Find out why electrical safety tests are so important
In this interview, Jamie, our electrical trades manager, speaks about the dangers of electricity, what electrical safety tests are, and why it’s so important that we do them regularly.
In addition to his role at Silva, Jamie also sits on the Electrical Safety Roundtable - a leading industry forum made up of electricians who are passionate about electrical safety.
Jamie, our electrical trades manager
Why are electrical safety checks so important?
With so many of us spending more time at home, having an electrical safety test is more important than ever. These inspections are free to all of our customers and they play a huge part in keeping our customers safe in their homes.
Unsafe electrics are a huge fire safety risk and account for around a quarter of all domestic house fires and you don’t have to look far to find examples of these. As well as being a fire risk, exposure to electricity can be very dangerous - just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there! It's amazing the number of electronics we have around the home now, which are often taken for granted.
While these tests are hugely important for your safety, they also form part of our legal obligation to our customers. So, if we or one of our partners asks to enter your home to do an electrical check, please do let us in. If we can’t access your home, we will keep trying because they are very important. Once we have finished, we will not have to check your electrics for another 5 years!
What happens in an electrical safety test?
An electrical safety test should take around 4 hours to complete depending on your home and involves:
1. A fully qualified electrician from Silva or one of our partners, such as Crystal Electronics will visit your home.
2. They will look at your fuse board, sockets, lights and other associated electrical items. A lot of this work can be visual, so if there is anything that you know isn't working, letting us know really does help with the visit.
3. They will also unscrew a small percentage of sockets and lights and use test equipment to check if everything is safe for you.
4. If something is unsafe, the electrician will try to fix it there and then. If they can’t solve the issue straight away, they will explain to you the reasons behind this and will make sure it is safe until it can be repaired.
Will my electrical test be Covid-19 secure?
We understand why some people might be hesitant to let an electrician into their home at the moment. But, please be assured that all our frontline colleagues and partners are following the government’s Covid-19 guidelines and are complying with our health & safety precautions.
They always wear a mask and gloves inside our customers’ homes and if they have any Covid-19 symptoms they will not enter your home.
How can I prepare for my home’s electrical test?
To save time during the inspection, please make sure that we can easily access:
- The fuse board,
- All light fittings,
- All electrical switches,
- 25% of the sockets in every room.
If for any reason you have concerns about these inspections, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be able to happy help talk through these as best possible.
Also, don't forget that once we have carried out this check, you will be in with a chance of winning £150 in Love2Shop vouchers!
Contact us Find out more about our electrical testing competition