When everything electrical in your home appears to be working, it’s easy to assume that everything must be safe. However, many electrical issues aren’t immediately obvious.
At L J Mullan Electrical, we regularly work in Brackley and the surrounding villages, carrying out everything from small electrical repairs and fault finding to EICRs and consumer unit upgrades.
Here are seven electrical issues we commonly come across in homes and why they’re worth being aware of.
Older Consumer Units
One of the most obvious things we come across is an older consumer unit or fuse board.
An older consumer unit doesn’t automatically mean an electrical installation is unsafe. However, electrical protection has improved considerably over the years, and older installations may not have the level of protection we would expect from a modern installation.
Modern consumer units will typically incorporate 30mA Type A RCBO protection for individual circuits, along with surge protection (SPD).
One advantage of individual RCBOs is that a fault on one circuit doesn’t necessarily take out several other circuits at the same time, as can happen with older split-load arrangements.
Lack of 30mA RCD Protection
Another issue we encounter is circuits without additional 30mA RCD protection where it would now be required.
RCD protection is an important additional safety measure designed to rapidly disconnect the supply when certain earth leakage currents are detected.
This can become particularly relevant when homeowners want alterations made to an existing installation, such as additional sockets, new lighting or cables concealed within walls.
An electrician needs to assess the existing installation before simply adding to it.
DIY Electrical Work and Previous Alterations
Homes change over the years, and so do their electrical installations.
Extensions get built, kitchens are replaced, sockets are added and outside supplies are installed. Sometimes we discover alterations that haven’t been carried out particularly well.
This could include poor connections, incorrectly routed cables, unsuitable accessories or junctions that haven’t been installed correctly.
This is one reason why an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) can be worthwhile, particularly if you’ve recently bought an older property and don’t know its electrical history.
Loose and Poor Electrical Connections
Loose connections aren’t necessarily something you’ll notice by looking around your home.
A poor connection can create resistance and heat, potentially causing damage to the cable, accessory or equipment around it.
We regularly investigate issues such as intermittent lights, sockets that have stopped working and signs of overheating. Sometimes the cause can ultimately be traced back to something as simple as a poor termination.
If something electrical is behaving unusually, it’s generally better to investigate the cause rather than ignore it.
Extractor Fans That No Longer Work Properly
Not every electrical problem requires a major project.
Bathroom extractor fans are one of the smaller jobs we’re regularly contacted about around Brackley, Banbury and the surrounding villages.
Fans can become noisy, stop operating with the light, fail to run on after the light has been switched off, or stop working completely.
Effective ventilation is particularly important in bathrooms because it helps remove moisture from the room and reduce condensation.
Sometimes the existing fan can be repaired; other times replacement is the more sensible option.
Not Enough Socket Outlets
This isn’t necessarily an electrical defect, but it’s something we see constantly.
Modern homes contain far more electrical equipment than properties did years ago. TVs, computers, chargers, kitchen appliances, smart-home equipment and home offices can quickly use up the available sockets.
Even relatively modern properties around Brackley can benefit from additional socket outlets.
Adding properly installed sockets can be a much better long-term solution than relying heavily on extension leads and multiway adaptors.
Problems Discovered During an EICR
The photograph accompanying this article is a good example of why electrical installations can become complicated over time.
Different consumer units, alterations and additions can accumulate as a property changes.
An EICR isn’t simply a quick look at the fuse board. It involves inspection and electrical testing to assess the condition of the installation and identify damage, deterioration, defects or potentially dangerous conditions.
The results are recorded and any observations requiring attention are given an appropriate classification.
Importantly, an older installation isn’t automatically an unsafe installation. The purpose of an EICR is to assess its actual condition rather than recommend replacement simply because something is old.
Looking for an Electrician in Brackley?
L J Mullan Electrical is a small, family-run electrical business based near Brackley, providing domestic electrical services throughout Brackley, King’s Sutton, Banbury and the surrounding villages.
We undertake EICRs, electrical fault finding, consumer unit replacements, additional sockets, lighting, extractor fans, EV charger supplies and smaller domestic electrical jobs.
We believe customers should understand what we’re recommending and why. Where an installation is safe and doesn’t require replacement, we’ll tell you. Where improvements or remedial work are advisable, we’ll explain the reasons clearly.
If you’re looking for a reliable electrician in Brackley for an electrical inspection, repair, upgrade or even one of those smaller jobs you’ve been meaning to get sorted, please get in touch with L J Mullan Electrical for a quotation.
