How Do I Know If I Need Home Rewiring?

Ever considered if your home needs rewiring? Maybe you’ve flicked on the light switches in your home only to find that if you were to say “Let there be light!” the answer would be a resounding no.

Perhaps other electrical system issues have emerged that a house rewire is in order. Whatever the situation, there’s every chance you may not know all the signs that indicate this is necessary. If so, read on for a detailed look at what you need to look out for.

What is Home Rewiring?

It’s relatively self-explanatory, but rewiring a house essentially involves stripping your home of its existing wiring and replacing it with new wire. These days, copper wiring is typically the preferred option.

Having your house rewired can have many benefits for your everyday life. Not only does it improve the electrical safety of your home, but it can also make it significantly more energy efficient.

You will always need a qualified electrician to complete any home rewiring jobs. The electrical wiring in your home must comply with Australian electrical standards, and only a licensed electrical contractor will be able to tick that box for you.

Signs Your House Needs Rewiring

Here are some of the more common indicators that you may need a local electrician in to rewire your home.

Flickering Lights

If you have seen flickering lights in your home, chances are you would think there’s a problem with the bulb itself. Naturally, you would go to change the lightbulb thinking that would fix it. However, this is a common sign of poor wiring and is something you can rectify with a home rewire. The bulb may get excessively bright or dim, meaning that there are fluctuations in the power supply, caused by faulty wiring or a loose connection.

Frequently Tripping Circuit Breakers

Circuit breakers are there to protect your wiring and electricals. When an electrical flow exceeds what the circuit breaker can handle, it will cut off the power to prevent any damage from occurring. Now obviously this is a good thing. However, if it’s happening too often it means there is a problem with your wiring that you’ll need to fix through rewiring.

Old Homes With Old Electrical Wiring

Older homes that are beyond 40-50 years old are most at risk of having degraded wiring or a loose connection. This is simply because the existing wiring can degrade over time, especially with lots of use and exposure to elements such as damp, dust, dirt and anything else that lives inside the walls of an old home. The government standards for electrical installation were also different back in the day, as they change often to keep up with technological advances. This includes the materials used and the energy efficiency of the technology. If your house is 50 years old or older, and suffering from electrical problems, get an electrical contractor in to check it for rewiring today.

Power Points Overheating and Sparking

You don’t need us to tell you that your power points are a very important part of your home’s infrastructure. So if you notice that they are overheating, or sparking, this means they are a danger to you and your family. A single spark is a fire hazard waiting to happen, and overheating sockets can damage your electrical goods irreparably. You may also notice a slight discolouration or charring of your sockets or wires. This is caused by a spark burning and fraying the wires.

On top of all this, you may get a slight electrical shock when plugging or unplugging a power cord. This presents a danger, especially if you have small children around who may be more susceptible to the effects of electric shocks. Rewiring a home means replacing the sockets and the faulty wiring that feed it, so you get fresh and freely working electrical flow.

Faint Smell of Burning

This leads on from the last point and is fairly self-explanatory. If a spark is created or your wires and sockets are overheating, you may smell a slight burning smell throughout your home. Maybe you burnt the toast, or maybe it’s your wires. Whatever the case, it’s best to get a qualified, professional electrician in to check as soon as possible. A burning smell is never a good sign. Your electrical wiring may put your home and family at risk if you don’t attend to it promptly.

Not Enough Accessible Power Points

This one has less to do with safety and bad wiring, and more to do with the convenience of living in your home. If your home was built a long time ago, there’s a chance that doesn’t completely accommodate the needs of modern living. Whether this is because of a lack of power points, no new wiring or simply poorly placed electrical outlets, you can fix this a simple home rewire.

When getting your home rewired you can choose where the outlets go for the most convenience to you. You can also look at getting other kinds of sockets like USB and ethernet sockets placed as well. This will surely bring your home into the modern age. It might even possibly reduce your need for extension cords as well!

Overly High Power Bills

Poor wiring may also lead to inefficiency in power delivery. So, if your power bills are skyrocketing with no other real explanation, this could be the issue. If the wires are sending too much electricity to the outlet, creating spikes and tripping the circuit, your bill will reflect this. A full house rewiring may come at a cost, but it can save you loads in the long run.

Benefits of House Rewiring

So now we’ve gone through the various signs that you may need a home rewire. Let’s look now at why exactly you should do it. There’s a whole host of great reasons to get it done if you’re still not convinced.

First of all, knowing that you are protecting your family from potential electrical fires should be reason enough. You cannot overlook the danger of poor wiring when it comes to safety within your home. Not only that but you also have the pleasure of knowing that you are protecting your family from electrical shocks. You do not want a family member to be injured just from plugging in a phone charger.

Get Your Home Electrical System In Order

Having National Standard home wiring reduces insurance premiums and electricity bills. This saves you a lot of money down the track, money you can better put towards other uses. Don’t forget that brand-new and fresh wiring adds value to the worth and sale price of your home. Whether it’s your home on the market or a property you’re flipping, don’t overlook a home rewire to boost value. To sum up, rewiring your home will:

• Protect your family from electrical shocks
• Decrease the risk of fires caused by sparks and overheating
• Reduce electricity bills
• Lessen home insurance premiums
• Add value to the sale price of your home

If this is a service you’re after, contact our team today at Metropolitan Electrical Contractors. We’re experts in rewiring homes with more than 25 years of experience in the industry. There’s no one you can trust more for electrical safety than Metropolitan.

Please note: This information is provided for advice purposes only. Regulations differ from state to state, so please consult your local authorities or an industry professional before proceeding with any work. See our Terms & Conditions here.