If you are looking to buy a new home or embark on renovating your existing house it is crucial that you check your electrics are up to date. If the property hasn’t been rewired in the last 25 to 30 years, it is highly likely that it’s going to need an upgrade. In some cases it may only need a partial upgrade to bring it up to current regulations, but the worst case scenario would be a full re-wire and fuse board.

The older your house becomes the weaker the electrics become. Over time wires will age and this can lead to electrical fires, with recent studies showing that faulty electrics account for almost 51,000 fires in the home.

There are some telltale signs that your electrics need upgrading, should you notice any of the following we advise that you contact an electrician to come out as soon as possible;

1. Discoloured sockets and switches – if you notice any kind of discolouration on your light switches or plug sockets, it could be a sign of faulty wiring or a loose connection which has caused sparks to discolour the outlet.
2. Flickering bulbs – If you are confident that the bulbs flickering throughout your home are not because they haven’t been screwed in properly, it could be a sign of faulty wiring. If you change the bulb and the problem persists, we recommend you contact an electrician to take a look.
3. A burning smell that you cannot identify – should you notice a persistent burning smell and are struggling to identify where it is coming from, there is a possibility it is due to faulty wiring. If you do notice this smell and are confident it is to do with the electrics in your home, turn off all power immediately at the circuit and contact an electrician.

So what can you do to check if your wiring is up to current regulations?

Well the first thing we would recommend is to have a fully qualified electrician come and take a look. They will conduct an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) testing all your electrical installations, and advise what needs to be changed to make it safe. This is what any responsible electrical company will recommend first and foremost. Assuming or guessing when it comes to faulty electrics can literally be the difference between life and death. For more information on EICR’s and other testing we do, please visit https://www.rjelec.co.uk/services/