Many people simply aren’t aware of how outdated or overworked their switchboard might be. Others may be concerned about the cost of an electrical switchboard upgrade. But with fire and electrocution being among the risks associated with an overloaded switchboard, what will postponing your switchboard upgrade cost you in the long run?
We understand how you can easily fall into the trap of putting off an important upgrade until it’s too late. When it comes to a switchboard upgrade, you might be imagining it’s going to be expensive. It hasn’t been a great 18 months for the bottom lines of businesses or family budgets. It’s a time to tighten the belt and cut a few corners.
But not when it comes to electrical hazards. The risks are huge, costly, and possibly even fatal. Take it from Melbourne’s first choice for emergency electricians. We see what happens when people push their luck.
Better safe than sorry – avoiding serious injuries and costs.
Here at Twin Electrics and Plumbing, we’re in the business of safety and caution. We’re paid to be extremely critical. It’s also personal. Occasionally we experience tragic reminders of why it’s so important to measure and upgrade a home or businesses’ capacity to safely distribute power.
We’ve been around for more than 40 years so we’ve seen the aftermath of costly accidents many times. We’re usually the ones called in when things go wrong. We make sure tragedies never occur again. But for businesses gutted by fire or demoralised by a serious injury to a team member, we can’t turn back time. We can only help to secure the future.
So, let’s start securing your future now by ascertaining whether you’re at risk.
What is an electrical switchboard and why is it so important?
For the layman, a switchboard is quite self-explanatory. It’s the crucial electrical device that distributes power to the rest of your premises. All those smaller outlets that keep your important gadgets and machines operating rely on a consistent, measured and safe supply of electricity. Let’s also not forget the amount of human contact those same devices experience, and the contact can often include your outlets. That makes the switchboard a true motherboard, not just in terms of being central point of control, but also bearing the responsibility of looking after your equipment and people.
Understanding why the electrical switchboard you have may not be the switchboard you need.
If your switchboard was installed by a professional electrician, it was set up to have the correct capacity for your electrical needs at that time. Usually, there would have been a little room to move. But what business or family is typical? Businesses merge, diversify and scale up and down. In each case, those things tend to happen fast. And what about at home? You can’t get a better case of scaling up than having a baby! What about suddenly working from home? There are so many reasons why a building’s electrical needs change.
But we can tell you from experience that when those changes occur, few people seriously consider the strain on their electrical switchboard. Just imagine some of the additional devices you’ve added over the past few years. Maybe it’s something large like a new air conditioning unit or a spa. But what about the small devices? How many of those gadgets need to be charged?
If you’re reading this article and beginning to wonder how much you know about the capacity of your electrical switchboard, that should be enough to justify concern. Your switchboard could be the hardest-working device in your home, and that’s not a safe situation. It’s time to at least understand your equipment enough to judge whether you need an electrical switchboard upgrade.
Your life has changed – so has the technology behind switchboards.
There’s another very compelling reason to consider upgrading your switchboard. In 2021, we’re using safer and smarter switchboards. New electrical switchboards are designed for modern use, which means they have an all-important safety switch and overcurrent protection. The new technology is also ready for what promises to be an inevitable change to most people’s lifestyles: electric vehicles.
It’s Twin Electrics and Plumbing’s job to worry about our customers. That’s why we’re determined to develop the most comprehensive set of Australian electrical safety guides available online. But few guides could be more important than this one.
A fully functional electrical switchboard with the right capacity is one of the most important devices in your home or business. It stands between you and serious risks like electrocution and fire. So, for the sake of the people who rely on you, we suggest you worry less about the cost of an upgrade and start asking yourself a more important question: what will postponing your switchboard upgrade cost you?
