A Step-by-Step Guide to Rewiring your Premise
It is a common phenomenon for all electrical devices to wear out over time. Similarly, the electrics in your home will eventually depreciate causing a serious danger to you and your family, your home or your business. Electric shocks or fires resulting from old and faulty electrics can have grave implications, including financial loss and injury. The most obvious premises that have faulty wiring are old buildings or properties that have been flooded. Making sure that all your electrics are updated and safe to use is a crucial responsibility for any property owner. Therefore, here’s a look at a step-by-step guide to rewiring your premise so that no mishaps take place.
What is Rewiring?
Rewiring involves a comprehensive process of removing old and faulty wires and having them replaced with new and safe electrics, making sure that all relevant building regulations have been met at the same time. When it comes to rewiring, it simply doesn’t mean to hack out old wires and replace them with new ones, instead, the process involves several different tasks such as improving the fuse box, increasing or shifting hard-wired smoke detectors and implementing date sockets in premises that are very old and outdated. All-in-all, the rewiring process is quite extensive and it is important to hire a professional to do it rather than doing it yourself, which might result in either financial loss or injury.
Do I Need Rewiring?
In order to ensure that the electrics in your premise are safe to use, you need to have it checked by a professional over certain intervals, who is also in a better position to guide you about whether you need rewiring or not. However, you need to be aware that if you are planning any new rewiring, it has to comply with the electrical safety regulations stated in Part P of the Building Regulations.
So in case you are planning to add an extension to your property to manage the additional power load, which will make your property safer, you will have to make sure your rewiring complies with the necessary regulations. Regardless of whether you are planning on a rewiring for your property, premises that are over 25 years old, need an evaluation of their electrics to guarantee everything is functioning safely and in proper condition.
What Should I Consider Before Getting My Property Rewired?
Keep in mind that certain rewiring processes might be disruptive. This can include the removal of floors, plaster and skirting boards. However, nothing is more disruptive that a visit to the hospital or having your premise burn down to ashes. Therefore, it is a wiser decision to have all your electrics checked in due time before any serious damage takes place. Rewiring can also be time consuming and might take up to a few days before everything is completed and made sure that it is safe to use. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended to hire a professional electrical contractor that will carry out the necessary work in stages and minimise disruption in your home, making the process smooth, simple and quick for you
10 tell-tale signs your property may need re-wiring
1. Always check the fuse box first for tell-tail signs, if the fuse board is an old re-wireable type then you most definatley need your property re-wiring, the old wylex re-wireable fuse system is at least 40 years old and is very poor at providing overload protection of a circuit, please see picture what can happen
2. Even if you have a more modern fuse box with mcb’s as protection these have been
Around for more than 20 years and to see the age of the fuse box look for an R.C.D, an R.C.D is a residual current breaker and must be installed protecting any circuit installed since the 17th edition regulations were brought in.
3. Are the light fittings or ceiling pendants not installed in the centre of the rooms, they used to be installed in front and above the room windows to reduce the chance of people casting a shadow on the curtains when un-dressing, again this is a tell-tail sign the installation is 40 years old or more
4. Take a look at the switches and sockets, do they have screw fixings to the top and bottom of the socket plate as opposed to the left and right side? This indicates the installation is due an up grade
5. Another big tell tale is missing earthing conductors on the lighting circuits, we seem to come across this more in bungalows but there are still plenty of installations out there like this.
6. The installation is wired in black rubber cable instead of grey PVC, black rubber cables were last installed in the UK around 1963 so these cables really do indicate a need for the property to be up graded
7. Always check to see if the services pipes are earth bonded, incoming services
Such as gas and water should be earth bonded back to the mains, this as
According to the current 17th edition wiring regulations should be installed in 10mm copper single earth cable in most domestic properties, the services may be earth bonded in only 6mm copper or aluminium cable, this indicates and up grade may be required.
8. As an electrician in Blackpool we still come across this tell-tale sign quiet a lot, you’ve guessed it… sockets installed in the skirting boards, this is a dead give away. Not only is it against building regulations but having sockets mounted so low there is a greater chance of damage to the socket fronts and cables.
9. Is the electric cable copper or aluminium? Aluminium is quiet a dangerous conductor as it’s running temperature is hotter than copper, studies have shown that aluminium is 55 times more likely to cause a fire than copper due to this fact.
10. Are there any heaters connected to the electrical installation in the bathroom, this is a great tell-tale sign as it indicates the installation pre dates central heating.
The above list is just a guide and we recommend you seek expert advice, if you are looking for advice please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to offer free advice and guidance.
We offer a full inspection and installation service to domestic commercial and industrial/hazardous installations throughout Lancashire covering Blackpool, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lytham St Annes, Poulton-le-Fylde, Fleetwood & Preston.
