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What is an EICR (electrical installation condition report) and how fill one in? An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), is a periodic inspection report on a property's safety relating to its fixed wiring. This report has also been labelled as the ‘Landlord Safety Test’ or ‘Homebuyers Test’. The tests are conducted by qualified electricians. It is highly recommended you have an EICR inspection carried out every 10 years for your home.For rental properties, one should be carried out every 5 years or if there is a change of tenancy. Note: at Sparks we do NOT do issue EICR reports nor do we renew them. Please consult a registered electrician for this service.The main purpose of an EICR is to guarantee the safety of the residents and to ensure they are not susceptible to electrical shocks and/or fires. Why do I need an EICR? You cannot see electricity and, in many cases, you cannot view the conduits or cables that use electricity. Cables are often hidden inside walls, and consumer units are located in cupboards, where they are not immediately visible. It is unsurprising that we often forget to check the condition of our electrical installations for damage or signs of wear and tear. Faulty and old wiring is one of the main causes of electrical fires in the home. You can reduce the risk of a fire by regularly checking your cables, switches and sockets, to see that they are in good condition. Do I need an EICR? How old are my Electrical Installations? As stated above, it is recommended you have an EICR every decade for your home. You should first look for clear signs that the electrics in your home are outdated before deciding if you need an EICR. There are some obvious signs that will tell you if you have old equipment that needs replacing. You should look out for: Fixed cables which are coated in black rubber. Fixed cables which are coated in lead or fabric. A fuse box with a wooden back, cast iron switches, or a mixture of fuse boxes. Old-fashioned round pin sockets (or light switches). Braided flex hanging from ceiling fixtures. Brown (or black) switches. Sockets mounted into skirting boards. All of these features indicate that the electrics in question were created before or during the 1960’s. This means you are in serious need of an EICR. Whatever the age of your electrical installation is, it is likely to suffer some damage or wear and tear. This means you should get an electrician to check its condition at least every 10 years or if you move into a new property. A wide range of electrical items are available at Sparks - from consumer units to electrical accessories, whatever you need, we have it. Buy Hager Consumer Units at Sparks What is the aim of an Electrical Installation Condition Report? The five main aims of an EICR are: To record the results of the inspection in order to make sure your electrical installations are safe, until the next inspection. To find any damage and wear and tear that might affect safety, and have it reported. To find any components of the electrical installation that do not meet the IET Wiring Regulations. To help identify any appliance or object that could cause electric shocks and high temperatures. To keep an important record of the installation’s condition at the time of the inspection. This can be used in any future inspection. The different types of a condition report: can I do this myself? Generally speaking, there are two types of domestic EICR: A ‘visual condition report’ - this does not include testing and is only suitable if your installations have been tested recently. Electrical Safety First (ESF) has devised a brilliant visual safety test that may prove to be a lifesaver. These include basic tips such as ensuring that you have not overloaded any sockets and that you have RCD protection for your appliances. A ‘periodic inspection report’ (EICR) - this is probably a better and safer option. As stated before, many underlying electrical faults can be very difficult to spot. The EICR is more comprehensive than a visual condition report. It will test all your installations, including circuitry hidden behind walls, making it more likely to find any hidden dangers. So in summary, Sparks would recommend that you have an EICR conducted if you have not had one in the last ten years (or five years for rented property). These can easily be arranged and conducted by a registered electrician. Once they are done, you will feel the benefits of knowing that your home is abiding by the latest UK electrical regulations and your wiring installation is safe.You can find a great variety of smart home and IoT products at Sparks.Buy Smart Home Items Note: at Sparks we do NOT do issue EICR reports nor do we renew them. Please consult a registered electrician for this service. Further Information on EICR: A guide to Conditions Report and EICR, via Electrical Safety First. Here's what you need to know about EICR (infographic). What is an EICR and do I need one? Via PowerCor. What is the purpose of an EICR? (Electrical Installation Condition Report) - via Trade Skills 4 u. What is involved in an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)? Via, NCC Compliance. What is an EICR? Via Sparky Facts. EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Reports) Explained, via Allied Electrical. Main aspects included in an NICEIC Domestic Electrical Installation Condition Report (DEICR), via Professional Electrician.

This blog post is a question, and we would really appreciate if we have some honest answers from our readers and customers. In a world that is constantly on the move, always connected, and where the desktop PC is not as used as our smartphones and tablets, it is no longer impossible or inconceivable to order online from a mobile device. That's why recently we at Sparks Electrical have invested money, energy, and lots of time into re-doing our website in a mobile-responsive online store. We would like to accommodate even the most technologically advanced of our users, while at the same time the design and menus are non-challenging but rather simplistic and easy to use for even the most technologically-challenged of our visitors. With this in mind, we would like to ask the question, Do You Shop for Electrical Items Online via your Tablet or Smartphone? If you're wondering what "electrical items" mean, we refer to lights, switches, sockets, light bulbs, heating elements, ventilation fans, etc. We already know that most of us shop for their digital items online and via smartphones - we shop for cameras, mobile phones (at least price comparisons), smartphones, tablets, computers, memory cards, etc. But what about the electrical items? Do you shop for your switches and sockets by using your iPhone? Do you use your Android tablet to shop for floor lights or ceiling lights? Let's say, when you go to work and you remember that you need a downlight or a wall lamp, do you search for it on google and then buy it on your iPhone? Or, let's say, during your lunch break, do you browse for cheaper lights or cool-looking switches and sockets?Buy Switches and Sockets on your Phone Why do We Ask This Question... Ever since we switched to the new website we have been wondering, Was it smart for us to move to a mobile-responsive website? Or is it something that only in 2-3 years we will see developing? Our friends at Cyber-Duck convinced us that it's worth it to invest in this now, and so.... we are now not only online on your PC, laptop, notebook, or MAC, but we "fit in your pocket" by fitting on your smartphone screen or on your tablet screen. When analyzing the orders we get through our online store and the calls we have from our customers, we noticed that quite a few of you guys use your mobile device / tablet to visit our website and order. That's why we want to get a larger poll, asking both electricians and contractors and regular people, Do you guys shop for your light fittings / electrical items online by using your smartphone or tablet? Pictures credit: question mark (wikipedia) and a screenshot of our site here. <<<< thank you for your answers - in advance! :) >>>>

The video below - made by ESC via, Electrical Safety - presents a family and their "normal daily activities", with the electrical hazards that can come up in the course of doing things.Over 50% of people don't know what an RCD is, but it could save your life!We have transcribed some of the text and added some more - useful advice and electrical safety tips for home! Let's see, for example, the Watts family: Dad David, Mom Elaine, Daughter Ally, and the new lodger, Ian. This video presents their stories and you can spot several electrical hazards that could happen... which you may also recognize in your own home! Counterfeit products can kill! Counterfeit kills!For your own personal safety and for the safety of others, you have to buy electrical items from a reputable source - counterfeit products can kill! Counterfeit kills! Yes, many of these devices look good and perform well, but there's a great chance that some of these items you purchase over the internet or from market stores would be faulty or counterfeit. Why risk your own life or the life of the ones in your house when you can purchase electrical items/devices from reputable sources? "There are instances where doggy goods can cause fatalities" Always use the correct adaptor for the appliance Forcing the wrong plug or adaptor into a socket is very dangerous and can lead to electric shock or fire. "The dangers of forcing a two-pin plug into a three-pin socket are that a two pin plug does not have a fuse and for the UK electrical system you need to have a fuse with the plug and without the fuse it could overload and catch fire." Also, there is no protection should there be a fault on the cord or with the device - the two-pin plug does not have an earth and it could lead to an electrical shock to the user of that piece of electrical equipment! Beware of cables buried in the walls when carrying out DIY! Walls and partitions conceal electrical equipment as well as water pipes. A cable detector will help identify the presence of concealed cables, but if in doubt you can ask for professional advice from a qualified electrician. Particularly with the electrical cables, they are hidden in the wall and they run to the electrical socket. First of all, even for a simple setting up a painting or a picture frame on the wall, check whether there is a socket outlet right below the place where you want to set it. It is good to take precautions when putting a nail in a wall - instead of risking death while doing something as simple as this! Hanging clothes over heaters is a fire hazard! If you cover the ventilation slots on a heater it could cause it to overheat and catch fire! Even though it may seem simple to just "put your clothes on the heater", if you cover the ventilation slots of the heater with your clothes, they not only are in danger of being "fried" but also the heater can catch fire. An RCD is a lifesaver - make sure you always use an RCD when using electrical equipment outdoors! An RCD is a safety device that switches off electricity automatically when it detects an electrical fault. Remember to plug your gardening equipment and your power tools into an RCD-protected socket. The situation presented in this video may "look funny" and "ridiculous", but you will be surprised of how easy it is for such a scenario to happen even in your own backyard!Buy Genuine Electrical Items at Sparks