This is a question we’re often asked at T&M Electrical Services, Electrical Testing Kent
It depends entirely on whether you have a residential property, commercial or public building and also on mortgage lenders and insurance companies.
Residential and Domestic
As a general rule residential properties should be checked at change of occupancy and a maximum of every 5 years for Residential and 10 years for Domestic, so if you’ve recently moved house this would be an ideal time to look into the history of the testing of your installations. Wiring that is unkempt can cause serious damage and electrical fires if not attended to properly, which is why strict laws and regulations govern the electrical testing industry.
Commercial, Office and Shops and Hospitals
These buildings fall into a much stricter category for electrical testing, as you can imagine. The recommended checking period is once a year. When you book a Testing Inspection with us we’ll contact you on a yearly basis to remind you that your installation needs checking to ensure you stay within the regulatory guidelines. It is of course up to you when your installations are checked and the maximum period for the Commercial, Offices, Shops and Hospitals sector is 5 years. It’s always best to check with your insurance company what they recommend to make sure your policy covers you.
Those that fall into a yearly category
Some electrical installations must be checked on a yearly basis. These include:
- Swimming Pools
- Caravan Parks
- Marinas and Fish Farms
- Fire Alarms
- Launderettes
- Petrol Filling Stations
These are all public areas and buildings and need to be checked more often to meet the Electrical laws criteria.
Other Important Installations
Emergency Lighting – These should be checked daily/monthly, there’s normally a person onsite that can do this like the office or buildings manager to ensure all is working correctly in the case of a power outage or electrical fault. The maximum time period between an official inspection is 3 years.
Construction Site Installations – These absolutely have to be checked every 3 months. This is because of the severe risk to personal injury to construction workers and the elements that they often find themselves working in. If you suffer a shock on a construction site from faulty equipment or installations , further injuries can be caused if you were on scaffolding or a ladder at the time of being shocked, which can result in further injury and loss of life.
If you have any questions or concerns about your current Electrical Installation please get in touch with us, we’ll help you make sure that you meet guidelines and that your current installations are safe and conform to current standards. Please call us on 01689 452002 and a member of the team can advise you.