Tesing & Inspections

Electrical Testing and Inspection Bristol

Electricity is something we all use every day. However, we often overlook just how dangerous it can be, which is why inspections and regular testing are so crucial. This involves inspecting all of a property’s electrical system to identify necessary repairs and potential hazards.

For professional electrical testing services for domestic, commercial and industrial properties, choose ICS Ltd. With over 25 years of industry experience, you can rest assured that ICS Ltd offers an expert service. Our experienced team of electricians in Avonmouth and Bristol offer a full range of electrical testing and inspection in Bristol and across the South West.

Conducting regular electrical testing & inspection won’t just keep your property safe, but it will also ensure you are complying with existing safety regulations, protecting you against potential legal action.

What is Electrical Testing & Inspection? 

Under UK law, property owners must conduct an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) every five years or when tenancy changes. These reports are essential for ensuring the safety of a property and are used to confirm that all electrical systems are in good working order.

Electrical systems can be complex, and spotting potential hazards requires specialist knowledge and training. Electrical installation condition reports are designed to identify, address and ultimately prevent electrical hazards, keeping the residents of that property safe.

Furthermore, these EICRs ensure that properties adhere to UK safety standards, such as BC 767, which is the country’s standard for electrical installations and wiring safety. Inspection and testing will make sure your property is not in breach of these regulations.

There are a number of different processes involved in electrical inspections. These include fixed wire testing, which is the testing of wiring, sockets and switches, and portable appliance testing (PAT), which tests electrical appliances to make sure they’re safe to use. 

Who Needs Electrical Testing & Inspection?

Landlords

Under the Electrical Safety Standards set out in the Private Rented Sector Regulations 2020, landlords must hold a landlord electrical safety certificate and conduct periodic inspections to ensure their properties are safe. Certificates must be held for each property and renewed every five years or whenever there is a change of tenancy.

Homeowners

While domestic electrical testing might not be legally required for homeowners, this doesn’t mean it’s something that can be forgotten about. Quite the opposite, in fact, homeowners must conduct regular tests to ensure the electrical systems and appliances in their homes are safe and functioning correctly. Regular testing can help identify problems before they turn into serious safety hazards.

Business owners

For business owners, it’s a legal requirement that all commercial properties comply with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. Regular commercial electrical testing is essential and is the only sure way to meet these legal standards. What’s more, these testing processes will ensure that commercial properties are safe for both staff and customers.

Industrial sites

Industrial sites are often at higher risk of electrical faults and hazards. For this reason, these sites must undergo frequent inspections and testing to guarantee electrical safety. Crucially, these checks must be conducted by highly qualified professionals who have a comprehensive understanding of the unique electrical safety requirements of industrial sites.

Benefits of Regular Electrical Testing 

What kind of benefits can homeowners, business owners and landowners see from regular electrical inspections and testing?

Ensures safety by identifying potential electrical faults.

Many electrical faults can often go undetected but can still pose a serious safety risk. Only through regular electrical testing can these faults be successfully identified. From there, steps can be taken to mitigate potential damage and conduct effective electrical repairs to prevent the fault from reoccurring in the future.

Ensures compliance with UK electrical regulations (BS 7671).

In the UK, electrical regulation standards such as the BS 7671 set out rules regarding the safe installation, use and management of electrical systems. Complying with these regulations is critical, and this can only be done through regular inspection and testing. Failure to adhere to these standards can put your safety at risk and leave you open to punitive regulatory action.

Helps landlords and businesses avoid fines and legal issues.

For landlords and business owners, one of the biggest benefits offered by regular testing of electrical installations is that it can help avoid potential fines and legal issues. If one of your homes is found to have improperly installed electrical systems or hazardous wiring, for instance, you could face serious legal consequences. Regular electrical testing is the best way to prevent this from happening. 

Reduces the risk of electrical fires and accidents.

Conducting regular electrical tests isn’t just about staying on the right side of the law. While that is no doubt important, these tests also ensure that properties are safe. Electrical fires and accidents can happen in an instant, and the damage they can cause can be catastrophic. To safeguard your property, business and loved ones, have your electrical systems tested regularly.

Increases energy efficiency by identifying faulty or overloaded circuits.

We’re living through economically challenging times. Making savings where you can has never been more important, and regular electrical testing allows you to do just that. Instead of waiting for a disaster, which can be both dangerous and costly, testing gives you the opportunity to nip problems in the bud before they spiral out of control.

ICS Ltd’s Electrical Testing Services

ICS Ltd offers a wide range of electric testing services. These include:

EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report)

An EICR is a legal requirement for property owners and is used to ensure that electrical systems are safe and properly installed. An EICR inspection involves checking circuits, cables and electrical fittings to identify problems.  The process can take 1-3 hours or more, depending on the size of the property.

Fixed Wire Testing

Fixed wire testing is conducted to ensure all wiring systems in a property or commercial space are safe. It includes all types of wiring, as well as switches and sockets. These are checked for potential faults and hazards to prevent serious issues from developing.

PAT Testing

Much of the electricity we use is for the powering of external appliances. PAT testing is the process used to test these appliances and ensure they do not pose a risk of overheating or fire. PAT testing involves both visual and operational testing.

Emergency Light Testing

Whether it’s in a domestic or commercial property, a sudden loss of lighting can be disruptive and dangerous. ICS Ltd offer emergency light testing to guarantee that your emergency lights will work in case of power failures.

Fault Finding & Repairs

Electrical issues can strike at any time. To mitigate the potential disruption and risks that outages or faults can pose, ICS Ltd offer a quick response fault-finding and response service to get your power back up and running as soon as possible.

NICEIC-approved electricians.

ICS Ltd use highly qualified, NICEIC-approved electricians for all electrical work. This means you can rest assured that our electricians have the skills, experience and qualifications required to get the job done properly.

Why Choose ICS Ltd for Electrical Testing? 

With over 25 years of industry experience, ICS Ltd should be your number one choice for electrical testing and inspections. Our fully qualified, NICEIC-certified electricians deliver quality service in a timely fashion while always adhering to stringent health and safety standards.

Our services are competitively priced, and we work closely with our clients to find arrangements that suit all parties. There are no hidden fees involved; you pay only for the services you have used. Our service is fast, with quick turnaround times, and reliable, and we deliver detailed inspection reports to give you a comprehensive understanding of the work we’ve done and what, if any, remedial work needs to be completed. For electrical testing & inspection Bristol, choose ICS Ltd.

Our electricians in Bristol can also carry out electrical testing & inspection on the following:

• Emergency lighting
• Fire detection systems
• Portable appliances (PAT)