Why is my electrical certificate unsatisfactory?

Unsatisfactory electrical certificates

 

There are is calls after an electrical installation certificate has been conducted with the question, “why is my electrical certificate unsatisfactory?”. There can be many reasons for this and we have listed a few below but we have decided to outline one in particular that occurs regularly in most domestic properties.

Problems why a electrical certificate can fail;

1. Broken sockets, switches, lights and other accessories that you may use as part of your electrical wiring


2. No main earth bonding is in place to gas or water pipes


3. No RCD (more explained on this later)


4. Integrity to consumer unit is Low


5. Sockets in Bathrooms


6. High Zs values which means you generally have a problem with your earthing

There are many more reasons that could have caused your electrical safety certificate than this but we have named a few as they are more common than others, if your certificate has failed then please call Trade Certificates on 02036371446 and we will try and offer free advice other the phone.

No RCD has caused my electrical check to fail?

This is quite a common occurrence, with electrical testing as it is not a completely new regulation but the RCD is being made more important for safety in the home as the new amendments are rolled out, below we have outlined what they say so that we can provide a slightly more in-depth analysis of why you have unsatisfactory on your electrical certificate.

The RCD protection for all sockets upto 20A  changed under the 3rd amendment of the wiring regulations BS7671 and they were listed as follows

• All sockets up with rating of up to 20A must be 30mA RCD protected.


• All sockets up to 32A that could be used to supply portable equipment outside must be 30mA RCD protected

Looking at the above 2 regulations, it would mean that if you live in a property on the ground floor you would require a RCD to be fitted within your electrical installation, unfortunately this is not in most properties although they are becoming more common.

There are two exceptions to the requirement for sockets up to 20A having 30mA RCD protection:

• Where, other than for an installation in a dwelling, a documented risk assessment determines an RCD is not necessary.


• For a specifically labelled or otherwise suitably identified socket outlet provided for the connection of a particular item of equipment.

For installations in commercial premises which omit RCD protection, the designer of the installation must obtain a documented risk assessment stating that RCD protection is not required. This risk assessment must be attached to the Electrical Installation Certificate.

As you domestic properties do not come under the scope of commercial building which makes them require an RCD.

What the best way to make my electrical inspection certificate become satisfactory…….

There are various options with this, Trade Certificates always advise that you get a new consumer unit to be up to with the latest regulations, although this don’t have to be done it will keep you with in the regulations for many years to come.

 

If you do require any more information regarding your electrical certificate then please call Trade Certificates on 02036371446, we can advise you if we carried out the work or not.

 

 

Why is my electrical certificate unsatisfactory?

Landlord Gas and Electrical safety certificates

Gas and electrical certificate with Trade Certificates in London, Kent and Essex

What gas and electrical certificates need to be considered

 

Landlord’s Gas Certificate (CP12)

All landlords are responsible for the safety of there tenants, therefore you must ensure that gas appliances are working correctly and that there is no danger against carbon monoxide poisoning.

Since the gas safety regulations took over from the corgi registration there has been quite a few high profile cases where Landlords have had to pay large sums of money to people due to not having gas safety checks done.

 

Every property that is rented out is now required to have a gas certificate for any sort of appliance that they may have, these include boilers, ovens, stoves and fires plus any thing else that you may have that is part of a gas installation.

If you do require a gas safety certificate CP12 then call us today on 0203 637 1446 to book your earliest appointment

 

Landlord’s Electrical Certificate

Landlords electrical certificates are an important part of ensuring the safety of tenants, these certificates also prove that you have taken reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the property. Even though they are not a mandatory requirement under the landlords standards they are under building regulations which backs up BS7671 for the wiring regulations. People who carry out these electrical tests must be qualified electricians  and have the skills and competency to carry out such tests. It is generally recommended that when having this done the electrician should be part of NAPIT or the NICEIC which proves the competency of the electrician carrying out the electrical certificate

The recommendation for having your electrical test carried out is every 5 years and we also advise that if you have a tenant leaving your rented accommodation to have one carried out then to ensure that they have not compromised the competency of the electrical equipment, wiring or it accessories.

 

If you do have any requirements for landlord gas and electrical certificates or are just looking for some more advice, please do not hesitate to call us on 0203 637 1446

Landlord Gas and Electrical safety certificates

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Boiler Service in London, Kent and Essex

What is a boiler service?

People sometimes wonder why a boiler service should be carried out, why it should be done, and what happens if it is not carried out regularly. A boiler service consists of, checking, cleaning, testing and pre-emptive fault-spotting, with the emphasis on testing all the different functions of an appliance for correct and safe operation.

 

What should be done with a Boiler Service?

At a minimum the heating engineering giving you a boiler service and annual should contain the following work:

• A review of the overall installation and location of the boiler, pipework and ventilation.


• Replace boiler parts that look to be worn or on their last legs.


• Check the boiler outflow flue to see the composition of the outlet gases.


• Check that the boiler is properly ventilated.


• Take apart the key parts of your boiler to check for damage – before putting the boiler back together again.


• Check the boiler gas pressure and flow rate.


• Prepare a written report and point out to you what you need to do to keep your boiler in good condition.

“Interim Boiler Service/Check”

Some companies try to sell you reduced boiler service inspections, they will be quoted as;

• An Interim boiler service;


• An Annual safety check;


• Part boiler service; or


• Summer boiler service and check-up.

Trade Certificates do not advocate these types of boiler service packages. They may seem like the cheapest way to keep your central heating system in good working order, but are not necessary. By the time you’ve paid for the central heating engineer to visit your home and have this type of boiler check you may as-well get a full boiler service which would not be much different in cost and they are certainly no substitute for full boiler service.

 

 Trade Certificates Boiler Service Process

1. Visual check – This establishes that the boiler, the installation and the positioning, comply with the rules laid out in building regulations


2. The next part of the boiler service is the pre-service check- The gas safe engineer will fire the boiler, check the its basic operation and identify any initial faults.


3. Remove the casing and inspect inside (something you, as the householder, should never do yourself)- The Gas Safe engineer will check the main components and will check to see if they free from damage. These components include
   
   1. Main burner
   
   
   2. Main injector
   
   
   3. Heat exchanger
   
   
   4. Condense trap
   
   
   5. Spark centre probe
   
   
   6. Seals
   
   
   7. Fans
   
   


4. At this stage of the boiler service we will also check the electrics for signs off over heating of the electrics and cleaning inside the the boiler itself.


5. We will then inspect all pipe work (water & gas) and joints, and very importantly, making sure the flue terminal is unobstructed


6. The next stage of the boiler service will be to check the gas valve with a analyser


7. The Gas Safe engineer will then carry out a a gas tightness test to ensure there are no leaks on the boiler


8. The boiler casing will the be put back on the boiler

 

What happens if a boiler service is not done regularly?

Well, in most cases, everything will be fine, but you won’t know for sure. The whole gas installation is examined and tested for correct installation and operation. A wide variety of things go wrong with gas installations and the gas regulations exist to make sure installations are safe.

How much will a boiler service cost?

Trade Certificates services start at just £60 but are currently running a promotion if you have a gas safety check and service done together, see below for prices;

1 Appliance Gas Safety Check and boiler service – Call for info

2 Appliance Gas Safety Check and boiler service – Call for info

3 Appliance Gas Safety Check and boiler service  – Call for info

 

In some instances it may evolve that your property requires some remedial work post your boiler service. Trade Certificate’s will advise you of this immediately and the reason for the remedial works will be notified on your gas and electrical certificate respectively if required upon your authorisation, we will pass your information to its third party service providers who may tender for your works so that you will access the most competitive prices on the market. To summarise-for your peace of mind we will never endeavour to benefit from any defects- unless you ask us to that is!

If you have any Boiler Service requirements in the London, Kent and Essex areas please call us on 02036371446

If you require any further information on a new fuse board, electrical testing or electrical certificates please follow these links NICIEC, NAPIT, ELECSA Alternatively if you are seeking more information on Boiler Service, gas certificates or gas safety in general please find more information here Gas Safety Register

Trade Certificates carry out boiler services in London, Kent and Essex See why you should choose us!

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Commercial electrical installation condition reports

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The importance of electrical installation condition reports (electrical certificate) in the workplace

Sometimes the importance of electrical testing in commercial premises is often overlooked this is why Trade Certificates have highlighted the below information for your perusal so that you can see why you require the required electrical certificates for your commercial property

Electrical Hazards in the workplace

The usual electrical hazards found in the workplace are as follows

• Electric shocks, burns and injuries through coming into contact with live parts and arcing


• fire from faulty electrical equipment or installations


• explosion due to unsuitable electrical apparatus or static electricity igniting flammable vapours or dusts

There is also not so common problems when people get electric shocks at height from working on ladders or other apparatus

What types of electrical maintenance is needed

The general recommendation are that you have various electrical tests done at the times required and risks assessments carried out to see what risks you may have;

Risk assessment requirements are as follows

• who could be harmed by them


• how the level of risk has been established


• the precautions taken to control that risk

The risk assessment should take into consideration the type of electrical equipment used, the way in which it is used and the environment that it is used in.

You should also get a electrical installation condition report which will highlight the following;

• suitable for its intended use and the conditions in which it is operated


• only used for its intended purpose

Wet surroundings where unsuitable equipment is being used there is a possibility that its surroundings can  also become live, this makes it a must requirement that the correct MCB’s are being used within the consumer unit.

Cables, plugs, sockets and fittings must be robust enough and adequately protected for the working environment. Ensure that machinery has an accessible switch or isolator to cut off the power quickly in an emergency.

When should electrical installation condition reports and other maintenance be carried out

There are lots of different times when electrical testing and maintenance should be carried out and there is also many different types of tests that can and should be done on different occasions

Portable appliances should be regularly visually inspected by its users and also have PAT testing done on regular intervals

What to look out for when carrying out a visual inspection

• the plug or connector is damaged


• the cable has been repaired with tape, is not secure, or internal wires are visible etc


• burn marks or stains are present (suggesting overheating)

The electrical fixed wire testing should also be carried out at regular intervals and more has been explained on our site under electrical certificate.

 

If you require further information or would like a electrical testing done at your property, please call us on 02036371446

 

Commercial electrical installation condition reports

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What to do with a new consumer unit

New Consumer units was introduced under the last IEE wiring regulations BS7671, when this happened under the 17th edition it was stated that all consumer units must have protection via an RCD for all cables embedded in walls except circuits of a high integrity nature, these circuits where deemed to include burglar alarms, smoke alarms, heat alarms etc.

New consumer units are made up of several electrical components but the main ones that would be visible to you would be as follows we have also included a short guide for if they trip;

MCBs (Miniature Circuit Breakers) For a consumer unit

An MCB will switch off in the event of an overload or a short circuit here is a step by step guide to reset it;
1. Switch off and unplug all appliances and check to see if the is any damage
2. Reset the MCB that has tripped to do this it should usually be pushed into the up position, this should reset the electricity supply to that circuit
3. If the MCB does not switch on call Trade Certificates on 02036371446

 

RCD (Residual Current Device) For a consumer unit

 

An RCD protects against an electrical current flowing to earth and some faults can be momentary, you can find some extra information on it on our page about what happens if my RCD trips or you can use our quick guide below
1. Switch off all MCBs.
2. Switch on RCD.
3. Switch on each MCB in turn. This should reset the system.
4. If the RCD switches off again when an MCB is switched on, there is a fault.
5. If the RCD cannot be switched on with the MCBs in the “OFF” position, call Trade Certificates on 02036371446

 

Switches on a consumer unit

 

The new consumer unit would have a dual RCD and in most cases be set up in the following ways

RCD 1

• Upstairs Lights,
  
  

  High Integrity consumer Unit



• Downstairs Ring Final,


• Garage Sockets,


• Shower

RCD 2

• Downstairs Lights,


• Upstairs Sockets,


• Cooker,


• Heating,

 

The reason for the new consumer units being set up in this way is by alternating them only one part of the supply will get interrupted in case of a short circuit, overload or any other fault occurs.

If there is not the space to install a dual RCD consumer unit in your property then the alternative method would be to use RCBO’s which is a combined RCD and MCB, we do promote this as it can be quite expensive to our customers but if required this would be the only option that we would follow.

If you require a new consumer unit or advice please call Trade Certificates on 02036371446

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Changes to an electrical installation condition report ( Electrical Certificate)

Electrical Installation Condition Report (electrical certificate)

 

There are changes to your electrical installation condition report or otherwise known as a electrical certificate, below we have highlighted the changes by each section so make sure you don’t get caught out.

 

Section D (Extent and limitations of inspection and testing)

More text has been added here to the electrical certificate so that information can be added in regards to the roof space and the accessibility to the electrical equipment with that space.

Section J (Particulars of installation referred to in the report)

This part of the electrical installation condition report now includes tick boxes for the main bonding conductor connections to not only gas and water pipes but also structural steel, oil pipes, lightning protection and any other parts to ensure all electrical connections have been checked for polarity.

Section K (Observations)

“FI” is now recognised as a code which means “further investigation”, for this part of the electrical installation condition reports the yes and no column for this has been deleted but the code it self can be added for clarity to ensure it is not missed when carrying out remedial works.

Note 9 for the notes of the person producing the electrical installation condition report

The place in which the electrical testing has revealed a deficiency that could not be fully identified due the the limitations set out for the electrical inspection, The note shows where a further investigation is required and a code should be given of either Code 1 (Danger Present or Code 2 (Potential Danger). If the is the case the FI classification should be recorded in section K as explained above.

Notes 7 and 8 are for recipients receiving the electrical installation condition report

Here the notes refer to a skilled person competent in electrical installation work instead of a competent person, this has been done so that it is pointed out that it should be a qualified electrician carrying out the remedial works rather than a unqualified tradesman.

Note 10 are for the recipients post remedial testing of the electrical certificate

Here the notes refer to a skilled person competent in electrical installation work instead of a competent person, this has been done so that it is pointed out that it should be a qualified electrician carrying out the remedial works rather than a unqualified tradesman.

Additions have also been made to the electrical installation condition report under the schedule guidance for the inspector and also for domestic and similar premises with upro a 100A supply, these changes are more comprehensive checklists than they were previously.

 

If you need a qualified electrician…….. Call Trade Certificates for your electrical installation condition report and remedials

Trade Certificates have fully qualified and regulated electricians in London, Kent and Essex for all electrical testing, certificates, installations and maintenance. If you need an electrician the same day or for planned works call us today on 02036371446

Changes to an electrical installation condition report ( Electrical Certificate)