Tag: electrical work

5 ways to up your lighting game in the house

Better lighting = a more stylish and cosier abode.

5 ways to up your lighting game in the house

The importance of good lighting in a home is hugely underestimated.

Lighting should never be an afterthought when you’re decorating your home. In fact, poor lighting (or even mediocre lighting) can affect our emotions.

Let’s face it, good lighting = good vibes. And you can enhance carefully decorated features of your home with some select ambient lighting.

So, how can you improve your home lighting game and transform your living space with a few small changes (and the help of electricians in London)?

If you want house to be lit (in every sense of the word), here are 5 lighting ideas to get you started:

1. Good old dimmer switches

Once you have your lighting plan in order, it’s time to think about how to control it. Dimmer switches allow you to make the light softer or brighter, based on the occasion or your mood.

A little dimmer action can transform any room’s ambience completely. And it can help you save energy as your lights don’t need to be blazing on full capacity at all time.

Find electricians in London to help install your dimmer switches. This isn’t something we’d recommend attempting as a DIY project.

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Source: Pinterest – etsy.com 

2. Light up your staircase

When done well, this one can really bring the wow factor.

Not only is lighting your stairway practical (I mean come on, it never hurts to have a little extra guidance on the stairs), it can also look pretty impactful.

The easiest way to illuminate your staircase is by having lighting installed on the wall next to the steps. Another option is having it integrated into the steps themselves.

It definitely creates a cool (and somewhat mysterious) glow.

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Source: Pinterest – johncullenlighting.co.uk

3. Fairy lights

Yep, the old classic fairy lights. They aren’t just for teenage bedrooms or garden lighting.

With some clever usage, you can create beautiful little spaces with fairy lights. Some ideas below:

  • Drape around fairy lights around your mirror to create a cool vanity area.
  • Put strings inside mason jars to create DIY lamps.
  • Intersperse fairy lights with floaty fabrics for an ethereal effect.

electricians in London

Source: Pinterest – calsnic.com 

4. Create DIY fixtures

If you want your lighting game to be truly unique, upcycle to transform regular household objects and appliances into quirky lighting fixtures.

Try some of the ideas below:

  • Recycle any cool empty glass bottles you have and turn them into fixtures, lamps, or even chandeliers.
  • Use household items such as buckets, baskets, and teacups upside down and turn them into hanging lights.
  • Think outside the box for a truly quirky lighting fixture that can also double as a great conversation piece. For instance, cheese graters (yes, cheese graters) can be turned into lamps in as little as 10 minutes.

 

electricians in London

Source: Pinterest – idlights.com

5. ‘Layer’ your lighting

  • electricians in London

Source: Pinterest – rockmystyle.co.uk

What exactly is layered lighting, you ask?

Well, there’s three layers you need to focus on:

  • Ambient lighting. This is the primary layer, which helps us see! It usually comes in the form of ceiling fixtures.
  • Task lighting. The clue is in the name. Task lighting includes all the highly useful lights that help you get specific stuff done, such as a desk lamp for working or under kitchen cabinet lighting for prepping your food.
  • Accent lighting. The final layer. Accent lighting is used to focus on any area or object that you want to highlight or enhance. For instance, recessed lights or wall sconces.

To decide what task lighting a room needs, make a list of all the different tasks you do in any given room and use it to plan your lighting.

You’ve found the perfect lighting – and now you need someone to fit them? Find local and trusted electricians on Airtasker.

How to: Electricity basics

Want some simple electrical know-how? Check out our guide to the basics.

How to: Electricity basics

Sure, electrical work can seem really intimidating from the outside. And we’re not denying that there are many situations when you should turn to professional electricians in London. But it can be possible to learn the basics if you really want to…. and it’s another handy string to add to your DIY bow.

Read on to learn some essential electrical skills that will serve you well over the years:

How to wire a plug

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Wiring a plug is more straightforward than you might think. You’ll need a small screwdriver and scissors or a sharp knife for the steps below:

  • Start by unscrewing the plug clover. You can do this by loosening the screws using your screwdriver.
  • Next, remove the fuse. You can pry this out with a screwdriver if you need to, and loosen any screws.
  • So far, so good? Move on to positioning flex in plug and cutting the wires so they reach about half an inch beyond each terminal.
  • Strip the insulation carefully so that at least a quarter-inch of wire is exposed. Careful not to snip off any strands of wire at this stage. You can twist the wire strands together.
  • Fasten the cable camp by fitting each wire into the right terminal hole (see below) and tightening the screws. Check for any stray wires.
  • The colours of inner wires and their correct terminals are as follows:
    blue – neutral
    brown – live
    green and yellow stripes – earth
  • Wrap the wire clockwise around the pillar and tighten all screws.
  • To finish, check that all wires are connected to the appropriate terminals as mentioned above, and there are no stray wires sticking out. Check that all screws are tightened as well.
If your plug is faulty or damaged in any way, don’t attempt to fix it. You need to cut it off and dispose properly.

How to change a fuse

Appliance stop working? The fuse may be blown. Don’t despair, you can fix this. Follow these steps:

  • Switch off the appliance (at the mains as well). This is important!
  • Check that the fuse is the issue by doing this small test. Unscrew the top of the plug and take it out. Take the bottom lid off a metal torch. Place one end of the fuse on the bottom of the torch’s battery and the other end on its casing. If it doesn’t light up when switched on, the fuse isn’t working.
  • To replace the fuse, simply prise the fuse holder out (of your switched off, unplugged appliance) using a screwdriver. Replace and refit.
If you’re unsure at any stage, stop! There are many skilled electricians in London that can help.

When to call in an electrician

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We’re all for a bit of DIY, but there are some things that should be left to the professionals. Get electrician help for any of the below:

  • Appliance not working but fuse working just fine? Check whether there are any disconnected wires. If everything seems in working order, hire an electrician to look into it.
  • If the same fuse keeps blowing again and again, you need to call in a professional to investigate.
  • Sockets or switches feeling warm? Is an appliance emitting an odd sound? It could potentially be something dangerous. Unplug and get electrician help.

Nothing should stop you from learning simple electrical jobs such as replacing light switches and fittings. But by law, more complicated  work needs to be carried out by a qualified electrician. Remember, improper work will cost you more in the long run and could be harmful.

Need a little extra help? Find trusted and local electricians with Airtasker