Periodic Inspections

Are you selling your home? About to let your property? Concerned about the condition of your electrical wiring or are you curious to know how your electrical installation compares to the current electrical regulations, then read on.

A periodic test and inspection of the fixed wiring will provide a full, accurate and impartial view of the condition of your electrical installations.

What Is a Periodic Inspection?

A periodic Inspection is a test and inspection to ascertain the condition of an existing electrical installations, to identify (in order of priority) any deficiencies against BS7671:2008 which is the British standards for electrical installations formerly known as the IEE's Wiring Regulations, the most recent version of which came into force on the 1st July 2008 and which is the 17th Edition of this document.

A Periodic Test and Inspection will identify:

• If any of your electrical circuits are deteriating due to age.
• If any of your electrical circuits are becoming overloaded.
• Highlight any deficiencies with the circuit protection (Fuses) or any of the safety systems employed throughout the installation.
• Identify any shock or fire risks within your electrical installations
• Identify poor DIY electrical work within the electrical installations
• Identify faulty electrical accessories
• Identify incorrect wiring
• Correct polarity
• Continuity of conductors

Each electrical circuit is thoroughly tested and visually inspected; the results of the test and electrical inspection are recorded on the Periodic Inspection Report.

Remember, every electrical installation deteriorates with age and it is important for the person responsible for the maintenance of the installation to be sure that the safety of the users is not put at risk and that the electrical installation continues to be in a safe and serviceable condition.

When should a Periodic Wiring Inspection be carried out?

The following intervals are taken from Guidance Note 3 of BS7671:2008 and are recommended intervals only, age and condition need to be taken into account when assessing the time between tests:

Domestic Dwelling	- 10 Years or Change of Occupant
Commercial Property	- 5 Years
Caravans	- 3 Years
Swimming Pools	- 1 Year
Licensed Premises	- 1 Year

The Periodic Inspection Report:

The Periodic Inspection Report is the formal method of recording the findings of the electrcial test and electrical inspection. The main purpose of the report is to ascertain the Safety and Condition of the fixed electrical installation, it will describe the overall condition of the installation as being either "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory". If the installation is found to be in a satisfactory condition then no immediate remedial action is needed, but should the installation be found to be in an Unsatisfactory condition then remedial action will be required to bring the installation into a Safe and Serviceable condition and this should be done without delay. All observations and Recommendations that are made during the test and inspection are recorded in Section 2 of the report and are allocated a code to indicate the urgency of the action required:

Code 1	Requires Urgent Attention
Code 2	Requires Improvement
Code 3	Requires Further Investigation
Code 4	Does not comply with BS7671 (but not necessarily unsafe)

Please call or contact us here for a free quotation.