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If you are looking at replacing your gas cooker with an electric one, replacing your current electric cooker with a new one, or buying your first one ever, and you are contemplating the question ‘Does an electrician need to install an electric cooker?’, the simple answer is yes, you need to hire a qualified electrician!
Of course, nowadays, it’s easy to research online how to complete certain DIY tasks; however, installing an appliance such as an electric cooker is one that requires a true understanding of not only the appliance itself but the area in which it will be installed. Therefore, for your safety and that of those with whom you live, hire an electrician to install your electric cooker!
Why Do I Need an Electrician to Install My Electric Cooker?
There are many things to take into account when installing an electric cooker. First of all, most electric cookers do not come with a plug and therefore require some hardwiring.
It is also important to know that electric cookers require a lot more power than gas cookers because they generate a more intense heat, so it is essential to be certain that the socket and fuse used are powerful enough to work! Indeed, it can be a hazardous task for a person who is not properly trained to do this.
You run the risk of harming yourself during the installation, but you also run a high risk of doing something that could cause irreparable damage to the appliance, your home, yourself, and the people with whom you live. Even if the damage does not appear immediately, faulty wiring and a mishap in the installation could lead to an eventual crisis.
Another thing to take into consideration is the weight of the appliance. Even the smallest electric cookers are very heavy. Therefore, an untrained person attempting to install an electric cooker could very easily, without even getting to the electrical procedures, hurt themselves by attempting to lift and move the appliance.
It would definitely be wiser to hire a qualified electrician to do this job!
How Much Does it Cost to Install an Electric Cooker?
The cost of the installation of an electric cooker depends on a few key factors:
1. Are you replacing one electric cooker with another one or are you replacing a gas cooker with an electric cooker?
If you are replacing your gas cooker with an electric one, you will indeed have to pay more. This is because the installation will undoubtedly take longer ( fixing the right circuit for the cooker, the need to install a socket capable of generating the power needed for the electric cooker, etc.).
2. Is your new electric cooker different in size from your previous one?
If your cooker is bigger in any way, the cost will be more expensive as certain adjustments will have to be made on the unit(s) surrounding and/or supporting your new electric cooker. A different sized cooker could also mean a difference in power. If your new electric cooker requires more power from the socket than your previous one, the electrician will have to make certain adjustments to the cables and switch powering your appliance.
The installation of an electric cooker costs, on average, between £100 and £250. Of course, this price will also depend on where you live and the company you choose to hire.
Is It Easy to Install an Electric Cooker?
Whether it is easy or not to install an electric cooker depends on multiple things.
The might be its predecessor (whether your old cooker was gas or electric), the current state of the wires in your kitchen (whether or not they need replacing with a new circuit for your new cooker), the size of the cooker (whether you can move the appliance by yourself or not), etc. These certain factors have an immense impact on installing an electric cooker, but any qualified electrician can and will find a way, and you can be up and running in no time!
Can I Install an Electric Hob Myself?
Just as with the electric cooker, it’s definitely best to hire a professional who knows what they’re doing.
It’s important to make sure that you know what you’re buying and whether or not your kitchen will need certain upgrades to accommodate your new appliance. For example, to install a new electric hob, it is important too, first of all, to know how to remove your old one properly.
Then, just like the electric cooker, whether or not you are replacing a gas hob with an electric one or simply replacing an electric hob with another makes a big difference in the requirements of the job at hand. For example, do you want a more powerful hob? This is also crucial information when undertaking a job like this to ensure that the hob will be installed safely.
Conclusion
As you will see from reading this article, ‘Does An Electrician Need To Install An Electric Cooker?’ You do indeed need an electrician to replace your old cooker safely.
One thing to consider is that if you are buying from a major retailer such as John Lewis, AO or Curry’s, they all offer services to fit your new cooker.
Which Kitchen Appliance? have reviewed Gas Cookers, Electric Cookers, Dual Fuel Cookers and Induction Top Cookers, so if you are about to buy a new cooker, why not take a read of our cooker reviews?