Can I use old cloth-covered electrical cable in my home if it still has power – Advice from Electriman, North London Electricians

Just because electricity is flowing through old cloth-covered wiring does not mean it is safe. Many homeowners inherit this type of wiring in older properties and assume that because everything still works, there is no problem. Unfortunately that assumption can be dangerous and here is why.

Cloth-covered cable, often called vulcanised rubber insulated or lead-sheathed cable, was installed in UK homes roughly between the 1920s and the early 1960s. The rubber insulation inside the cloth braid degrades over decades. It becomes hard, brittle, and starts to crack. When insulation cracks, live conductors can become exposed or can arc against earthed metalwork, which is a common cause of house fires.

One of the most serious concerns is that much of this old wiring was installed without a proper earth conductor. Circuits without earth protection cannot work correctly with modern RCD protection, and metal appliances in your home would not be safely protected in a fault situation. This puts you at real risk of a fatal electric shock.

What you can check safely without touching any wiring:

Look at your consumer unit. If it contains old rewirable fuses rather than modern circuit breakers and RCDs, this is a strong sign the wiring has never been updated.

Look at any exposed wiring in the loft, under floorboards if accessible, or behind older sockets and switches. If you see black, brown, or red fabric-covered cables, this is very likely

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