How Do I Know If My Electrical Equipment is Safe?

The only way to find out whether your electrical services equipment is safe is to have it inspected by a qualified electrician. These days, many consumers choose to have their house inspected for faulty wiring and many local councils and government agencies partly fund this process. So it makes sense to have your house checked if you have any concerns. The check involves not only the an examination of your wiring and specific appliances that may be causing your concern.

It is a basic rule of thumb that we should exercise care with electricity in our houses because we all know the ramifications of not doing so. Nearly every week we hear of tragedies involving fires that have been caused by bad wiring or faulty appliances. Insurance companies also sponsor regular checks so there is really no reason why you should remain in danger of faulty electrical equipment.

If you think you have an appliance which is faulty a simple visual inspection will normally be enough but make sure you follow sensible safe procedures.

• Make sure the appliance is switched off and the plug removed from the power socket before you start.
• Check the plug to make sure it is correctly wired. If you are not qualified to do this you will need to get your electrician to check it specifically.
• Check the instruction book to see if there are any troubleshooting guides to help you.
• Make sure the electrical cable is not damaged in any way and, if necessary, repair it with insulating tape until your electrician arrives.
• Look for any burn marks in the housing which may indicate that the equipment is overheating.
• If the cable has been repaired previously make sure that the proper tape has been used, not simply interlacing tape or other unsuitable connections. Any damaged cables should only be replaced by an electrician.
• Make sure the appliance housing is not cracked or damaged in any way, paying particular attention to the possibility that water may have seeped in to the wiring.
• Seal off any trailing wires and discontinue using the appliance until it is inspected by your electrician.

If you are at all uncertain about the safety of your equipment stop using it and have it thoroughly checked. Even if you are not going to have your house wiring checked its easy to take the appliance to an inspection centre to make sure it is in safe operating condition.

It's a good idea to make sure your appliances are regularly checked especially if they more than 5 years old. If appliances are used on a daily basis, then you may wish to have them inspected more regularly.

Items such as fans, table lamps home photocopiers or fax machines should be inspected every 2 years at the very least. Other items which come in for heavy use such as electric kettles or floor cleaners should be checked by your electrician every year.