1) What did the customer need?
We were contacted by the customer using our online contact form through the website. The customer filled out their details and asked us to make contact. They requested help with a shower pull cord switch that had gone faulty and was no longer operating the power supply to the shower.
When a shower pull cord switch goes faulty, we assume the worst including burnt out switch, melted cables and some kind of wiring repairs up in the loft.
Back to top2) The condition of the electrical installation
The electrical installation itself was around 40 years old having been rewired in the mid-1980s. The wiring colours before 2004-2006 were red/black as opposed to the brown/blue that we have now. Without carrying out a full electrical inspection we could not determine an in-depth picture of the condition of the entire wiring system but the parts we saw appeared to be in good condition for their age.
Back to top3) What did we do?
As mentioned above, whenever an electric shower pull cord switch is mentioned as not working correctly, we always assume the worst and for good reason. Electric showers pull a massive amount of electrical current and are the largest electrical load that you will have in your property. When loose connections, high resistances or circuit failures occur with electric showers there is usually more damage than you might be expecting.
On this occasion there was no wiring damage whatsoever! A pleasant surprise indeed. We removed the old shower pull cord switch and replaced this with a new unit. A nice straightforward swap with enough length on the cable to safely terminate the new switch.
Back to top4) What did we charge?
This job fell under our minimum charge plus parts. £90 + £10 for the new shower pull cord switch unit. The total cost was £100 for this job.
Back to top5) What did we recommend?
As the electrical installation had not been inspected since it was rewired around 40 years ago, we strongly recommended that a periodic electrical inspection be carried out as soon as possible. This process produces a document called an Electrical Installation Condition Report which details any defects, dangers or non-compliances with modern wiring regulations.
The IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology) recommends that an electrical inspection is carried out in private domestic premises at least every ten years. 40 years, is pushing your luck with electrical safety.
Back to top6) The outcome
The customer was happy with the outcome, the shower is working once again and we hope that they will act on our recommendation to have the electrical system thoroughly checked as soon as possible.
Back to top7) Small electrical jobs in Liverpool
Not every electrician wants to rewire the house, likes to take on jobs lasting several days or weeks. We will tackle the small jobs for you from swapping a light switch to adding additional socket outlets in your home. Upgrading the Fusebox, testing for electrical danger and emergency calls in the middle of the night.
If you need an electrician in Liverpool then give us a call.
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