expresselectrical

Solar Energy Through the Years

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 22:11:49 GMT

Commercial solar panels have been around since 1881, created by Charles Fritts, but were originally unpopular because they were less efficient than other alternative methods of producing power. Even though solar efficiency has increased dramatically since then, some people are still sceptical about switching to this method due to many reasons. Some main reasons include cost, reliability of commercial electricians , visual unattractiveness, and complicated maintenance to name a few.

While all these reasons were true some years back, we can’t deny that solar panels are the future. We didn’t even expect electric cars would be a thing! Today, a lot more people are recognising the benefits of renewable energy, with many making the switch to solar power.

How Solar Energy Evolved

Solar professionals are now more accessible and solar panels are cheaper than ever. They are now equipped with modern designs that are sleek, powerful, and can last for decades.

Some people have this common perception that solar panels are not worth the investment. However, this has been proven wrong countless times. Technological advancements such as the introduction of solar batteries provided extreme improvement in customers’ behaviour. Lastly, another benefit of solar panels is that they increase the value of your home if you are thinking of the possibility to resell your property in the future.

The Impact of Electricity Consumption During the Pandemic

During the pandemic , while everyone was locked down for months at their homes and fewer cars on the road, we saw that pollution drastically reduced. People, especially in urban areas, experienced breathing cleaner and higher quality air. However, during this period electricity usage skyrocketed. Everyone was on their smartphones and gadgets, shopping online, paying bills, playing games – almost everything has a high electricity demand.

Coal and oil are currently the world’s main sources of energy, and it is making a huge carbon footprint on our planet. While the threats of climate change are looming upon us, we need to make a huge leap in our efforts to slow it down. That’s why switching to renewable energy such as solar energy is a great option. Although it is extremely hard to create a setup for solar panels, there are a lot of solar panel providers and technicians that can easily do it for you. They will make everything easy from planning to building electrical design and construct to performing after-sales services. This is due to the rampant development industry and the continuous addition of players in the solar energy industry.

As the world rapidly evolves, there is no doubt that we also need to supplement this growth with renewable energy. Soon, it would not be impossible that the majority would be shifting to clean, renewable energy.

Join the revolutionary movement today, contact Express Electrical for enquiries.

Time to Replace Your Solar Inverter?

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 02:01:15 GMT

How Do You Know When You Need a New Solar Inverter?

Repair isn't always an option for broken solar inverters.

In this video Brent from Express Electrical describes a recent repair he successfully completed on a Toowoomba solar inverter. He also teaches you how to know if your solar inverter needs replacing.

The Toowoomba electricians at Express Electrical are experienced with the replacement and repair of solar inverters. If your inverter needs maintenance call 0488 484 141 and talk to one of the Express Electrical team about what we can do for you.

Queensland Smoke Alarm Legislation

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 05:53:45 GMT

What are the Queensland Smoke Alarm Laws?

Everything you need to know for Investment Properties and Owner Occupiers

Are you aware the smoke alarm rules and regulations are changing, and they apply to everyone?

When you sleep your nose also sleeps? You WILL NOT smell smoke if there is a fire in your home while you are sleeping. This is what contributes to so many house fire deaths around the world.

The new smoke alarm legislation is being introduced in stages: By 2027 the new legislation will affect all owner occupiers and investment properties. You will need to update the smoke alarm systems in all dwellings according to the below timeline.

The guidelines are simple once broken down. Read our blog below and find out what steps you will need to take, and when, to make your home compliant.

From 1 January 2022

Smoke alarms in the dwelling if sold, leased or an existing lease is renewed & government owned dwellings. Smoke alarms in the dwelling must:

Be a photoelectric type (AS 3786-2014)
Not contain an ionisation sensor
Be less than 10 years old
Operate when tested
Be interconnected with every other smoke alarm in the dwelling so all activate together

Smoke alarms must be installed on each storey:

In each bedroom
In hallways which connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling
If there is no hallway, between the bedrooms and other parts of the storey
If there are no bedrooms on a storey at least one smoke alarm must be installed in the most likely path of travel to exit the dwelling
Smoke alarms must be hardwired or powered by a non-removable 10-year battery

From 1 January 2027

For ALL existing dwellings. Smoke alarms in all dwellings must:

Be a photoelectric type (AS 3786-2014)
Not contain an ionisation sensor
Be less than 10 years old
Operate when tested
Be interconnected with every other smoke alarm in the dwelling so all activate together

Smoke alarms must be installed on each storey.

In each bedroom
In hallways which connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling
If there is no hallway, between the bedrooms and other parts of the storey
If there are no bedrooms on a storey at least one smoke alarm must be installed in the most likely path of travel to exit the dwelling
Smoke alarms must be either hardwired or powered by a non-removable 10-year battery

Whether you’re a home occupier, landlord, or renovating your house, Toowoomba's best electricians are at Express Electrical. We can help ensure your dwelling is abiding by the QLD Government 2027 smoke alarm legislation. Contact us for an evaluation on how compliant your property is.

Ways to SAVE Energy at Home in Toowoomba

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 06:33:26 GMT

How Can You Save Energy and Money at Home in Toowoomba?

It is a great time to be looking at how to save some money, now more than ever! If you’re looking for a way to SAVE, a really easy way to put money back in the budget today is to look at how energy efficient your home is!

Let’s start at the beginning..

Have you considered installing our Toowoomba solar panels? Solar panels not only reduce the use of fossil fuels, but reduce your electricity costs by generating energy independently.

If you are about to purchase any electrical appliance, take note of the STAR rating for energy - even if they are slightly more outlay initially, these items will actually save you money in the long run!

Using only energy-efficient ( LED ) light bulbs throughout your home is a great way to save power and therefore money off your bill!

Unplug phone chargers when not using them and turn power off at the points for unused electronic items such as your TV, toaster, etc

Covering your food or having it in a container in the fridge does seem like common practice - but if you are not doing this, here is another reason why you should - uncovered foods release moisture and therefore make the compressor of the fridge work harder to keep it cold. Harder working fridge = higher bills to pay.

Cooling & Heating

Where possible, use fans instead of air con, however keep in mind that f ans actually don’t cool a room - they only cool people in the room, so a really quick and simple way to save is by turning off the fan in the room. Flick off the lights while you’re at it - it is a good habit to start and an even better one to start the kids on!

Use nature to keep you cool or warm instead of electronics! Shutting up the home to keep the sunlight out goes a long way in cooling your home. Same goes to sitting in the sun to warm you up to start the day. Maybe look at moving the furniture around to make this an easy habit?

If nature isn't enough and it is really cold, snuggle up under an electric throw and turn off your portable heater. If you just can't get warm - it is ideal to set your heat to 18-20°C as each degree over 20°C uses around 10% more energy.

Only use your air con when it gets over 30°C and when running the air-con for cooling, set it to 24°C or higher because each degree under uses 5% more energy.

Do a quick check the seals on your windows - if you need to run electronics, you don't want it seeping out the holes!

Hot Water

Did your mother ever tell you to wash in cold cycles instead of hot? Even better to do so today as we have plenty of cold water-formulated detergents and it is proven to be just as efficient at cleaning clothes as hot! Why make the change? 90% of the energy needed to wash your clothes is actually the machine heating the water.

Furthermore, after washing, hang your clothes on the line. You get some sun and you save by NOT turning on the clothes dryer .

Those of you who are shower conscious are also saving conscious as 4 minute showers are saving on hot water heating! Combine this with a 3-star rated shower head and you will definitely notice a difference in your energy bill!,

Lastly, don’t use the hot water at your sink unless you really need to. Most times, you are making the hot water system run, to heat water that doesn’t even get to you, before you’re finished at the sink! This includes using cold water even when you're wanting to boil water - hot water actually absorbs more contaminants from pipes anyway.

So there you have it, easy little ways to make a big difference to your next power bill, plus SAVE energy at the same time!

If you'd like the team at Express Electrical Toowoomba to perform an energy audit - contact us and we can evaluate the inefficiencies in your home and make recommendations for you today!