What is a EICR Test?

If you’ve never owned a property or worked in the electrical field, it’s unlikely that you would’ve come across an EICR. EICR stands for Electrical Installation Conditioning Report. The purpose of an Electrical Installation Conditioning Report is to periodically evaluate the safety of your property’s fixed wiring. In addition, the report is put in place to ensure the safety of occupant in a residency or rental property. An EICR Test helps to prevent hazardous accidents from occurring. For instance, electrical fires or electrical shocks.

Four aims of a EICR Test

The first aim of a electrical installation conditioning report is to keep the record of the inspection. This is in place to make sure that your electrical installations are safe.

Secondly, an EICR is in place so you can locate any unsafe damage, wear and tear to your electrical installation. This helps electricians identify, resolve, and repair any issues.

Thirdly, the report will help to identify any components of the electrical installation that don’t meet wiring regulations. Furthermore, this is critical if you own an old property. An electrician will be able to use the report to repair your property, so it meets requirements.

Lastly, the fourth aim is to help an electrician identify appliances or electrical components that could leas to an electric shock.

Once the electrical installation conditioning report has been completed, the electrician will complete a report highlighting the condition of the electrical installation at the time of the EICR. Furthermore, this record will be used in future inspections.

 

Different types of Electrical Installation Conditioning Reports?

Visual condition report

Visual condition reports are usually done for recent electrical installations. Generally, the report will not include any testing of your systems various electrical components.

Periodic inspection report

This is the full EICR. It is a comprehensive report that tests all the components of your electrical installation. As previously advised, this will help you locate any potential hazards within your building.

 

Can I conduct an EICR by myself?

When it comes to electrics, we strongly advise against DIY work. Electrical work can be hazardous and dangerous to an individual without the correct training and knowledge. Therefore, the EICR should be completed by a qualified individual with the correct training and certification.

How often should a EICR be conducted?

The answer to this depends on the type of property. For instance, if its your private home, the test should be conducted every 10 years. For a rental property, the landlord should have this completed every 5 years. In addition, its recommended to complete this test every time you have a change of tenants.

 

Do I need an EICR?

Yes. EICR are critical as they help you maintain a safe home or rental property. As electricity is not visible, conduits and cables are often concealed behind walls and ceilings. Due to this its easy for you to forget to check your electrical installation and easily miss damage caused by wear and tear. In addition, to an untrained eye it may seem as everything is operating correctly.

An Electrical Installation Conditioning Report identifies arears that need repair. A qualified electrician can use this to prevent electrical fires. Electrical fires can be extremely dangerous, Old, damaged, or faulty electrical installations and wiring are often the main cause of these fires.

 Other signs that you need an EICR?

As previously advised, we recommend EICR tests to be conducted every 10 years for your private home, every 5 years for your rental property, or every time a new tenant moves into a rental property. Below is a list of some additional signs that indicate a EICR test is required.

Traditional round pin sockets and light switches

Brown or black switches

Braided flex hanging from ceiling fixtures

Fixed cables coated in black rubber

Fixed cables coated in lead or fabric

All these listed signs come from older/outdated electrical installation, usually installed around 1960.

 

What should I do if I think I need an EICR test?

If you’re not a qualified electrician, you should not conduct an EICR test. If you believe you property requires an Electrical Installation Conditioning Report, you should contact a professional, qualified electrician. Here at NM Cabling, all our electricians are fully qualified and trained to conduct a thorough EICR test for your property.