Charity Issues Urgent Warning to Those That Have Been Affected by the Floods
The Electrical Safety Council is issuing a warning to those that have been affected by the floods following extreme weather conditions in many areas. The charity is urging all residents whose homes have been affected by high water levels to take care when cleaning up, especially around electricity which can cause further damage or put people at risk.
London, United Kingdom, January 11, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Water and electricity can be a lethal combination, and with more rain on its way the Electrical Safety Council wants all homeowners to be aware of the risks of combining the two. Wiring and electrical appliances that have been affected by water can at best stop working and at worst cause an electric shock.
“When faced with flooding damage it can be tempting to jump straight in as it’s natural to want things back to normal as quickly as possible,” explains Penny Walshe from the Electrical Safety Council, “but it is important to make sure your home is electrically safe before you do anything else.
“If the water damage to electrics is relatively minor and caused by clean water, i.e. from a burst water pipe or tank, then the cables will need to be dried and affected electrical accessories such as sockets, switches and plugs will need to be replaced. But if there is major flooding damage caused by contaminated water, i.e. sewage, then there is a chance that affected parts of the house will need to be rewired. Take a step back and call in a registered electrician to assess the damage before you try and fix anything else.”
The Electrical Safety Council is urging homeowners affected by floods to follow these top tips to deal with the damage quickly and safely:
• Don’t touch any sources of electricity – such as switches or appliances – when standing in flood water
• Ask your supplier to turn off your electricity and don’t turn it back on until it is safe to do so
• Make sure all electrical equipment affected by flood water has been checked by an electrician before you use it again
• Ask a registered electrician to carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)* to check the condition of electrical wiring in your home
• If your home needs to be rewired, ask about raising the height of newly installed electrical equipment above any future expected flood level
For detailed advice on flooding and what to do, visit www.esc.org.uk
* Formerly known as a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR)
“When faced with flooding damage it can be tempting to jump straight in as it’s natural to want things back to normal as quickly as possible,” explains Penny Walshe from the Electrical Safety Council, “but it is important to make sure your home is electrically safe before you do anything else.
“If the water damage to electrics is relatively minor and caused by clean water, i.e. from a burst water pipe or tank, then the cables will need to be dried and affected electrical accessories such as sockets, switches and plugs will need to be replaced. But if there is major flooding damage caused by contaminated water, i.e. sewage, then there is a chance that affected parts of the house will need to be rewired. Take a step back and call in a registered electrician to assess the damage before you try and fix anything else.”
The Electrical Safety Council is urging homeowners affected by floods to follow these top tips to deal with the damage quickly and safely:
• Don’t touch any sources of electricity – such as switches or appliances – when standing in flood water
• Ask your supplier to turn off your electricity and don’t turn it back on until it is safe to do so
• Make sure all electrical equipment affected by flood water has been checked by an electrician before you use it again
• Ask a registered electrician to carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)* to check the condition of electrical wiring in your home
• If your home needs to be rewired, ask about raising the height of newly installed electrical equipment above any future expected flood level
For detailed advice on flooding and what to do, visit www.esc.org.uk
* Formerly known as a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR)
Contact
Electrical Safety Council
Penny Walshe
+442034635100
www.esc.org.uk
Penny Walshe
+442034635100
www.esc.org.uk
Contact
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