How do I know if my house needs rewiring?

Rewiring your home can seem like an expensive and intimidating task. If your home's electrical wiring is damaged or extensively deteriorated, rewiring must happen immediately to prevent electrical faults. These can cause electrocution or electrical fires. If you want to keep your house's electrical wiring system working safely for your family, here are some signs to look out for.

Common warning signs that can indicate your home needs rewiring

Electrical wire age

Over time, your electrical wiring will degrade to a point where it may become unsafe. Most electrical systems over 50 years old should be replaced. If you have moved into a home owned by someone else previously, it is wise to get an electrician to check the age and quality of your current system.

Tripping

If your safety switches trip for no reason, this may be a sign of an electrical fault in your home. Safety switches detect excess flows, which may occur if there is an electrical leak or damage to your home wiring.

Rodents

Rodents can eat pretty much anything, including the insulation surrounding wires. Without insulation, the wires are exposed. This can cause electrical fires or electrocution for anyone who comes into contact with an exposed wire.

Electrical smell

If you can smell a burnt electrical smell but can’t see it, it will most likely be your wiring singeing behind your walls. If your home electrical wires are outdated or damaged they can release excess amounts of electrical energy to small areas which can cause the smell of electric burns.

Fuses blowing often

If your home has a range of modern appliances, they will require a greater amount of electrical energy than the previous ones. Older types of fuses may blow out regularly as they are not designed to have the electrical capacity needed for modern appliances.

Burnt or discoloured switches or outlets

Switches and outlets may appear to be charred due to a loose connection or faulty wiring close to the switches. This causes a spark which can create a small fire.

Arks or sparks in outlets or electrical wiring

This happens when there is abnormal contact between wires, generally from loose or corroded connection points. This can cause sparks between the points. A sign of this happening is when you might hear a hissing or crackling noise when you unplug or plug into an outlet. You may even notice sparks or a blue flash when you do this.

Lights flickering or dimming

If your lights are dimming or flickering regularly, it may be due to the amount of voltage they receive. This can happen when you have an overloaded circuit which causes irregular voltage levels. The excessive voltage causes the lights to brighten. Lights dim when they don’t receive enough voltage.

Licensed electrician for electrical wire testing

If your home rewiring is showing any symptoms that may need to be replaced or you would like to have the peace of mind knowing that your electrical rewiring is safe for your family contact us today. Call us or fill out our online electrician booking form.