatic doors   4. Cooling Even in Scotland it can get warm in summer. In addition, the extra heat generated by IT equipment such as pcs, laptops and in particular servers can be substantial. Air conditioning is used by many businesses to keep business premises at a comfortable temperature for both staff and clients. Unfortunately it uses a lot of energy. To reduce consumption and save money Never use air conditioning below 24⁰C Invest in ‘free cooling’ air conditioning. When the temperature outside is cooler than the temperature inside, this type of air conditioning is able to use the cold outside air as a free cooling source. This can lead to substantial savings in running costs.   In addition to the areas mentioned above, it is also a good idea to try and get your employees on board with any changes. Changing employee behaviour can also be helped by investing in some good quality energy efficiency posters and putting them up around the workplace. They are a visual reminder that little changes count and that saving even small amounts of energy reduces carbon emissions and helps the environment. Capital City Electrical are NICEIC approved electricians. We carry out a full range of electrical services for domestic, commercial and industrial businesses throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians.
  • Do I Need a New Fuse Box?
    Consumer units, more commonly known as fuse boxes or fuse boards are extremely important devices in the home. Hidden away in a cupboard they play an essential role in protecting the occupants of a property against fire and electrocution. However they need to be up to the job if they are to detect a fault in a circuit and switch off the power to that electric circuit as quickly as possible. So how do you know when it is time to think about replacing your fuse box? Here are some of our top tips 1. The fuse box doesn’t have RCDs An RCD (residual current device) is a very sensitive and important device. Its purpose is to switch off the electricity supply if it detects any leaking current. By doing this it helps prevent dangerous electric shocks and electrical fires. You can tell if your fuse box has RCDs fitted by looking for a ‘Test’ or ‘T’ switch located on the fuse box. This ‘Test’ function is needed to ensure that the RCDs fitted to your fuse box are working correctly. It is recommended that they are tested at regular intervals of every three months or so. 2. The fuse box has a wooden backboard A wooden backboard is a clear sign of a very old fuse box. These were first fitted in the 1950s and 60s, although some were still being fitted right up until the early 1980s. Until January 2016 new fuse boards had plastic outer casings however since that date new installations must be fitted with metal backed casings. This was the result of it being discovered that many house fires were caused by loose wires, inside the plastic fuse box, overheating and catching fire. Metal casing has been found to be much better at containing fires. 3. You are making alterations to the electrics in your home If you are making changes to the electrics in your kitchen/bathroom or additional circuits and sockets are being added e.g. new extension, loft conversion etc. then due to the increase in load, each new circuit is required by law to be fitted with a miniature circuit breaker (MCB) backed up with RCDs. 4. The fuse box has rewireable fuses or cartridge style fuses 5. The fuse box has asbestos flash pads sitting behind the fuses 6. Fuses keep blowing or circuit breakers keep tripping If you are not sure of the age of your fuse box or want to be sure that your fuse box is fit for purpose, it is worth getting a recommended electrician to check it over. Electrical regulations are updated regularly. This means that many fuse boxes in use may not meet all current electrical regulations but are still safe to use. Likewise if you are making alterations to the electrics in your home it is a good idea to speak to a qualified electrician first. They will be able to tell you if your current fuse box can handle the extra load from the new circuits. If you are advised to upgrade your fuse box and decide to go ahead, the price of installing and testing a new fuse box/consumer unit will depend on the size of your property and the number of electrical circuits it contains. It is a fairly straightforward task for an experienced, competent electrician and will usually take between 1/2 day to one day to install and test. To find out more or if you would like a quote for a new consumer unit for your property please get in touch or give Capital City Electrical a call on 0131 202 9188
  • 4 Key Changes 18th Edition Wiring Regulations
    18th Edition Electrical Wiring Regulations As NICEIC approved Edinburgh electricians, Capital City Electrical always need to have an eye on the latest changes to electrical regulations. It has been known for a while that the 18th Edition was due to be published sometime this year. Changes to electrical regulations isn’t unusual. Updates tend to happen every few years and they usually have the effect of tightening up on some of the existing regulations as well as introducing some new ones. As expected the 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2018) was published earlier this month. What this means that all electrical work carried out in the UK must comply with these new regulations from January 2019. However this does not mean that work carried out previous to these changes is unsafe or needs redone, it just means that going forward all new electrical work must comply with the new rules. What are the main changes? Protection against voltage and electromagnetic disturbances Protection from the risk of transient over voltage caused by lightning will be required in certain scenarios e.g. where the consequences affect human life, public services, cultural heritage, commercial or industrial activity. In other cases a risk assessment will need to be carried out to see if protection against transient overvoltage is necessary. There is an exception made for single dwelling units (houses) in certain situations. Protection against fire due to thermal effects Residual current devices (RCDs) reduce the number of fires due to earth faults but do not offer protection from fires caused by parallel or series arcing between live conductors. The installation of arc fault detection devices (AFDDs) is recommended in order to reduce the risk of fires due to the effect of arc fault currents. Energy Efficiency Changes This change is to improve the energy efficiency in lighting, metering, cable and transformer losses, power-factor and harmonics. Points will be awarded for energy efficiency and then added together to give the electrical installation an efficiency class rating from EIEC0 to EIEC4 Embedded Heating Systems Regulations which cover floor and ceiling heating systems have been extended to cover embedded heating systems. The changes will apply to both indoor and outdoor systems If you are looking for an experienced NICEIC electrical contractor you can trust to always work to current electrical regulations Capital City Electrical would love to hear from you. Please get in touch or give us a call on 0131 202 9188 .
  • Capital City Electrical Win Contract for Donaldson’s School
    Edinburgh electricians Capital City Electrical is proud to announce that they have won the contract for the redevelopment of Donaldson’s School for the Deaf in Edinburgh. This exciting new project to transform the school into luxury apartments has received a lot of interest with more than 2200 potential buyers already registering an interest. It is believed the development will cost in the region of £53 million to complete. Donaldson’s School is one of the most iconic buildings in Edinburgh. It was originally built using funds bequeathed by former newspaper publisher James Donaldson and designed by eminent architect of the time, William Henry Playfair. Originally intended to care for and educate children from poor backgrounds the building has lain empty since the deaf school relocated to Linlithgow in 2008. Edinburgh electricians, Capital City Electrical will be responsible for all the electrical work required for converting what has been renamed ‘The Playfair’ into a residential development of 110 luxury apartments. The historic importance of the building and the many heritage features requires that all work has to be carried out sensitively and with great care. The new apartments will retain many of their original features such as fireplaces, cornices and large windows but they will be brought into the 21st century with many contemporary features. Steven Wright from Capital City Electrical said, “We are delighted to have been chosen to work on this remarkable project. Donaldson’s is such an iconic landmark and forms an important part of Edinburgh’s history. It is a great privilege to be able to play our part in bringing this exceptional building back to life.” Trusted Electricians in Edinburgh If you need an experienced and reliable electrical contractor for your shop, office or business premises please get in touch for further information or a no obligation quote.  
  • Latest Sponsorship & Magazine News
    Capital City Electrical Sponsor School Football Team  Gylemuir Primary School’s P5 football team will look very smart when they play their next football match due to the generosity of Edinburgh electricians, Capital City Electrical. They have provided brand new football strips which were badly needed by the team. The P5 team are looking forward to their next match and walking proudly onto the pitch wearing their new strips. Steven Wright from Capital City Electrical said, ‘It is a pleasure for us to be able to help the lads in the school team. Being involved in the community we serve is very important to us and we are only too happy to help the team look their best, heading off to play their next football match’. Capital City Electrical Feature in Luxury Lifestyle Magazine Scottish Field Edinburgh (SF Edinburgh) is a free, luxury lifestyle magazine for residents of Edinburgh.     If you need help with any of the electrics in your home or business  please feel free to get in touch with Capital City Electrical or give them a call on 0131 202 9188
  • 6 Brilliant Reasons to Try Smart Light Bulbs at Home
    Are you interested in smart technology for the home, but feel a bit overwhelmed by the range of products out there? If that sounds a bit like you, then smart light bulbs could be a good place to start. Good lighting design has always been important in turning a house into a home and smart lighting can improve on that, by giving you the technology to control that lighting much more easily. What are Smart light bulbs? Smart light bulbs are LED bulbs that can be controlled from your smartphone, tablet or gadget such as the Amazon Echo.  They connect to your smart device via your wifi, blue tooth or a home hub connected to your router. They allow you to control your lighting when you are at home but also when you are not. Some of the best smart light bulbs currently on the market are Philips Hue, LIFX and Hive but there are many others. Unfortunately ‘smart’ bulbs are more expensive to buy than normal LED bulbs because they contain a lot of extra technology. However they are fun gadgets to use and can actually be useful around the home.  It is definitely worth buying at least one or two smart bulbs to try out. If you decide that you like them you can always add more to your arrangement later on. Benefits of smart light bulbs They can change colour Smart light bulbs come in ‘white’ and ‘colour’. Some white models only produce one colour of white light whereas other models allow you to select the exact shade (from a choice of 50,000) all the way from cold white to warm white. ‘Colour’ smart bulbs contain the technology to generate light of any colour you desire. This means that with this option you can easily change the lighting colour to match your event, decor or even mood.  Smart LED lightstrips is also another popular way of adding colour to your home. Lights can be arranged in groups for ease of control This means groups of lights can be turned on/off at the same time with one click of an app on a smart phone or tablet – so no more going from room to room, turning every light on/off by hand. Lights can be scheduled to switch on or off at certain times of day This is ideal for setting room lighting for when you are not at home. Changes to the schedule can also be easily made using your smart device, no matter where you are in the world as long as you have a wifi connection. Lights can be voice activated One of the most popular gadgets purchased this Christmas was the Amazon Echo. This is a smart speaker which connects to a voice controlled intelligent personal assistant service (Alexa). Using voice commands, the Echo can be used to turn smart lights on and off, dim them or change their colour. Other similar versions of this technology are Google Home and Apple Home Kit. They are low energy LED bulbs As with other LED light bulbs they are very low energy so their running costs are lower than traditional bulbs. They also have a lifespan of roughly 15,000 hours compared to between 1000 and 2000 hours for an incandescent bulb. Lights can be dimmed or brightened as required via an app on your smartphone or tablet This is ideal for creating different mood lighting throughout your home. Some models of bulb can even be set to light up slowly (like the sun) to gently wake you up in the morning. Although smart light bulbs have many benefits, it must be remembered that this technology is still relatively new and there are differences in the ways different brands of smart light bulb work. Some require hubs or use Bluetooth, others don’t. Some light bulbs can link to Alexa and can be voice activated and others can’t. It is therefore important that you do your homework and make sure you understand the properties of the light bulbs you are buying so that they perform as expected and are compatible with your existing technology. If you would like any help with lighting design or installation in your home or business Capital City Electrical can help. We are experienced NICEIC electrical contractors in Edinburgh. Give us a call on 0131 202 9188 or Get in touch
Capital City Electrical Services

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