The short answer
If your home was built before 2000, the NSW Government recommends having a licensed electrician check the wiring, and it flags homes wired before the 1980s as a particular risk. Warning signs include ceramic fuses, no safety switches, a black "pitch" switchboard backing board, scorch marks, buzzing or burning smells, flickering lights, warm power points and frequent blown fuses or trips. An inspection tells you whether you need a few repairs, a switchboard upgrade or a full rewire. It's worth doing: the NSW Government says electrical faults and appliances cause 40% of NSW house fires each year.
Why older homes need a look
Wiring doesn't last forever. Insulation dries out and cracks, connections loosen, and decades of renovations, DIY "fixes" and added appliances take their toll. A house wired for a few lights and a radio is now running split systems, a dishwasher, an induction cooktop and a home office.
Wagga and the Riverina have plenty of older brick homes and farmhouses that have been added onto over the years. Many still work fine. Some are hiding problems that only show up under load, like on a hot summer afternoon with the aircon flat out.
Warning signs to watch for
None of these mean the house is about to burn down, but each one is a reason to get it checked:
At the switchboard
- ceramic rewireable fuses instead of circuit breakers
- no safety switches (RCDs), or only one
- a black or dark brown backing board, rough or fibrous, that may smell like tar
- scorch marks, buzzing or a burning smell
- fuses that blow or switches that trip often
Around the house
- lights that flicker or dim when appliances start
- power points or switches that are warm, discoloured, cracked or loose
- tingles from taps, appliances or metal fittings (call Essential Energy on 13 20 80 straight away; see electric shock or tingle)
- not enough power points, so double adaptors and power boards are everywhere
- old light fittings with brittle, crumbling wiring visible
- anything that looks like home-made wiring in the roof or under the house
Ceramic fuses and no safety switches
Many older switchboards still have ceramic rewireable fuses and no safety switches. A safety switch (RCD) cuts power quickly when it detects current leaking to earth, which can happen when it flows through a person. It protects against electric shock and gives some protection against electrical fires.
NSW doesn't have a general law forcing owner-occupiers to retrofit safety switches to an existing home. But the rules kick in when work is done:
- Alter or add a circuit, and that circuit must get RCD protection at the switchboard. The rest of the house doesn't have to be upgraded.
- Replace the switchboard for any reason, and every applicable final subcircuit on it must get RCD protection.
Under AS/NZS 3000:2018 (the Wiring Rules), household RCDs are rated at no more than 30 mA, and Type AC RCDs can no longer be installed in new work in NSW. More in ceramic fuses vs circuit breakers.
Asbestos switchboards
Bituminous electrical backing boards were made before 1987 and may contain asbestos. They're usually black or dark brown, rough or fibrous, and may smell like tar. Brand names stamped on the back include Lebah, Zelemite, Miscolite and Ausbestos. Old fuse carriers and some fuses may contain friable asbestos.
A missing warning sticker doesn't mean a board is asbestos-free. Don't drill, cut or break an old board. The NSW asbestos site advises engaging a licensed asbestos assessor and a licensed removalist. Nelson doesn't remove asbestos, but he can work with a licensed removalist when your board is replaced. See asbestos switchboards in NSW.
What an inspection involves
When Nelson checks an older home, he looks at:
- The switchboard: fuses or breakers, safety switches, condition, backing board, labelling.
- The circuits: what's on each one, signs of overloading, earth connections.
- Visible wiring: in the roof space, under the floor, at light fittings and power points where it's safe to look.
- Testing: to see how the circuits are performing.
- Smoke alarms: NSW law requires at least one working smoke alarm, complying with AS 3786, on each level of the home.
You get a straight answer on what's urgent, what can wait and what it'll cost. Ask about the cost of the check when you book. Fault finding and circuit tracing are charged by the hour, and travel is free close to Wagga and charged further out.
Repair, upgrade or rewire?
| Situation | Usual answer |
|---|---|
| Wiring in good condition, old fuse board | Switchboard upgrade with RCBOs |
| A few damaged circuits or fittings | Repair or replace those circuits |
| Brittle or damaged wiring throughout, lots of DIY | Partial or full rewire |
| Renovating anyway | Rewire the affected areas while walls are open |
A switchboard upgrade is often the first step and the biggest safety gain. The price is built from an RCBO for each circuit, a main switch, labour by circuit count, an enclosure if needed, and testing and the CCEW. The total depends on how many circuits you have, so use the switchboard estimate for your home. Asbestos, service fuse and meter work are quoted separately. Work on the service fuse or meter is for a Level 2 ASP, not an ordinary electrician.
A rewire is quoted on site. Call or send the job through for a written quote.
Buying an older home?
If you're buying in Wagga or around the Riverina, an electrical check before you settle can save surprises. Look at the switchboard during the inspection and note any of the warning signs above.
If the house has been empty and de-energised for 6 months or more, a qualified electrician must do a safety inspection before the power is turned back on.
Leave the wiring to a licensed electrician
DIY electrical work is dangerous and illegal in NSW. The NSW Government says homeowners shouldn't do anything beyond changing a light globe, and DIY work can void your home insurance. Old wiring is the worst place to start experimenting: brittle insulation can fall apart as soon as it's moved.
Common questions
How old does wiring have to be before it needs replacing?
There's no fixed age. The NSW Government recommends having an electrician check properties built before 2000, and flags pre-1980s wiring as a particular risk. Condition matters more than age, which is what an inspection finds out.
Is it illegal to have ceramic fuses in NSW?
No. There's no general NSW law forcing owner-occupiers to replace an old fuse board. But if the switchboard is replaced, all applicable circuits must get safety switch protection, and adding or altering a circuit means that circuit needs one.
Do I have to put safety switches on the whole house?
Not unless the switchboard is replaced. Altering one circuit means only that circuit needs RCD protection. Many owners choose to add them anyway, because they protect against electric shock.
How do I know if my switchboard has asbestos?
Boards made before 1987 with a black or dark brown, rough or fibrous backing that may smell like tar may contain asbestos. A missing warning sticker doesn't prove it's asbestos-free. Don't disturb it; get it assessed by a licensed asbestos assessor.
What does an old house wiring check cost?
Ask Nelson when you book; it depends on the size of the house and how easy the roof and subfloor are to get through. Fault finding is charged by the hour, and travel is free close to Wagga and charged further out. Repairs, upgrades or a rewire are quoted in writing before any work starts.