Electrics not bonded to gas or water pipes

wannabe_sybil

Please be kind to me, I don't post much away from the Old Style Board.:o

An electrician came today to do one of those checks that they do for HIPs . We are not planning on selling immediately, but in the next few years and I want to try and get ahead of any problems.

He said that there was no earth on either any of the water pipes or any of the gas pipes.

Is this bad?

(He also said we needed a new board, but I rather thought we may - even I can tell that it is a bit elderly)

Doozergirl

The HIP doesn't assess the condition of your property or the electrics.

There's an EPC which measures more how environmentally friendly your house is and how much your heating bills are likely to be. It has nothing to do with electrics, apart from the type of lightbulbs you use!

flang

Pipe work and most other fixed metal items around the house are usually earthed. This is so that all metal items are at the same electrical potential.

Failure to earth metal items means that in the event of short circuit the electric would jump to a less potential item and not run to earth.

I believe the minimum cable size to earth items is 6mm but I stand to be corrected.
Simply DIY job.

adaze

I'm not up to date with the regs, but I thought that supplementary bonding was DIY (infact I don't think you need that anymore?) but mains was Part P.

Thats what it says here

The risk of no bonding was already mentioned (sort of) but if there is no bonding and there is a short circuit, and you are the quickest route to earth then the electricity will use YOU as the route to earth! A new board and bonding might be around £300 ish (depends where you are...)

weekendwarrior

Sounds like he has done an electrical inspection and is fishing for work.

Is the board really old?

The earthing and bonding can be done yourself.

The main bond to the gas and water pipe should be 10mm2 minimum.

Supplementary bonding to the bathroom water pipes is normally done in a minimum of 4mm2

It is covered quite well here-

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/earthing.htm

wallbash

Sounds like he has done an electrical inspection and is fishing for work.

Or he might just be stating the obvious or covering himself
I give him the benefit of the doubt.

DIY job , YES as to the bonding

The problem comes with the introduction of plastic fittings :rolleyes:

I wonder how many people get an electrical shock, standing at the sink
or having a bath .....hence introduction of regs concerning elec outlets near sinks!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I had a sparks come in to run a new spur in for cooker, dishwasher and a couple of extra sockets in the kitchen about 6 months ago. He told me that because plumbing is moving towards non conductive materials and a water leak and electricity do not mix, you no longer have to have earth wires attached to the pipework. As he could easily have got me to pay him to replace the whole consumer unit by that point (I just wanted the power back on so I could have a cuppa tea), I felt his comments were honest.

Very Possible that HIP guy was trying to augment their income to make up for the problems with HIPs.

But I'm just a cynical old bag.

wannabe_sybil

Thank you for all your replies.

I am getting a periodical inspection certificate - he was checking everything was wired up correctly.

In the past we have had problems with lights repeatedly blowing etc.

I am reasonably sure that the board needs replacing. There are actually two boards next to each other and sort of looped together. Apparently there should be circuit breakers on them - I know that they are over 20 years old. I am ignoring the suggestion to update that for now.

All the pipework for the central heating is copper piping. I suppose theoretically if that got affected by some loose wiring then there could be a big bang? We have lived here for nearly twenty years and we have not gone bang yet.

As for DIY - I can probably change a bulb, beyond that and I am extremely nervous. However I shall look at the links and I really do appreciate your comments. He has quoted £250 for eight rooms of radiators, gas, plumbing etc and I just can't afford that at the moment so that is all there is to it. I shall re-read and ponder all these replies and see how I prioritise getting it done/doing it (:eek::eek::eek::eek:)

I would like to say thank you again for your help - I have no idea with these things!

gerad_way

I have just had all my electrics finished today for my rental house.
To have:
A new consumer box
Gas boiler/ mains gas meter earthed
All plugs and switches earthed and replaced where needed.
pat testing on electric fires, bathroom heater
certificate for tenant
5 plugs made safe as 1 plug had 5 spurs coming off it.(Kept blowing the fuses)
17 hours work for electrician it was a big job
Cost just over £600
hope this helps

will-he-payitoff

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

I had a sparks come in to run a new spur in for cooker, dishwasher and a couple of extra sockets in the kitchen about 6 months ago. He told me that because plumbing is moving towards non conductive materials and a water leak and electricity do not mix, you no longer have to have earth wires attached to the pipework. As he could easily have got me to pay him to replace the whole consumer unit by that point (I just wanted the power back on so I could have a cuppa tea), I felt his comments were honest.

Very Possible that HIP guy was trying to augment their income to make up for the problems with HIPs.

But I'm just a cynical old bag.

What you were told was wrong, maybe the guy you had just wanted some easy money by doing the minimum work. BTW did you get any electrical certificates from him on completion?

wannabe_sybil

will-he-payitoff wrote: »

What you were told was wrong, maybe the guy you had just wanted some easy money by doing the minimum work. BTW did you get any electrical certificates from him on completion?

I suppose what I am a little concerned about is that all the water pipes and all the central heating pipes to eight rooms and a bathroom are not earthed and are all copper (everything in this house is a little elderly ) All the gas pipes are copper and the stove and the gas fire are metal and not earthed.

Actually, I think there are some remnants of lead piping around, but I am not sure where and I don't think that helps.

As to the board - the electrician said that some of the wire was rubber coated. I think that makes it quite elderly.

I really appreciate all the comments on here and I shall be following up the links. I suspect I will get the electrician in to do it but perhaps not in the next month or two, but I shall think it all over.

Thank you for your support and help.