We had a rat/s that came in the loft - not an infestation. Put down rat poison and it died up there. We want to rent the house and need an electrical safety certificate. The electrician says all the boards and insulation need to come up so he can inspect whether the wires have been chewed. It will cost £100s. There is no indication the electrics have been chewed. Does anyone know if we have to do this to get a certificate? Thanks
Rat found in loft
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I would say that is over the top. it is normally only necessary to inspect what can be seen and do tests on all the circuits.
A visual inspection in the loft cables, followed by a proper IR test on the lighting circuit ...... And obviously the rest of the circuits...
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I presume the electrician knows about the rat , hence his comment , because I'm sure 99% of us would NOT suggest lifting all the insulation in a loft .
Run all the tests and a visual inspection I would think .
Run all the tests and a visual inspection I would think .
Doc Hudson
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When you consider that mice are probably more common in 99% of homes and they also can have a tendency to have a snack on electrical wiring. We would be spending so much time dismantling and uncovering everything to check wiring that no one would have much time to do any actual installation work. Check all the cables meet all of the standard tests in BS7671, (wiring regulations) and make sure your fuse box has full overload and shock protection on all circuits. Then if there are any cable issues either way they should be picked up. Have you identified where the rat got in?
Doc H.
Doc H.
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Yes, that was my thinking too. We think the rat got in from next door (it's a semi-detached). Such a saga as the neighbours didn't mind having rats... It's actually my mum's house. She is nearly 80 and is moving out so she can live with her brother. We tried with the local authority but it has been an uphill struggle. I hate rats.
Risteard
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In fairness to him given that there is a known problem of rodents in the roofspace it isn't entirely unreasonable to strongly advise that the wiring up there be inspected for damage. He should be commended for that.
There is a reason why it is called "inspection and testing" and not "testing and inspection". Inspection is the most important aspect of the process. There are many ways that dangerous wiring can exist which may not be evident through any test, but could be obvious upon visual inspection of the wiring.
was thinking the same. knowing there is a higher chance of possible damage then further inspection would be recommended. maybe not remove all insulation etc, but at least look in a bit more detail than usual
I've seen squirrell and mouse damage, it is definetly worth visually inspecting the cables, but you can do that yourself. It's normally quite obvious where the rodents have been going / nesting and therefore where to look.
Doc Hudson
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Reality being what it is, most rats don't get into a roof void by just parachuting in. There is just as much risk of damage to wiring in wall cavities, or ceiling voids between floors, or below downstairs floors. There is also good reason why the inspection aspect has an extent and limitations section. And that the fabric of a building is generally not dismantled to access concealed cables, (even where they could be accessible to rodent damage.) Checks for obvious signs of disturbance under insulation in accessible lofts is unlikely to be too onerous. But unless the client specifically wants a more thorough inspection then just a full Periodic Inspection & Test of all circuits should identify any areas of concern.
Doc H
I smell a rat..... sorry, cant help it. havent posted in ages and thats all I have... :coat
Sharpend
"It Just Is"
visual yes, IR probably not. insulation may be gone in places but it wont reduce the readings by much unless tis severely damaged
they tend to nibble the outer edges of the cable which can keave exposed live conductors but, as they don't nibble between the conductors it still passes IR test. if they do nibble further than the edges, they end up dead.
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Evidence of Rattus nibblicus. You can actually see the straight lines it's teeth have made:
when I lived in NZ, the house was made from timber frame. We bought a new dishwasher. After a couple of months it started making an inexplicable beeping noise in the middle of the night. turned the power off and called the shop next day. They sent someone round who found the problem quite quickly when he pulled the machine out. A large rat (must have been close to a foot plus tail) had come through the plasterboard wall from behind the machine and gnawed through the wiring under the machine. Unfortunately it also fried the ecu and wasnt covered on guarantee!
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