Services

Electrics

Electrical installations are a specialised area and tests to verify the condition should only be carried out by a qualified professional. The electricity suppliers recommend that the electrical circuitry in a residence should be checked every five years.

The regulations covering the circuitry are evolving to ensure that the supply in a house is as safe as possible. Before you buy a house an electrical test is advisable and in houses over 15 years old we would recommend that a test is always obtained.

The cost of a full rewire is significant and if this is known before you buy a new home the information will be useful to assist in any negotiations or in the decision-making process.

Wiring

The presence of rubber or waxed cloth insulation indicates that a rewire is required. These wires are often visible near the meter, on light pendants or within the roof space. Both cloth and rubber insulation to electrical installation are a potential fire hazard and a test is essential.

Very dated wiring is almost certainly going to be a essential repair for a bank or building society; retentions or undertakings may be required by the underwriters.

Fittings

Current regulations state that plug sockets should be in the walls above the skirting boards. This avoids the potential of fire if the fitting becomes hot when next to timber but also reduces the risk of damage. Sockets in the skirting boards are one sign that the system should be checked.

The fittings should be modern. Any old round-pin or two-pin fitting will tell you a rewire is likely to be required. If the electrical fittings are discoloured, or show signs of overheating, the circuit could be overheating and be a fire risk. Any system that displays these signs should be routinely tested.

Bakelite fittings should have been replaced many years ago. Fittings of this type do not have suitable earths by modern standards and are prone to fracture and general deterioration of the electrical contacts.

Light fittings

Switches, pendants and fittings should be in modern material. Older fittings do not allow for suitable earthing and should be replaced.

Fuse boxes

The fuse box in a home should have circuit breakers and residual current devices. If your fuse box only has fuse wire then we would recommend it be renewed.

Professional Body

Water

Pipe-work

The pipe-work to a residence should be in modern material, namely copper or plastic. Lead pipe-work can allow lead to enter the water supply. This can affect your health. It also has a smaller diameter than normal modern pipe-work and therefore restricts the volume of water that can enter your home. Lead pipes should be replaced wherever they are found.

Water supplies can also be in mild steel pipes. Steel pipes are uncommon, though they are very prone to rusting and leaking. Steel pipes should be replaced wherever they are encountered.

Both lead and steel pipe-work can leak, as can pipes that are poorly assembled. Failure to replace old pipes could result in leakage, which could at least damage decorations but could also result in significant damage to plasterwork. If the leakage is not detected for a significant period then rot and decay can occur.

Supply

A water supply should be reliable and clean. In most cases the supply to a house will be from the mains.

Problems can arise where the supply is from a spring. If you are purchasing a home with a spring supply you should make enquiries to establish the quality and reliability of the supply. Taking a sample of water and obtaining a laboratory test can verify the quality of the water. The reliability of a water supply is often more difficult to verify and will require verification with the vendors.

If your house is in a rural area and has a mains water supply via a private pipe you will need to be aware of the condition of the pipes. If the supply is metered then you could pay significantly for the faulty pipe. The best advice is to obtain a pressure test of the supply or alternatively watch your water bills carefully.

If the supply is unsafe or unreliable the cost of providing an alternative supply can be very costly. Further and comprehensive investigations are prudent.

Header Tanks

Older header tanks are likely to be in mild steel material with later versions of galvanised steel. Both of these types of header tank will be old and will be rusting. Replacement is strongly recommended with PVC.

Very old styles of header tanks are likely to be of timber lined with lead. The presence of lead in the system is not desirable and therefore these tanks will require replacement.

Failure to replace old and rusty tanks could result in leakage, which could at least damage decorations but could also result in significant damage to plasterwork. If the leakage is not detected for a significant period then rot and decay can occur.

Header tanks contain a large volume of water and impose a great weight on the supporting structure. The support to the header tanks will need to be substantial.

Twisting or straining of the supports could indicate that the tank supports may collapse. There are risks of injury if the support to the header tank fails, as well as the damage it will cause to the interior of the house or flat.

Insulation

All pipe-work and header tanks should be insulated to prevent freezing and potential splitting. If a roof space is well insulated there is a danger that the pipes can freeze and split even when the house is occupied.

If the insulation is old it is worth upgrading to modern foam insulation. If the pipes are lagged with a white material it could be asbestos and should only be removed by a qualified specialist contractor.

Gas

Gas appliances should be checked regularly to ensure that the system is free from defects and that it conforms to current safety requirements.

Pipe work that is of lead is prone to leakage and therefore should be replaced.

Gas Safety

If you smell gas:

  • Don’t smoke !!!
  • Don’t use naked flames
  • Don’t turn on electrical appliances
  • Do turn off the gas at the meter
  • Do open doors and windows
  • Do call the gas emergency number

Emergency Number 0800 111 999



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This entry was posted on Friday 27 July 2007 at 18:44 GMT and is filed under Repair Wizard. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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