Safety in Electrical Installations
Basic Guide
for Homeowners
Today’s homes are much larger and much more intricate than the past. So is
your home’s electrical installation. This calls for stricter regulations for
contractors and more thorough inspections from the Electricity Authority which
results in very high safety standards. But if you have an older home this does
not apply for two reasons: 1) Safety standards were very low at the time it was
built, 2) Your home’s electrical installation wears out through the years and
needs maintenance and repairs. This means the older your home is, the more care
it needs. So ask a certified electrician to make the necessary checks and
improvements so that your electrical installation is in good condition and up
to the latest safety standards which at the time is the 16th Edition
of Wiring Regulations BS7671. This is what you should keep in mind:
·
Extended use of RCDs is required. (RCDs protect from current leakage, which can
cause electric shock and electrical fires) in power sockets, bathroom &
outdoor lighting circuits, tankless water heaters etc. These devices can be
installed in your distribution boards and are reasonably cheap. RCD’s already
installed must be inspected if their tripping times and tripping currents are
within certain standards. If not, they will need to be replaced. If your
distribution boards don’t have any more room for RCDs you could replace some of
the existing MCBs (circuit breakers that protect from current overload) with
RCBOs (they offer both current overload and current leakage detection and
protection and occupy less space).
·
Check your earthing. Make sure that your installation’s earthing is working properly and
its measured value is up to current safety standards. Proper earthing is how an
electric fault can be detected by protective devices and turn off the faulty
circuit or the whole installation. As you can imagine earthing is very
important (this will be explained in a future article).
·
Grounding is essential. Checking if all metallic structures that are near wires, sockets or
any electrical parts are properly grounded (connected to the earthing system),
e.g. a metal kitchen sink. So if a live wire accidentally touches the metal,
the fault will be detected and the breakers will trip. If the metal part is not
grounded, it will be energized and when you touch it you will get an electric
shock. Grounding also prevents the buildup of static electricity which can
cause ignition of flammable materials or damage to sensitive electronics. An
alternative to grounding for portable low power devices is double insulation.
If one layer of insulation is compromised, the remaining one can still offer
protection.
·
Water and electricity don’t mix. Protecting all electrical components from
water or any kind of humidity. If the presence of humidity cannot be avoided in
some areas, ask your electrician to make sure the adjacent electrical
components are waterproof, e.g. garden lights, outdoor sockets, or bathroom
lights.
·
Use electric isolators. Important electrical equipment such as motors, A/C’s external units,
water heaters and pumps are fitted with electrical isolators. These are special
waterproof switches that you or a technician can use to turn off the power
supply in these devices. This means that 1) when trying to inspect, repair or
replace that equipment you are completely sure you are safe from electric shock
and 2) you don’t have to turn off the electricity in your home during that time.
·
Sometimes you need lower voltage: Lowering the voltage of the installation by
using a transformer is mandatory in certain areas according to
current regulations. For outdoor lights (e.g. garden lights), the proposed
voltage is 50 Volts instead of the regular 230 Volts, and 12 Volts for bathroom
lights or shavers due to excessive dampness. This is not always feasible but is
something you might consider. (A/C voltage of 50V or less is not considered
life threatening)
·
Check the insulation of your installation. Measuring your installation’s insulation to
check if it’s compliant with safety regulations. This is something that easily
deteriorates with time, and can be a symptom of a problem you have or is going
to appear in the near future. Not only bad insulation is a major safety risk
but also can cause a lot of nuisance to homeowners because it will keep
tripping the protective devices in your installation and turn off the main power
frequently.
·
No loose electrical connections. Loose electrical connections can cause damage
to electrical appliances and are a major fire hazard. Check if the screws on
the circuit breakers are tight. (Only a
licensed professional is allowed to access the Distribution Board)
·
Labelling is important. All breakers, fuses, panels and major electrical equipment should have
proper labelling and warning. Warning of electric shock, is very important. So
is knowing what everything does. You should know what circuits each breaker
controls or if a certain isolator turns off the pressure pump or the water
heater. It’s very helpful if you have labels on everything.
·
Quality always matters. All the electrical equipment, especially the breakers and protective
devices should be of good quality and according to E.U. standards. Ask your
electrician to install only high quality equipment and to check if the already
installed equipment is of good quality. The only way to be sure is to look for
the CE logo on every part of the installation.
Electricity is very useful for our way of life, but is also dangerous. Always
remember that prevention is the best cure. So all the time and money you spent
upgrading your electrical installation is time and money you save from
electricity related damages and accidents. Be sure that your family and your
home are completely safe from electrical issues and upgrade your electrical
installation as soon as possible.
As we know time has value, so stop looking for a Professional Electrician for you
Follow the links below and find Professional Electricians at your City
Professional Electricians at Paphos
Professional Electricians at Nicosia
Professional Electricians at Larnaca
Professional Electricians at Limassol
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