The Risks of Not Rewiring

Some things get better with age. A fine wine, classic cars… in some cases cheese, but definitely not electrical wiring.

Over time the wiring in your Christchurch home carries a lot of electricity, heating the copper inside the wires. This can cause the insulation around the wires to harden and become brittle. This especially applies to houses wired before 1980.

Most of the time this is no major cause for concern. If no one touches the wiring and no renovations are made to your home then there is probably no need to call an electrician. Even when the insulation is brittle, if your wires haven’t moved the insulation will do its job.

If you are doing renovations around the house and you decide to add a new power point, change the light fittings, or anything involving the electrical system, movement can cause the brittle wire casing to break and expose the copper inside.

Perhaps you own an older home in Christchurch that was shaken recently, which may also have damaged the insulation around the wires?

In the movies, no insulation would mean the hero can’t tell which is the red or blue wire, preventing him from saving the day! In the real world, the exposed copper wiring rubs together inside the walls, heating up and potentially causing a spark that starts a house fire.

In the last few months the team at Mister Sparky have rewired three houses around Christchurch , reducing the risk of a fire hazard, and safeguarding the owners and their property against damage. Our experienced electricians can use thermal imaging technology to look for ‘hot spots’ in your walls, which might indicate where wires have lost their insulation.

Believe it or not, but some people are sensitive to the electrical frequencies created by the wiring in their home and can actually hear it like an annoying buzzing in their ear! We helped one client recently whose main power cables used to run under her bedroom, preventing her from getting a good night’s sleep.

After assessing and designing a solution with the customer, when rewiring her home, Mister Sparky used a different type of cable and changed the route so they no longer went under her bedroom. She can sleep easier without being affected by the electrical frequency, and also knowing the Christchurch Master Electricians at Mister Sparky have reduced the risk of damage to her house.

If you’re about to do earthquake repairs, you’re thinking of buying a house, or you’re just worried about the state of the wiring in your home get an Electrisafe report from Mister Sparky. We can check the state and condition of the wires and identify any potential hazards to give you peace of mind.

For an Electrisafe report, or to enquire about rewiring your home contact Mister Sparky on 0800 842 248.