How to tell if Electrical wiring in your house is not up to the mark?

Having good wiring in your home is essential. We rely on electricity for so much in our modern lives, and in honesty, a power cut is never ideal. But if your freezer has no power, you can pretty much say goodbye to everything you have stored in it.

If you live in an older property and you have never had your wiring installation replaced, then your wiring may be getting on a bit now. It may never have been replaced. That means that your fuse box and wiring was fitted back in a time when we did not use electricity to the same level we do now. There were no phones and laptops left on charge in those days. Homes may have had just one TV. We put a lot of pressure on our fuse boxes and wiring, and if your homes electrical install was not designed for twenty-first-century usage, then it may be time for you to get this checked out and potentially get an upgrade.

There are a few tell-tale signs that you may need to look at upgrading your wiring. If you have flickering lights, or you find your switchboard tripping often, then you may well have a problem that needs addressing, and you should check to see if the electrical wiring in your house is up to the mark.

How to test house wiring with a multimeter?

Before you start checking the wiring in your house using a multimeter, you should proceed with caution. If you do not have experience in this area, get the assistance of a professional. Mains electric is powerful (230v), and if you don’t know what you are doing with it, then you could be putting yourself at risk, 230 volts can kill.

To test the wiring in your home, set your multimeter to the AC voltage to the two hundred volts setting. Plug the probes into the multimeter and then place the other ends into the holes of one of your sockets. Give it a few seconds, and you should get a reading of what voltage is in the circuit. You can do this from any outlet in your home, as it will give you an indication of the power throughout your home. You should get a meter reading of roughly 230 volts. If this is not the case, call an electrician.

What is the best cable size for house wiring?

When it comes to picking wiring for your home, while it may be tempting to go for the most cost-effective solution may not be the best way forward. Instead, look at going for an option that is going to last for a long time, offer better conductivity, and withstand the uses of your modern home. Copper is a popular choice for house wiring as it provides good conductivity.

The size of the wiring that you use will depend on the purpose. For example, for general power cables, you should use 2.5mm wiring. For general lighting, use 1.5mm, and for cookers and showers, you will need a much thicker 6mm wiring.

Using the incorrect wiring can cause your wiring to overheat, which will result in a fire. If you are in any doubt about installing new wiring, get a trained electrician in to do the job for you. It is much better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to electricity.

When should you replace house wiring?

There are many reasons for you to look at replacing the wiring in your home. If your house was built more than thirty years ago, the installation may be inadequate for its modern purposes and may be outdated. If you find your circuit switchboard tripping often, your lights flicker, or that you have buzzing sounds from lights and wires, and if you have burnt power outlets, these are all definite signs that you need your wiring replacing,

You may want to look at getting your wiring replaced if you need to use extension cables because you don’t have enough power outlets. Reevaluating your home’s wiring to meet your modern needs will help to make your life easier, and will ensure you are not overloading any power outlets.

If you believe your home needs to have, its wiring replaced, speak with an electrician. Rewiring your house is a big job that carries several safety concerns. Getting it done right is vital.

How to check for bad wiring in the house?

Bad wiring in your house is not just an inconvenience, it is a safety hazard. Making sure your wiring is up to scratch is a matter of life and death, and you should take it very seriously.

There are several visual checks that you can do to check for bad wiring in your house. Looking for frayed or ripped wiring will let you know about potential areas of concern. Look for signs of burnt power outlets, and pay attention for flickering or buzzing lights.

If you notice any of these things, get some expert advice from an electrician. Bad wiring can lead to fires, and it is not something that you should ever take a chance on.

What does a burnt smell from electrical switches mean?

If you have burnt power outlets or a burning smell around your electrical switches, then something is overheating. This will need addressing immediately, and it is advised that you contact an electrician. If you continue to use an overloaded circuit, then you will run the risk of starting a fire.

Potential causes for burning smells and overheating could be overloaded fuses, inadequate, frayed or ripped wires. Where this is the case, rewiring may be needed in part, or even throughout the whole of the house. You should stop using the power outlet, or light in question until the matter has been looked into by an electrician and remedial work has been carried out.
For assistance in testing or replacing any of the electrical wiring in your home, get in touch with Caslec on 1300 659 273 or 02 9604 4488.