Electrical wiring
We wouldn’t get much done these days without electricity, which is why our homes are filled with wires carrying power to every room of the house.
Generally, we only see the power outlets and light switches on the wall, but underneath the paint and plaster there’s a lot more going on.
It’s good practice to know where your consumer unit (sometimes called a fusebox) is, as sometimes this is hidden as well. It might be under your stairs, or in the back of a cupboard – somewhere that truly difficult to find if a switch trips and you’re trying to find it in the dark.
Knowing where it is is useful, as you can use it to stop the power coming into your home in an emergency – or if a device trips the power, you can reset it there.
If your consumer unit is very old, it is a sign that your home may need rewiring to bring it up to modern standards.
Other issues to look out for include switches tripping regularly, flickering lights, or damaged plug sockets and light switches.
If you find any of these problems, get in touch with an electrician who can put these problems right.