How to Read an EICR Report – A Simple Guide for Homeowners
Understanding the EICR result:
Satisfactory : The installation is considered safe for continued use, with no observations requiring an unsatisfactory result.
Unsatisfactory: There are issues that need addressing before the installation can be considered satisfactory.
What do the different codes mean?
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C1- Danger Present
Immediate danger. Someone could be at risk of electric shock or injury. Urgent action is required.
C2- Potentially Dangerous
A potentially dangerous issue that requires urgent remedial work.
C3- Improvement Recommended
An improvement that would make the installation safer, but it does not make the EICR unsatisfactory.
FI- Further Investigation Required
Something has been identified that needs further investigation to establish whether a dangerous or potentially dangerous condition exists.
Unsatisfactory requirements:
Remedial work:
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) assesses the safety of an existing electrical installation and identifies any defects, damage or areas of concern that could present a risk to people or property.
If an installation receives an unsatisfactory result, it means that one or more observations have been identified that require further attention.
Remedial work is carried out to address these issues and bring the affected parts of the electrical installation to an acceptable standard of safety.
Some examples of issues that may require remedial work include:
Exposed live conductors: These can present a serious risk of electric shock if accidentally touched.
Missing or disconnected earth connections: These can prevent protective devices from operating correctly during an electrical fault.
Incorrect RCD protection: The wrong type of RCD may not provide suitable protection where certain types of equipment can introduce DC leakage currents.
Damaged or unsuitable consumer units: These may compromise the safety and protection of the electrical installation.
Incorrect lighting installations: Issues such as exposed connections, unsuitable downlights or inadequate fire protection can create electrical or fire risks.
Faulty or deteriorated wiring: Damaged insulation, poor connections or incorrectly installed cables can increase the risk of electric shock or overheating.
What happens if remedial work isn't carried out?
Leaving identified defects unresolved can mean that the installation continues to present a risk. Depending on the nature of the observation, this could include electric shock, overheating or fire.
C1 and C2 observations result in an unsatisfactory EICR. FI observations also result in an unsatisfactory outcome until the necessary investigation has established the condition. C3 observations are recommendations for improvement and do not make a report unsatisfactory. This can often mean that insurance companies won’t pay out in the event of an electrical issue in the premises.
What happens once the work is completed?
Once the necessary remedial work has been completed, the affected circuits and equipment should be inspected and tested to verify that the issues have been resolved.
Where appropriate, an Electrical Installation Certificate will be provided for the work undertaken, along with any updated EICR documentation where required.
At Effective Electrics, we can help explain your EICR findings, identify the work required and provide a quotation for any necessary remedial works.