Electrical
DIY remains a big danger in the UK with electricity killing 1 person
every week and injuring 1000's others. Many people die needlessly by
taking dangerous risks with electricity which could have been dealt
with safely by a qualified and registered electrician.
What
is electrical DIY?
Electrical DIY by it's very name can mean anything from changing a
socket to bigger, riskier jobs such as rewiring parts of your home.
Most electrical work in your home is subject to Part P regulations
which means that it is illegal to carry out work in your home without
being Part P registered.
As a general rule, you can carry out basic electrical jobs like
changing your plug sockets for like for like, however if you are
considering electrical work in your home, we recommend that you do
not attempt the work yourself. Here at Fulcher Edwards we see every
week the problems that DIY work cause. Even a simple job can cause
damage to the wiring within your home which would lead to expensive
repair work and this alone could become more costly than a qualified
and registered electrician doing the job in the first place.
The
dangers of DIY
DIY electrical work worries us for several reasons. Firstly it's the
safety aspect. Many people assume that just because the lights are
working that everything must be ok. In many cases this is not the
case. Electrical fire is currently the biggest cause of house fires
in the UK, and in many cases it is bad electrics that are the cause.
DIY electrical work is often blamed for these fires because of the
way the fires begin.
A common cause of electrical fire is the overheating of cable where
the wrong sized cable has been used. Cable has also been positioned
incorrectly and the heat from it can cause fire in lofts, joists and
inside walls.
The other concern is the lack of testing that takes place beforehand.
Work carried out by an electrician is tested to ensure it is safe
before it is switched on. There is no way of knowing if DIY
electrical work is safe. DIY or bad electrical work doesn't always
kill you instantly either. It can be a number of years before the
result of bad electrics catches up with you, and the fact of the
matter is you don't know when that will be.
Are
you worried about DIY electrical work you have done?
The first thing to know is you are not alone and we won't preach to
you about how dangerous it is! As electricians in South East London
we rectify DIY jobs on a daily basis and ensure your property is left
electrically safe.
Of course it can be difficult to know exactly what you have done
electrically over the years, so a good starting point is for a
qualified and registered London electrician to come and carry out an
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) which will identify
any areas in your home which are an electrical risk.
As a householder, you will then be making an informed decision about
repairing DIY electrical work.
If
you get into difficulty with DIY work
Stop working immediately and contact a qualified and registered
electrician. It is better to do this sooner rather than later as
electrical damage can be costly to repair if it is badly damaged.
Never attempt to make 'bodge' repairs just to get the lights back on.
This will leave you and your family at risk of electrical fire,
injury or worse.
An electrician will inspect the work, and carry out the necessary
remedial works to ensure your home is electrically safe.
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