Can I use old cloth-covered electrical cable if it still has power to the socket – Advice from Electriman, North London Electricians

If your home has wiring covered in fabric or cloth braiding, often a woven cotton or jute finish in black, red, or green, it is almost certainly original installation wiring from the 1960s or earlier. In many cases it dates back to the 1940s or 1950s. The fact that your sockets and lights still work does not mean this wiring is safe. Here is what you need to understand.

Why cloth cable is dangerous even when it works

The insulation underneath the cloth braid is usually natural rubber. Over 50 to 70 years, rubber dries out, hardens, and cracks. The outer cloth braid gives you no electrical protection at all on its own. When the rubber splits, live conductors can touch earthed metalwork, other cables, or even building materials. This creates a real risk of electric shock or fire, often without any warning.

Another serious problem is that most properties wired in this era have no earth on the socket circuits, or have an earth that cannot be relied upon. This means a fault may not trip a fuse or breaker, and could leave metalwork live.

What you might see

You may notice very old round-pin sockets or Bakelite switches.

The consumer unit may be an old rewirable fusebox with ceramic fuse holders.

Cable runs in the loft or under floorboards may look twisted or frayed.

There may be no RCD protection anywhere in the installation.

What to do

Do not attempt to inspect the wiring yourself by pulling at cables or removing faceplates.

Need a qualified electrician in North London?

Electriman covers Mill Hill, Barnet, Finchley, Edgware, Enfield, Watford and surrounding areas. All work is Part P certified and fully insured.