Signs you need a rewire

Taking the steps to rewire your Axminster home is taking steps towards a more modern, safer home for you and your family. With a majority of wiring being hidden in the home, it’s hard to know what the state of your wiring is and how old it is, that’s why here at Tyne Electrical we have put together a short guide on the signs you need a rewire.

Do I need a rewire?

First of all, if you’re thinking of buying a property, we always recommend finding out if you need to rewire the home.

Something to be aware of is how old the current wiring is in the home you’re buying, if the property is over 25 years old it’s most likely that the property is due a re-wire. This is because it is generally advised to rewire a property every 25 years.

It’s important to know this information before you buy, this allows you to factor in the cost of rewiring into your renovation plans and how much wiggle room you have financially. It also helps you to know how time you need to factor into the renovation.

Whether it’s a new house of your current home, the best way to find out the age of the current wiring is:

• Check the fusebox, if there are rewirable ceramic fuses - this usually points towards old wiring in an home
• Older wiring was often wrapped in cloth or rubber insulated - whereas modern day cable is insulated with grey or white PVCu
• Older homes generally tend to lack safety features such as protective conductor (earth), this is very dangerous and points towards a full rewire being required
• A lack of sockets in each room usually is indicative of older wiring

These are all signs you need a rewire in the home you’re thinking of buying.

Signs you need a rewire in your Axminster home

Older wiring usually starts to present physical signs that the wiring is old, damaged and not working as it should. The main signs you need a rewire are:

• If you find fuses are regularly blowing or circuits breakers tripping, this implies that the system is overloaded and cannot handle the current level your home is demanding
• If you spot a greenish sticky goo, this is a sign there is a chemical reaction happening between the insulation plasticizer and copper conductors found on older PVC cables, particularly from wiring installed between 1965 and 1971
• A burning/ammonia smell usually means something is over heating and potentially melting, causing this smell
• Melting or burn mark discolouration on sockets and switches also indicate overheating

Older wiring that is either/both damaged or overwhelmed can be incredibly dangerous and result in either electrical fire or faults, it’s extremely important you don’t ignore any signs you need a rewire. If you’re concerned about the condition or age of your wiring, you can book an EICR to assess the current condition and whether you need to consider a rewire.

Tyne Electrical Services

We are your local NICEIC approved contractor in Axminster, with years of experience re-wiring, diagnosing and repairing. If you’re concerned with any signs you need a rewire or would like to book our services, get in touch with our friendly and reliable team today.