Everything You Need to Know About Consumer Units: Why They're Important for Your Home
If you're a homeowner in Weston-Super-Mare, then it's important to know about consumer units. Consumer units are essential for your home, and they provide several benefits that you won't want to live without.
What is a consumer unit? Why is it important? How do I choose the right one for my home? In this blog post, we will answer all of these questions and more. In this blog post, we'll discuss what a consumer unit is, why they're important, and how it can benefit you.
What is a consumer unit?
A consumer unit, also known as a distribution board, is a box that contains all of the fuses and circuit breakers for your home. It's typically located in a utility room or garage. It is essentially the "brain" of your electrical system. It's responsible for controlling the flow of electricity throughout your home. Without a properly functioning consumer unit, your home could be at risk for fire or other electrical hazards.
Why is a consumer unit important?
A consumer unit is important because it protects your home from electrical hazards. If there is an electrical problem, the fuse will blow and cut off the power before it can cause any damage. This can save your home from a fire or other serious damage. Electrical problems might range from an overload (too much power being used on the same circuit), or an electrical fault which needs more investigating.
How do I choose the right consumer unit for my home?
There are many different types of consumer units on the market. You might find an electrician who will install what is called a 'Dual RCD board'. Although these are still quite secure, an RCBO board is more efficient and will leave you with more circuits switched on in the event of a problem as only the one circuit with the fault will turn off. In comparison to a dual RCD board where half of your house will turn off as soon as a problem is detected.
It is also important to choose one that has enough space for the circuits in your home, also making sure that it has enough space for any future expansion. You never know when you might need to add an extra circuit in the future.
Another option when it comes to your consumer unit is a Surge Protection Device (SPD). These are becoming increasingly popular as they can offer protection against power surges, and are highly recommended. They are relatively cheap at only around £40, and can potentially protect everything that is plugged in within your house.
How much will a new consumer unit cost me?
Unfortunately, we cannot give you a price for this without getting further details as many factors come into consideration when working out the price of your new consumer unit. Ensure that anyone you get to quote specifies what type of consumer unit they are using so that you can compare prices more accurately (a dual RCD board costs less than an RCBO board).
We hope that this blog post has answered all of your questions about consumer units! If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at Perform Electrical Services on 01934 707 142. We would be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have.