Powering Up Your New House: The Importance of Having Your Electrics Checked & Benefits of a New F.B

When you move into a new home, you’re probably not thinking much about the electrics. But here’s why it could be extremely important for your new home to do so

Powering Up Your New House: The Importance of Having Your Electrics Checked & Benefits of a New fuse board

When you move into a new home, there’s a lot to consider. What colour to paint the feature wall in your living room? How to distribute the rooms fairly amongst the little ones? Whether or not you want to tear out the previous owner’s questionable aubergine-coloured bathroom suite. And, of course, how you’ll manage to fit all of your belongings into the new space.

With all the business of making your new house a home, you likely haven’t given all that much thought to your new home’s electrics. Which is a shame, because you’re likely to be relying heavily on them to power your lifestyle. Here, we’ll look at the importance of having your electrics and fuse board checked in order to ensure the safety of your home?

Do I need to set up electricity in my new home

Unless you’re building a home from scratch, the chances are that you’ll already have an electricity supply. But according to the energy experts at Papernest, the first step towards powering up your new house should be to change your energy plan. As soon as you move in, you’ll be placed on a costly ‘deemed contract’ with the previous occupant’s supplier. It’s recommended that you compare energy prices and switch to a new plan as soon as possible to get the best rates on the market. Something that’s more important than ever given the current energy market crisis. Click Here.

How do I know the state of my electrical infrastructure?

Unless you happen to have some large gaping holes in your walls (we hope not), you won’t be able to see the state of your home’s wiring. You may, however, see tell-tale signs that something has gone awry with your electrics like discoloration around plug sockets or a fishy smell coming from your power outlets. These are signs of thermal damage or inadequacies in your new home’s wiring.

You will also find a brief overview of the wiring in your property’s homebuyer’s report or an EICR electrical installation condition report, if your lucky. However, there’s no substitute for a proper wiring inspection carried out by a qualified electrician.

How often does my wiring need to be replaced?

That depends on a number of factors, including your location, the quality of the building materials used to make your home, the age of your house and whether your wiring is made from copper or aluminium. However, you will find that your new wiring will be good for up to 50 years. An inspection is recommended at a maximum of 10 years for home owners or 5 years for rental properties.

Can I get a new power socket that suits the room’s new layout better?

Yes, absolutely. We know how frustrating it can be when you have to plan your new home’s layout around the availability of power outlets. We can install new power sockets that suit your preferred layout better so you don’t have to compromise function for aesthetics! The ease of this task will depend on the existing fuseboard and the condition of the wiring.

Why should I consider getting a new fuse board?

Your consumer unit or fuse board controls the flow of electricity into and around your new home, and also consists of all relevant safety devices. But over time, this (like the rest of your home) becomes subject to wear and tear. If your fuse box is old or worn, it can increase your risk of circuit overloading and electrical fires. On top of this the regulations are constantly changing in a battle to ensure the safety of all electrical installations, so a new fuseboard may be required to bring you up to date with the newest regulations and guidelines.

Likewise, if you would like to increase your home’s electrical capacity, this may also require a new fuse box.

Wrote By James Murphy @ Papernest

& Perry McGowan @ VoltsCoventry