Whether it’s a hailstorm, a flash flood or a thunderstorm, storms can be unpredictable, causing potential harm to people and damage to homes and businesses. They can also disrupt power, communication systems and local amenities like running water.

That’s why it’s important to be prepared to help keep yourself and your family safe while helping to minimise damage to your property.

O'Brien^® has been part of the Australian community for almost 100 years, so our teams have seen firsthand the impact of storms on our vast country.

So we’ve put together a useful checklist to help you be prepared in advance in case a storm hits.

Here are 10 things you can do around your home before a severe weather event. These tips can help you and your family be better equipped to handle any challenges that may arise.

10 things to do around your home to be storm-ready

1. Check your roof regularly for loose or missing tiles and repair any roof damage as soon as you notice it. This can help you avoid or minimise potential water leaks in heavy rain conditions.
2. Check and clean out your gutters and downpipes to ensure there is proper drainage during a storm. This will prevent overflowing, damage to guttering and backwash that can pool water in places that could cause lingering moisture and water damage.

For help with the cleaning and repair of your gutters, or maintaining your roof, your local O'Brien Plumbing experts can assist.

3. Clean up garden debris like branches and secure any loose objects in your yard, such as outdoor furniture, trampolines, or garden decorations, so they don’t become projectiles in high winds.
4. Check your windows and doors for proper sealing and get any previously broken panes of glass repaired so that they’re in good working order. It is worth checking to make sure you have the correct type of safety glass around your home as well.

Your local O'Brien Glass^® experts can are on hand for replacement and advice for glass around your home.

5. Examine your home for any potential electrical hazards that could occur. Ensuring you have a safety switch installed and maintained on your switchboard and installing a residual-current circuit breaker with over-current protection (RCBO) that guards against accidental electrocution by monitoring the current travelling to and from an electrical load.

Your local O'Brien Electrical experts can perform thorough checks and installations of switchboard & safety switches.

6. Check if your home and contents insurance is up to date and know what you are covered for if it comes to claims with a flood or storm. Take the time to talk to your insurance provider to understand what additional cover may be available so you can consider additional options if you think you need it.
7. Stock up on non-perishable food, water, and other supplies in case you are without power or are isolated for more than a few days. We’ve recently seen how many Australian towns have been affected by prolonged flood waters – so it’s best to be prepared.
8. Charge your mobile phone, power banks and other electronic devices in case of a power outage, so you can contact loved ones or your local O'Brien expert (to glass, plumbing or electrical help)
9. Have an evacuation plan in place beforehand and talk through it with your family and friends, so if the time comes you know what to do and can act quickly.
10. Have an emergency kit ready, just in case, with essential items such as a torch, first aid kit, and batteries.

Stay safe and dry with help from O'Brien^®

It’s always a smart idea to be prepared in advance for storms, and hopefully this checklist is a good starting point for you.

Keep a close eye and ear on the weather and predicted forecast to help your household be as prepared as can be should a storm hit. Always remember, if you need any repairs around the home before or after a weather event – whether it be for electrical or plumbing work or glass repairs, whether it be for electrical or plumbing work or glass repairs – contact your local O'Brien^® team today.

For more information about our services, call us on 1800 719 738 or send us a message to speak with one of our friendly staff.  We’re here to keep you safe and dry.

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This means it has never been more important to help make sure your home is safe for you and your family. However, there are a lot of day-to-day safety risks that we all overlook every day.

When it comes to keeping everyone safe, prevention is better than cure. So to help, our O'Brien Electrical experts have compiled these 5 proactive home safety tips.

1. Do not overload sockets and power boards

With more people working from home, using chargers, computers, monitors and more, it’s crucial to make sure that sockets and power boards are not getting overloaded. This can potentially cause electrical breaks, which pose a danger to your home as they can lead to fires or electric shock. To help prevent this, make sure you are switching off sockets and power points when you are not using them. Also, don’t plug too many appliances or devices into just one socket using multiple power boards or double adaptors.

2. Install a Safety Switch

To help further protect your family, our Electrical experts recommend having a Residual Current Device (RCD) or Safety Switch installed in your household. These devices monitor your power supply and quickly shut off if any safety issues are detected. So, if anything was to happen, like a light bulb blowing, using an appliance with an electrical fault, a socket burning or water getting into an electrical connection, the RCD or Safety Switch would be the first line of defence to help protect your household from electric shocks or sparks which can cause a fire.

3. Be Fire Smart

Fires are a significant risk in households and can pose a serious danger to you and your family. Keeping an eye on all the little things can make a big difference.

For example, making sure to keep curtains, clothes or bedding away from portable heaters, and be mindful not to leave stoves or open flames, like candles, unattended.

Keep wet clothes at least a metre away from heaters or fireplaces, and never place clothes or towels directly onto your heater. Also, don’t forget to clean the lint filter every time you use a clothes dryer, as leftover lint can easily catch fire.

4. Check Smoke Alarms

Speaking of which – it’s important to have functioning smoke alarms installed in your house. O'Brien Electrical experts recommend smoke alarms be installed in all bedrooms and living spaces, considering that a lot of household fires occur when people are sleeping. Make sure you test your alarms at least once a month to ensure they’re fully operational.

You should also make sure your smoke alarms are interconnected – meaning that if one alarm goes off, the rest of the smoke alarms in the house will also be alerted. Having smoke alarms with photoelectric sensors further helps your home safety, as they best detect smoke and smouldering fires, which are most common in households.

Any smoke alarm in your home must meet the requirements of Australian Standards and should be installed by a licensed electrician in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

At O'Brien, all our professional electricians are licensed and fully qualified, meaning they are ready to help you with all of your smoke alarm needs, from questions to installation and replacement.

5. Talk to an O'Brien Expert

If you are unsure about electrical safety in your home, or you have any concerns, speak to a licensed O'Brien Electrician today. No matter what your electrical inquiry is, our local and experienced technicians can answer all your questions and provide electrician services if required.

Remember: you and your family’s safety are the number one priority. Paying close attention to these tips and being proactive will mean you have more peace of mind every day.

The post How To Help Keep Your Family Safe At Home appeared first on O'Brien.

To help, here are top 10 tips compiled by our O'Brien Electrical Experts to help your family use your home electricity safely, particularly given the silly season is about to commence.

Top 10 Expert Electrical Tips all households should know

1. Smart use of extension cords
   Extension cords are designed to be used temporarily and not permanently. So, if you’re using one in a room to get power to an area, it’s best to call an electrician to have an outlet safely installed where you need it. If you’re having an outdoor party and require power, make sure to buy extension cords that are marked for outdoor use – these tend to be waterproof and thicker to protect the internal wires from the elements.
2. The correct use of a power outlet
   Each of your power outlets is designed to supply a certain amount of energy. They can pose a safety risk if they become overloaded by plugging several devices into one socket via multiple adaptors. Additionally, if you find that an outlet is warm or consistently flipping the circuit breaker, it can indicate a problem which may lead to a shock or fire hazard. It’s best to get this attended to immediately.
3. Electricity and water don’t mix!
   This may go without saying, but it’s easy to get complacent. There is water everywhere in our homes, from taps and kitchens, to the laundry and bathrooms. Do not use electronics and plugs when there is a water spill.
4. Go solar
   Solar power has advanced a long way, and today, it offers a reliable, cheaper and planet-friendly way to power your home. An electrician can help you plan and install solar power panels so you can start reaping the benefits.
5. Child-proofing your power
   If you have children, you know that they’re always curious. As power sockets are usually located lower down, they are accessible to little fingers. To prevent any safety concerns, consider buying some tamper-resistant receptacles that cover the holes when they’re not in use.  Speaking of children, make sure they know how to read and recognise the safety labels and warnings, such as “high voltage” and “danger”. As adults, we can take these for granted, but children may not pay attention to these signs without guidance.
6. Replace older appliances and lights
   Lighting and appliances, such as hair dryers, downlights and heaters age over time and with it, comes wear and tear on cords and plugs. This can expose wiring and put you at risk, so it’s best to replace them rather than persist. You may also find that newer models and new lighting is far more power efficient too.
7. Don’t ignore flickering lights
   Flickering lights can indicate an underlying connection problem. It’s easy to overlook a flickering light, but if you find it happens consistently, it’s best to speak to a professional electrician.
8. Maintain your air conditioner
   It’s just as important to maintain an air conditioner as it is to install it. Having the filter cleaned annually will not only lengthen the life of your investment and ensure it runs optimally, but can also create a healthier atmosphere for your family to breathe in.
9. Consider home automation solutions
   “Smart home” solutions are no longer a thing of the future. With an experienced electrician, you can automate and control your lighting, audio and temperature devices conveniently and remotely via your phone.
10. When in doubt, call a professional electrician.
    When it comes to electricity in your home, it’s ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry. Should you notice anything – don’t take the risk. Contact a professionally trained electrician who can see to any concerns and address them safely for you.

Licences

O'Brien Group Services Pty Ltd | ACN 132 161 285 | NSW Lic. No 333269C | QLD Lic. No 15117259 (issued under the Queensland Building
and Construction Commission Act 1991) | ACT Lic. No. 201935 | SA Lic. No. PGE 291631 | NT Lic. No. C3936 | TAS Lic. No. 15606548

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