Need a PIR check done - worried about discruption

[NewOrder]

As apart of the renovations to the house and my sister being electrocuted (minor) in her rented flat due to a faulty earth on a newish build I have convinced my parents that it is a good idea to have a PIR check done.

The house was rewired in 1980 and I have replaced most the original switches and sockets as they failed but as far as I know the wiring is still sound. They would want a new consumer unit too and some extra sockets added in the kitchen from the old cooker spur which now only has one double socket connected to it.

So two questions, it is a 3 bed terraced house on a 1980 rewire with very little modification to the electric since, apart from a central heating circuit (1984).

I know the earth bonding is woefully insufficient by modern standards so this will need improving.

My parents are worried about the mess and accessibility problems if floorboards etc have to come up. What is the likely hood of this in a PIR check?

 

[kevindgas]

unlikely to have disruption during the check itself, its the retification work necessary that weill involve mess!
PIR is now old hat what you need is a EICR electrical installation condition report

 

[Taylortwocities]

The Electrican Installation Condition Report process usually does not include lifting floorboards to inspect cables.

Tests are done on the wiring to give an indication of its health and a number of sockets, switches etc may be unscrewed to inspect terminations etc.

A report is then produced giving details of the results of the tests with a list of any defect found together with their severity.

There's a guide to the process and the report HERE

As a tip.
Before the inspection is done, your parents should make sure that everything is unplugged and that the inspector is made aware of any other attached items.
Don't forget things like TV amplifiers, alarm systems, security lights, etc. Make a list of these.
High voltages are passed through the wiring as part of the test. Any attached devices that have not been disconnected will skew the test results and may be destroyed.

 

[17thman]

there are not many inconvieniences with an EIRC. some disruption to decoration as accessories are lifted and sometimes, on the odd occassion, some accessories can be damaged because they have become very brittle. If an good electrician wants to distrupt something you may not want effected, he should ask you first.

It is your best place to start though, but get 3 quotes and get them talking on the phone about what they will do at the visit. do you know any one who has had recent experience with a good electrician they were satisfied with.

 

[NewOrder]

I actually know a few sparkies but none of them are currently working on domestic electrics so no good do this work however they have never used one as they do their own electric work (if that makes sense?).

For this reason I don't know any 'current' electricians who come recommended.

From the replies here it is not as bad as I thought, I know they are junction boxes under floor boards etc, but I assume despite not meeting current regulations they can be left and a new consumer can be fitted or does everything need to bought up to 17th edition standards before a new consumer unit is fitted?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Look for an electrician who has a City & Guilds 2391 (Inspection & Test) qualification.

NAPIT used to make this a condition for their Full Scope registered electricians so that may be a good place to start. Search for a local one on line at http://www.napit.org.uk/defaultConsumer.asp or phone their help desk for advice.

Hidden junction boxes. If they are hidden the tester will not know about them. As outlined before, the tests don't include ripping up the building fabric. Just so lang as the insulation and continuity tests are up to scratch.

If the tester does identify an unaccessible junction box (one serving downlights is a favourite hate of mine) then it would only be given a C3 - see mylink above - which is just an observation that recommends improvement.

 

[Vicario]

Gas engineers can actually disconnect an appliance (boiler, fire etc.) if they consider it dangerous. Are electricians supposed to do this during an inspection if they find something is an imminent risk?

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Gas engineers can actually disconnect an appliance (boiler, fire etc.) if they consider it dangerous. Are electricians supposed to do this during an inspection if they find something is an imminent risk?

Sparkies have no direct authority to disconnect your power. However, if something is found which is immeadiately dangerous (which would be code C1 on the report) they should make a reasonable attempt to contact the person ordering the work to advise them of the danger (and hopefully the person ordering the work will see sense and allow the spark to rectify the problem)

Some sparks may issue a dangerous condition notice should they meet a very silly customer who refuses to have the work done.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

... my sister being electrocuted (minor) ...

Apart from those idiots at the Oxford dictionary, nobody else regards electrocution as minor, because everybody else defines the word as meaning death by electric shock.

Your sister was not killed.

There is absolutely no reason to redefine "electrocution" to mean "electric shock", as the term "electric shock" is perfectly serviceable, and every reason not to redefine it and thus lose the only word we have to mean death by electric shock.

 

[stillp]

"Electric Shock" is a noun BAS. It's useful to have a verb meaning "to injure by electric shock".

 

[ebee]

Indeed Electrocution is death by electric shock. It is a word originated from two words Electrical Execution. If you are not dead you have not been electrocuted, you have merely had an electric shock.
Despite what some dictionary's actually say, someone who has been electrocuted is dead

 

[ebee]

Another word oft misused, especially by politicians "Refute". I refute that! Oh no you do not. Just as bad as folk that claim that tomatoes, cucumbers and peas are veg. They are not, they are fruit (peas are pulses, part of the fruit, so in a choice between fruit and veg they are fruit)

 

[davelx]

Why on earth have you resurrected a 10 year old thread?

 

[SUNRAY]

Why on earth have you resurrected a 10 year old thread?

The problem here is, somehow old threads appear within current lists and then don't give the 'oldthread' notification, I've done it myself.

 

[JohnW2]

The problem here is, somehow old threads appear within current lists and then don't give the 'oldthread' notification, I've done it myself.

I think we've all "done it". Of the five threads in the "Similar Threads" list currently associated with this one, the 'youngest' dates from 2014 (and the oldest from 2006). I can't help but wonder whether it would not be better if these lists only included 'relatively recent' (however defined!) threads?

Kind Regards,John