When constructing a house or revamping it, one of the most important things to consider is the accuracy and the safety of the electrical installations. Globally, faulty electrical wiring and incorrect electrical installation have been known to cause fires, electrocutions, and other life-threatening issues for homeowners. When constructing a house or renovating it, always make sure to hire an electrician and a contractor who knows exactly what they are doing and has a lot of training and experience behind them. Also, make sure you buy your electric supplies only from trusted brands like Hager consumer units. Hexo Electrical Testing is an excellent option for those that want to get their home’s electrical installations looked at.
When evaluating electrical installations or trying to ensure whether or not they are safe, here are some of the things that you, as a homeowner or contractor, can do:
1. EICR
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a safety check that is conducted on your mains power electric installations, and also on the wiring done on your property. This test verifies the safety of any electrical system you have in your home, along with all of its constituent components. You can invest in getting an EICR when you do the installation to ensure that everything is working fine and that the tests find any hidden faults or wiring issues that might be invisible to the naked eye.
2. Routine checks
It is no secret that electrical appliances and installations deteriorate over time. To ensure that your home’s electrical installation is safe, you must get regular inspections done by your contractor or an electrician. Having an expert run periodic tests on your home’s electrical installation is something every homeowner should invest in.
If you are on a rented property, look into laws in your area because most areas mandate the landlord to provide EICR and other electrical checks to their tenants. In case there is an electrical issue, then as a tenant, you are allowed to take your landlord to court over breach of contract.
3. Avoid adapters and extensions
Some people have a lot of appliances, and the logical solution is to go out and purchase and install adapters and extensions for all of the appliances you wish to use. If your home has fewer sockets, then you might be doing this as well. However, this is often quite counterproductive and can also pose a risk. Not only does this have the potential to harm your appliances, but it can also cause fires and other issues due to overloading in one switchboard or switch. If you do want an extension, get something that is high quality and thoroughly tested by the manufacturer, and never buy cheap or outdated extensions.
Some simple things that all homeowners can do is to keep replacing old cables, keep a check on the wattage of the appliances they use, purchase and install new and good quality appliances, and invest in regular checks on the wiring in your home.
