Earth Bonding

This is bonding for the hot water and the central heating – It is “Cross bonded” by attaching 4mm green & yellow cables to each of the pipes in the bath/shower room or in the airing cupboard if it adjoins, or is in the bath/shower room. The bath/shower room is the most important place to be bonded, as this is where you could be wet, naked and vulnerable to electrocution. All metalwork in these areas must be bonded. This includes the earth conductors in circuits to an electric shower; shaver point, lighting and heaters/towel rails, which must also be bonded to the pipework.

It is also quite common for electrical certificates (eicrs) to flag no main equipotential bonding.

This is usually a 10mm green & yellow cable, which runs from the consumer unit to the house side of the main water stopcock and to the house side of the gas meter. These are necessary nowadays as the water and gas service providers run their supplies in plastic pipes and so there is no longer a “Good earth” from their pipes.

Your inspection certificates would still pass with these defects listed as they are not life threatening, however most councils and housing associations will not accept a inspection report with these types of defects.