Dilapidated house
A recent report revealed that Britains housing stock is falling short of modern living standards. Problems include not being warm enough, properties falling into a state of disrepair and lacking in modern living standards.
This to me is quite a worry as many of these houses are owned by elderly people who on average, have lived at the property for over 30 years. Elderly people are less likely to understand about the dangers of electrics for example, and are less likely to find essential electrical safety information on line.
Unfortunately this is not a problem with an easy solution. Britain's ageing population is growing at a faster pace than new build homes are being built which meet modern living standards. In addition, new build homes in rural areas are fewer in number than in urban areas, so elderly people living in rural areas are a greater risk of danger than those living in an urban area.
Why is this a problem in Nottingham?
As electricians in East Nottingham, I see houses that fall far short of current electrical safety regulations. Older houses in and around Nottingham are known to have old fuse boxes, no lifesaving RCD protection, no modern circuit breakers and no PVC wiring.
I find this situation very concerning as many of these homes have not been electrically checked for many years so aside from the dangers already mentioned, there is likely to be a significant risk of house fire too. The statistics are startling – if you are aged over 60 you are ten times more likely to die in a house fire than someone aged 17 to 24. Electrical related fires remain the biggest reason for fire brigade call outs, so the situation is very unsettling.
I also serve rural areas including Aslockton & Whatton, Lowdham and Wysall and see similar problems and worryingly, a higher percentage of older people.
What can be done?
I do not personally see that it is necessary to up sticks and move because of old electrics. Electrical safety can always be achieved within a property at far less cost than purchasing another property. Here at Stator Electrical Solutions I recommend that ALL home owners have their electrics checked at least once every 10 years by requesting to have an EICR carried out by a qualified and registered electrician.
Not only will the EICR highlight specific recommendations for electrical work that needs to be carried out, it provides a good starting point. There is no point in spending money on a problem that is not a priority and when it comes to electrical safety, there are distinct priorities.
The best investment you can make to protect your electrical safety
As an East Nottingham electrician, I understand it can an overwhelming prospect when considering the extent of the problem of poor electrics. You may be thinking a full rewire is necessary, however this is not always the case. I carry out many quotation visits where the householders request a rewire, but on closer inspection a rewire is not necessary and the electrical work can be completed at a far lower price than initially thought.
There is however a very good investment you can make that will protect your electrical safety and may even save your life. That is to have a fusebox upgrade installed by a electrician in Nottingham. A fusebox upgrade should be a particular priority if your current fusebox is wooden backed with wire breakers that melt if there is a problem. Unfortunately these fuseboxes are no longer considered safe and there are more modern, lifesaving devices available.
All modern consumer units (fuse boxes) include RCD protection. An RCD activates if there is a fault with an appliance, with your wiring or even if you accidentally touch a bare cable. The reaction time of an RCD is far quicker than a breaker or fuse and could prove to be a lifesaver. I highly recommend that if you do nothing else, then consider RCD protection in your home. It is well worth it.
Always ensure electrical work is carried out by a qualified and registered electrician
When having electrical work carried out in your home, ensure that you use only a qualified and registered electrician to carry out the work to ensure it meets electrical and safety standards. You can find a Nottingham electrician by searching the Electrical Competent Person register, the only Government approved website that lists all suitably qualified and registered electricians in England and Wales.
