A CALL-OUT IN COLINDALE NW9 SHOWS HOW A LEAK CAN DAMAGE YOUR ELECTRICS

One of our SOR Electrical electricians was recently called out to a ground floor flat in Colindale NW9 to repair an extractor fan in their bathroom.  Our electrician noticed that there were water stain marks on the ceiling board near the fan, and down the side of the wall. The tenant explained that their upstairs neighbour had a problem with a leaking washing machine and water had started trickling down through the ceiling in their bathroom and their kitchen.

The leak had also damaged wiring above the kitchen

Our electrician immediately had a look in the ceiling spaces and discovered that not only was the water leakage the cause of the problem with the extractor fan, but some of the wiring above the kitchen had also been affected and was showing signs of corrosion.  Furthermore, there was still some water that hadn’t drained away and was still sitting around the wires in the ceiling.

25% of all flat insurance claims in the UK are for damage from water leaks

Water damage is a common problem with electrics with water leakage into ceiling spaces affecting wiring and light fittings. A quarter of all insurance claims made on flats in the UK are for damage caused by water leaks.

What to do if you’ve had a leak

If you’ve had a serious leak in your home, I always advise that you have your electrics inspected by an electrician even if they look fine to you with a visual check. It is not possible to tell without a proper inspection whether they are actually safe.

I recommend having an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) done. As the name implies, it’s a report into the condition of the electrical installation and will highlight any safety shortcomings, defects and also any deviations from the current revision of the electrical regulations BS7671. An EICR should always be carried out by a fully qualified and registered electrician.

All our Hendon, Colindale and Kingsbury, NW9 electricians at SOR Electrical our certified, qualified and Part P registered.  If you’ve recently had a leak or are unsure about the condition of the electrical installation in your home, please give SOR Electrical a call on 0208 935 5199. Or contact info@sorelectrical.com. Leave your name and number and one of our SOR Electrical, London staff will call you back within the hour.