Why Electrical Safety is important at home?

About 70 deaths and 350,000 injuries in UK homes are caused by faulty electrics and electrical equipment every year. Over half of all accidental house fires are caused by electricity or faulty electrical services.

As your landlord in Reading or Slough, we are required by law to ensure your home’s electrical installation and wiring are safe when you move in and that they are maintained in a safe condition throughout your tenancy.

Local electrical services in Reading test and inspect all the homes we manage (and any communal areas) at least once every five years and test and inspect properties before re-letting them to new tenants. We also ensure any appliances we supply are safe to use and are CE marked.

What are the factors for Electrical safety?

If you are living in London, Electrical safety in the home is crucial for keeping you and your family safe, but do you actually do anything about it? We have put together a quick and easy checklist to help you get your home safe and sound.

It’s very easy to forget how dangerous electricity can be. We use it every day and it’s easy to take for granted. Keeping you and your family safe in the home is easy if you follow some simple rules and make some simple safety checks.

Never try to fix an electrical appliance without switching it off. It is also essential to make sure that the electricity and the appliances in your home have been installed safely. Always use a registered electrician to install new appliances. If in doubt ask to see proof of qualifications.

How to ensure electrical safety at home

Maintaining correct electrical safety will not only keep you and your family safe, but it will also save you money by avoiding unnecessary repairs caused by to electrical fault damage. It is especially important to check your property if you have recently bought a new house, or have moved from one rented property to another. Here are some simple checks you can make to ensure that you are safe.

Electrical safety in the kitchen

Many accidents and fires start in the kitchen. Hence, this is one area where it is essential to keep to some ground rules. The combination of water and electricity is always a dangerous one. always ask your local electrician to test and inspect all the kitchen circuits and provide EICR test certificate to you. In the kitchen, there are more opportunities for these two elements to mix. By keeping to some simple good habits, you can reduce the risk of danger from electrical appliances in the kitchen.

Electrical safety in the garden

Garden appliances like electric lawnmowers make cutting the grass a much simpler task. But, it is very easy to overlook the fact that proximity to the wet ground increases the chance of an electric shock. Ensure that you follow the manufacturers instructions when using mowers, hedge trimmers and strimmers. Always wear goggle and gloves and also wear the correct footwear.

DIY electrical repairs

You can safely tackle some simple repairs or maintenance tasks. You can research some of these using the many YouTube video tutorials available online. But, before trying your hand at DIY think very carefully about the level of expertise that you have. Never attempt any repair while an appliance is plugged in. This is life threatening.

Final words on home electrical safety

There are hundreds and thousands of house fires in the UK each year. These fires kill up to 70 people and leave more than 350,000 with severe injuries.

With the massive increase in the use of electrical appliances, it’s no wonder that there are so many house fires each year. Furthermore, the risk of electrical fire is increasing. Ensure that you are aware of some of the simple things listed above that will help to keep you and your family safe. Then, the best option for repairs is to rely on a qualified electrician.

Make sure that you know how to turn off the electricity at the mains. Also check that your fuse box has an RCD which will cut off power in the event of a fault. Get the wiring in your home checked at least every ten years and make sure that everyone in the home is aware of the dangers of electricity and how it can kill.