Over time, electrical wiring can become worn for various reasons, such as heat, or simply age. Worn out wiring can pose significant safety concerns for your household, so it is important to know how to spot problems before they become a hazard. Here are the 5 most common warning signs that your wiring needs replacing:

#1 Fuses keep tripping

When your fuses keep tripping it could be a sign that your circuit breakers have worn out. These are designed to reduce the risk of fire where circuits begin tripping. Despite these eventually wearing out, don’t be tempted to replace it with a higher rating unit, since this will only increase the chance of fire. Where these are faulty, they should be replaced by a qualified electrician immediately.

#2 Lights that flicker

The giveaway sign of overloaded circuits is repeatedly dimming or flickering lights. Although this is to be sometimes expected, especially where devices are being turned on and off within a circuit, it can also be a sign that the wiring is faulty and needs replacing.

#3 The switch looks abnormal

It is good to examine your light switches from time to time, since they can give you a clue as to when your wiring needs changing. For example, a few signs to look for include charring or discolouration on or around the switch. A buzzing sound can also be a warning sign to look out for. These signs are caused by faulty wiring making the circuit short, which can cause a small fire inside of the switch itself.

#4 The smell of smoke

Electrical fires smell like burning, as well as having a slightly pungent odour. If you can smell this at any time, it means that something is wrong with your wiring and making it short. Whether it’s a wire with no insulation left on It, or a problem with the plug or switch, you will need to examine and replace the wiring as soon as possible.

#5 Electric shocks

If you use a switch and receive an electric shock from it, this is a tell-tale sign of dodgy wiring. There is no doubt that something is shorting out, leaving a potentially extremely dangerous hazard each time the switch is used, as well as the fire risk if left.

Replacing your wiring

Although you may do your own safety checks occasionally, it is important to get a qualified electrician to examine it every once in a while too. Keep your household safe by ensuring that you get qualified engineers to replace faulty or old wiring as soon as possible.

For advice or a free quote, call PMR Electrical today on 02084047062.