—Guides
Electrical guides for Dubai homes and premises
What people notice, what is safe to do about it, and what the electrical work involves — written for the person who has to describe the problem, not for an electrician.
Start with what you are seeing. If anything is hot, smells of burning, sparks or gives a shock, read how to tell an urgent problem first. None of these guides diagnoses an installation; they explain what to check safely and what to tell whoever looks at it.
01Topic
What you are noticing
- When a socket stops working
- When several sockets in one room stop together
- When the lights flicker
- When a light or switch buzzes
- A burning smell from the electrics
- A tingle from an appliance or metal fitting
- An RCD that trips at random
- A breaker that trips when one appliance runs
- When part of the house loses power
- When there is no power anywhere in the house
- A distribution board that buzzes or crackles
- A distribution board that feels warm
- When outdoor lights stop working
- LED lights that flicker on a dimmer
- LED downlights that keep failing
- A spark when you plug something in
- A socket where plugs feel loose
- A washing machine or dishwasher that trips the power
- Light bulbs that keep blowing
- A ceiling fan that wobbles or makes noise
- When a light switch does nothing
- Lights that switch on or off by themselves
- A doorbell or intercom that has stopped working
- A fridge or freezer that keeps losing power
02Topic
Safety and decisions
- When to stop resetting a breaker
- What to do in a power cut
- Electrical safety around young children
- Using extension leads and adaptors safely
- Electrical safety in bathrooms
- Outdoor electrical safety
- Choosing an electrician
- The limits of DIY electrical work
- Electrical problems in a rented home
- Electrical work in an apartment tower
- What moves the price of electrical work
- Electrical snagging at handover
- Signs an electrical problem is urgent
03Topic
Wiring and circuits
- Signs that wiring may need replacing
- Rewiring a villa
- Rewiring an apartment
- Adding a new socket
- Moving a socket or switch
- Replacing extension leads with fixed sockets
- After drilling into a hidden cable
- When an appliance needs its own circuit
- Earthing and bonding, explained
- RCDs and RCBOs, explained
- Circuit breakers, explained
- Labelling a distribution board
- Single-phase and three-phase supplies
- Wiring for an extension, annex or garden room
04Topic
Fittings and installations
- Installing a ceiling fan
- Hanging a chandelier or heavy light fitting
- Garden and landscape lighting
- Outdoor security lights and sensors
- Replacing halogen downlights with LED
- Choosing dimmers for LED lighting
- Adding smart switches and lighting control
- Installing an EV charger at home
- Connecting an electric cooker or hob
- The electrical supply to a water heater
- Installing outdoor sockets
- Pendant and track lighting
- Installing LED strip lighting
- Powering a video doorbell or intercom
- Backup power for a villa
- Installing an electric towel rail
- Surge protection at home
- Adding wall lights
05Topic
Checks and maintenance
- An electrical inspection of a villa
- Testing an RCD with the test button
- Maintaining a distribution board
- Outdoor fittings exposed to salt air and sun
- Electrical checks before summer
- Electrical checks between tenancies
- Checking the electrics before buying a villa
- Electrics after a water leak or flood
- Checking for damage after a power surge
- Electrical maintenance for an office
- Electrical maintenance for a shop
- Checking emergency lighting
- Electrical checks for a holiday home
- Communal lighting in compounds and buildings
- Keeping electrical records for a property
06Topic
Comparing the options
- MCB or RCBO
- Surface or concealed wiring
- Smart switches or smart bulbs
- Repairing or replacing a distribution board
- Motion sensors or timers for outdoor lights
- Replacing fluorescent tubes with LED
- Plug-in or hard-wired appliances
- Warm white or cool white light
- Dimmable and non-dimmable LED lamps
- LED panels or downlights in an office
—NEXT
Not sure which guide fits?
Describe what happens and where. We will tell you what is worth checking and what can wait.