Domestic
Six signs your consumer unit needs upgrading
18 March 2026 · 4 min read
Rewireable fuses, no RCD protection, scorch marks, the warning signs homeowners should not ignore.
A consumer unit is the safety heart of a home's electrical installation. Older boards were never designed for the loads a modern household puts through them, and several common types no longer meet current standards.
Look for: rewireable fuses rather than circuit breakers; no RCD protection; a plastic enclosure in a communal or escape route location; breakers that trip repeatedly; scorch marks, buzzing or a burning smell; and a board with no space for the additional circuits a kitchen, extension or EV charger will need.
An upgrade is usually a one day job, but it is only worthwhile alongside testing of the circuits it protects. A new board on tired wiring simply moves the problem. We test first, then advise.
Any board installed before 2016 in a domestic property is worth having assessed, particularly ahead of a renovation.
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