39% of home fires are caused by old or faulty electrical wiring or outlets. That’s a problem. Potentially a very dangerous one. And one which doesn’t always become apparent until it’s too late.
But there are a few clear signs that you should consider getting your wiring checked. Perhaps even having your home rewired. So what are they?
Here are some obvious signs your house may need rewiring
- Fuses: which often blow and circuits which often trip: this isn’t necessarily a reason to rewire your home. It could be a problem with certain appliances. But it’s definitely something you need to get checked out if it happens all the time.
- Browning of your sockets or switches: watch out for discolouration of any electrical outlets. It’s sometimes caused by the tiny fires (yikes!) caused by loose connections inside the outlets, which can create little arcs of electricity.
- Flickering lights in multiple locations: a single flickering light is likely a fault with the bulb or the way it’s been screwed in place. If you notice regular flickering of your lights in several rooms or on a regular basis though, it could be a sign of electrical problems in your home.
- A general burning smell or buzzing which won’t go away: if you haven’t been cooking but you can still smell burning, a hidden electrical fault might be the cause. The same can be true of a constant buzzing sound. The latter can be related to any dimmers you might have installed, but it can be something more serious.
- You get electric shocks: or if you see little electric sparks near your outlets. These are definite signs of underlying problems!
