Can the old wiring in this building start a fire? We hear this question a lot and the scary truth is that yes, it can. Electrical fires are a major concern in old buildings. Out of sight, out of mind is a dangerous practice when it comes to a building’s electrical systems.
For those of you managing commercial and industrial properties, you should have it checked by Brisbane electrical contractors to make sure you don’t have outdated electrical wiring. Residential and commercial electricians specialise in ensuring the safety of residents and tenants in a home or commercial space in older buildings, where wiring faults can cause serious issues.
Common Electrical Problems In Older Buildings
If you’re working in aging commercial property office spaces, there are plenty of electrical problems that can occur in these older structures. Depending on how old your system is, it might be necessary to replace certain parts to improve their performance and importantly, your safety.
What Are Some Common Electrical Issues In Old Buildings?
While we can list off the common electrical problems in old buildings here, it’s important to have your specific property checked by licensed commercial electricians to ensure that all of your systems are working properly. Some common electrical issues that can occur in old buildings include:
Faulty Cables and Wires
A lot of old wiring systems can still work even many years after being installed, however, they can also begin to turn into safety concerns. Particularly if the insulation around the wires is deteriorating, an electrician will need to replace the wires before they can hurt someone or cause an electrical fire.
Insufficient Electrical Loads
The world’s reliance on technology has grown hugely over the years and will only continue to increase as we go on. Because of this, many old buildings have circuits that are not equipped to handle the load that modern-day electrical devices need. If your old circuits are being overloaded it can lead to major problems. Contact a qualified electrician to inspect your building before anything can happen.
Knob and Tube Wiring
Knob and tube wiring is an electrical antiquity that can be particularly prevalent in old buildings. This old-fashioned system uses copper conductors that run inside your walls and ceilings, supported along their length with knob insulators. Because this wiring is only single-insulated, it can become easily compromised or hazardous with age and fraying. It needs to be replaced if discovered, as left alone it is a safety and fire hazard. Most experienced electricians will be able to offer this as part of their commercial electrical services.
Poorly Modified Wiring
While electrical wiring installations now require qualified electricians and follow strict rules, it wasn’t always this way. Unfortunately, the electrical health of many older buildings is suffering from decades of DIY interference. It’s all too common for us to find these types of electrical installations that show signs of being modified by people trying to do a quick fix or who have no electrical training. The older your building, the higher the risk that there will be faulty or badly executed wiring and connections.
Old Electrical Parts
Another common issue that we find in older buildings is when they are running on very old electrical parts that need to be replaced. Old light fixtures can develop loose wiring and flickering lights, older outlets will often not have a hole for a ground wire, and obsolete breakers that have been discontinued will need to be replaced.
How To Know If Your Older Building Has Electrical Issues
Many of these electrical problems will make themselves known in flickering lights, a burning smell, or tripping fuses. Unfortunately, there are still a large number of electrical issues that will show no signs that they are prevalent until they cause permanent damage to your systems or worse, start an electrical fire.
Thankfully, you can have your older building inspected by a qualified residential or commercial electrician before you start living or working in it to ensure that your electrical systems are all working correctly. All residential and commercial electrician services in Brisbane will be able to carry out this task for you. Routine maintenance is important to maintain any building – especially older ones- and ensuring repairs are carried out in a timely manner is also crucial to its survival. By having Brisbane commercial electricians inspect the property for you, you’ll be ensuring a safer environment for all building occupants.
Contact Us For Your Commercial Electrical Needs
As part of our commercial electrical Brisbane services, we can inspect your older building for any faults and provide recommendations and solutions. If you’d like one of our commercial electricians to inspect your older building for any faults, contact our experienced team today at 1300 084 303 or send us a message online about your electrical requirements.
For a commercial electrician Brisbane trusts, choose Haines for any large-scale residential or commercial services.