EICR Testing
What is an EICR?
An EICR is an abbreviation for an electrical installation condition report. This is an electrical test used to determine whether or not an installation is in a satisfactory enough state to continue service. The engineer will identify any damage, deterioration, defects, or dangerous conditions, as well as observations on appliances that they would recommend replacing or repairing. You will receive an EICR certificate if the electrician who comes to your household is satisfied with all of your electrical appliances. Since this certificate is only valid for 5 years, you must ensure that you maintain your EICRs. An EICR typically takes 3-4 hours to complete, depending on the size of the property and the number of circuits that require testing.
The main objectives of an EICR are:
• Keep a record of the inspection and testing results to ensure that the electrical installation is safe to use until the next inspection.
• Find any wear and tear or deterioration to the system that might affect safety, and report it
• Record any parts of the electrical installation that do not meet the latest IET Wiring Regulations
• Find Potential issues that may cause electric shocks, fire risks, or danger to life.
• Provide documentation for O&M Manuals and compare future test results.
Why is an EICR important?
First of all, an EICR is actually a legal requirement since April 2021. You can also invalidate your home insurance without an EICR certificate to hand, this could be very costly to you. Getting an EICR will ensure that preventative maintenance can be carried out before problems escalate and in the worst-case scenario, cause an electrical fire. This is why keeping up to date with your EICR is so important!
What information will an EICR give me?
An electrical installations condition report will provide you with a full summary of the conditions of the electrics within your home and determine if they are up to the standards for electrical safety. Once the EICR is complete the contractor will provide you with a certificate outlining the overall conditions of your electrical installations. You will generally notice the certificate will provide you with a code. (Details on the codes can be found below). It is recommended that action is to be taken to rectify any C1 or C2s given.
What are the codes and their meanings?
Code C1- This indicates that danger exists within the household and that immediate action is required. The person operating the equipment is in danger.
Code C2- This indicates that the equipment is not considered a danger at the time of inspection but could become a real danger if a fault or other event occurs in the equipment.
Code C3- This code indicates there was no equipment that would be considered a potential danger.
EICR's at specialist electrical solutions
Last year, we completed over a thousand electrical installation condition reports! This work was done for various local councils. Our engineer arrived at the property at the agreed-upon time and completed electrical tests on the household's electrical appliances. During the inspection of your property, our engineer will identify any issues that must be addressed immediately before they become a serious hazard. When our engineer has finished the inspection, they will then send the audit to our office staff. After the inspection, our office staff will process and send your EICR certificate. This year, we hope to complete more EICRs!
