Live Wires

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1) I am worried about live wires are they dangerous?

In order for our electrical installation to work correctly we must have wiring installed to each part of the installation, each socket and each light switch requires a wire or cable to reach it in order to make the system work as it should. Modern lighting can have wireless switching for example, but we still need cables or wires to reach the light.

These cables are designed by the manufacturer to protect us from shock and to ensure the safety of the persons using the electrical installation. The manufacturer then relies on electricians to install the cabling correctly in accordance with BS7671 the wiring regulations and in accordance with any building regulations. All wires need to be live at some point to carry power around our home but when we have LIVE WIRES that are not correctly installed, have been left in a dangerous manner or have become damaged in some way then this is a DANGER. Cables that are simply on show are not dangerous necessarily but perhaps you are more used to not noticing cabling as it is commonly buried in the walls of your property rather than on show and easily seen.

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2) I can see wires on display are these dangerous?

No not necessarily. For instance, the cabling in the picture above actually is dangerous. It has been safely and securely clipped to the joists although there are no metal clips to prevent against collapse in a fire the cable is actually secure for now. The problem has come when somebody decided to use some connector blocks to join the wiring to a new piece of cable. These connector blocks mean that there is coloured insulation on show from the cable and potentially live metal parts that can be touched. This type of connection used in this way IS DANGEROUS and should not be left like this. The connector blocks and bare coloured wiring should be installed in some form of box or enclosure to prevent anyone from touching live parts.

There is also the issue of the end of the cable that has been chopped off and left leaving live parts available to be touched!

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3) I have wires above my kitchen cabinet / below my kitchen cabinet are these dangerous?

Hard to say without having a look if we are honest….The best thing to do is you are unsure is to email us a picture, contact us and chat with us and we will do our best to advise you. Sometimes we will recommend an electrical inspection so we can check these issues for you along with many others that you may not have noticed or that may be hidden from sight.

If you are worried that LIVE WIRES are dangerous in your home then an electrical inspection may be a sensible idea. You don’t have to have an electrical inspection carried out, no one is going to make you have this done it is just a recommendation that one is carried out every 10 years in private domestic homes. We are quite happy to come and look at your issue and make safe if needed, this is normally covered under our minimum charge. Please contact us to discuss your issues though.

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4) When can cables be live and safe?

Cables can be both live and safe at the same time and that is when the following apply

• They are enclosed safely
• The sheath (outer bit) of the cable is intact and not damaged
• They are adequately secured and protected against collapse
• They are installed in a position not likely to be damaged
• The connections are secure, properly terminated and installed
• The sockets and switches are also secured correctly

Remember, just because you may be able to see wired on display does not necessarily make them dangerous.

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5) There is a wire in my garden and I don’t know it if is live can you check it?

Yes we can. We can come and test the cabling to see if it is live. We can attempt to trace where it goes to and disconnect it if you want us to. We can make safe any bare ends of the cable and leave any situation safer than when we arrived. Cables in the garden are often not installed correctly and can lead to water ingress into electrical systems, nuisance tripping of the consumer unit / fuse board and even electric shock risk in extreme situations.

We recommend that electrical installation works is ONLY CARRIED OUT by a qualified electrician who is able to install to the latest wiring regulations and test in accordance with the same. Only a qualified electrician who keeps up to date with the latest industry guidance can ensure that your electrical installation is safe, extended or altered safely and that you and your family are not put at risk by poor electrical work.

Only an electrician will have access to the relevant documentation and specialised very expensive test equipment that will enable the work to be carried out safely.

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6) I have just bought a house and there are cables everywhere and I don’t know if its safe can you help?

This is actually a very common request and we are always happy to come and carry out either a Visual Inspection or a full Periodic inspection if you would like some peace of mind.

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7) What is a Periodic Inspection and what is a Visual Inspection?

When we carry out a visual inspection we produce a document for you. We carry out a couple of limited tests and perform a whole variety of visual checks. We check the condition of the Fuse board / Consumer unit and will remove the cover if possible to check inside. We will check the condition of your suppliers equipment and if necessary we will contact them on your behalf if it appears damaged or requires their attendance.

We will visually check the condition of your switches and sockets along with any cabling that is exposed for us to see.

When we carry out a periodic inspection we carry out a much more thorough test and inspection. Not every electrician will perform these checks in the same way. We believe that as a homeowner you want to know as much as possible about your installation and we make sure that we take our time and carry out the testing to the full extent possible.

We will test every circuit from the consumer unit to the end of the cable and check that the earthing is present and suitably sufficient. We will ensure that the cables are sufficient to carry the load placed upon them. We test each socket and light. We check your electric shower circuit, electric cooker circuit and any other circuits that are there.

We will remove some accessories like sockets and light switches and check the wiring behind them has been installed safely and in accordance with regulations. We make sure that in the event of a fault that your consumer unit / fuse board will turn the affected circuits off. We check for electric shock protection and ensure its adequacy.

Quite a detailed explanation there!

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8) I have read this and now you have me worried!

Don’t worry. You are no less safe in your home than when you began reading. However if there are LIVE WIRES that you wan checked please rest assured you are in good hands. We are specialists in testing and inspection and will happily carry out any level of safety testing that you want.

We are a small friendly family company and are always happy to offer advice and help where we can. Contact us today for more information.

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