Old or faulty wiring is one of the main causes of electrical fires in the home. You can reduce the risk of a fire by checking the condition of your cables, switches, sockets and other accessories regularly.

How old is my electrical installation?

Clear signs that can help you tell the age of equipment in the electrical installation of your home include:

• Fixed cables coated in black vulcanised rubber insulation (stopped being used in the 1960s).

• Fixed cables coated in lead or fabric (used before the 1960s).

• A fuse box with a wooden back, cast iron switches, or a mixture of fuse boxes (used before the 1960s).

• Old style round pin sockets, braided flex hanging from ceiling pendants, Bakelite (brown or black) switches and sockets mounted in or on skirting boards (used before the 1960s).

However old your electrical installation is, it may get damaged and will suffer from wear and tear. You should get a qualified electrician to check its condition at least every 5 years or when you move into a new property.

What is the aim of an EICR?

The EICR will show whether the electrical installation is in a 'satisfactory' or 'unsatisfactory' condition and will detail a list of observations affecting the safety or which may require improvements.

These observations will be supported by codes.

Unsatisfactory Codes are:

• C1 - Danger present, risk of injury, immediate remedial action required.

• C2 - Potentially Dangerous, urgent remedial action required.

• FI - Further investigation required.

A Satisfactory Code is:

• C3 - Improvement recommended or does not comply with the latest electrical regulations.

The five main aims of an EICR are:

1. Record the results of the inspection and testing to make sure the electrical installation is safe to be used until the next inspection (following any work needed to make it safe).

2. Find any damage and/or wear and tear that might affect safety and report it.

3. Find any parts of the electrical installation that do not meet the current IET Wiring Regulations (BS7671 - 18th Edition).

4. Help find anything that may cause electric shocks and high temperatures.

5. Provide an important record of the installation at the time of the inspection and for further testing in the future.

 Types of condition report

 In general, there are two types of domestic electrical installation condition report:

• Visual condition report - this does not include testing and is only suitable if the installation has been tested recently.

• Periodic inspection reports - this is what we would normally recommend, as it tests the installation and would find any hidden damage.

Who should produce your condition report?

At Evolve Electrical Services our qualified electricians can carry out your EICR at a time that suits you. We are ELECSA accredited giving you peace of mind that your electrical installation has been professionally inspected to the latest industry standards.

Our competitive rates and pricing structure mean that there are no hidden costs and for landlords we can offer a cost effective maintenance plan. 

Give us a call to find out what we can do for you.