Are your family and appliances protected from electrical surges?

Electrical wires

Are your family and appliances protected from electrical surges?

RCDs (Residual Current Devices) are installed on your electrical switch board and act as a flow gauge. If there is a problem with an electrical device or something goes wrong with your electrical wiring, this can cause an increase in the flow of electricity into your home and possibly your appliances.

We all know electricity has the ability to kill if it is not controlled. Your RCDs keep watch and if they detect an increase in the flow (for any number of reasons), they will automatically switch off the power circuit. This is not to annoy you. This is to keep you safe.

An RCD can save your life if you ever come into contact with live wires or by touching an appliance that has become faulty due to wear and tear or from the wiring or circuits being damaged by pests. If you do come into contact with it, the RCD is designed to detect the path to earth (through your body) and immediately switch off.

Before you can transfer ownership of a property, the owner must have at least two RCDs installed to protect all the electrical circuits in the house. All properties built since 2000 should already meet this requirement. If yours does not, you will need to employ a licensed electrician to install them for you.

Your settlement agent should ensure that this has been signed off prior to finalising the sale of a house.

Our building inspections will check if this requirement has been met and will be specifically commented on in the report.

RCD fact sheet for properties in Western Australia: https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/energysafety/rcd-fact-sheet

Please note this article is general in nature and provided for background information only. If you are unsure as to your personal situation, please obtain specific advice.

Contact the team at ProConsult Building Inspections Today.

Termites – what do they really look like?

Termites are found in a majority of gardens in Perth if you look for them – but do you know what you are looking for? Termites are often referred to...

Mould Growth in Showers

Mould thrives in moist environments, making showers an ideal breeding ground. To prevent mould growth in showers, it’s essential to maintain proper ventilation and minimize moisture build-up. This does not...

Showers – Damp Penetration

Damp will eventually get through the walls of your showers if they are not maintained properly. We refer to this as damp penetration. This may seem innocuous at first but...