![\"why](\"https:\/\/www.anytrades.co.uk\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/286x111-elec4.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIt’s pretty likely that you don’t think about your electric outlets or plug sockets too often.<\/p>\n
But old electrical components can cause big problems for your home’s wiring and could even pose a threat to you and your family.<\/p>\n
Keep reading to find out why it’s vital to upgrade your electric outlets when they get old.<\/p>\n
Outlets and wiring can begin degrading after as little as 5 years. As wiring ages it can settle and individual wires can touch. This could cause sparking, arcing and even fire.<\/p>\n
This is why it’s important to get an electrician in to check your wiring every couple of years.<\/p>\n
Nowadays, technology develops and moves on quickly. If your electrical components are fairly old then they might not be able to cope with increased use.<\/p>\n
If your outlets can’t keep up with demand then they can supply too much or too little electricity to your appliances. This can cause lights to flicker and could damage your equipment.<\/p>\n
Your consumer unit is one of the most important electrical components you have, so it’s vital to update it when necessary. This is because it controls and distributes electricity to your whole electrical installation. If your consumer unit malfunctions because it’s overloaded then it could cause a lot of damage to your appliances.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The most recent UK wiring regulations came out in 2008. These say that all electrical installations should have RCDs. RCDs, or Residual Current Devices, automatically cut off power to an outlet if it becomes unsafe. So if the outlet is overloaded or gets wet, an RCD will break the connection to reduce the chances of fire or injury. Electrical installations that don’t have RCDs are dangerous and don’t meet wiring regulation requirements.<\/p>\n
Upgrading your electrical components isn’t particularly time-consuming. A qualified electrician will have no problem replacing plug sockets, light switches and consumer units and can also check to see if the rest of your electrics are safe.<\/p>\n
If you’re looking for a professional to check or upgrade your electric outlets, fill in our online form. We’ll put you in touch with up to 4 local qualified electricians.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It’s pretty likely that you don’t think about your electric outlets or plug sockets too often. But old electrical components can cause big problems for … <\/p>\n