Electrical contractors see many residential DIY electrical projects gone wrong. Clearly, electricity can be dangerous, but too many homeowners decide to take risks by attempting electrical home maintenance themselves. Unfortunately, this can have devastating consequences, resulting in damage, fires and even deadly electric shocks. When dealing with electrical issues in your property, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and call in a qualified and experienced electrician, rather than tackling them yourself. But are there any steps you can undertake to prevent electrical hazards in the home? And when should you call in the experts?
An Experienced Electrician Advises On Avoiding Electrical Hazards
There are two broad areas of potential risk when it comes to electricity: fixed installation (the services and systems that conduct electricity around your home, for instance, its hard wiring) and the appliances you use. Only a registered electrician is truly qualified to carry out any maintenance or installation of electrical services and systems. But for appliances, which covers everything from a fridge to a hairdryer, there are certain steps every householder should undertake to minimise risk. Ensure that everyone in the home is aware of safe electrical usage. This includes, for instance, keeping children away from sockets; ensuring that sockets don’t come into contact with water; and never using appliances such as radios, phones or hairdryers in the bathroom. Equally, your family should be made aware of the dangers of overloading electrical extension sockets.
Plugging too many appliances into one socket can cause overheating and fires, so always aim to use one separate socket for each plug. If you do need to use extension leads, don’t use them as permanent substitutes. This becomes especially important with appliances such as Christmas lights and chargers for phones and tablets. Extension leads and appliance cords can also cause trip hazards in the home; so where they’re used, make sure they’re properly fixed in place to avoid tripping. Additionally, carry out regular visual checks of the condition of your electrical appliances. Look for frayed electrical cords, scorching around switches and so on. For peace of mind, electrical testing of appliances and electrical repair work can be carried out by a qualified contractor such as an electrician.
Use A Qualified Electrician For Larger Electrical Jobs In Your Home
Fire and carbon monoxide alarms, atmospheric lighting and a plethora of entertainment and technology systems are just a few of the electricals we regard as being essential in our homes nowadays. Although it’s acceptable to take the simple safety steps above yourself at home, installation and maintenance of lighting, electrical sockets, air conditioning and so on must always be carried out by qualified and experienced electricians. Any other route can be potentially very dangerous. It’s essential to recognise when you should hand a job over to the experts. If in any doubt, a registered electrician will advise you on what work needs to be carried out and provide you with the necessary, quality electrical services.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is an excellent point to start with when giving your property an electrical safety check. This should only be carried out by an electrician who is qualified and registered, and it will highlight any actual or potential problems. This allows you to have them addressed in a timely fashion, giving you peace of mind that your home is as safe electrically as it can be. It’s a good idea to have one carried out before you move into a new property; and certainly at least every ten years or so thereafter. One guarantee of quality is to look for an NICEIC approved contractor. You’ll know that electricians advertising this accreditation have been assessed and found to meet the highest standards in electrical installations and maintenance.
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