House Electrics
These days it is very rare for us to find a house without any electrics installed, indeed it is almost inconceivable that you would have a house without an electric supply. The thought of living with oil lamps and candles may sound romantic in the short term, the candle lit dinner, however reality would soon kick in, particularly when the lamps have to be filled daily, and the smell of fumes pervades the whole house with a slightly pungent smell. Most of us take it for granted that electricity will be present, and will be in working order.
When we undertake a house survey, we are always asked to make comment on the standard of the electrical installation, and have to sound knowledgeable on the works which are likely to be required to modernise the installation. This might at the least include the suggestion that an electrical test certificate be obtained, to replacement of the mains consumer unit, or in the very extreme, a complete re-wire of the house. This type of work is extremely intrusive, and has a happy knack of completely wrecking the existing decorative finishes, as cables are chased into the plaster work, and new plugs and light switches are installed.
So what does the surveyor look for when making an examination of an electrical system within the house? I usually start with the mains consumer unit. If I see a modern unit, I automatically start to feel more comfortable, particularly if it has MCB’s or miniature circuit breakers fitted. These are individual trip switches installed for each ring main circuit. If there is a problem, the trip recognises a surge in current, and flips off in a couple of milliseconds, leaving the circuit dead, and the poor occupier safe from electrocution.
If there is an old “Wylex” mains distribution board present with hard wired fuses, then it is possible to exchange the fuses for MCB’s. The task takes a few minutes to complete, is relatively inexpensive, compared lets say to the complete replacement of the Mains consumer unit, and brings the old “Wylex” board up to modern safe standards. The beauty of these trip switches is that if there is a problem, the trip can be reset at a touch of a button, without having to go to the bother of having to find a replacement fuse wire, and a screw driver to undo the two grub screws which hold the fuse wire in place. Mains Consumer Units also tend to be placed in tight awkward spaces, usually in a cupboard or cellar where it is dark. Again it is far easier to rest a push button rather than a fuse wire.
The next thing I look for is the quality of the electric wire used to wire the house. I also look at the size of cables used. Cooker wire or 6mm cable should be used for high load applications, the poewer circuits tend to use 2.5mm cable, and the lighting circuits use 1mm thick cable. Put a large current through lighting cable, and the cable will excessively heat up and eventually melt.
Normally the wire used in most applications is twin and earth grey pvc wire, the industry standard. This has a life span of at least thirty years, and it may last for a lot longer, particularly if the wire is not exposed to sunlight. Occasionally I still find some rubber wire, but this is relatively rare these days. Rubber made a fine insulation material when it was first used, however over time, the rubber oxidises and becomes brittle. One fatal day the wire will be disturbed, and at this point the rubber just falls off the wire, leaving bare metal exposed. Put a positive and negative in close proximity, surround it with flammable materials, for instance under floor joists, and you can guess the outcome. The high point will be seeing the fire engine visit the property.
Plug sockets, light fittings and light switches also need to be examined. Originally in the 1920’s to the 1960’s Bakelite fittings were used, and we quite often still see them working merrily away in the property. After the 1960’s, we saw an increasing use of PVC plastics. These have turned out to be hard wearing and quite flexible in use. As we increasingly rely on more and more electrical gadgets, we need more and more sockets in a room, so it is increasingly common to see a fused spur retrospectively fitted to provide additional outlets. Again care should be taken to ensure that these additional spurs are installed properly, so that the whole circuit is not overloaded.
Lighting is increasingly becoming a feature within a house. Gone are the days of the old fluorescent light fitting. In are the sunken light fittings, providing that soft ambient background lighting. They may look trendy and modern, but what about heat dissipation above the fitting. If a bulb gives out 50 watts, quite a lot of heat has to be dissipated in the floor void, which also tends to be sealed. Install insulation quilt above the light fitting, and you have all the right components to create a toaster, thereby generating another fire risk in the house. A lot of energy can be save by using modern LED fittings, and at the moment the technology is racing forward.
Another area I tend to home in on is the earth bonding. You potentially have a lovely mix of copper pipes, water, and electricity. If an electric cable rubs against a copper pipe over a period of time, perhaps helped by that friendly rodent who is hell bent on chewing everything he can get his jaws on, then potentially there is a chance you could become fried when you open the metal taps lets say within the bathroom or kitchen. By having internal earth bonding feeding down to a good earth spike outside hammered directly into the ground, any potential shocks are diverted to safety long before you go anywhere near the tap, thereby preventing you from being shocked.
There is no substitute for employing a professional NIEC registered electrician to take a look at your house wiring if you have the slightest doubts about the safety and functionality of the system. Obtaining an electrical safety certificate for a house will cost a few hundred pounds, but I feel it is very good value as the issuing of a safety certificate will mean that your electrical system is installed correctly, and should give you many years of trouble free use. As ever, most surveyors will be able to recommend an electrician if you need one, so please call and ask if you have any doubts about the safety of your own house electrics.
Article by Tony Rowland Surveyor with Timothy Leas & Griffiths Evesham
www.tlgllp.com