Electrical fires still account for over 20,000 accidental fires in UK homes every year despite increasing publicity about electrical safety, Part P and the importance of only using a registered electrician Hereford homeowners know they can trust.
Every day a new electrical fire is reported in the news and the devastating consequences are all too often serious damage to property or even death. Simply entering ‘electrical fires UK’ into Google reveals the true scale of the horror. The outcome of investigation is almost always the same: fire caused by electrical fault in the property.
What is meant by electrical fault and how can the electrician Leominster, Ledbury and Hereford householders employ make a difference?
This can mean anything from faults caused by the deterioration of aging cable, to DIY electrical work that has been carried out incorrectly. It can also refer to the risks people take with electricity, such as extension leads that are overloaded or electric heaters used incorrectly. Worryingly the chance of an electrical fire is exacerbated by homeowners using disreputable tradesmen. The message is clear: avoid any unregistered electrician Ledbury wide or across the UK.
In fact a recent survey by the Electrical Safety Council revealed that a quarter of UK households had employed an unregistered electrician Hereford, Ledbury or Leominster based, to carry out work in their home.
Electrical Lighting – Top Cause of Electrical Fires
Electrical lighting is in the top 5 causes of electrical fires. Only on Monday, a kitchen ceiling was destroyed in a bungalow fire in Preston. The cause was a light fitting that had ignited ceiling joists.
A subject very close to the heart of electricians is the correct installation of down lighters, which can quickly become a fire hazard if installed incorrectly. They are also a significant cause of house fires every year in the UK due to dangerous or incorrect installation.
Down lighters are a risk because they heat up very quickly and can ignite materials such as insulation, roof joists, dust and other debris around them.
11% of electrical fires are caused by faults in installation or by people not following the manufacturer’s instructions properly. Make sure you avoid the risks of down lighters by only trusting an electrician Leominster homeowners can guarantee is fully registered.
Other Top Causes of Electrical Fires
Electrical cooking appliances, laundry appliances, portable heaters and TVs remain the biggest cause of electrical fires every year. According to the Department for Communities and Local Government fire statistics 2008; faulty appliances alone cause £41.6 million of damage per year with electric cookers and lighting the biggest contributors at £24 million and £13 million respectively.
Many of these fires are caused by misuse of the appliances and between them cause 12,000 fires and almost 3000 injuries every year.
Conclusion
The recommendation to householders is to have their wiring checked by a qualified and registered electrician at least once every 10 years for home-owners and every 5 years or change of occupancy for landlords by having an EICR carried out on the property.
A local firm with a demonstrable reputation such as SES can provide a fully qualified and registered electrician Ledbury customers can trust to keep them safe.
Appliances should be kept clean, maintained and used in accordance to the manufacturer’s instructions.
If there is any doubt over the safety of any electrical appliance or fitting, switch off and do not use until a qualified registered electrician has inspected it.
