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Electrical wiring is made to last a long time, and it does if it is used and maintained properly. The focus here is on proper and regular maintenance as it takes off the toll that time and general wear and tear have on your home electrics.
Your property’s electrical wiring is no exception when it comes to needing maintenance or repairs, a lack of which can put both you and your property in harm’s way.
Over time, electrical wiring and installations may start to degrade, reducing their effectiveness and safety, and may lead to major problems.
Electrical issues, which are often caused by defective wiring, are one of the leading causes of house fires in the UK. Not only can they be damaging to your property but can also put your and your family’s lives in danger.
If you notice that the electrical system on your property doesn’t seem to be working right, you may need to have your house rewired.
It may seem like a major investment, but when you think about the safety benefits it provides along with increasing the value of your home and helping you save money on your electrical bills, you will see that it is 100% worth it.
Read on to find out more about rewiring your house, tips to tell if your house needs rewiring, why rewiring is so important and much more:
Every home has an electrical system that powers all the lights, sockets, appliances, and electronic machinery. It is one of the most important foundations of building a house, without which it would be a hassle to live in.
The electrical wiring is laid out during the property’s construction as it is an integral part of the house’s operations.
As with everything else, it is subjected to general wear and tear over prolonged use, especially with the high demand for electricity in modern homes, and may begin to show signs of faults.
These faults may cause the system to malfunction and result in a dangerous situation for all those living in the house.
To ensure that the electrical wiring remains safe to use, works at maximum efficiency, and meets the latest regulations, it may need to be replaced.
Electrical rewiring basically involves the replacement of all the wiring and upgrading the consumer unit. The rewiring process is broken down into 2 stages:
There is no definitive time frame for getting your house rewired, but if your home’s wiring is old, outdated, or faulty, it is best to get it professionally inspected and rewired to bring it up to the current British Safety Standards.
The best way to keep a check on your electrical system’s health is through regular maintenance. It is recommended for private homeowners to get their electrical installations checked every 5 to 10 years or if they are selling the property, and for landlords to get it done every 5 years or whenever there is a change in occupancy.
These maintenance checks help determine the need for rewiring and the urgency for it through a Visual Inspection and an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
Here are some of the signs that indicate the need to get your house rewired:
Burning smells are never a good sign, and if you notice one that’s consistent, your house may need to be rewired.
The smell of electrical wires and components burning is very distinctive and fishy. If you are unable to identify the source of the burning smell, immediately turn off the power at the circuit and call a professional electrician right away.
Brown marks and discolouration on electrical sockets may be a result of small fires caused by faulty connections inside the sockets.
This is a serious cause for concern as small fires can turn into big ones in just a matter of minutes. Do not ignore any discolouration you notice on the sockets and switches as they could be indicative of an underlying issue.
Circuit breakers trip when there is a surge in power and the incoming electricity could be harmful to the home’s electrics and attached appliances. The issue arises when they start tripping repeatedly, which could be a sign that your house needs rewiring.
Although it could simply be due to a faulty appliance, if it keeps happening again and again and you are unable to identify an appliance that could be causing the issue, it is best to get an electrician to check your house’s wiring.
One flickering light is okay as it most likely indicates an issue with the bulb. However, if you notice regular flickering and dimming in several rooms of the house, it could be a sign of an electrical problem and must be checked out.
If you’ve ever received an electric shock, regardless of how big or small, when plugging an electrical appliance into a socket, it is a serious matter that needs to be checked on an urgent basis.
Similarly, if you hear a buzzing sound from the socket, you must get that checked as well and get your home electrics rewired to be safe.
Here are all the reasons why it is so important to get your house rewired, especially if it is old and the electrics are malfunctioning and turning into a safety hazard:
Safety is probably the biggest benefit of getting your electrical wiring checked and corrected. Outdated and damaged wiring poses a serious threat to your safety and may cause not just injuries but even death in severe cases.
As mentioned earlier, faulty electrics are one of the biggest causes of domestic fires. These fires may not just damage your property but endanger your life.
In addition to getting your house electrics inspected and rewired, it is advised to invest in a fire detection system to detect the earliest signs of a fire and take the required action to minimise its impact.
Other than being a safety hazard, faulty wiring and electrical installations can be extremely inefficient. For instance, constant power surges can damage expensive equipment and even result in higher-than-normal electrical bills.
All electrical installations must comply with the BS 7671 wiring regulations that set the standard for electrical installations in the country. Therefore, if the wiring in your house is too old and outdated, rewiring gives the perfect chance to be compliant with the law.
If you decide to sell your house, the fact that your wiring was just recently done and is compliant with the law boosts its value tenfold.
Buyers tend to avoid properties with very old and outdated wiring since it would mean they’d have to have it done as soon as they move in, which can be a hassle for them.
Rewiring gives you the chance to upgrade your existing wiring to smart wiring! Robust and up-to-date smart wiring will allow you to enjoy great home automation features with efficient operation and incredible cost savings.
You can conserve energy, make mundane household chores simpler, remotely control your home and all its appliances, and add a new layer of security to your home with integrated security systems that you can remotely access and control via your smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Hiring a professional electrician to rewire your home can keep you safe, ensure your appliances are running safely, and add value to your home.
Rewiring is a big project, considering all the rules, regulations, and checks that need to be followed. Regardless, it is a worthwhile investment that helps you stay compliant with the law.
The cost to rewire your house will depend on the size of your house and your geographical location, among other factors.
On average, the cost to rewire a 2-bed flat may range from £2,000 to £3,900. If the job is straightforward, it should take between 3 and 4 days to complete.
The cost to rewire a 2-bed terraced house, including a kitchen and bathroom, may range from £3,000 to £4,800. The job should take between 5 and 8 days to complete.
The bigger the house, the longer it will take the electrician to carry out the rewiring job and the more you’d be expected to pay.
A typical rewiring job will include:
Note: any plastering and decorating will incur additional charges which your electrician will quote depending on the individual requirement.
As with any home renovation project, the total cost for rewiring your house will depend on several factors such as:
As is obvious, a 3-bedroom house will cost more to rewire than a 1-bedroom flat. If you live in a bigger house, you should expect to pay more than if you live in a flat.
The price for these services can vary significantly based on where you live in the UK. Also, if your home doesn’t have a driveway or free off-road parking, you’d be expected to provide a parking permit for the team for the duration of the job.
The type of fittings and fixtures you opt for will have a huge impact on the total cost of rewiring. If you choose a high-quality product, naturally, you’d be expected to pay more for it. Therefore, make sure you take this into account when setting your budget.
Some rewiring jobs require no such structural work because the wires aren’t concealed and are running either through the house or the basement, whereas others require opening the walls to install wires, switches, and outlets.
The latter would require much more time, effort, and money to get the job done, along with repairing costs after the task is completed.
Also, the material of the walls is a huge contributing factor. Hollow walls make the rewiring process easier since it’s easier to break into them, as compared to a solid brick or block wall.
If you have small electrical tasks that need to be completed, you can ask the electrician to provide a quote for them along with the rewiring job.
Examples of such tasks include replacing a light fitting, consumer unit replacement, installing external lights with PIR motion sensors, and upgrading fluorescent lights to energy-efficient LEDs.
It is very important to find the right electrician to do the job to ensure it is carried out safely and complies with British wiring standards.
To ensure everything meets the current safety regulations, you must choose a reliable and registered electrician who has the relevant experience and is trained to carry out the job.
A trained and certified professional residential electrician will:
If you are looking for a registered electrician for the installation, maintenance, inspection, and rewiring of your property’s electrical system, look no further.
We offer a wide range of services to meet the demands of our clients. All our work is fully insured and we work to meet the standards set to us by the NICEIC to make sure all your electrical installations meet the current regulations and all the notifiable work is signed off by the local authorities.
We have been undertaking electrical work since 1976 and are specialists in the field. If you have unplanned issues within your home or business, we can provide a call-out service to rectify and solve any problems.
Anything from circuits tripping, loss of power, broken items that need repairing, or checking if you feel something is unsafe or a potential hazard.
Our team can generate a Visual Inspection Report (VIR) to identify anything visual that does not comply with the standards or looks unsafe, as well as a full Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) where we will identify and test each circuit to make sure they are not deteriorating and are safe for use within the current standards and regulations set by the BS 7671.
We can also provide PAT testing of appliances to make sure that any items such as kettles, computers, and microwaves are safe for use in the home and workplace.
Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 3001 for more information on rewiring and electrical safety!
Photo by Vladislav Bulatov on Unsplash
