Category: Electrical Services

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Electrical Services

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR): a guide for landlords

Electrician at work

It is a legal responsibility for landlords to have an electrical safety check on their rental property every 5 years.

What is an EICR?
The Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) covers the safety of electrical installations including switches, lighting, and sockets. An EICR is used to identify defects, deterioration, damages and/or conditions which may indicate potential danger, as well as providing recommendations for improvement within a given property.

Will I be given a certificate?
The electrician will issue a report which will determine whether the test and inspection is ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’.

What if the report is unsatisfactory?
If the test and inspection is found unsatisfactory you will need to have any works or further investigations carried out within 28 days. If anything fails the inspection, it will need to be either replaced or repaired.

How are the electrics rated in an EICR?
Once the electrician has completed the test and inspection, they will produce a report including classifications which indicated if any problems have been found:
– Code C1 – Dangerous, immediate action required.
– Code C2 – Potentially dangerous, action required.
– Code FI – Further investigation required.
– Code C3 – Improvement recommended.

How long does an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) last?
An EICR needs to be carried before a tenancy begins and a minimum of every five years after that.

How do I arrange an EICR?
Contact the office via phone (01392 927923) or email (office@e-pm.uk) or via our contact page.

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Electrical Services

Electrical upgrades to boost your home office

home office electric upgrades

Has working from home become the new normal for you? If so, we imagine your home office space is very sacred. 

By now, you will be aware of how important the setup is in order to help make working from home successful, and we’re here to share with you in this blog a few things you can do electrical wise, that can really improve your home office space. 

  1. Lighting – There’s nothing worse than spending a whole day squinting. It won’t do your eyes, back or productivity any good in the long run. Good lighting is a crucial element to get right in your home office space and is definitely the first area we would suggest investing in. It doesn’t cost a great deal either – task lighting, ambient lighting and overhead lighting are all great places to start. 
  2. Ensure you have enough plug sockets – If your home office is in a room where you only have one plug socket but multiple electronic devices, this will quickly become an issue. Yes, extension cables are an option, but overpowering extension cables with a number of high powered devices is not recommended. Get in contact with a reputable electrician who will be able to quickly advise you on the best route to adding new power sockets into your home office. 
  3. Consider a hard wired internet connection – There are very few people who are fortunate to exist without ever experiencing wifi issues, however working from home in an area with poor connection and experiencing significant wifi problems is a real pain, particularly for those who regularly hold video meetings. Getting a hard wired connection provides you with a much better reliable connection, along with being safer. 
  4. Dedicated computer circuit – The majority of our homes are not built for handling working from home every day and as a result, the use of multiple high powered electronic devices can lead to your current circuit being overloaded. When circuits do trip it can lead to damage of sensitive electronics along with valuable work being lost. Having a dedicated circuit isolates your home office technology from other devices in the house, helping to keep your work from the home environment running as smoothly as possible. 

The demands of a home office can be hard on your electrics in the house. Whether it’s a small job or complete rewiring, our team has the skills and experience to ensure you have a home office fully capable of allowing you to work to the best of your ability. 

 

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Electrical Services

Are you a victim of bad wiring in your home?

Are you the victim of bad wiring in your home?

From a pesky flickering light, to a more concerning burning smell, there are a number of signs to look out for to ensure you are not a victim of bad wiring. After all, bad wiring, if left unchecked, can lead to a number of severe consequences, including the possibility of a house fire, ( more likely in older homes).

But, it needn’t get that far, just keeping an eye on your home and looking out for five signs of bad wiring can lead to catching the issue with plenty of time to rectify it.  Here are our five signs to look out for:

  1. Frequently tripping circuit breakers – Whilst it’s not unusual for your circuit to trip now and then, it can be concerning if this becomes more of a frequent issue and can be one of the most obvious warning signs to a short somewhere in your wiring.
  2. Flickering lights – Although flickering lights can be down to an issue with the lights itself, it is always one to get checked by one of our electricians as flickering lights can be a key tell-tale sign to an overloaded circuit, particularly if it’s happening to more than one light source.
  3. Hot electrical outlets – If you can feel any heat coming off your electrical outlets, that is a warning sign. Whilst not always meaning bad wiring it’s always recommended to get checked out – better to be safe.
  4. Frayed or chewed wiring – Just like us, as wires get older they begin to deteriorate, however, if left unchecked, they can become a major fire hazard and cause further problems with the rest of the wiring in your home.
  5. Burning or smoking type smells – If you detect any form of burning odour from your appliances or plug sockets it’s best to minimise all risk by turning them off immediately and contacting Exeter Property Maintenance to come and check the item(s). As most electrical wiring features plastic installation, the burning smell can be signaling there can be an issue inside of the walls causing this to burn and create the smell.

If you notice any of these issues, whether on their own or together, we would always recommend getting a qualified electrician to attend and carry out an electrical installation condition report (EICR). Not only does this guarantee your safety, but it also guarantees the issue is identified and solved in the quickest and most effective manner.