Your fuse box, or consumer unit, protects every circuit in your home. Older units often lack the protection modern homes need. Here are five signs it may be time for an upgrade.
1. You still have rewireable fuses
If you have to replace fuse wire when a circuit fails, your fuse box is likely decades old and offers no protection against electric shock.
2. There is no RCD
An RCD switches off the power in a fraction of a second if it detects a fault that could cause a shock. If your board has no test button marked T, it probably has no RCD protection.
3. It is mounted on a wooden backboard
Older installations are often fixed to wooden boards, which is a sign of their age and can be a fire risk.
4. The unit is plastic
Current regulations require consumer units in homes to be made of non-combustible material, usually steel.
5. Breakers trip often
Frequent tripping can point to faults, overloaded circuits or an undersized board that cannot cope with modern appliances.
If any of these sound familiar, read more about consumer unit upgrades or book a free survey.