5 Signs Your Wollongong Home Needs Electrical Upgrades
When was the last time you experienced unreliable power in your home? How long was it before it went from a frustrating nuisance to an unusable liability?
It should come as no surprise to anyone that we use electricity practically every hour of the day. We use it to heat our water, to charge our phones, to entertain us, to cook our food, to keep us cool or warm us up, and often enough, to work and do our jobs. Reliability is no longer a desire, but a firm requirement.
Modern electrical systems are improving by the year, and even modern homes built only a decade ago can benefit from electrical upgrades. For Wollongong's rich tapestry of heritage homes, this becomes even more important, as modern demand puts pressure on decades-old circuits that they were never designed to accommodate.
If you experience any of the following electrical issues in your home, it might be time to consult with a trusted, local electrician on the best electrical upgrades for your house.
1. Frequent Circuit Breaker Trips
A breaker tripping immediately shuts off all power to the home and is a protective measure against the risks of electrocution or fire. Breakers typically trip for three reasons:
- Overload: There are too many things drawing too much power from the circuit.
- Short circuit: Somewhere, there is a wire touching another wire and shouldn't be.
- Ground fault: Somewhere, there is a wire touching something metal and shouldn't be.
The first reason is common for older systems but can also be a result of overloading outlets using too many power boards or double adaptors. You can test this by identifying what you were using at the time of the trip, as simply switching on an appliance at the wall can trigger a breaker trip. This can be resolved by your electrician by upgrading the circuit, as modern systems can handle higher loads safely.
However, if the break happens randomly, even when you're not using a power-hungry appliance, it might be a short circuit or ground fault. Due to the risk of electrocution, we must stress that this is not a DIY fix. Call in a qualified emergency electrician to assess your circuit and diagnose the fault safely.
2. Outdated Wiring
If you're living in an older home, chances are that you have outdated wiring. Wiring has come a long way in the last few decades as double-insulated thermoplastic sheathed (TPS) cabling has become the norm, as the safest and most durable type of cable available. Electrical standards are also being updated regularly, with the last change in Australia's electrical standards, rules and notes occurring as recently as 2018.
Characteristics of outdated wiring depend on the period the wiring was first laid down. Before the 1950s, it was common to wire homes using the knob-and-tube method. Admittedly, this method was fantastic for longevity, but lacked a ground wire and insulation for safety, resulting in a much higher risk of house fire or electrocution, especially if the wires touched water. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, aluminium was used as the primary component of wiring. Though it was cheap and plentiful, aluminium lacked the connectivity of copper and was also prone to causing house fires.
Fire risks and accidental electrocution represent two of the most serious dangers of outdated systems, so if you have a home built in these eras, book an electrician inspection to assess your installation and whether it needs a complete upgrade.
3. Flickering or Dimming Lights
Flickering and dimming lights (often called "brownouts") can happen even to modern circuits, often occurring in the evenings when grid demand is at its highest. However, if your lights are flickering more regularly or are dimmer than they used to (or what you would expect from modern wiring), then it may be a sign that old wiring is delivering subpar electrical flow.
Other causes of flickering lights include loose or damaged wiring, faulty switches, and localised home circuit overload. This home circuit overload can be the result of turning on an energy-intensive appliance (such as a washing machine or air conditioning) or using modern lightbulbs that require greater voltage than what the socket and wiring can provide.
If you notice these signs, your home's electrical system needs an upgrade, as your modern usage is outstripping the original circuit's energy capabilities.
4. Limited Power Outlets
Consider the changes in power usage in the last 25 years since the new millennium. We're using more devices, more computers, larger TVs, more home appliances (particularly smart home systems), and a wider variety of kitchen appliances (air fryers, soda water pumps, and toaster ovens). When older homes were originally built, when half of these things either hadn't been invented or had not yet entered common usage, the limited number of power outlets was more than sufficient.
In the modern day, however, our demand regularly outstrips these older circuits by a large margin and a power outlet may be responsible for much more than it was intended for with the addition of power trips or extension cords. For minor things, such as charging a few phones and keeping a bedside lamp burning is fine, but larger appliances should only ever have their own power outlet. Over-reliance on dividing power from the same outlet can cause a power trip, damage to the outlet and its wiring, damage to the appliances plugged in, or even fire or electrical shocks.
5. Burnt Smells or Discoloured Outlets
Smells of burnt plastic indicate that the electricity is simply too much for the old circuit to handle. If you smell burning or notice your power outlets are becoming discoloured, call an emergency electrician immediately, as the risk of a house fire or accidental electrocution is very real. You can also listen out for the sounds of overloaded circuits, particularly when you plug things in or turn on a power outlet.
Sounds of sparks and buzzing can indicate you have reached and exceeded capacity and that the electricity is now at risk of causing a hazard. Signs like these are very serious and warrant an immediate professional inspection to protect both yourself and your home.
How to Address These Electrical Issues in Wollongong
Electricity is a vital resource in the modern world and while it makes our lives incredibly convenient, its power (and hazards) must always be respected. The dangers of not doing so or being lax in noticing the warning signs can include severe or even lethal electric shock or a devastating house fire. If you notice any of these signs, call in a residential electrician as soon as possible.
Hiring a licensed electrician familiar with Wollongong regulations and systems is your best bet to secure your power supply as it is meant to be, all the while protecting your home from fire hazards, power outages, faults in connections, overheating, and the risks of a power surge. Don't take the risk. Whether it's problems with energy efficiency or you need an urgent repair, the safety risks of inaction far outweigh the time and effort of a professional consultation.
Nothing Beats Safety and Peace of Mind
Keeping your home's electrical circuit up to date with modern upgrades keeps your electrical supply safe and secure now and well into the future. Modern electrical components are safer and more reliable, manufactured to rigorous standards to meet and exceed the high energy demands of modern life.
If your home is more than a decade old, and especially if you live in one of Wollongong's beautiful heritage homes, book a safety inspection today. The local electricians at Easther Electrical know Wollongong and its homes like the backs of their hands and possess extensive experience in the kinds of repairs (as well as each common problem or issue) that homes in our area tend to have. If you are currently experiencing any of the signs above, contact our friendly team today!