Our experts carry out routine EICR checks for many households, and often they come across houses with old wiring, which may contradict UK regulations. When they mark the wiring for future repairs, the first question most landlords ask them is how much does an electrical rewiring cost?
Electrical rewiring projects are no easy task, and the complications that come with it eventually determine how much a rewiring would cost you. The process itself may leave your home dirty and dusty, and that might increase the costs as you will have to pay for a clean-up job as well. A thorough rewiring involves work in all areas of the house, including minor demolition of some walls to allow the electrician access to the concealed wiring and switches. You may be worried about how long it will take to thoroughly examine the house for rewiring. Still, it isn’t wise to rush the examination process, as the electrician might miss a few wiring faults and render the whole operation ineffective.
Many wiring issues are harmless at first, but over time and under the right conditions, they may cause accidents that could harm your life, the lives of your tenants and material damage to your property.
How long is a rewiring viable?
Wires aren’t easily degradable, and a system of standard wiring will last anywhere between 20 to 40 years, depending on the conditions of your house. Over time, the insulation around the copper may be worn out, which exposes the copper wiring and increases the risk of an electrical fire.This is a rough estimate, and there are no detailed studies on the actual lifetime of electrical wirings. The best way to determine the condition of your electrical wiring is to have an electrical expert check out the entire grid. Other factors that affect the lifetime of electrical wirings is the material and brand of the electrical wires, your electrical usage patterns and fluctuations in the electrical current. If your house is older than twenty or thirty years, the material used back then does not hold up to today’s standards as presented by the housing authority. In some cases, electrical insurance plans will not cover accidents caused by old wirings, and they may not even qualify you for membership if the house’s wiring is deemed unsafe.
You should carry out a periodic inspection every ten years if you own your own home. Landlords have half the time to ensure an EICR certificate is issued for their property.
In addition, you should check your wiring regularly and always be alert about electrical safety conditions, especially if you’re living in an old house or are renting out properties older than twenty years old. It would help if you examined the following for any discrepancies:
- How your wires look
- Function of light switches and electrical sockets
- Noises from the wiring or behind the walls
- Constant fuse blows
- Discolouring on electrical sockets and switches
Tips to make your wiring last longer than usual
Most people assume that electrical wirings could experience the main issue, but the real problem that our electricians at Electric Works London have frequently witnessed is overheating issues. The wires usually overheat when they are carrying more electrical load than they were initially designed for or exposed to sunlight for extended durations.As the insulation is worn out, the wire becomes unsafe and could even cause electrical fires, or it might short circuit, subsequently causing a fuse to blow. It also reduces their flexibility and protection of the delicate wiring, which means the wires could break where they used to bend. These are considered electrical safety violations and call for immediate rewiring.
A common reason for system overload is introducing a new, power-hungry appliance to your house. You may also cause an overload by adding too many small electrical appliances that add up to electric current demands.
The electrical socket is the first point of contact that may cause an electrical fire or damage to the wiring. If your sockets are old, they may not be equipped to handle high-voltage electrical appliances. Perhaps it’s time to install new sockets, and thanks to advances in technology, you may choose a model that even allows for USB charging with an integrated adapter. However, you should make sure that the socket is installed in a proper location and is not exposed to extreme heat or cold.
Do I have to rewire my house? Can I postpone electrical rewiring?
Our experts recommend an immediate rewiring in the following scenarios:
- A property that is older than 20 years, with no previous rewiring services rendered in the past 10 years. In such a case, the wires are installed according to older standards, and even if there is no visible damage, the limits of the grid simply don’t allow for modern living conditions and appliances.
- If you are planning to remodel some walls, or prepare any significant reconstruction, you need to order an electrical rewiring to allow for proper integration of the new sections.
- If you are adding a garage to your home or are adding any new rooms, you will need to rewire the grid in its entirety for an integrated electrical circuit. Failing to do so may cause overloading incidents.
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