If you have just moved house into an older property, or you have lived in your existing home for a considerable period of time, there is a good chance that some maintenance work will be required.
Some issues, such as a broken window, or cracked roof tile are obvious, whilst others are hidden and harder to identify.
A faulty electrical system that requires your home to be rewired can be difficult to spot but given that failing to do so could result in a house fire or similar devastating event it is vital to know the common signs to look out for.
The older your home is, the more likely it is that rewiring glasgow will be needed as the everyday use of electrical items will inevitably lead to some wear and tear.
For this reason, it is worth having your wiring checked by a qualified electrician to get an idea of its condition, especially if you have just moved in and don’t have a record of any previous work done.
Signs that your home needs rewiring
Besides having the wiring examined by an electrician, there are several warning signs that you should look out for that could indicate a rewire is required.
Here are 7 of the most common indications that you have an electrical problem:
1. You can smell burning
If there is a strange burning smell in your home and you have been unable to identify the source, it may be a result of an electrical fault.
If faulty wires are sparking inside your walls, they could be singeing the wall itself or the inside of the power socket.
For obvious reasons, even the smallest of fires is a major concern, so if you do smell burning inside your home you should immediately turn off the power to your home and call out an electrician.
2. Discolouration of sockets
Black or dark brown marks on your plug sockets or light switches is another sign that a loose connection or exposed wire is causing arching or sparking to occur, which in turn is leading to small fires breaking out.
Surface discolouration is a major red flag and ignoring the issue will dramatically increase the risk of a life-threatening fire breaking out in the near future.
3. Circuit break tripping and blown fuses
Circuit breakers are installed in domestic homes as a safety measure to guard against electrical fires.
If your circuit breaker detects that the circuit is unable to cope with the amount of electricity required to power your home it will break the connection, hopefully before anything too dramatic can occur.
If you have older or damaged wiring in place, the frequency at which your circuit will be unable to cope with the amps required to power all the appliances in your home will increase, and so will the number of times that your circuit breaker will be called into service.
Bad wiring is more often than not the cause of trips and blows and if your circuit breaker fails you could be facing a very serious incident.
4. Socket issues
If your sockets are hanging out or can wiggle in place, they need to be fixed as soon as possible.
Loose sockets can lead to exposed wiring which in turn significantly increases the risk of fires and electrocution.
This is particularly dangerous in homes with pets and children as the safety of plug socket design relies upon them being installed and maintained correctly.
If you have a loose socket, or can hear sizzling or buzzing noises coming from your sockets, call a professional who will tighten or replace the affected outlets if required.
5. Aluminium Wiring
A number of older homes may be fitted with aluminium wiring as opposed to the safer and much more common copper.
Research has found that aluminium wiring is much more likely to overheat and lead to fires than copper and should, therefore, be replaced as soon as possible.
If you are unsure as to what wiring you have, look for the letters ‘AL’ on the wiring jacket, or contact an electrician.
6. Electrocution
Electrical shocks, even the smallest tingle, are a major concern.
Shocks that occur when plugging an appliance into the wall are, more often than not, a result of a faulty outlet rather than the appliance itself and could indicate that rewiring is needed.
You should NEVER ignore an electric shock. If you have experienced one, step well away from the socket and immediately call an emergency electrician.
7. Flickering lights
It can be easy to ignore a flickering lightbulb, putting it down to a dying bulb that can easily be replaced in the future.
However, constant flickering, especially of multiple lights in different rooms throughout the home can be a sign of an underlying problem in your home.
If simply screwing the bulb in tighter, or replacing it, doesn’t solve your flickering light problem it is time to call an electrician.