Planning to sell your home, apply for a bond, or simply ensure your property is electrically safe? Before you schedule that COC inspection, it helps to know what electricians look for during their assessment. Catching potential issues early can save you time, money, and the stress of a failed inspection. Here are five common signs that your home’s electrical system might fail the COC inspection.
1. Your Distribution Board Looks Outdated or Damaged
The distribution board (also known as a DB board) is the main part of your electrical system. If yours still has the old fuses instead of modern circuit breakers, or if the board shows signs of burn marks, rust, or physical damage, it’s likely non compliant with current SANS 10142 standards. Inspectors will check that your DB board is properly labeled, has sufficient earth leakage protection, and meets modern safety requirements. Outdated boards are one of the most common reasons for COC failures.
2. You Have No Earth Leakage Protection
Earth leakage units are critical safety devices that protect you from electric shock and electrical fires. If your home doesn’t have an earth leakage unit installed, or if the one you have isn’t working properly, your installation will fail inspection. The electrician will test your earth leakage by pressing the test button during inspection. If it doesn’t trip immediately, you’ll need repairs before a certificate can be issued.
3. Visible Wiring Issues Throughout Your Home
Walk through your home and look for exposed wires, damaged cables, or wiring that’s been poorly installed or modified. Common red flags include extension cords being used as permanent wiring solutions, cables running along skirting boards or under carpets, plugs or light fittings hanging loose from walls, and burn marks around switches or plugs.
4. Your Home Has DIY or Unlicensed Electrical Work
Unfortunately, any work not completed by a qualified electrician may not meet compliance standards, even if it appears to be working fine. Inspectors can often spot DIY work, and they’ll require it to be redone by a qualified electrician before issuing the certificate. This is why it’s always important to use registered electricians for any electrical modifications or additions.
5. Incorrect or Missing Bonding and Earthing
Proper bonding and earthing are essential for electrical safety, yet they’re often overlooked in older homes. The inspector will check that your electrical system has proper earth connections and that all metal pipes, geysers, and other conductive materials are correctly bonded. Without proper earthing and bonding, your system poses a serious safety risk and will not pass inspection. This is particularly common in homes built before modern electrical codes were strictly enforced.
What Should You Do If You Spot These Issues?
We are qualified and registered with the Department of Labour and ECA (Electrical Contractors Association). Contact us for an inspection and we will make sure your electrical system is up to standard with SANS 10142.
Read about what and Electrical Certificate of Compliance (COC) includes and excludes here.