Are you Confident in Re-Wiring a Plug?

If you are, you are amongst the 8% of people in the UK who can carry out this task which was once taken for granted. Over 90% of 18-25 year olds in the UK cannot re-wire a plug with confidence according to a survey conducted by the website Net Voucher Codes.

With Easter now well and truly out of the way and schools have all returned following the Easter break, we can now all sit back and reflect how we spent our Easter break. Easter is a traditional time for tackling DIY projects so this survey was carried out at a time when people are most likely to be undertaking some form of DIY in their homes.

So, with the 8% figure in mind, of those who can re-wire a plug, it still alarms us that the statistics for those who will undertake DIY electrical work in their homes does not reflect the findings of this survey. Mind you, it may come as no surprise to learn that our electricians here at Fulcher Edwards often comes across paper clips, foil and even coat hangers to replace fuses in plugs. Of course this is a very dangerous practice as if the appliance connected to the plug develops a fault, then the power will not be cut which in the worst case could cause death and has the potential to cause huge and costly damage to your electrical system. We have also seen similar objects used to replace fuse wires on old fuse boards which again is very dangerous.

It is also worth reminding the readers of our blog to only use a fuse which matches the Amp value shown on the plug. This value is clearly marked on every plug and it is important that the Amps are not exceeded. Most people have a variety of fuses located in a drawer somewhere and is is very easy to pick one up without looking at the Amp value before putting it into the plug. Putting the wrong fuse into a plug can also cause devastating consequences in the event of an appliance fault including fire and damage to the socket and internal wiring in your home meaning a fire could be taking place inside your walls without the householder realising.

So what do the young people do if they cannot wire a plug? According to the survey, it would seem most ask their parents for help. Nowadays, the need to actually wire a plug is becoming less necessary with all appliances like toasters and kettles coming with a plug attached already. Not so long ago, electrical appliances did not come with plugs attached, so it was necessary to know how to wire a plug confidently. The young people are not concerned about this lost skill however, with one person quoting 'It’s not the end of the world that I’m unable to do certain DIY tasks, I mean, if it weren’t for people like me there’d be no work for plumbers and electricians.'

Other straightforward DIY jobs that are now regarded as being complicated include

* Unblocking a sink

* Bleeding a radiator

* Hanging a picture

* Using a power drill

* Putting up wallpaper

* Assembling flat pack furniture

How many of the above DIY tasks are you confident in carrying out?

Our own parents and grand parents would have taken such skills for granted with generations passing down their skills.

It would seem though, that very soon all these skills will be forgotten, and it will be up to trades people to carry out these tasks!