There’s no doubt that rewiring your home can be a costly project, but it is equally beyond doubt that it can be a lifesaver when it comes to preventing electrical fires and risk of electrocution. Unfortunately it’s not always easy to know if your house needs rewiring. If you’re in need of advice and/or a qualified Southend-on-Sea electrician to make a professional assessment, then we will be happy to hear from you. But even before you call, there are a few tell tale signs your home may be in need of a rewire. Here are a few basic guidelines that may just help you to determine if you should go ahead.
Was your property wired before 1984?
A good rule of thumb is to find out if your property was wired before 1984. Many houses wired before this year weren’t equipped with an earth cable, without which you are more likely to experience electric shocks should there be an overload of power going into your electrical appliances. An earth cable serves to channel excessive electricity away thus preventing electrocution.
Some statistics
Another characteristic of houses wired before 1984 is is that some properties used aluminium instead of copper wiring. According to the US based Consumer Product Safety Commission, aluminium wire is up to 55 times more likely to cause a fire than copper as, in essence, it heats up more quickly. Back here in the UK, faulty wiring is one of the main causes of electrical fires and according to the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) around 12,500 preventable incidents are reported each year. The same body says that a further 2,000 shock accidents occur ever year.
If in doubt
Given the above statistics, it’s clear to see why it is so important to determine if you need to rewire your home and to ask yourself when was the last time time you had your electrics checked. If you can’t remember, it’s probably a good idea to get it checked now. It could save your home, even the lives of you and your loved ones in the log run.
A few more signs
Some signs that may indicate you need to rewire your home include the presence of a fuse box with cast iron switches mounted on a wooden backing, sockets attached to skirting boards, round pin sockets and round light switches and cables coated in black rubber. If in doubt, get a qualified electrical technician to come and take a look and make a professional assessment.
Make a call
With so many preventable electrical fires occurring every year and homes relying on dated and potentially lethal wiring systems, it may be a good time to get a professional to inspect your home’s wiring no matter the size of your property. Here at Powerlec Electrical & Testing Ltd we will happily carry out a full, honest and impartial electrical inspection on your home or domestic property. After all, your safety is our priority. We look forward to hearing from you when you are in need of an electrician in Southend-on-Sea.
Call us today on 01702 952 951 or fill out our handy contact form for a call-back in minutes.
