Our Melbourne electrician shares 6 signs your home needs rewiring
You upgrade your phone every couple of years. Why should your home’s electrical wiring be any different?
In addition to keeping everything working as it should, rewiring your house can also make things safer!
Simply put, old electrical wiring is plain dangerous. Wear and tear in your electrical outlets, switches and wires will need a complete makeover for the safety of your home and the people who live there.
Is your wiring starting to pose frequent problems? Have you purchased an older home?
Whatever you do, don’t brush-off the need to have your house rewired – it could be the thing that keeps you safe from a major electrical disaster!
And if you are planning for electrical inspection or rewiring, don’t just DIY – contact our licenced team of Melbourne electricians on 1300 300 222 or lodge a job online today.
Why does your house need rewiring?
Simple: it helps keep you safe!
Homeowners and property owners are responsible for keeping their home or commercial space safe. And as we all know, electricity is extremely dangerous.
This is why one of the first things that you need to prioritise is your home’s electrical system!
Complete replacement or rewiring your home is a big job, yes – but can you really put a price on safety and peace of mind?
You don’t have to swap out your wiring as often as you swap phones – however, it’s something that you’ll want to do if your local electrician recommends it, as it can…
Protect your home from power surges
Protect your gadgets and appliances from sudden power surges that can cause damage to electrical systems.
Today’s circuits and sockets have built-in surge protection to ensure that you aren’t at risk in the event of a power surge.
The problem is that many older homes don’t have this type of protection!
When you rewire, you aren’t just updating your home’s electrical wiring – you’re also upping your safety by installing measures to protect your electronics and appliances from sudden unpredictable power spikes.
Reduces the risk of fire
Did you know? Research shows that a good chunk of residential fires in Australia are caused by faulty electrical wirings, electrical failure, and poorly maintained electrical appliances.
The best way to protect yourself against these fires?
By ensuring that the electrical wiring in your home or business is up to date and well-maintained!
Loose wirings and flickering lights often lead to sudden electrical sparks – this can in turn can cause small fires.
A particular problem is when old electrical wiring comes into contact with wooden materials, which can dramatically increase the chance of starting a fire.
That isn’t the only issue – overreliance on extension cords and power boards can cause overheating that increases the risk of fire.
Good news: both of these problems can be avoided by rewiring your electrical systems!
Bring your home into the 21st century
Today’s homes use a lot more electricity than in the past – now we have to power:
- Air conditioning systems
- Televisions
- Wi-Fi modems
- Chargers
- Computers
While appliances have been getting more energy-efficient, we also have many more than in the past – unfortunately, many older electrical circuits simply can’t handle that!
The solution? Upgrading your wiring so that it can safely manage the power.
6 signs your house needs rewiring, ASAP!
Electricity is dangerous – a problem that’s exacerbated by old and outdated wiring and electrical circuits.
There’s just one question: how do you know that it’s time for an upgrade?
There are several early warning signs you can look at to figure out whether or not you need to require your house or business…
1) Burnt lightbulbs in sockets
Have you noticed your bulbs aren’t as luminous as they once were? You inspect them, noticing discolouration on the socket almost like a burn. That wasn’t there before, was it?
That’s not your imagination – that’s actually a burn!
Wiring problems can lead to voltage fluctuations, causing your light bulbs and their fittings to burn.
Whatever you do, don’t just dismiss it as dirt – instead, take this as an opportunity to think about whether or not it’s time to get your wiring upgraded.
2) Flickering and dimming lights
Have you ever been surprised by sudden brightening and dimming while sitting in your living room?
When you see flickering lights, it’s because your lightbulbs are receiving too much or too little voltage. The result is that telltale flickering, dimming, and even brightening.
Power fluctuations while using your electrical appliances may be caused by:
- Overloaded wires
- Loose wires
- Small electrical conductors
In many cases, this could be the result of loose wiring or faulty circuits.
In others, the problem could be inadequate power surge protection – whatever it is, upgrading your circuits usually fixes it and reduces the risks that it comes with.
3) A burnt smell
Notice a burning smell coming from your electrical sockets? If so, there’s a chance your electrical wiring is to blame!
In many cases, you may be experiencing a short circuit behind your walls and floors. In others, it could be because loose wiring has come into contact with flammable insulation or plaster.
Either way, your wiring needs replacement (as well as an inspection from an emergency electrician in Melbourne to determine if the rest of your house is at risk!)
4) Overuse of extension cords and power boards
An overreliance on extension cords and power boards means that you’re due for a wiring upgrade.
Firstly, because it signals that you don’t have enough sockets and plugs currently to supply you with the electricity you need.
More importantly however, it also dramatically ups the risk of a fire!
Each electrical circuit in your home is designed for a certain voltage. The problem with power boards is that it’s easy to accidentally go over this maximum limit.
Luckily for you, in addition to upgrading your wiring, our electricians in Melbourne can also add to and expand your current circuitry, making your home more functional than ever before.
5) Discoloured switches and outlets
Ever wondered why your switches and outlets turn black over time? Sometimes it’s plain old discolouration – in others however, it could be a sign that there’s loose or faulty electrical wiring hiding behind your wall.
This in turn may cause electrical sparks that can sear your switches and outlets – hence, the telltale discolouration on your switches and outlets.
The first thing you should do if you suspect a problem like this is to call an emergency electrician in Melbourne.
They’ll evaluate the switches, outlets and sockets in question, before providing a fix that keeps you and your property safe.
6) An old property
How old is your house?
If it’s more than 30 years old, there’s a good chance that your electrical wiring, circuitry, and cables are old and out-of-date.
And that means that they’re at a higher risk of electrical damage or fire!
In many cases, old wiring hasn’t kept up with the latest developments in electrical safety as well.
In addition to accumulated wear-and-tear, there’s also the concern that your home isn’t as safe as it could (or should) be.
The solution is to upgrade your wiring!
Do you need electrical rewiring? Call our Melbourne electricians today!
Electrical safety is the number one priority when it comes to all things safety-related in your home. If you want to avoid electrical emergencies, you’ll need to ensure that your electrical wiring is up-to-date.
And that’s something our Melbourne domestic electricians can help with!
Your safety is our priority here at Briggs Electrical. Our emergency electricians are ready to help 24/7, no matter the hour.
For speedy electrical assistance, call Briggs Electrical today on 1300 300 222 or lodge a job online today.
Briggs Electrical & Data Solutions is a family-owned business operating across Melbourne and Bayside. We offer all types of commercial, domestic, and emergency electrical services, any time of the day or night! Call us at 1300 300 222 today. Our local emergency electricians are available 24/7!
