The importance of routine electrical inspection & testing.
Isn’t it fantastic that every time you switch on a light or plug in an appliance that this invisible energy called electricity gets to work powering our everyday essentials making our lives that much easier ?
But have you actually ever stopped to think how safe or compliant this bloodline, that flows through the veins of your home, actually is?
You work hard to provide a roof over the head of your loved ones, but how safe is it? Was the previous owner of your home DIY Dave who changed his own light fittings but decided not to connect the essential earth cable or tighten the connections correctly? Had a go swapping the plain white sockets and switches for brushed chrome but didn’t realise he reversed the connections.
Electrical safety in the home is definitely taken for granted, if you can’t see it you don’t think about it but there are so many hidden dangers that may cause serious injury or death from either electrocution or fire.
In 2010 there where 2.5 million mains voltage electric shocks per year resulting in 350,000 serious injuries and 22 fatalities in the UK domestic and leisure sectors.
In 2019 there where 35,016 accidental dwelling fires in the UK, of which 6,226 where directly related to electrical distribution or electrical appliances.
Not easy statistics to read but they hit home hard the realities of what can happen in our homes which all can be very easily prevented with the simple action of having a thorough Electrical Installation Condition Report ( EICR) carried out at regular intervals being every 10 years for a non rental property or every 5 years for a rental property or after every change of tenant.
The purpose of the EICR is to identify any safety issues which maybe within your fixed wiring electrical installation using specialist calibrated testing equipment, math and most importantly knowledge of a competent electrician from which a report is generated and quote issued for any remedial repairs required to obtain a satisfactory result.
A satisfactory result means a safer home for you and your loved ones to reside in. In between the testing intervals it is also highly recommended that you carry out a RCD trip function test by pressing the test button on your RCD and resetting at least once every 6 months. It is also advised that you have an approved mains powered interlinked smoke alarm system installed which should also be regularly tested.
Of upmost importance is to ensure that the electrician carrying out the EICR is qualified and competent to do so. The electrician must carry out a thorough job. Also be conscious of the price and time it takes to complete the work. At an absolute minimum one electrician should take at least 3 hours to complete a thorough EICR on a standard 2 bed property. Also, if the price seems to good, be wary that avoidable issues may be reported at a later stage. Be mindful also that remedial quotes may be over inflated.
A good starting point would be to use an electrician that is a member of a competent persons scheme such as NAPIT.
Please remember, simple actions save lives with regards electrical safety.