
How Do I Know If I Need Home Rewiring?
Have you ever flicked on the lights after work only to discover they’ve essentially stopped working? Or turned on kitchen appliances and been greeted by sparks coming from the power point? Sounds like you may be in need of a full home rewiring.
A safe and efficient electrical system at home relies on your wiring layout being carefully planned and the wiring itself being in peak condition. But how do you know if your house needs rewiring? 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 Involved in Home Rewiring?
It’s relatively self-explanatory, but the house rewiring process essentially involves stripping your home of its existing wiring and replacing it with new wire. These days, copper wiring is typically the preferred option due to its durability, conductivity, and compliance with Australian standards. The rewiring process often includes updating your electrical panel, adding safety switches, and repositioning electrical outlets to suit your current needs.
Note that you will always need a qualified electrician to complete any house rewiring jobs. The electrical wiring in your home must comply with Australia’s current electrical standards. Only a licensed and experienced electrician can legally tick that box for you.
The Benefits of Home Rewiring
House rewiring is essential to improving your home’s safety, efficiency, and functionality. You and your current electrical system will benefit in various ways, including:
- Greater safety: Replacing old wires and faulty wiring reduces the risk of house fire and other electrical faults.
- Improved efficiency: A new wiring layout supports an efficient electrical system, lowering energy bills.
- Compliance with standards: Upgrades meet Australian electrical standards (AS/NZS 3000:2018 Electrical Installations), protecting your home and increasing its value.
- Support for modern needs: In today’s very tech-heavy lifestyle, more power points and outlets accommodate modern appliances and reduce reliance on extension cords.
- Customisation: Tailor the layout of your wiring to suit your electrical needs, including better placement of sockets and switches.
With the help of licensed electricians, rewiring a house ensures your home’s light switches, power points and general electrical services are safe, efficient, and future-ready.
Signs Your Existing Wiring Needs Replacing
Here are some of the more common indicators that you may need to book a local, licensed electrician for your house rewiring project:
Your Lights Are Constantly Flickering
If you have seen flickering lights in your home, more often than not you’ll put it down to a dud light bulb and replace 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, suggesting possible fluctuations in the power supply caused by faulty wiring or a loose connection.
Your Circuit Breakers Trip All The Time
The circuit breakers on your electrical panel 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 electrical fires or any other damage from occurring. Now obviously this is a good thing. However, if it’s happening too often it means there is a problem that potentially indicates your house needs rewiring.
You Live In An Old Home With Old Existing Wiring
Homes over 40-50 years old are prone to degraded wiring and loose connections due to wear, exposure to elements, and outdated electrical standards. Advances in materials and energy efficiency mean older wiring may no longer meet current requirements. If your house is 50 years or older and experiencing electrical issues, consult a licensed electrician to assess whether rewiring is needed.
Power Points In Your Home Often Overheat and Spark
Overheating or sparking power points present serious safety risks to your home and family. These can include potential fire hazards and damage to electrical goods. Signs like discolouration, charring, or slight electrical shocks when using sockets indicate that your house needs rewiring. These issues are especially dangerous for small children.
Part of the process of rewiring a house involves replacing damaged electrical sockets and degraded wiring. Addressing these problems promptly protects your home and improves overall safety.
You Notice A Faint Burning Smell
This leads on from the last point and is fairly self-explanatory.
Should sparks form or your wires and sockets start to overheat, chances are you’ll likely detect a slight burning smell throughout your home. If you can confidently rule out burnt toast as the culprit, there’s a chance it could be your wiring. In this 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, and the last thing you want in the middle of the night is your smoke detectors sounding off unnecessarily. Your electrical wiring may put your home and family at risk if you don’t attend to it promptly.
Not Enough Power Points Available
This one has less to do with safety and bad wiring, and more to do with the simple convenience of 21st-century living.
If your home was built a long time ago, you may have discovered the hard way that you don’t have enough power points to accommodate the multitude of electrical appliances and devices you use daily. Rewiring a house is generally the most effective way of addressing the problem and minimising your reliance on extension cords.
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 an initial higher cost, but it can save you loads in the long run.
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 rewiring 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 home rewiring 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: Thanks for reading our blog “How Do I Know If I Need Home Rewiring?” 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.
Published: 2025-01-15