People in France with electric installations older than 15 years warned of anomalies and fire risk
In some areas close to 90% of homes have a faulty electrical appliance
Older electrical appliances can have several issues which can cause house fires
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More than 80% of the electrical installations in French homes that are over 15 years old have at least one fault that increases the risk of fire, according to a new report.
The Observatoire national de la sécurité électrique (ONSE) estimates that 82.6% of appliances above this age are faulty, which could lead to potential issues such as overheating, short-circuiting, and electrocutions.
It estimates the number of homes with at least one faulty appliance is 87.5% (or 79.1% for flats).
Regionally, properties in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region have a slightly lower number of faults (78.2%, with the highest number in Grand-Est (86.5%).
Despite greatly increasing the risk of a home fire, these “risks are often ignored,” the ONSE said in a report published on Thursday by Promotelec association.
Nearly two-thirds of these older electricals have faulty earthing (64%), obsolete equipment (46%), or risk coming into contact with (41%).
To combat the increased risk, Promotelec is calling for safer electrical appliance usage to become part of France’s housing policy.
This can be through the use of regular inspection of homes, increasing the skill of electricians working on homes, and educating members of the public about safer use of electrical appliances.
“Electricity, although invisible, can represent a major danger in homes that were not designed to accommodate modern uses,” said Florence Delettre, Director General of the Promotelec in a press release about the report.
“It is therefore essential that occupants become aware of the fundamental role played by the electrics in their home. They need to have this checked, serviced and maintained, just as they would their car,” she added.
Thousands of electrocutions per year
Around 3,000 hospitalisations annually are caused by electrocution, resulting in 34 deaths in 2022.
In the same year of 150,000 accidents due to house fires, up to 35% were caused by faulty electrics.
This risk is increased by not only the increased number of electrical appliances in homes, but larger appliances such as heating pumps (pompes à chaleur) and solar panels.
Promotolec also advises the integration of ‘electrical safety’ into energy transition policies.
