Does Your House Need A Rewire?

This has been a tough year so far as we try to keep safe and healthy from the Coronavirus or COVID-19.  But is your home safe especially now that you are inside far more and probably working from home too?  Whether you are working from home or on furlough and watching far more television and playing more computer games your home electrics will be getting a good workout.  

There are some common signs to look out for that may mean your home needs a rewire or at the very least some electrical upgrades.

• Your lights start to flicker or dim even after replacing the light bulbs.
• You are needing new light bulbs far more often than you used to.
• The consumer unit is over 10 years old. It may not have an RCD (A Residual Current Device – This is a safety mechanism which monitors the electricity flowing through the circuits.)
• The consumer unit or fuse board has asbestos flash guards which are never on newer models due to the harmful effect of asbestos fibres if breathed in.
• The sockets are found in skirting boards rather than the wall and perhaps have rounded pins.
• Sockets are unresponsive.
• Old cables are not earthed.
• Circuit breakers which trip regularly.
• Blackening or signs of fire around a socket.

What happens if you ignore these signs?

At best you will have to spend more money on new bulbs, fuses and electrical devices that have broken.  At worst, your home could go on fire and you could be left with nothing.  We don't even want to think about what could happen if the fire starts at night and you or your family can't get out.

What does a house rewire involve?

Rewiring a house may take between 1- 3 weeks depending on the size of the property. In Edinburgh, it can cost between £3000 – £5000. If you have any other requirements such as data cabling or LED lighting, these can get done alongside the rewiring so disruption is kept to a minimum.

So what do you do if you see any of these signs?

The first step would be to call a professional SELECT or NICEIC electrician who will investigate the problem and give you a quote for the repair work needing to be done.  Remember, you may only need a new consumer unit or a new socket.  Only in the worst cases, will you need a full house rewire.  

Please don't leave it until it's too late.  At the very least find out what is wrong and how much it is going to cost to fix it.