You may not often think about what goes on behind the walls of your house, but the wiring is an essential part of your property, delivering power to your lights, appliances and electrical devices. Over time, your home wiring may become outdated or damaged, leading to electrical problems or creating a potential fire hazard. While it may be an unexpected and unwanted cost, upgrading your home wiring could save you money in the long run and ensure your and your family’s safety.
The good news is a house only needs rewiring approximately every 25 years, depending on the condition of the existing cable and electrical components, including switches and power points (GPOS). A home will generally need a rewire if the switchboard still uses ceramic fuses.
Why you should replace ceramic fuses
The saying ‘They don’t make ’em like they used to’ applies to so much in our lives, except for ceramic fuses. This dated technology is found in older dwellings and uses wires suspended between two screws. Once the load exceeds the maximum the circuit is designed for, the wire burns out and the fuse wire must be replaced.
Ceramic fuses are less efficient and not as safe as the newer circuit breaker technology. They are no longer legally allowed to be installed in homes and were not designed to handle the amount of modern electrical devices most households use today. From a dishwasher to the washing machine, televisions, air conditioning and lights, your switchboard may be over capacity without you knowing it. If you’re ready to upgrade the fuses and wiring in your home, book a trusted local electrician and we’ll quickly and safely bring your house into the 21st century.
6 signs that your home needs rewiring
1. If your lights are flickering or dimming, it can indicate a problem with the wiring. You may also experience electrical shocks when you touch appliances or other electrical items in your home.
2. Overheating and sparking powerpoints can be a scary indicator that it’s time to rewire. Also, look for outlets and switches that have discoloured, as this can be from sparking.
3. If you experience frequent power outages, it could be due to faulty wiring or a sign of an overloaded circuit. It’s important to get this checked out right away as it can be dangerous to your home and your family.
4. If you have an extensive collection of extension cords, power boards or double adaptors throughout the house, you don’t have enough outlets installed and should consider rewiring.
5. If your home is more than 40 years old, it may have wiring that’s outdated or not up to code. According to NSW Fire and Rescue, electrical faults cause almost 40% of home fires. It’s essential to get your wiring inspected and updated, if necessary, to ensure that your home is as safe and running as efficiently as possible.
6. If you have consistently high electricity bills and can’t work out why (did you forget you left the AC on all day during summer?), it may indicate an issue with the wiring that needs to be inspected.
Finding the right electrician
When rewiring your home, finding an experienced, reliable electrician is vital. For a trusted local electrician in Sydney and surrounding suburbs, the team at Matty James Electrical can ensure your home is safe and following Australian Standards.
If you’re experiencing any of the signs mentioned above, or you know your older home is still using outdated switchboard technology, it’s crucial to consider rewiring to ensure you and your family are not at risk of electrical shocks or outages. You can find more info on Electrical Safety as per the legislation and NSW govt.
