Electrical Consumer Unit Enclosures – Are Yours Up to Scratch?

Anyone whose home has ever been subject to a power cut, even for a short amount of time, has probably had the realisation of just how dependant we are on electricity in this day and age. At the heart of any home in 2020 is the electrical consumer unit enclosure – which the distribution board which feeds power to the circuits which in turn keep your home running.

Should we be worried about electrical fires?

To put that question into perspective, almost 12% of UK house fires are caused by electrical distribution faults1, which is why installing a fire-resistant electrical consumer unit enclosure couldn’t be more important. We often come across enclosures which are made from non-fire resistant materials such as MDF and wood, neither of which offer much, if any protection or delay should an electrical fire break out.

Interestingly, electrical consumer units are quite often located in the path of a fire escape route, usually near a fire exit, making the integrity of the enclosure all the more crucial. As the landlord of a domestic property, it’s crucial to check where yours are and more importantly what they’re made of; in order to adhere to BS 7671:2008 which applies to domestic properties here in the UK, you’ll want to ensure they’re fire-rated and properly built. That means having a third-party certified partner like ourselves come in and install the right electrical consumer unit enclosure from non-combustible materials – sooner rather than later.

Electrical consumer unit enclosures – a crucial fire-stopping tool

When we conduct a fire risk assessment, we’re looking for hazards and offering advice on what could be done to reduce the spread of fire and smoke in the event that the worst does happen. With metal enclosures now available with a fire-rating of up to one hour, a simple upgrade could be the difference between lives lost and saved.

This versatile fire stopping method is not only mandatory, but makes a lot of sense. In the same way that you’d cordon off an unsafe area of a building, doing what you can to enclose and partition other fire hazards for the safety of the tenants living within is both your legal and moral responsibility as a landlord.

Fire risk assessments from Excel

When you partner with us you’re not just being told what’s wrong, but will receive an in-depth report outlining each and every hazard we identify within your property and the steps to mitigate them – photos included. Our clients love the thoroughness of our inspections, not to mention the ongoing guidance and advice – whether we’re dealing with an electrical consumer unit enclosure, fire-rated door installation, validation survey or more. Get in touch to learn more about how we’re changing up the fire risk assessment industry here in London.

 

1https://www.netatmo.com/en-us/guides/security/fire/statistics/blaze-statistics

 

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