Earthing & Bonding Maldon

Welcome to TM Hughes & Son Electrical Services Ltd. We install and check Earthing & Bonding in Maldon and the surrounding areas.

Earthing

Earthing in an electrical system serves a crucial protective role. It connects the non-electrical, metallic parts of the system directly to the ground, creating a safe route for electrical currents to flow if a fault arises. 

If a failure occurs, such as a wire touching the metal casing of an appliance, the current will flow through this earthing path instead of causing the casing to become live and posing a risk of electrical shock. 

Furthermore, the sudden surge in current travelling this path prompts the system’s circuit breakers or fuses to trip and disconnect the faulty circuit, preventing potential fires from overheating. 

Earthing also helps stabilise voltage levels, providing a common reference point for various voltage sources within the system and ensuring optimal operation of electrical devices.

Bonding

Bonding in an electrical system is a vital safety mechanism designed to prevent electric shocks. 

It involves creating low-resistance paths between different metallic parts of an installation that aren’t usually meant to carry electricity, such as gas and water pipes. 

These elements can inadvertently come into contact with live parts in the event of an electrical fault, potentially causing an electric shock risk. Bonding connects these metallic parts, minimising the risk by ensuring they stay at the same electrical potential. 

In other words, it prevents a dangerous voltage between these components that someone could touch simultaneously. 

Earthing & Bonding For New Electrical Installations

Electricians install earthing and bonding in new electrical installations to comply with safety standards and regulations.

The UK’s regulatory body that oversees electrical safety, including earthing and bonding, is the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). 

The IET and the British Standards Institution (BSI) are responsible for creating and updating the UK’s electrical installation safety standards, known as the Wiring Regulations or British Standard BS 7671. 

These regulations provide advice and guidance on the safe installation, operation, and maintenance of electrical systems within dwellings, including earthing and bonding requirements.

These requirements ensure that electrical installations are safe for use and effectively minimise the risk of electrical accidents. 

Earthing & Bonding For Existing Electrical Installations

Electricians must inspect and assess the earthing and bonding systems when they modify any existing electrical installation. This is in accordance with the British Standard BS 7671, the benchmark for safety standards regarding electrical installations.

Before making any additions or alterations, the electrician has to ensure that the current system poses no safety threats and that the proposed changes will not compromise the system’s safety or operation. This confirmation includes an examination of the bonding and earthing systems.

Earthing & Bonding Checks For Homeowners & Landlords

Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR) verify that a home’s electrical system, earthing, and bonding are safe for use.

Landlords must have an EICR undertaken at the start of each new tenancy or every five years.

It’s recommended that homeowners have an EICR undertaken every 10 years to ensure their electrical system is safe.

If you’re a homeowner or landlord and require an EICR, please get in touch with us using the phone number or contact form below for a free, no-obligation quote.