A detached house has its grounding circuit. But what about an apartment? In an apartment building, no earth connection for each apartment. According to Electrician Dubai, a single grounded outlet protects the entire building; each apartment is then connected by a ground wire which passes through the common areas.
To find out if earthing is an obligation, you must refer to the NF C 15-100 standard for the year of construction of your home. Since 1969, the standard has Electrician Dubai all the rules relating to domestic electrical installations. In particular, it imposes the earthing of all housing. But more than 50 years ago, only water features had to be earthed! Since then, the standard has evolved and new obligations have emerged.
Since 2015, all rooms in a house or apartment must be properly earthed. More specifically, the obligation concerns:
The communication box in the GTL
In 2022, earthing is mandatory for new buildings and in the context of renovation. Note that the absence of the defect of the earthing remains the most common error for the old residents. However, this failure exposes you to a risk of electrocution dangerous for all the occupants of the accommodation. In addition, you may be held liable in the event of an accident. Finally, the grounding is one of the essential points of the electrical diagnosis to be provided when the property is sold.
Grounding an apartment
Is your apartment over 10 years old? Remember to check if your installation complies with the grounding standards. Because be careful, it is not enough to have wall sockets with 3 plugs and yellow and green wires to be well and truly attached to the building’s ground socket! To ground your apartment, there are different scenarios and solutions.
New apartment
As part of a new apartment, you don’t have to worry. The grounding was obligatorily carried out during its construction. Before buying a property, remember to check this detail, which is not unimportant, in the documents provided by the former owner.
Old building with earth connection
Another possible cause: the building does have a ground connection common to all the apartments. But in the end, your apartment was never connecte to this general earth connection. All you have to do is connect your electrical panel to the common conductor wire.
If your building looks old, then it may not have ground yet. However, this configuration is becoming increasingly rare. In this case, you cannot achieve the grounding of your all alone. On the other hand, it is necessary to intervene in the whole building. This upgrading falls within the competence of the syndicate of co-ownership.
The earthing technique will depend on the existing building, the nature of the terrain, and in particular the possibility of digging a trench in the ground. Mention may make of grounding via the method of vertical ground rods. It remains the most widespread solution, as it is the simplest to implement. Another option: earthing using the socket bottom conductor method, which is often more complex to achieve on buildings.
Compensatory measures while waiting for grounding
Sometimes, for administrative or technical cost reasons, grounding can take time. In the meantime, there are compensating measures to provide minimum protection against Electrical Services shock.
A differential circuit breaker of at least 30 mA, said to be of high sensitivity, must then protect your entire electrical network. In the kitchen, equipotential bonding also protects the metal conduits and socket outlets. Finally, this lack of earthing must indicate on the main electrical panel.
Grounding, therefore, protects property and especially people from domestic electrical hazards. It remains mandatory in new homes and during renovation projects. Earthing an apartment can be complex and requires different calculations to take into account (intensity, resistance, etc.).
Need a hand? Call a professional electrician for an intervention in the standards and adapted to your apartment. The experts of the Electrician Dubai network remain at your disposal to assist you in the electrical renovation of your studio, apartment, loft T2, T3, T4, or more!
