All electrical installations will deteriorate with use and age. This means that they should be tested and inspected at regular intervals to ensure that they remain in a satisfactory condition to enable continued use.
These safety checks are often referred to as a “periodic inspection and testing” and once completed, you will be issued with an Electrical Installation and Condition Report or EICR.
There are a number of important reasons for a periodic inspection. It will reveal if there are electrical equipment or circuits that are overloaded, if there are any potential fire hazards or electric shock risks.
During the inspection, any defective electrical work will be identified, and any lack of bonding or earthing will be highlighted. Tests will also be performed on fixed electrical equipment and wiring to check that everything is safe.
A periodic inspection should be performed every ten years for owner occupied homes, every five years for rental homes, three years for caravans and annually for swimming pools.
Periodic inspections should also be carried out every time a property is being made ready for letting or if you’re selling or buying a previously occupied property.
Any periodic inspections and testing should only be carried out by an electrically competent person. A professional electrician will check the current condition of your electrics against the latest UK standards for the safety of electrical installations.
During the inspection, the electrician will check the adequacy of bonding and earthing, and examine the suitability of your switchgear and control gear.
For example, you may have an old fuse box that has cast iron switches, a wooden back or a mix of both that need to be replaced.
The electrician will also check the serviceability of sockets, light fittings, and switches.
These items may need to be updated or replaced, such as round light switches, black switches, skirting board mounted sockets, older round pin sockets or cables with a fabric coating that are hanging from your ceiling roses to your light fittings.
It is also important that the condition and type of your wiring system is checked.
For example, you may have cables that are coated in black rubber that were actually phased out during the 1960s. Older properties may have cables coated in fabric or lead that are even older and need to be upgraded to the longer lasting PVC used in modern cables.
Once the inspection has been completed, the competent person will issue the Electrical Installation Condition Report.
This will detail any observed deterioration, damage, dangerous conditions, defects or any non compliances with the current safety standards that could pose a threat.
If there is anything potentially dangerous or hazardous, the overall condition of your electrical installation will be declared “unsatisfactory.” This will mean remedial action will be required immediately to remove any of the risks that could harm the property occupants.
If you are in need of an EICR, you can rest assured that all our recommended electricians are equipped to help you.
They can not only perform the inspection necessary for the EICR but also conduct any necessary repairs to ensure that your property is free of hazardous electrics.
If you’d like to speak to our recommended electrician in your area, you can find them here.
Very efficient and an engineer came out within 3hrs of calling. The electrician was polite and friendly. Very happy with the service provided and I will recommend.
Gifty
Fantastic work
Laura field
Better that superb knowledge if could give 20 out of 10 would, no bother
Maurice Myers
Dan responded to my request really quickly, assessed my need and then fitted a replacement kitchen light in a quick time frame. Polite, arrival as expected, tidy, efficient and reasonably priced, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend his services to others. Thanks.
Pat King
Just great.
Jane
Fantastic. Cannot rate David and his team high enough. From responsiveness, quote, price etc. As a charity and community building having a reliable, honest and reasonably priced electrician is really important to our running and safety. David was thorough, responsive and arrive and finished on time. Can't not recommend high enough! Six stars or more. Sophie, Roots4Life Manager
Roots4Life
Excellent service.
Alan Harmer
My only complaint was that I was given a window of 1200-1600 for his call to rectify problem identified. He turned up at 1557 which was fine, but an earlier indication that it would be nearer 1600 would have saved me sitting in waiting for four hours. In this day and age, surely a smaller window is possible? Communication was excellent apart from this and I was more than happy with his attitude and professional conduct.
Andy Farr
Very nice man, knew what he was talking about.
Julie sumner
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