How to know if your wiring needs updating

How to know if your wiring needs updating

Are your electrics in need of urgent repair?We’ve all (probably) stayed in a property where the electricity couldn’t keep up with demand. Perhaps it was the house you grew up in, or your grandma’s old, rickety home in the countryside. You know the type: the lights dim slightly when you turn on the kettle, and the fuse box trips if you try to use the hairdryer while someone else is charging their phone. While we might shrug off these electrical faults as mere nuisances in the past, they certainly shouldn’t be happening in modern homes. If they are, you may need to update your wiring.

Why is good wiring important?

As well as supplying your TV, lights and kitchen appliances with a steady flow of electricity, your home’s wiring is integral to your safety. Electrical systems that are not installed properly (by a registered electrician) can put you and your family at risk of fires or shocks.

Here are some common warning signs that your wiring needs updating:

You keep blowing fuses or tripping circuit-breakers

Unless you live a hugely excessive lifestyle (and we mean hugely), there’s no reason why your fuses or circuit-breakers should be blowing or tripping regularly. This is a definite sign that your wiring is outdated, and cannot keep up with your home’s electrical demands.

You’ve experienced an electric shock

If you feel even the slightest shock from a piece of electrical equipment, you should contact an electrician immediately. It is quick, easy and affordable to make your wiring safe.  We recently completed a full house rewire in Enfield where the electrics were extremely dated and caused regular shortages.

Your wiring hasn’t been checked since before 2001

The UK government has introduced multiple legislations surrounding electrical safety in recent years. In 2001, for example, it became law that electrical installations must incorporate residual current device (RCD) protection in the consumer unit (fuse box), so that it trips and cuts power when there’s a fault. In 2005, a law was introduced that said all domestic electrical work had to be carried out by a Part P-registered electrician. If your wiring has not been checked since before these dates, it might not be up to standard.

The lights flicker or dim when you plug in an appliance

If your lights are affected by other electrical appliances, this is because they’re on the same circuit, and the energy is not being transmitted efficiently through the electrical wires.

Your plug sockets are discoloured, sparking or overheating

Yellows, browns and blacks are not colours you want to see on your plug sockets. You also don’t want to smell burning, hear cracking and sizzling noises, or feel heat coming from the socket. If you do, contact an electrician immediately, as there could be a serious risk of fire.

If you have experienced any of these issues at your property in Lambeth, New Malden, Sutton or Worcester Park, contact us at MD Bespoke Solutions today. Our Part P-registered and NICEIC-approved electricians are experts in installing, upgrading and repairing wiring.