A quick guide to LED lighting

At APR Electrical Solutions Ltd, we always recommend supplying and fitting LED lighting over other forms of lighting. LED lighting has become common place in this modern day and age but for those who may be less sure we've put together this quick guide with some of the pros and cons of LED lighting.

Here are some of the reasons we recommend LED lighting:

• LED lighting is economical. They use 90% less power than incandescent or halogen bulbs of similar brightness which is great for both your energy bills and the environment.
• LED lighting has a much longer lifespan. Typically, a good LED lightbulb can last for up to 50,000 hours
• LED lighting is safer. They are much more durable and less fragile than traditional lighting. They also do not contain any lead or mercury which some other lighting might. They also don't get as hot.
• LED lighting behaves in much the same way as traditional lighting. They can reach the same brightness, don't need time to "warm up", are dimmable (although you do need to use a compatible dimmer) and are available in a broad colour range (from warm white to cool white to daylight).

If you would like any more information, or to discuss replacing or adding new lighting to your home or business, then please contact us! We're always happy to hear from you.

How to find a great electrician you can trust

One of the hardest things about finding a tradesman, whether that is an electrician, a builder or a plumber, is finding someone that you can trust to do a great job at a fair price. Today, I'm going to share some tips with you about finding a great electrician.

• Ask for recommendations. A lot of our work from private customers comes from recommendations from previous clients. Our customers love what we do for them, and are happy to spread the word to their friends, family and colleagues and we are so happy about this. Ask the people you know if they've had any work done recently, or if they can recommend an electrician.
• Check they are an NICEIC approved electrician. NICEIC are the UK's leading voluntary regulatory body for the electrical contracting industry. It has been assessing the electrical competence of electricians for nearly sixty years. When you get a recommendation, search for the company on the NICEIC to ensure that you're getting an electrician who is regulated and approved. If you weren't able to get a recommendation, you can also search for registered electricians in your area. APR Electrical Solutions Ltd are NICEIC approved contractors and domestic installers. 
• Search for their Facebook page or Google reviews. Now you've found a company, try searching their company name in Google. These days, companies can be reviewed by their customer's on their facebook page or on google reviews. See our 5 star review on facebook here. Although this isn't as important a step as the one above, it can help to hear what other customers are saying to put your mind at rest!
• Ask for a written quote. Don't be afraid to ask for a written quote, yes a good electrical contracting company will be busy but they won't be too busy to give you a quote. A good electrician will be happy to provide you with one so you can see exactly what you're getting and how much it will cost you. APR Electrical can offer free quotes to all our customers, just contact us to arrange one. Although, bear in mind that if you make any changes once the work starts this may alter the final cost.
• Check for insurance. Check that the electrical company you're thinking of hiring has proper insurance, we all hope we would never have to use it but we have it just in case. Don't be afraid to ask your chosen electrical company to see a copy of their insurance - if they have it, they won't mind showing you!
• Don't necessarily go for the cheapest quote. If you get quotes from a few different companies and one is noticeably lower than the rest, ask why. Perhaps their training isn't up to date (the best way to check this is to ensure they are registered with NICEIC) or they don't have insurance. If they tick these boxes, then great! But it only takes a few minutes of your time to check for peace of mind.
• Trust your instincts. When the electrician visits your property, trust your instincts. Are they friendly, polite and confident? Are they honest and transparent about the cost and time frames? Are they happy to discuss your project? Do they offer ideas or tell you how they can achieve what you are asking?

Following these tips will give you the ability to find the right electrician for you. If you want anymore advice on how to find a great electrician, then head over to our facebook or twitter page, or contact us and we'll be happy to assist you.

Fire

We provide a comprehensive range of fire services for home and business. This includes:

• Full fire alarm system installations
• Fire alarm servicing
• Emergency light testing
• Fire alarm testing

All our electrical services available throughout Rotherham, Sheffield, Barnsley and the UK so just contact us for more details or to arrange a meeting to discuss your needs!

Security

As electricians, we know how important security is, whether it's at home or at your business. We can provide:

• Full security system installations
• CCTV installations
• Access control and door entry systems
• Servicing of current electrical systems
• Security lighting

All our electrical services available throughout Rotherham, Sheffield, Barnsley and the UK so just contact us for more details or to arrange a meeting to discuss your needs!

Installations

As an electrical company, a large majority of our work is installations. Some of the services we currently offer are:

• Full and partial rewires and upgrades
• CCTV installation
• Door entry systems
• Security alarms
• Fibre optic lighting
• Spotlights
• LED lighting
• Fans and ventilation
• Showers

All our electrical services available throughout Rotherham, Sheffield, Barnsley and the UK so just contact us for more details or to arrange a meeting to discuss your needs!

Testing

As electricians, we can't stress the importance of testing enough - in fact, this is a topic that we plan on writing more about soon.

In the meantime, I wanted to let you know that we can cover all your testing needs, including:

• Fault finding
• Fire alarm tests
• Landlord certificates
• PAT (portable appliance test) testing
• Periodic inspection reports (PIR) and fixed wire tests (FWT)
• Fire and security alarm testing

All our electrical services available throughout Rotherham, Sheffield, Barnsley and the UK so just contact us for more details or to arrange a meeting to discuss your needs!

First Post

We thought it was about time we set up a blog for our electrical contracting company!

We plan to have tips, tricks, advice and other things on this page if you bear with us over the next few weeks.

In the meantime, why not check out our website, twitter or facebook?

And if you are based in Sheffield, Rotherham or Barnsley and require any electrical work, we can provide you with hard working and trustworthy electricians at competitive prices - just contact us!