How to tell if your house needs rewiring
Many homeowners living in older properties wonder how to tell if their house needs rewiring. Homes tend to need a full rewire every 25 years, so if you live in an older property or have concerns about your property’s wiring, this post is for you.
According to studies carried out by the Electrical Safety Foundation (ESFI), faulty electricals account for an estimated 51,000 fires each year. So if you’ve noticed signs that your house needs rewiring or are seeking more information on the subject, keep reading for everything you need to know.
How to tell if your house needs rewiring
First of all, how do you know if your house needs rewiring? Well, there are several signs to look out for.
Signs your house needs rewiring
1. Burning smells
If you regularly smell burning around your home but are unable to identify the source, there may be an electrical fault somewhere.
Turn off the power at the circuit and contact your local electrician immediately. They will conduct a thorough check of your home’s wiring.
2. Discoloured switches or plugs
Discolouration of the outlets or switches can be a sign of either a loose connection or faulty wiring. Loose connections can cause arcing or sparking, which can lead to small fires that discolour the outlets’ surface.
Again, this warning sign should not be ignored. Contact a qualified electrician as soon as possible.
3. Flickering lights
If your lights flicker or get dimmer on occasion, you may need to replace your light bulbs or check that they’re screwed in properly. There’s also the possibility of a more serious underlying problem you aren’t aware of, such as faulty wiring.
If you suspect that your lights may be flickering due to an electrical rewiring fault, call an emergency electrician without delay.
4. Blown fuses or tripping circuit breakers
Designed as a safety measure to prevent electrical fires, circuit breakers will cut off any electrical flow when a circuit can no longer handle the number of amps.
When your electrical system becomes worn and can no longer handle the amount of electricity required for your home, the chances are a fuse will blow or the circuit will trip.
Bad wiring is usually a direct cause of trips and blows, and will certainly need addressing sooner rather than later. When appliances become too hot, this can also lead to trips and blows.
If you’re unsure what’s causing your circuit to trip, contact an electrician to investigate for you.
5. Socket problems
Over time, sockets can wiggle or even fall out the wall, which means they’ll need replacing.
If your wall sockets are hanging out the wall, the wiring can become exposed. This can be dangerous for any young children or pets you may have in the home.
Sizzling or buzzing noises are also a frequent problem for wall sockets and will also need investigating by a professional who knows what to look for. They will be able to tighten the outlets back into place or replace them altogether.
6. Aluminium wiring
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), aluminium wire connections are more likely to fail which can cause overheating. Overheating could lead to a fire, with aluminium wiring considered to be more of a risk than copper wiring.
The letters ‘AL’ on the wiring jacket will indicate that the wires are aluminium, but if you’re unsure, an electrician can assist you.
7. Electrical shocks
Even the smallest electrical shock is a huge warning sign. If plugging an electrical appliance into the wall socket has ever resulted in a shock, more often than not, there will be an issue with the outlet rather than the appliance.
Electric shocks of any kind should never be ignored. If you have experienced a shock, step away from the wall socket and contact an electrician to check the wiring in your home.
Find a qualified electrician for your house rewiring
If you’ve experienced any of the warning signs listed above, or want a professional assessment to know if your house needs rewiring, contact a qualified electrician.
Only trades who pass our quality checks and meet our high standards are on Checkatrade. Simply search your postcode, below, to get started.
What does rewiring a house involve?
Wondering how to rewire a house? We would not recommend a DIY approach unless you have specific experience. A wrong move could be catastrophic, or even fatal.
Even if you are competent in electrics, you will still need to have your work verified by a NICEIC or ELECSA-registered electrician to ensure compliance with building regulations.
If you’re simply curious as to what rewiring a house involves, here’s a checklist of what to expect:
- Replacing all electrical cables in walls and floors
- Installing a new consumer unit
- New back boxes on all switches and sockets
- All lighting and power sockets rewired
- All phone and TV aerial sockets rewired
You may also take the opportunity to add or remove switches, sockets, or light fixtures; or incorporate new technology such as integrated speakers, security features, or smart home automation.
How messy is rewiring a house?
As you might imagine, completing a house rewire is a messy job. It’s renowned for being dusty, dirty, and disruptive, with ceilings and walls cut into and floorboards lifted.
However, an experienced electrician will have the tools and know-how to help keep disruption to a minimum.
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How long does a full house rewire take?
With this level of disruption in mind, you might be wondering how long a full house rewire takes.
Of course, the time it takes to rewire a house will depend on the size of the property and the complexity of the project, but on average, it’s typically between two and ten days.
Can you rewire a house without taking the walls down?
Ideally, the best time to undertake a rewiring project is during a renovation. But if this isn’t possible, can you rewire a house without taking the walls down?
The good news is, you don’t need to start tearing walls down to rewire a house. An experienced electrician will use various techniques and tools, such as fishing wires through existing walls and ceilings and laying wires into channels cut out of the wall, which can then be easily plastered over.
Can you partially rewire a house?
If just one part of your electrical circuit has issues or safety problems, it might be possible to replace or upgrade just this section.
However, this would typically only be possible where the original installation is well presented and organised. It’s not always clear where cables run and how they’re connected, making a partial rewire quite challenging.
How often does a house need to be rewired?
Even if you haven’t experienced any of the warning signs that your house needs rewiring, there could be other telltale signs to look for, especially in an older house:
- Switches made of cast iron
- No labelling on the consumer unit
- A consumer unit with a wooden back
- Rounded plug entries, rather than 3-pin on sockets
- Fewer than two plug sockets per room
- Plugs getting very hot
It’s recommended your home is completely rewired every 25-30 years to make sure it’s up-to-date with current building regulations.
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How much does it cost to rewire a house?
Every project will differ as there are many variables involved, including:
- The size and layout of the property
- The quality of fixtures and fittings required
- The number of sockets and outlets
- The complexity of the existing wiring
- Whether the property is occupied
However, we can offer some ballpark figures to help you budget for the work.
- For a one-bedroom flat, expect to pay between £3,000 - £4,800
- For a two-bed flat, the cost is on average between £3,800 - £5,800
- The average cost to rewire a 3-bedroom house is in the region of £4,450 - £8,000
- A 4-bed house is somewhere between £6,080 - £9,380
- For a 5-bed house, it can be between £7,500 - £12,500
For more detailed information, including the cost of an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), check out our guide to the cost of rewiring a house.
How to get your house rewired for free
The cost of rewiring a house can be significant; many homeowners look to see if you can get your house rewired for free.
It’s worth checking with your local authority to see if they offer loans or grants for this type of home improvement.
Find a qualified electrician near you
We can’t stress enough how important it is to hire a qualified electrician for your house rewire.
Find a trusted and reputable electrician quickly and easily with Checkatrade. Simply search your postcode to get started.
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