Is EICR best way to check if electrics are safe?

Skibunny40

My dad has lived in the same house for 65 years. He moved in when it was a new-build and it's still the original wiring. Everyone knows that it should be replaced but Dad's not keen on all the upheaval and keeping saying "it'll see me out". I just want to know how dangerous it actually is - obviously if there's a real danger, we'd just have to get the rewiring done asap but if it could be put off or just minor improvements made, then that's easier all round.

Googling suggests getting an EICR might be the best way to go, but I'm worried that the electrician carrying it out would just say that it's all dangerous and needs replaced immediately as they want the work! Am I just being paranoid? Any better suggestions? Thanks!

Robin9

The installation certainly will not meet the regulations of today but may not be dangerous.

Do get it tested and get several quotes for any remedial work .

Skibunny40

Would it be worth getting more than one EICR? Or just get quotes from various electricians based on the work highlighted in the EICR?

Robin9

The EICR is a series of standard tests and the report should be the same whoever does it.

System

Skibunny40 wrote: »

Would it be worth getting more than one EICR? Or just get quotes from various electricians based on the work highlighted in the EICR?

Personally, I would go for one EICR. It is supposed to be based on objective criteria (ie; electrical tests).

Have a read of this link:

https://www.realhomes.com/advice/updating-electrics

You are opening something of a Pandora's Box which may be expensive to close. Following an EICR, you need to get a few quotes with a detailed list of the work to be undertaken.

FWiW, many years ago, my wife and I were renting an old property. The door bell failed. The Landlord's chosen electrician arrived and said that the problem was wiring related so best he replace it. He then proceeded to pull on the wire. After many minutes of struggling, there was a loud crash when the fuse box in the hall fell off the wall. What should have been a simple bell push replacement, became a partial re-wire as the electrician had no option but to fit a consumer unit.

Skibunny40

[QUOTE=

FWiW, many years ago, my wife and I were renting an old property. The door bell failed. The Landlord's chosen electrician arrived and said that the problem was wiring related so best he replace it. He then proceeded to pull on the wire. After many minutes of struggling, there was a loud crash when the fuse box in the hall fell off the wall. What should have been a simple bell push replacement, became a partial re-wire as the electrician had no option but to fit a consumer unit.[/QUOTE]

What you experienced, is exactly what I'm worried about. I'd rather fix the electrics when they're still working, before it becomes an emergency situation.

badmemory

Why not suggest to him that he has a new consumer unit fitted which will be much easier for him to deal with if a "fuse blows", just flick a switch. No proper electrician will fit one without testing the wiring.

System

badmemory wrote: »

Why not suggest to him that he has a new consumer unit fitted which will be much easier for him to deal with if a "fuse blows", just flick a switch. No proper electrician will fit one without testing the wiring.

You are of course correct; however,....... I had a 32 amp EV charger fitted to my old home about 4 years ago. The property was built in 2001. After fitting the charger; wiring and circuit breaker, the electrician carried out the appropriate electrical safety check. A fault (under reading) was detected with the connection to earth. Interestingly, this was not detected on the safety check arrived out 3 years previously when I had PV Solar panels fitted. As a competent person, the electrician had to produce the appropriate paperwork for the work that he had carried out. ( A Domestic Electrical Installation Certificate). I had little option but to pay for a new external ground earth.

Smodlet

OP, as with any tradesperson, please, please get personal recommendations from people you trust, not websites with "Trust(ed)" in their name. Just ask around family/friends/colleagues/neighbours/your dad's neighbours and do not be caught out by a complete charlatan (the polite version) as we were.

The good that came out of that situation was we found an absolutely wonderful electrician, two actually as they worked together. We had to wait two months for them; a lesson there. Really good tradespeople tend not to be available at a moment's notice.

If you could post a picture of your dad's consumer unit, it would give an indication of the likely state of the wiring but 65 years old would be enough for me to go for a full re-wire. You should have seen this place when we got it. Extension leads the length of rooms as only one socket in each, bakelite (google it) sockets, some without a switch. Sod paying for a report; it was a no-brainer.

HTH.

ETA: When we looked at another place, the senior of those two electricians came with us to check over the electrics; he advised against re-wiring that one and just to replace the consumer unit and add some more sockets. He would not take even a fiver to cover his fuel costs. There really is no substitute for tradespeople you know and trust. They are worth their weight in gold, imho.