Electrical Safety in your home is important to us. We want you to be safe and secure in your home.
You can help to keep your family safe by knowing what to check for on electrical items in your home. If something isn’t quite right or you are unsure, remember to contact us and we will be able to advise if repairs are needed.
Simple safety checks
- Familiarise yourself with where the fuse board is and the main switch installed on the board, this ensures you know where it is and how to turn it off if there is an emergency.
- If you have an RCD trip switch in your home, make sure you know how to reset it. We advise that you should test this every 6 months by pressing the button labelled T or Test, the device should switch off the supply and should then be switched on to restore the supply. If the device does not switch off the supply when the button is pressed, please call the GCH repairs team All instructions for the above can be found on the cover of the fuse board.
- In the event of loss of power check appliances before you use them again if it has caused the trip switch to cut out. The appliance causing the problem is generally the last one you turned on. If in doubt, turn on the appliances you have been using one by one until you find out which one has caused the switch to trip.
- If your electricity fails and you have a token meter – always check you have a supply of tokens in the meter.
Plugs and sockets
Look out for:
- Hot plugs or sockets, scorch marks, fuses that often blow, or flickering lights. These are all signs of loose wiring or other electrical problems.
- Badly-wired plugs – any coloured wires sticking out could come loose and debris could also get into the plug, they could also cause an electric shock.
- Overloaded sockets – plugging too many electrical appliances into one socket can lead to overheating and a fire.
- Damaged accessories – If you have a damaged socket, switch or light fittings then call the repairs team, don’t wait for a 5-year inspection as an accident could happen during that period that could have been avoided.
Cables and leads
Check for these problems:
- Fraying and damage – make sure the outer covering of all power leads is in good condition and replace if necessary.
- Bad positioning – make sure leads cannot be tripped over and that they are not near water, cookers or other sources of heat.
- Do not run leads under rugs or carpets – they may wear out without anyone noticing.
Appliances
General rules:
- Do not get them wet. For example, do not put a vase of flowers on top of the TV in case you knock it over.
- Do not leave them on at night – unless they are designed to be left on, like freezers.
- Do not put anything in the microwave that is made of metal, or has a metallic finish or parts.
Servicing
Arrange a yearly service by a qualified appliance service engineer, for appliances that run at high speeds and contain motors, like washing machines.
Plugs, sockets and cables
To use plugs, sockets and cables safely, always:
- Change a plug correctly and make sure you cannot see any coloured wires between the plug and the power lead.
- Make sure the wires are held firmly in place inside the plug.
- Use sockets safely – it is better to use an extension lead than a single multi-plug adaptor.
- Only use 1 adaptor per socket – do not plug 1 adaptor into another and try to keep to 1 plug per socket.
- Only use CE-accredited phone chargers – always try and use the original charger as imitation chargers without the CE accreditations is a fire risk.
If you are fitting or changing a fuse, make sure you use the right fuse for the appliance. Check the manual or look for a sticker on the appliance to find out its wattage and then use the correct fuse for appliances:
Fuses
- Up to 700 watts, use a 3 amp fuse.
- Between 700 and 1,000 watts, use a 5 amp fuse.
- For more than 1,000 watts, use a 13 amp fuse.
- Extension leads and adaptors have a limit on how many amps they can take, so be careful not to overload them, to reduce the risk of a fire.
For more information, please contact us or visit the Electrical Safety Council’s website at electricalsafetycouncil.org.uk
Installing Electrical Additions and Alterations
No electrical work can be carried out on a GCH property until it has been approved by us. If you plan to carry out any electrical installation works, such as installing new sockets, switches and wiring to outbuildings, this must be approved by us first as these works must be carried out and certified by an approved electrical contractor. Failure to do so will result in the removal of the alterations which will be charged back to you. Find more information here about the building regulations and Document P.
Any light fittings or fixtures must be installed by a competent electrician.
Please contact us if you need any information about electrical upgrades in your home, we want you to live happily but more importantly safely.