House Rewiring

Having your home rewired might seem like a drastic step, but of all the things in the home you need working correctly, it’s your electrics. Older homes especially are prone to electrical fires caused by old or degraded wiring, but even newer homes can have issues. And the cost to rewire a house is nothing when stacked up against the safety of your family and your home. One thing’s for sure though, if you suspect you may need a house rewire, it’s not a thing you can afford to wait for.

Below we’ve tried to provide as much information as possible to help you work out if you need a rewire in your home, and to estimate the costs. However, if you suspect you may need rewiring, contact us and we can send an electrician to fully assess your wiring, and advise you on whether your home needs rewiring.

The modern house runs way more electrical equipment than in the past. For this reason, many homes designed as late as the 1990s don’t have wiring that can cope with the demands placed on it. That’s why home rewiring is relatively commonplace. Alongside the air conditioning, most households now run multiple TV’s, computers, microwaves and other appliances that place a heavy load on your electrics.

This can cause the wires, safety switches, circuit breakers and switch plates in your home to degrade, making your house (and your electrics) potentially very dangerous. It can be hard to know for sure, and if you live in a much older house that has never been rewired, it’s worth calling an expert out to check. If you have a newer property with new wiring though, issues can still occur with house wiring.

There are some signs to look out for though, no matter what the age of your home, to make sure you spot issues before they become dangerous.

Your Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping

Circuit breakers are literal lifesavers in the home, and exist to mitigate the risk caused by faulty electrics and wiring, as well as power surges. If your circuit breaker is repeatedly tripping, then it indicates that something is awry. This could just be a faulty appliance, but it could also indicate a wiring issue. If it’s an ongoing issue, then it’s time to call out an electrician to assess the problem properly and possibly rewiring a house.

Electric Shocks

Probably the most certain and worrying sign. If you notice any strange sensation, tingling or even something recognisable as an electric shock when using your light switches or power outlets, then it’s time to call an electrician.

This is especially important in wet areas, which should be fitted with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI’s), and can become dangerous if these are either not fitted or defective.

Hissing or Buzzing

If your light switches or plugs are making any strange noises, this is also a red flag. It could be a sign of electrical arcing, which if not addressed can ignite the insulation and lead to fire.

A Strange Smell

If you can smell anything like burning, no matter how slight, and you suspect it’s the electrics, it’s time for immediate action. Turn off all appliances and call an emergency electrician immediately.

Flickering Lights

This is caused by fluctuating voltage, which can have quite innocuous causes. However, it can also indicate a fault in your wiring, so it’s worth checking out. If you have this in tandem with any other signs, then it’s almost a sure thing.

Sparking Appliances

This is normally due to a faulty appliance, so try something different in the same power outlet. If the problem persists, it’s still likely to be the outlet rather than your wiring, but it still needs checking out by a qualified electrician.

Discolouration on Switch Plates

This can be caused by heat, so if you see this it’s likely there’s an issue with your wiring. It doesn’t take an electrician to work out that scorching is not a good sign, and it’s certainly not something you want happening in your home.