Is it safe to run so much off extension leads?
Not as a long-term answer. Many terraces here were wired for a small household with a few appliances. Today the same house might be home to three generations, with two fridge-freezers, a tumble dryer, heaters in the bedrooms and a phone charger for everyone. When there aren't enough sockets, leads and adaptors fill the gap, and overloaded ones can overheat.
Things worth photographing and sending to us:
- An adaptor plugged into another adaptor
- Easy to overload without noticing.
- Plugs or sockets that feel warm or look brown
- A sign of heat at the connection.
- Leads running under rugs or behind sofas
- Damage there goes unseen.
- A freezer in the hall on a long lead
- Usually means the kitchen has run out of sockets.
How do you add sockets in a busy family home?
Where the existing circuit has room, we add double sockets where you actually use power: beside beds, behind the TV and along the kitchen worktop. Where it doesn't, a new circuit is the safer route, for example a dedicated one for a utility area or a second freezer.
We check the fuse box first, because an older board may need replacing before anything new is connected to it. New circuits are notifiable, so they are notified to building control as the law requires. With a full house, we plan the work so the kitchen and at least some lights stay on for as much of the day as possible.
What can be done about a bathroom that's in use all day?
Quite a lot, and it's usually the small things that wear first. When a bathroom serves a large household, shower seals, toilet fill valves and tap cartridges take far more use than they were designed for, and slow leaks can stain the ceiling below before anyone notices.
Many families here prefer a bidet spray beside the toilet. We fit it with its own shut-off valve and the backflow protection the water regulations call for. If the electric shower can't keep up, a more powerful unit may be possible, but it often needs a heavier cable from the fuse box, so we check that before pricing.
Why are the walls damp every winter?
Usually it's condensation rather than water getting in. Cooking for a big family, several showers a day and clothes drying on radiators all put moisture into small rooms with solid Victorian walls, and it settles on the coldest surfaces.
A cooker hood that vents outside and a bathroom fan with a humidity sensor help most. We also look at the outside: a blocked gutter or a cracked downpipe can soak a wall, and we can sort minor repairs where safe ladder access allows (no scaffolding work).
Do you work for landlords in Highfields?
Yes. A good number of homes here are rented. Private landlords in England need an electrical inspection (EICR) at least every five years, a smoke alarm on every storey and remedial work done within 28 days, or sooner if the report says. We carry out EICRs and the follow-up work on one fixed price.
If a house is shared by people from more than one household, it may count as an HMO and need a licence. A single family living together, however large, usually doesn't. The rules depend on the property, so check with Leicester City Council.