Why Have a Rewire?

Common reasons to have a rewire

There are many reasons why you may need to have a rewire at your Bristol property. These can range from old, faulty wiring causing issues, to simply wanting to futureproof your electrics.

The most common reasons for a rewire are:

1. Old electrics breaking down and causing dangerous issues
2. Wanting to ensure compliance in a rental property
3. As part of a larger project/upgrade of the property

Let’s take a deeper look at each of these reasons to rewire and find out more about why a rewire would be advisable.

Signs you need a rewire

If the electrical installation at your Bristol property is over 25 years old, chances are it is beginning to show its age. When electrical wiring and components age and degrade, faults begin to occur. Some of these may appear to be merely inconvenient niggles but often they are warning signs that something more dangerous is occurring. You may begin to notice issues such as frequent, unexplained tripping, lights flickering, discoloured or warm sockets and switches, and a burning smell. These are all signs that something is wrong and should not be ignored. If left unresolved, your home could be at risk of electrical fire.

There can also be some visible indicators that your electrical system is older. You may have an old-style fuse box with replaceable fuses, or you’ve noticed some of the visible wiring is rubber or lead sheathed. Perhaps you find yourself constantly relying on extension cords as there are only one or two sockets per room? These all indicate an electrical system that has not been rewired in quite some time.

We’d recommend having an experienced, registered electrician inspect your electrics as a matter of urgency to ensure your safety.

Rewiring for compliance

If you are a landlord in Bristol, you may need to have a rewire to continue to meet regulatory standards. Whilst homeowners can decide when to have a rewire – unless it all breaks down of course -   a landlord must legally keep their tenants safe by providing an electrically safe environment. That means that when those early warning signs begin to be reported by your tenants, you’ll need to act fast. 

The electrical system in a rental property, particularly HMOs, suffers from much heavier usage than in an owned home. This can mean deterioration caused by wear and tear, and the resultant faults, can crop up sooner than expected. Oftentimes a landlord will choose to rewire when they begin to see more issues flagged on their regular EICR inspection reports, particularly if they are at a change of tenancy. They are aware that this is often the cheapest, most convenient approach in the long run. Your electrician will be happy to advise you as to whether this is the best option for you, or if smaller remedial works would be more appropriate and cost effective.

Rewiring for upgrades

The last of the reasons for rewiring is as part of other upgrades being made to your Bristol home. 

If you are carrying out major renovation works, and your home has not been rewired in the last 15 years, it makes sense to have a rewire at this point. This allays the need for additional disruption further down the line and ensures there won’t be any damage to your newly finished floors, walls or kitchen! 

You may also need to rewire if you are adding new technology to your home such as an EV charging point or solar panels, both of which will increase the load on your electrical system and could stress an older installation.

Rewire Electrician in Bristol

If you are a homeowner or landlord in Bristol and you would like to learn more about rewiring your property, get in touch with our knowledgeable team. Our experienced rewire electricians are all fully qualified, NICEIC registered and happy to answer your questions.

Call us today.