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How safe are your electrics?

The wonder of electricity is something we cannot live without, but how safe are your electrics? Over time an electrical installation will break down with continual wear and tear. It is important to know if the wiring is safe to use.

It is estimated that there are 70 deaths per year by electrocution in the UK, with 350,000 injuries caused by faulty wiring and unsafe electrical appliances.

20,000 house fires per annum are started by faulty electrical installations, which accounts for almost half of accidental fires. Electricity can kill!

As a homeowner, some steps can be made towards improving the electrical safety in your home.

Some simple visual observations may help to determine the age of your electrical wiring. Check for metallic fuse boards with removable fuse wire carriers, single sockets surface mounted on skirting boards and round Bakelite light switches. This may be an indication of an age old fixed wiring system coming to the end of its lifespan.

Also check for scorch marks on the face plates of socket outlets. This suggests arcing and heat caused by loose wiring connections.

You may be able to spot the type of wiring behind sockets and switches in your home. Black rubber insulated cables, lead sheathed cables and vulcanised Indian rubber cabling (as shown in picture) would suggest wiring to be at least 50-60 years old. Lead sheathed cabling can be dated to the 1930s with VIR cabling installed in the 1950s.

If you have any doubt regarding your property’s electrical safety, the best recommendation is to carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report, ideally carried out by a NICEIC registered electrician or other approved bodies.

An EICR will provide a comprehensive report on the condition of a property’s fixed wiring. It is advised that a property have an EICR carried out every 10 years.

TW Electrical provide Electrical Installation Condition Reports for both residential and commercial properties. Please call Tom on 077895 48640 to book your EICR.