How Can You Tell If your Electrics need a rewire

 

If you're viewing a house - or maybe have already moved in - what basic checks can you make to find out if the electrics need rewiring? As a rule, only testing can tell you that. But there are warning signs that you can look for:

 

 

•Obvious signs of damage to socket-outlets, switches, and lights.

•Signs of overheating at socket-outlets.

•How many socket-outlets are there in each room? If there are only one or two, or they are single sockets. It could be an indication that the installation may be quite old.

•The use of extension leads and socket outlet adaptors.

•Are the socket-outlets of the round pin type? If so, the installation is very old.

•Round light switches and braided flex hanging from ceiling roses to light fittings,

  black switches and sockets mounted in skirting boards

•Check the fuse box - just because it looks new, that doesn't mean it is - it may have    had just a fuse box change, so check the rest of the installation as well.

• Has it got rewirable fuses? These have not been installed in new installations for

   many years.

• If the fuse box has a wooden back, cast iron switches, or a haphazard mixture of

   fuses it is likely that it dates back to before the 1960s and will need to be replaced.