Home insurance - Tips & Advice - Safety in the home
How well you do you know and respect the electrics in your home? If you want to avoid getting a nasty shock, it’s vital to give your electrical wiring and appliances a regular MOT. Plus, if you have concerns that dodgy wiring could cause an incident, here’s some advice on how to avoid this happening and also how Direct Line can help in an emergency…
The shock factor
Live washing machines, no earth wires in fuse boxes and dodgy sockets hidden behind furniture are just some of the shocking finds uncovered by safety experts in one recent maintenance check. Unsurprisingly, looking at these findings, some 12,500 fires in UK homes every year involve electrics which involve faulty or inadequate wiring – studies show nine out of ten people in the UK don’t bother to keep a regular check of electrics and appliances, even when they move into a new property. Electricity is so essential in modern homes, and it only takes one old or poorly wired plug to start a fire. While Direct Line Home Insurance will do everything possible to help and help cover the damage to your property or contents, the emotional cost of fire can be huge.
Reducing the risks – call in the professionals
The Home Safety Network was set up in 2000 to reduce the serious toll of accidents in the home. It urges the public to carry out a regular electrical household MOT. According to the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) – the UK's consumer safety organisation and independent regulatory body for the electrical industry, you should get your home inspected by an approved electrical contractor every ten years. During the inspection, the electrical contractor will check for potential electrical shock risks, check for electrical fire hazards, make sure your electrical circuits and equipment are not overloaded, make sure all the wiring is safe and test all electrical appliances. If the inspection report highlights any urgent problems, you or your landlord will need to get them fixed as soon as possible.
Reducing the risks – what you can do
Don't be tempted to carry out significant electrical work yourself. Under the recently introduced Buildings Regulations (Part P) any significant electrical work undertaken in your home must be completed or inspected by a qualified electrician or checked by local authority building inspectors.
To help keep even more safe, you should take the following precautions. Keep an eye out for the wear and tear of appliances including leads, plugs and leaking or cracked kettles or irons. Remember to turn off all appliances at night rather than leaving them on standby and if possible remove plugs from the sockets; also switch off all lights, especially on Christmas trees, overnight. Be mindful not to overload appliances into one socket and take note of the voltage of appliances, especially if bought from abroad. Plus check for possible danger signs. These include plugs or wall sockets that are overheating, scorched or cracked cables, wires that are loose, exposed or fraying, a burning smell when appliances are switched on and fuses which blow frequently.
If you need more information, contact the NICEIC on 0800 013 0900 (lines open 8am-6pm) or see www.niceic.org.uk.
What to do in an emergency
If an electrical fault does occur and leads to fire, Direct Line Home Buildings and Contents Insurance will cover you, although do check your policy for any conditions that apply. Direct Line’s Home Response 24 scheme can offer extra peace of mind, for a small premium, with access to emergency advice and thousands of qualified tradesmen who can help remedy problems. Remember, if you need to make a claim you must report any incidents immediately.
Five more ways to wise up on wiring:
www.niceic.org.uk
www.communities.gov.uk
www.firekills.gov.uk
www.gas-elec.co.uk/homeowners
www.dti.gov.uk/homesafetynetwork
For more details have a look at Direct Line Home Insurance including our
Home Repair Network and Home Response 24 cover.
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