As the evenings become darker and temperatures begin to drop, October is a good time to start preparing your home for the colder months ahead.
While most homeowners think about checking their heating, clearing gutters and preparing their gardens, the electrical installation is often overlooked.
At L J Mullan Electrical, we help homeowners throughout Banbury, Brackley and the surrounding villages with everything from small electrical improvements to consumer unit upgrades and electrical safety inspections.
Here are five electrical jobs worth considering before winter arrives.
Upgrade Your Outdoor Security Lighting
With the clocks going back and daylight hours becoming shorter, suitable outdoor lighting can make a real difference to your home.
Whether you’re arriving home from work in the dark, taking the bins out or walking along a garden path, well-positioned external lighting can improve visibility, convenience and security.
Popular options include:
- LED security floodlights with motion sensors.
- PIR lighting for driveways and pathways.
- Decorative exterior wall lighting.
- Smart outdoor lighting with app controls.
- Energy-efficient LED lighting for gardens and entrances.
Modern LED lighting is generally energy-efficient and can provide excellent illumination without excessive running costs.
We regularly install outdoor lighting for homeowners across Banbury, Brackley, King’s Sutton, Bloxham, Adderbury and nearby villages.
Our advice: Consider where lighting will be most useful, rather than simply choosing the brightest fittings available. Correct positioning can make all the difference.
Check Your Garage, Shed or Garden Office Electrics
Garages, sheds and garden buildings are increasingly being used for much more than storage.
From home offices and workshops to home gyms and hobby rooms, having a safe and reliable electrical supply is essential.
Before winter, it’s worth checking that any existing electrical installations are suitable for their intended use.
Things to consider include:
- Are there enough sockets for your equipment?
- Is the lighting sufficient during darker evenings?
- Is the electrical supply adequately protected?
- Are any outdoor cables or accessories showing signs of deterioration?
- Is your existing supply suitable for additional electrical demand?
If you’re planning to use an electric heater, power tools or other equipment in an outbuilding, the electrical installation should be assessed to ensure it’s suitable.
At L J Mullan Electrical, we can install dedicated supplies to garages, sheds, garden rooms and other outbuildings, along with additional sockets, lighting and suitable circuit protection.
Make Sure Your Consumer Unit Is Providing Suitable Protection
Your consumer unit, often referred to as your fuse board, plays an important role in protecting your home’s electrical installation.
Older consumer units may not provide the same level of protection as modern installations, particularly where appropriate residual current device (RCD) protection is absent.
An RCD is a safety device designed to disconnect the supply quickly when certain electrical faults occur, reducing the risk of electric shock.
Modern consumer unit installations can incorporate:
- Individual RCBO protection for circuits.
- Type A residual current protection where appropriate.
- Surge protection devices (SPDs).
- Modern circuit breakers.
- Fire-resistant metal enclosures.
However, having an older consumer unit doesn’t automatically mean it needs replacing. Its condition, existing protection and suitability should be assessed before recommending an upgrade.
Our advice: If you’re unsure about the age or condition of your fuse board, arrange for a qualified electrician to assess it.
Consider an Electrical Safety Inspection
Electrical installations can deteriorate over time, and problems aren’t always visible.
Loose connections, damaged accessories, ageing wiring and unsuitable protective devices can all present potential safety concerns.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a detailed inspection and test of an existing electrical installation to assess its condition and identify defects.
An EICR can be particularly worthwhile if:
- You’ve recently purchased an older property.
- You’re unsure when the electrics were last inspected.
- You’ve noticed unusual electrical behaviour.
- Your property has undergone numerous alterations.
- You want reassurance about the condition of your installation.
Warning signs such as frequently tripping circuit breakers, overheating sockets, burning smells or damaged electrical accessories should never be ignored.
Although electrical installations don’t necessarily experience greater deterioration during winter, increased use of lighting, heating and other equipment can make existing problems more noticeable.
At L J Mullan Electrical, we carry out electrical inspections and testing for homeowners, landlords and letting agents throughout the local area.
Install Additional Sockets Before Christmas
As Christmas approaches, many households begin using additional electrical equipment.
From Christmas tree lights and decorations to televisions, gaming consoles and portable appliances, it’s easy to find yourself relying on extension leads and adaptors.
While extension leads can be useful, they should never be overloaded or connected together.
Electrical Safety First advises that regularly relying on extension leads and adaptors may indicate that additional fixed wall sockets would be a better solution.
Installing extra sockets can improve convenience, reduce trailing cables and help avoid unsuitable extension lead arrangements.
Popular installations include:
- Additional sockets behind televisions.
- Double sockets in bedrooms and living rooms.
- Extra kitchen worktop sockets.
- Outdoor weatherproof sockets.
- USB charging sockets.
- Additional sockets in garages and home offices.
Often, relatively small electrical improvements can make a significant difference to everyday life.
Our advice: If you’re constantly moving plugs around or relying on multiple extension leads, consider whether additional permanent sockets would be a more practical solution.
Small Electrical Jobs Are Just as Important
Not every electrical job involves a complete rewire or major installation.
Sometimes, it’s the smaller improvements that make the biggest difference to how comfortably and safely you use your home.
At L J Mullan Electrical, we’re a small, family-run electrical business and are happy to assist with jobs of all sizes.
Whether you need a single socket installed, a faulty light replaced, additional outdoor lighting or advice about your existing electrics, we’re here to help.
We’re proud to have received over 200 five-star Google reviews, reflecting our commitment to quality workmanship, reliability and customer satisfaction.
We’re also NAPIT registered, giving customers additional confidence that electrical work is carried out professionally and in accordance with applicable requirements.
Looking for a Reliable Electrician in Banbury or Brackley?
If you’re considering electrical improvements before winter, L J Mullan Electrical provides domestic electrical services throughout:
Banbury, Brackley, King’s Sutton, Adderbury, Bloxham, Bodicote, Deddington, Aynho, Middleton Cheney, Bicester and surrounding villages.
Whether it’s a small electrical job, an electrical safety inspection or a larger installation, we’d be happy to discuss your requirements and provide a quotation.
Contact L J Mullan Electrical today to discuss your electrical requirements and get your home ready for winter.
