Switch Tripped in Warrington

1) Help my switch has tripped in Warrington, what do I do?

Please do not panic. There are a number of reasons why this can happen. We have produced a help sheet which you can find here.

2) We will cover some of these reasons below:

• Water has gotten into something electrical like a light fitting or a socket
• A cable has become damaged
• An appliance that is plugged in is faulty
• There could be loose wiring
• Something could have burnt out

There are many variations of these reasons which would also cause a switch to trip but mostly these are the common problems that will cause a switch to trip in your consumer unit.

Firstly, will the switch reset? Can you turn the switch back on? If yes then does it stay on?

If you answered yes to all of the above questions then you can likely stop reading this and go back to your day, leave us a nice review on Google or on our website and we would be grateful too. 😊

If, however the switch does not reset then you will need to read on a little more.

3) The switch has not reset, won’t reset and I think the switch is broken!

Well first of all, please now STOP trying to reset the switch. The switch tripping is most likely NOT a faulty switch and is MORE LIKELY to be a fault on a circuit or with an appliance. The help sheet linked above will probably help you to find the problem or at least narrow it down. If you have carried out all the instructions in that help sheet then it is likely you will now need us to come and investigate the problem for you.

The switches in your consumer unit / electrical trip switch box / fuse box are not designed to be continually turned on and then blow again and again, they will break if they are reset time after time and then will require replacement. Depending on the age of your equipment this may be an easy replacement or may involve a WHOLE NEW BOX! It is definitely cheaper to have the issue investigated properly than ruin your switches so we would recommend you call.

4) Is it a big problem to fix?? I am worried….

We cannot tell you without coming to look I’m afraid. We will definitely know more after our initial attendance and be in a position to quote you for further works or further fault finding. Most issues are resolved after our initial attendance and first hour. Common problems that we fix tend to be:

• Loose wiring in sockets
• Burnt out sockets
• Faulty cables between two points
• Water ingress into something electrical
• Faulty switches in consumer units
• Damaged cables in circuits

Whatever the issue is, the important thing is not to worry about it. We are likely to be able to restore all or most of your electricity supply to your items in your home very quickly. We will talk to you in plain English and explain everything that is happening as soon as we have a clear picture of what is going on in your home.

5) Is it going to cost me a fortune???

Hopefully not no. Our charges are on our website in the help sheets section “How Much Is It?” Typically, most emergency callouts are resolved within an hour or two. Faults requiring further works can vary significantly in cost and we will always provide a written quote for your agreement before we proceed with any significant repairs. You are never obliged to use our services beyond our first attendance and are free to obtain other quotes for the work that needs to be carried out.

We are always transparent and fair with our pricing and never pushy. 😊

6) I’m worried that the electrics in my home are not safe after this...

Worry is never a good or productive thing. The best remedy for worry is action. If you are at all concerned about the condition of your electrical wiring system in your home then ask us for the costs of carrying out a periodic inspection. This will produce a document called an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) which is a technical document of several pages in length detailing any defects, deficiencies or recommendations for improvement in your wiring. The document is a technical and important document but we promise we will explain any issues in plain English and advise you what work (if any) should be carried out to improve safety or remove immediate dangers.

It is a very good idea to have an electrical inspection on your home IF any of the following apply:

• The property is over 10 years old AND has not had an inspection in the last 10 years.
• When we say inspection, we mean a Periodic Inspection and a satisfactory outcome
• The property has recently been subject to trauma such as fire, flood, severe structural issues, extensions / building work where electrical works have been carried out but no certificate has been issued
• You are purchasing the property and there is no prior inspection report available dated in the last 10 years
• You are selling the property and wish to prove that the electrical system is safe for continued use for the new buyers
• Lights are flickering or dimming
• You can smell fishy or plastic type smells from electrical accessories or wiring
• Electrical accessories occasionally just don’t work
• If your consumer unit / fuse box looks old or is plastic in construction / has gaps in it etc

These are just a few instances of when an electrical inspection may be a good idea.

7) How much does it cost to have an electrical inspection carried out?

It is best to call us for a quote. Typically, at the time of writing £200-£250 or a bit more for larger homes with more circuits to test and inspect. Please be aware that we ONLY perform thorough inspection and testing and the report we produce will be of some value to you. Cheap tests carried out will often be very quick and skip several important procedures which will severely limit the information given and not give you that peace of mind that you need. A typical periodic inspection will take a minimum of about 2.5 hours in a small 1-bedroom flat. A standard 3-bedroom home will take 3 to 4 hours and the larger the house the greater the time it will take to check everything as fully as possible!!! If you have any more questions, contact us today!