Signs That Your Switchboard Requires Repairs

The best signs to look for to know if the home or office switchboard should be repaired are:

• Burning Smells – if there are burning smells or odd odours which come from the switchboard then this will often mean there is an issue occurring. Deteriorated cables, wiring which is faulty and electrical overloads often cause these smells to happen. It is important that the electrical system is repaired as soon as possible to prevent electrical fires from starting. 
• Older Switchboard – switchboards that are older than 20 years are more likely going to need switchboard repairs. Electricians will perform an electrical safety inspection to look for potential issues and repair them if needed. If the switchboard is too outdated or the repairs are extremely expensive than an electrician might suggest upgrading the system.  
• Flickering Lights – lights that are frequently flickering may be due to the bulb or because of a circuit issue. The switchboard might be the cause of the lights flickering with the specific circuit needing repairs. Electricians will repair the switchboard and the circuit which powers the lights to stop lights from flickering. 
• Circuit Breaker Trips – the circuit breaker is inside the electrical switchboard and helps protect appliances from power surges. They will trip when an electrical spike has occurred to stop systems and people from being hurt. When they trip constantly then this is often due to the switchboard having a fault which will most times require an electrician to resolve. We recommend reading our blog ‘what to do when the circuit breaker trips’ to know exactly how to safely manage the defect. 

Blown Fuses – fuse boxes are used to add extra protection from electrical shocks and overloads. When these are constantly blowing then this is a sign that the switchboard may be to blame. Electrical contractors will determine if the switchboard is causing the common blown fuse and will fix it correctly. The switchboard may not be able to handle the electricity demand which may be causing the fuses to blow. For easy ways to control blown fuse situations, we encourage reading our blog ‘blown fuses – how to check and fix’.

Choosing to undergo an electrical switchboard upgrade over repairing the current system is an option of the current switchboard has defected. An upgrade will see an older switchboard be replaced with a modern switchboard. All electrical wiring, electrical appliances and electrical circuits will be correctly connected to the new switchboard. Reasons why a switchboard upgrade is more effective than switchboard repairs are:

• Old Age – if the current switchboard is more than 20 years old than it is most likely not able to handle today’s electricity demand. If the system has also not been serviced or repaired since installation then there is a high chance it could fail at any time. Instead of repairing the old switchboard, which can be expensive, upgrading to a new switchboard is safer and more effective. 
• Costly Repairs – if there has been major damage to the existing switchboard then upgrading it should be looked over. If upgrading the current switchboard is around the same price or cheaper than repairs then this should be highlighted. Upgrading an older switchboard to new switchboards is always smart, especially if repairing the current switchboard is more expensive. 
• Rust – a rusted switchboard might need replacing if the rust has eaten at the metal and other electrical components. Read our blog ‘rusted switchboards – what to do’ to know when to upgrade the switchboard depending on how much rust has developed.