In 2021/22, there were 27,166 dwelling fires recorded in England, with 14% of those caused by faulty appliances and leads* – that’s 3,693 fires in homes that could have been prevented. This is why it’s important to make sure that the electrical installation and appliances in your property are well maintained.
We would always recommend that you use a registered electrician to check that the electrics are safe in your home, however there are several simple, visual checks that you can routinely carry out yourself, including:
- Ensure that your plug sockets are not overloaded
- Switch off your electrical items when they are not in use
- Check that visible cables and leads are in good condition
- Check that your light fittings are not visibly damaged and that downlighters are in good working condition
- Check that you are not storing combustible materials around your fusebox, electricity meter or electrical intake
- Don’t use mains-powered electrical items in the bathroom
- Never use the top of the microwave for storing items
- Never trail cables under carpets or rugs
To check the safety of the electrics in your home further, you would need a registered electrician to carry out an Electrical Inspection Condition Report (EICR), which involves an in-depth inspection of your property’s fixed electrical systems and installation, plus portable appliance testing (PAT) on any non-fixed electrical appliance.
Find out more about an EICR and what happens next in our recent update here.
Contact our experts
Chat to our team today on 01280 830135 or drop us an email at office@tselectrical.info to book your next EICR and PAT testing service.
*Detailed analysis of fires attended by FRSs, England, April 2021 to March 2022: data tables Fire statistics – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
