Danger House!!! Please help

[Paul B]

I'm not an electrician. I do however do minor electrical work in my own home and very carefully follow every safety aspect that I can find. I have a friend who's house is what I would call a "death trap" with electrical work that I could not (even as a home DIY person) live with in any shape or form.

The lady in question cannot (from me; because "I'm not an electrician") be convinced that her home is a real danger.

Example 1: The house is a standard three bedroom semi in Lancashire. When you walk in the front door and into the hallway... Out of the main consumer unit (wooden cabinet) near the front door  someone has lead cables out of the box and pinned them to the skirting board quite low down maybe four inches above ground (about six wires straight out the box; mains lights etc)... The run of wires goes for about four foot (unboxed pinned to the wall with no cover) before being buried under the stairs and around the house.

Example 2: In the front room there is a plug in the right side alcove (low down) that has a single (unfused) cable (buried) going up to a wall light! There is another cable coming from this plug at 45 degrees which again buried goes over the mantle piece (straight) then ends up in another wall light ... again completely unfused from 240v. The light fittings of these wall lights, over the years have become brittle.

I've told and better told this lady that she probably is not insured with just these two instances and she needs the place re-wiring (she could afford it).

I've not inspected the rest of the house but suspect it's as bad if not worse.

Am I going 'over the top'.  She says that it's been fine for many years... so why bother.

 

[Blue Duck]

1 sounds like clipped direct - you can see cables therefore you are unlikely to hammer a nail into them.

2 sounds like decorators putting up wall lights.

They all say it's been fine for 80 years and it's only been a problem since you turned up.

:C

Dont panic, get a professional in to do an inspection.

i have seen A LOT worse....

 

[steptoe]

1:  what is lead,?

Is it lead, as in the metal lead, or something else,?

Lead cables are well beyond their use by date,

But, as you have found out, some people just cannot be reasoned with,

:shakehead

 

[Paul B]

Thanks for the replies! Sorry! Spelling mistake. No "Lead" cables just cables that have been "led". Sorry.

 

[Davethsparky]

Assuming it is T&E or other sheathed cable the there is unlikely to be anything wrong with the surface clipping.

the fact you can identify exactly where the cables are running for the lights suggests that their location is obvious. Are they connected to a 2 or 5 amp socket on alighting circuit or a socket on a power circuit?

 

[Doc Hudson]

With the limited information given it is impossible for anyone to accurately asses if any or what dangers may or may not be present. The wiring regulations BS7671 has a set of guidance for inspecting and testing electrical installations. As well as specific test procedures, types of test equipment to be used, how results should be documented there are recommended maximum intervals between inspection and testing. This is all documented in a booklet called guidance note3. For a domestic dwelling the inspection intervals are 10 years or change of occupancy. There should be a sticker on the fuse box stating last inspection date and recommended next inspection date.

Without doing the correct inspection and testing, to describe something as a death trap is probably speculation and guesswork. The only factual thing you could say at this point in time is, If there is no evidence of any formal inspection done in the past 10 years then the property is due for one now. For an average domestic property this would be anything from half a day to a full days work depending upon the number of circuits and accessories fitted. (at a rough guess somewhere between £125 to £250, again dependent upon local labour rates travel distance etc.)

A formal inspection will identify any immediate dangers, potential dangers or general improvements recommended with reference to the current edition of the wiring regulations, to ensure the installation is safe for continued use for the expected load it has to carry. If it is an old installation there will certainly be areas that no longer comply with current regs as they update BS7671 on an ever to frequent basis. However just because something is old does not by default mean it is unsafe. I would suggest you ring round three local electricians and get some actual prices for doing a periodic electrical inspection on the property, then you should be able to answer your questions accurately.

Doc H. 

 

[GPKELECTRICAL]

With the limited information given it is impossible for anyone to accurately asses if any or what dangers may or may not be present. The wiring regulations BS7671 has a set of guidance for inspecting and testing electrical installations. As well as specific test procedures, types of test equipment to be used, how results should be documented there are recommended maximum intervals between inspection and testing. This is all documented ion a booklet called guidance note3. For a domestic dwelling the inspection intervals are 10 years or change of occupancy. There should be a sticker on the fuse box stating last inspection date and recommended next inspection date.

Without doing the correct inspection and testing, to describe something as a death trap is probably speculation and guesswork. The only factual thing you could say at this point in time is, If there is no evidence of any formal inspection done in the past 10 years then the property is due for one now. For an average domestic property this would be anything from half a day to a full days work depending upon the number of circuits and accessories fitted. (at a rough guess somewhere between £125 to £250, again dependent upon local labour rates travel distance etc.)

A formal inspection will identify any immediate dangers, potential dangers or general improvements recommended with reference to the current edition of the wiring regulations, to ensure the installation is safe for continued use for the expected load it has to carry. If it is an old installation there will certainly be areas that no longer comply with current regs as they update BS7671 on an ever to frequent basis. However just because something is old does not by default mean it is unsafe. I would suggest you ring round three local electricians and get some actual prices for doing a periodic electrical inspection on the property, then you should be able to answer your questions accurately.

Doc H. 

Just to clarify E.I.C.R. is now what you would ask for replaced periodic (p.i.r.)

 

[M107]

Yes 

 

[Doc Hudson]

Just to clarify E.I.C.R. is now what you would ask for replaced periodic (p.i.r.)

At the recommended intervals a periodic inspection should still be carried out. BS7671 guidance chapter 62 still refers to this as 'Periodic Inspection and Testing'. It is just the report name that has been changed from Periodic Inspection Report (PIR), to Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). So the work you are requesting to be done is a Periodic inspection, as per the recommended procedures in chapter 3 of guidance note 3. The report the will be written upon will be a form called an EICR not a PIR..

Doc H

 

[binky]

cables clipped direct and visible aren't unusual - looks horrible, but from a safety point of view you need to consider if they are likely to be damage?

as for the wall lights, if someone has wired them to a plug, as in 3 pin and plugs into a wall socket, again not actually wrong of the fuse has been downrated to say 3 Amp.

I would be far more ocncerned about the wooden fuseboard. There is a good chance of a board that age having loose connections. Ideally persuade your friend that an MoT for the electrics is probably a good idea. She wouldn't drive her car without getting a service/brakes checked regularly, she wouldn't avoid the doctor or dentist for 30 years - you just need to find the right phrase to 'push her buttons'. As suggested above and inspection and test would be money well spent.