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5 Deadly Signs Your House Needs Rewiring – And What To Do Next
39% of home fires are caused by old or faulty electrical wiring or outlets. That’s a problem. Potentially a very dangerous one. And one which doesn’t always become apparent until it’s too late.
But there are a few clear signs that you should consider getting your wiring checked. Perhaps even having your home rewired. So what are they?
Signs your house needs rewiring
Here are some obvious signs your house needs rewiring:
- Fuses which often blow and circuits which often trip: this isn’t necessarily a reason to rewire your home. It could be a problem with certain appliances. But it’s definitely something you need to get checked out if it happens all the time.
- Browning of your sockets or switches: watch out for discolouration of any electrical outlets. It’s sometimes caused by the tiny fires (yikes!) caused by loose connections inside the outlets, which can create little arcs of electricity.
- Flickering lights in multiple locations: a single flickering light is likely a fault with the bulb or the way it’s been screwed in place. If you notice regular flickering of your lights in several rooms or on a regular basis though, it could be a sign of electrical problems in your home.
- A general burning smell or buzzing which won’t go away: if you haven’t been cooking but you can still smell burning, a hidden electrical fault might be the cause. The same can be true of a constant buzzing sound. This latter can be related to any dimmers you might have installed. But it can be something more serious.
- You get electric shocks: or if you see little electric sparks near your outlets. These are definite signs of underlying problems!
Safety warning: if you notice any of these signs, turn off your power and contact a qualified electrician immediately. They can quickly escalate to being physically dangerous or even deadly if left unattended.
Other potential signs of electrical problems in home
Those are signs that you’re facing an emergency situation in the offing in the not too distant future. But there are certain circumstances where it’s generally worth getting your property’s wiring checked anyway. These include times when you have:
- An old property on your hands: is your property more than 40 years old? Get it checked. If you’re thinking of buying a property more than 25 years old, do the same.
- Aluminium wiring: instead of copper. The older pre-1970s aluminium wiring is prone to overheating.
- Two-pronged outlets: these aren’t usually grounded, making them a safety risk.
- Lots of extension cords in use: these can put additional strain on your wiring.
- Added new appliances or renovated recently: these may also place a strain on your existing system.
If you’re in one of these situations, the automatic reaction is normally “Ugh. Do I have to rewire my house?”
Well, maybe.
But, remember: if you’re in doubt, it’s not worth risking your life over.
What does rewiring a house involve?
Rewiring a house is a fairly involved process. You will almost certainly have to move the furniture, take up the carpets and the floorboards too. New sockets and switches will require apertures to be cut in walls.
You can keep living there while your work is being carried out. But it will usually dramatically increase the amount of time to completion. This is because you will want the circuits you need to use to be switched back on at the end of the working day at the very least. Or possibly maintained throughout. This makes it difficult or your electrical experts to work.
Many electricians, however, will recommend that you move out completely while it’s being done. It can be stressful to continue your day-to-day life while it’s happening. It’s usually easier to just absent yourself.
House rewire tips
The best house rewire tip? Start off with a survey. They’re generally pretty affordable. Though they can get more expensive if you have a larger property. However:
Afterwards, you’ll know exactly where you stand.