Electrical survey
What is a Electrical Survey (EICR)
An Electrical Installation Condition Report or EICR is a formal document which is developed after carrying out a detailed inspection of the electrical installation within a property. This is however, not to be conducted by just any individual - only an experienced qualified electrician or approved contractor can carry out this assessment. This usually implies that they’ll have passed a course covering periodic inspection and testing and are also registered with the JIB or a scheme provider and hence, possesses a vast experience and in depth knowledge when it comes to electrical installations.
One of the most common reasons why an EICR might be requested is in rented accommodation where an EICR is the most direct and easiest means of providing a proof that an electrical installation is totally safe. Asides this, it’s also important to note that an EICR is also recommended in all residential homes every 10 years so as to check the condition of the electrical installation and make sure that there’s no drawback. However, there are situations whereby an EICR may need to be carried out more often. Some of these situations include the following:
- When the installation was done - an older installation will require a an EICR to be carried out more often.
- The type of the property. For instance, a property featuring a swimming pool will need an EICR to be carried out on an annual basis, though it’s only the part relating to the swimming pool that’ll need to be checked.
- Environmental conditions
- Misuse of the installation such as vandalism
- If there’s a change in the usage of the residential premises like if it’s been sold, purchased or change of occupancy in rentals and lots more.
How can a local Electrician help me with a Electrical Survey (EICR)?
Home and property owners are advised to hire the services of an electrician periodically for a safety assessment of their electrical installations. For residential homes, it’s required that an assessment should be carried out every 10 years, meanwhile rental properties needs to be inspected every half a decade. However, these intervals may even be smaller for older properties of at least 40 years old.
When you call on an electrician, there are a couple of things he is going to do to ensure that your electrical installation is safe and in great condition. In this article, we’re going to look at how a local electrician can help when it comes to electrical survey or Electrical Installation Condition Report ( EICR).
- They examine the capacity of the circuit breaker. One of the integral thing to do when maintaining electrical safety is to examine whether or not the circuit breaker is functioning as it should and also if there’s a risk of an overload with the circuit itself. Your local electrician will determine if the breaker can maintain currents at levels that are safe.
- They check the electric meter for possible faults or defects. Asides checking if the meter is logging the correct amount of wattage, the electrician will also ensure that the meter is properly installed and also see if its mechanisms have become defective through wear and tear. What’s more? They’re always on the lookout for rust or other signs of water damage.
- They examine electrical wires for fraying or damage. Electricians are always on the lookout for fraying wires or ones that are popping out of their protective coating, dangling from walls or ceiling, or exposed to wet or damp areas, as they know how dangerous they can be.
Why should I get a Electrical Survey (EICR)
Not only is electricity invisible to the naked eyes, but you also cannot see the conduits or cables that makes use of electricity. Cables are mostly hidden inside walls or ceilings and the consumer units installed inside cupboards, where they can’t be easily spotted. And more often than not, we often forget to examine the condition of our electrical installations for any possible damage or signs of wear and tear. Hence, highlighting how easy it could be to trigger the potential dangers of faulty electrical installations.
You should know old and faulty wiring is one of the key causes of electrical fires in homes and properties. In order to effectively reduce the risk of a fire and other possible dangers of faulty electrical installations, there’s the need to periodically check your cables, switches and sockets so as to make sure that they’re in great condition. And that’s exactly where an electrical survey (EICR) comes in!
Here are some of the reasons why getting an electrical survey should never be overlooked.
- Safety comes first. Whether it’s you, your family, relatives, friends or tenants, you want to make sure your building is afe for all those who make use of it. The good way to get started would be by conducting an electrical survey of the entire building.
- It saves you money. A detailed EICR will bring out any potential problems before they become a major challenge. Prevention, they say, is better than cure. An electrical survey will save you money over time cutting the number of callouts for reactive repairs.
- It gives you peace of mind. Peace of mind simply cannot be priced. When an electrical survey is conducted by a licensed and qualified electrician, you can be rest assured your building is compliant with the relevant electrical standards which bring you a peace of mind knowing you have nothing to worry about when it comes to your electrical installations.
Things to consider before getting a Electrical Survey (EICR) completed
The safety of your electrical installation is one of your responsibilities as a home or property owner. You want to keep everyone around you safe, save money on costly reactive repairs and ultimately, give yourself a peace of mind knowing your building is in compliance with the relevant electrical standards. As a result, carrying out an electrical survey of your home or property is a pretty good step to take, however there’s a need to put some things into consideration before hiring the services of a qualified electrician. Let’s take a look!
- Move things out of the way. Prior to the arrival of the electrician at your place, there’s the need to remove anything that could lead to inconveniences and delays to the project. Anything that may affect the accessibility of your house’s major electrical panel should be removed with care. Things like furnitures and carpets should also be removed to protect them from accumulating dust during the process and also to create space for moving electrical equipment. To prevent losses, you might also want to remove fragile items from the working area.What’s more? If the electrical survey is going to affect your family’ daily activities like switching off of the electricity, you may also want to move out until the survey is complete.
- Make sure that your home is safe from water leaks. Water and electricity aren’t the best of friends. Therefore, there’s a need to make sure that your home or property is properly waterproofed in the best way possible. This is particularly crucial during seasons of heavy rain or winter. You should know that electrocution can be cause by water dripping from an electrical service panel. You should also ensure that the electrician is duly informed about any dangerous situation in your home so as to prepare home and also prevent any potential injuries.
Will getting a Electrical Survey (EICR) save me money?
The Electrical Installation Conditioning Report ( EICR) is a document that helps to determine the electrical installation of the building is safe and secure. It’s simply a basic condition and safety report of the level of electrical safety of a building which is required to be taken at various intervals throughout the lifespan of the property. An electrical survey will include a thorough inspection of all the electrical systems and installations.
The EICR cost differs from one property to the other and tests can take a couple of hours or they can take weeks. However, one of the things that’s common with all electrical surveys is that they can definitely save you money in many different ways. In this article, we’re going to look at some of the ways an Electrical Installation Conditioning Report can prove to be economical. Let’s take a closer look!
- Save money on costly repairs. If you keep ignoring a faulty electrical system, it’ll only keep getting worse and you’ll end up spending more on costly repairs. The EICR helps you spot the faults in the system and offer you an opportunity to fix the issue before it gets out of hands.
- Save money on energy bills. Since energy costs are always increasing, it has become a great concern for homeowners in recent times. In order to cut down on your energy bills, there’s the need to make sure that your electrical system is efficient. The EICR helps to figure out the problems with your electrical installation which makes it easier for you to implement necessary changes as soon as possible. Stuffs like upgrading lighting appliances, HVAC systems and wiring can go a long way to boost your building’s energy efficiency.
