Knowing how to tell when your home needs to be rewired is extremely important.
In the worst cases, a failure to spot faulty wiring can result in fires or electrocution that could lead to serious injury or even death.
Even if nothing this serious does happen, modern electronics are required to adhere to tight building regulations, and failing to replace older wires will likely cause you to fail these, possibly invalidating your insurance should an incident occur.
Why is rewiring so important?
There are many reasons why a rewire may be required in your home. These include:
- You live in an older property that has not been rewired within the past 30-40 years. Older properties were not designed to deal with the power requirements of the modern home, and are therefore unlikely to conform to modern building regulations.
- You have just moved house and are unsure of the historical maintenance that has been conducted.
- You are conducting a major remodel of the property, defined as a material alteration in the building regulations.
- Your existing wiring is damaged beyond repair.
How to spot old wiring
Old wiring that has not been replaced in many years can pose a serious threat to the health of inhabitants.
However, it is not always that easy to spot the signs of old wiring and if you have only just moved into the property, or are renting, you might be unable to find out when the last time a rewire was conducted.
Here are a few of the easiest ways to tell that your older wiring may need to be replaced:
- Electricity meter – An old-style electricity meter and fuse box is a clear indication that your system is not up to date. Modern consumer units have circuit breakers and RCDs (A sensitive safety device) included as standard, offering an additional level of safety that is not provided by older models.
- Partial rewire – If there are a number of different socket designs around your home, it suggests that a partial rewire may have been conducted. It may be that the older wiring could be brought up to the rest of the circuit’s standard, or an entire rewire may be required.
- Colour – Modern wiring running along your skirting board or on light fittings will be encased in a white or grey PVCu protecting cover. If your cabling is a different colour, it is probably not a modern fitting.
If you are unsure as to whether our wiring is up to date, get in touch with an electrician who will examine your system and put your mind at rest.
How to spot damaged wiring
Damaged wiring is a serious health and safety risk and needs to be replaced immediately.
Whilst old wiring poses a greater danger than newer installations, the risks associated with exposed wires are much greater, and without intervention are simply an accident waiting to happen.
Some of the most common signs that your wiring is damaged and needs to be replaced are:
Burning smell
Exposed wiring can lead to arching and the jumping of sparks from wiring to the inside of your walls or plug sockets.
If you are dealing with a burning smell around the home that has no obvious source, it may be a result of hidden singeing.
Discolouration
Sometimes the signs of singeing will be more obvious. Black or brown marks on the plug socket are a clear indication that sparking has occurred.
All it takes is for one of these sparks to ignite and you will be dealing with a serious house fire so call an emergency electrician immediately.
Flickering lightbulbs
If multiple lightbulbs in your home are flickering or you have tried replacing a single bulb and it has not fixed the flickering then you are likely dealing with an underlying wiring issue.
Electric shocks
If you have been shocked when plugging an appliance into a socket, even if you only felt a minor buzz call an electrician immediately as this is a clear sign that something is seriously wrong.
Until an electrician has arrived stay well clear of the socket and take care to keep any pets or children away from the area.
How much does a rewire cost?
House rewire electricians will usually work for a fixed price although the charge may vary depending on the length of time the job is expected to take and whether the property is a new build or an older home.
To find out more about our house rewiring scotland services or to get a free quote, get in touch with Central FS today and our expert electricians will be delighted to help.
