Electrical surveys
- don't get your wires crossed
How old is the wiring in your home? If you don't get it checked, it could
cost you more than you bargained for
Buying a property usually involves commissioning a survey to check for any
current problems or problems that could arise in the future. However surveys
don’t usually cover a property’s electrics. Faulty electrics can
cost thousands of pounds to fix and even more seriously can be the cause
of shocks or fires.
A typical electrical survey costs around £100 and can save you huge
money in the long run. Government figures say 10% of domestic fires are caused
by faulty electrics, with a third due to old or bad wiring. As nearly 40%
of all homes in Britain were built before 1945, it may have been a while
since your wiring was checked.
Get it checked
The National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting
recommends that all cables, switches, socket-outlets and other accessories
should be checked every ten years. They also suggest you check the following:
What are your electrical cables coated in? Black rubber coating was phased
out in the 1960s. Cables coated in lead or fabric are even older. Modern
cables use PVC insulation.
Fuseboxes – does yours have a wooden back, cast iron switches and a
haphazard mixture of circuit boxes?
Do you have older-style round pin sockets and round light switches, braided
flex hanging from ceiling roses to light fittings, black switches and sockets
mounted in skirting boards?
Do you have wall mounted light switches in bathrooms?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes then your wiring system could
be several decades old and may well need replacing. However if you are thinking
of replacing your existing wiring, you should get an NICEIC-approved electrician
to do it for you. Don’t try and do it yourself if you’re not sure
what you’re doing.
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