How to Make an Older Home Much Safer
Have you just bought a Victorian home with the aim of enjoying a very traditional lifestyle? Many people shy away from contemporary or modern architecture, even though they may appreciate the finer things of today's world, but some areas will nevertheless require a compromise. Before you get too settled into your new property, you need to look underneath the surface to see if your electrical setup is safe or not. Where should you start?
Safety in Mind
In an ideal world, you should completely renew the wiring and safety switches from the junction box all the way forward. If you opt not to do that, however, you should at least think about putting safety switches at strategic locations throughout the building. Although they are by no means mandatory (unless you are planning to market some of the property to rental tenants), you should still consider these safety switches as they are designed to protect people in the case of an unexpected surge.
How Do Safety Switches Work?
When something untoward happens, the voltage in the main circuit could fluctuate, and without a switch in place, electricity could "jump" to the nearest person and find the quickest route down to earth. A safety switch is designed to anticipate that situation, and it will cut the power off in a split second, to help avoid the threat of serious injury. It's a good idea to install a safety switch on every single circuit, but especially those that are in the kitchen, bathroom or outside.
Best of All Worlds
On the other hand, you could fit safety switches on the switchboard itself. In this case, they will protect every single electrical circuit and any appliances or outlets that are linked to each. Some people think that any problem here would disable the entire house, but this switch will only isolate the problem circuit while others will still be operational. If you want the best of all worlds, why not put safety switches on the switchboard and in "risk" areas around the property?
How to Proceed
In order to get any of these devices installed, you will need to get a qualified electrician to perform the work. When you do so, he or she will be able to give you a certificate of compliance, and you will know that your installation is up to national standards. At the very least, an investment of this type will make the home a lot more valuable when you put it on the market again.