Q. Does my house need rewiring?

A. Probably not, a good guide is the type of wiring that’s has been used. As long as the cable is PVC Insulated, then its post 1960, If its lead, rubber or a paper type then it would be advisable to take a further look e.g carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (see Testing)

An Electrical Installation Condition Report, will highlight any dangerous conditions and/or departures from the current wiring regulations. (BS7671 IEE Wiring Regulations)

Q. Does my fuse box need upgrading?

A. Fuse box also known as Consumer Unit will only need replacing if it is :

• Damaged and dangerous
• Constructed with a wooden base (normally brown in colour)

Q. Why does my trip switch keep tripping?

A. Depending on what the switch is ‘MCB’ (miniature circuit breaker) or ‘RCD’ (residual current breaker) or RCBO (residual current breaker with overload).

• An MCB will trip under overload condition
• An RCD will trip under fault condition e.g earth fault
• An RCBO will trip under overload or earth fault condition

These devices are a huge improvement on the old re-wirable fuses that most domestic properties had installed. Although they may appear to be a nuisance when they do trip for no apparent reason, they are proven to save lives and yes there will be a fault with some part of the wiring or appliance somewhere that made it trip..