Every domestic electricity user needs a safe and reliable supply, with periodic checks needed to make sure all is in working order. But if there is ever a specifically good time to get it checked, it is early November.
Firstly, with the clocks going back at the end of October, homes are now going to be entering the peak time for electricity use, especially as the evenings are only going to get darker still until the middle of December (which, curiously, happens before the actual shortest day).
This is just one of the reasons for December evenings being the time when the use of electricity is at its peak. There will also be the extra use for Christmas lights (although some may cut back on this), while the colder weather will mean the heating is on more than usual, although January and February tend to be the coldest months of the year.
All that means now is a good time to undertake electrical testing in Manchester, ensuring your supply and facilities are in good order for the time of year when they are needed most.
Those following the news will have noticed that it is precisely because reliable electricity is so important in the winter months that Russia has been using energy as a weapon in its ongoing war with Ukraine.
As well as the issues with oil and gas – which stem as much from western sanctions as deliberate undersupply from Russia – the targeting of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has the specific aim of causing power cuts and shortages in a country where winters are far harsher than here in the UK where we enjoy the moderating effects of the Gulf Stream.
Clearly the issue of home rewiring is some way down the list of priorities in Ukrainian households just now, but it highlights the importance of reliable supplies that most people just take for granted.
The simple reality in the UK, apart from a few remote communities living off-grid, is that people will simply flick a switch and benefit from the mains electricity with no concerns about whether they will get a reliable supply.
Thanks to the war and its impact on energy supplies, there have been worst case scenarios postulated where the UK could see some winter blackouts, with documents drawn up in 2019 establishing contingency plans for any instance where this is necessary.
A key risk may emerge if there is a shortage of gas for power stations to burn to generate electricity, while Britain has far less gas storage capacity than some of its continental neighbours despite Centrica reopening the Rough Storage Facility. On the other hand, Britain loses little supply from boycotting Russian Gas, with substantial remaining North Sea supplies and a pipeline from Norway.
Of course, a power cut caused by a global energy crisis would be beyond your control. But to have one because there are faults with your wiring would not be. That is why now is the time to do what you can to make sure your home supply is in the best working order.
