How to Prevent Electrical House Fires in Perth and the Hills
The Hidden Risk in Every Home
In Perth and across the hills, house fires are often associated with bushfire season — but did you know that one of the most common causes of domestic fires is electrical faults? Faulty wiring, overloaded circuits, old appliances, and neglected switchboards are all major fire risks hiding behind your walls.
As experienced Perth electricians and local Perth Hills electricians, we’ve seen too many homes suffer preventable damage because of outdated or mismanaged electrical systems. This guide shares how to spot, prevent, and fix the most common electrical fire hazards in your home.
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1. Outdated Switchboards: A Ticking Time Bomb
If your home was built before the 1990s and still has its original switchboard, you may be relying on ceramic fuses — and those are no longer compliant with current Australian safety standards.
The risks:
Fuse wire overheating and catching fire
No RCD (safety switch) protection
Loose connections or poorly insulated terminals
What to do:
Book a switchboard inspection with a Perth electrician
Upgrade to a modern board with circuit breakers and RCDs
Ensure your board is correctly labelled and installed by a licensed contractor
An electrical switchboard upgrade in Perth is one of the fastest and most effective ways to improve home safety.
2. Overloaded Circuits and Power Boards
In today’s tech-heavy homes, we often plug multiple devices into a single outlet, leading to overloaded circuits and overheated cables.
Signs of trouble:
Warm power boards or extension cords
Circuit breakers frequently tripping
Lights dimming when appliances run
Preventative steps:
Avoid daisy-chaining power boards
Don’t run heaters or fridges off extension cords
Ask your Perth Hills electrician to install extra outlets or split your circuits
3. Damaged Wiring and DIY Repairs
Aging homes in areas like Mundaring, Darlington, and Glen Forrest often have brittle wiring, rodent damage, or amateur repairs.
Major red flags include:
Flickering lights
Burning smells from outlets
Crackling sounds in walls
Never attempt DIY electrical work. It’s illegal and dangerous.
Instead, have a licensed Perth electrician perform insulation testing and thermal imaging to detect hot spots before they spark a fire.
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4. Faulty or Unmaintained Appliances
Old toasters, second-hand dryers, and worn-out extension cords are common culprits in domestic electrical fires.
Simple prevention:
Only use appliances that meet Australian standards
Keep dust, oil, and lint away from appliance vents
Replace frayed cords and avoid forced plug fits
Don’t leave cooking appliances unattended
Our team regularly replaces damaged outlets or wiring caused by appliance faults. If in doubt — unplug it.
5. Lack of Safety Switches (RCDs)
Safety switches are life-saving devices that cut power in milliseconds when a fault is detected. But many Perth homes still lack RCD protection on all circuits.
Legal requirement:
All new circuits and homes must include RCDs
Rental properties must have them installed
Protection areas include:
Lighting
Power
Appliances (hard-wired)
Our Perth Hills electricians can install or test RCDs as part of any safety upgrade.
6. Cluttered Switchboards and Poor Labelling
A messy, unlabelled switchboard is more than a nuisance — it’s a serious risk during an emergency.
Imagine: A fire starts in a back room, but the switchboard is mislabelled, delaying the shutoff. Every second matters.
Fix it:
Book a switchboard clean-up and labelling session
Replace broken covers, blanks, or access doors
We help homeowners clearly label every circuit for peace of mind.
7. Heat Sources Near Flammable Materials
Many fires are caused not by electrical faults alone, but by placing devices too close to curtains, clothes, or furniture.
Appliances to watch out for:
Heaters
Lamps
Hair dryers
Ovens and stoves
Make sure you:
Allow clearance around these devices
Never drape towels or fabric near heaters
Turn off appliances at the wall after use
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8. Outdoor Electrical Safety and Garden Lighting
Outdoor areas can be dangerous if electrical work hasn’t been weatherproofed correctly. Faulty connections in garden lighting or pool areas are often ignored until it’s too late.
Preventative upgrades:
Use IP-rated fittings and enclosures
Install RCDs on all outdoor circuits
Replace corroded or rusted outlets
A local Perth electrician can inspect and test your entire outdoor electrical system for safety.
9. Extension Cord Misuse
Extension cords are meant for temporary use, not permanent power delivery. But too often, we see them powering fridges, heaters, and even TVs long-term.
Dangers include:
Cable overheating
Trips and falls
Underrated cords melting
Better solution:
Install new outlets where needed
Replace cords regularly
Use surge-protected power boards only when necessary
10. No Smoke Alarms or Flat Batteries
Even with all other precautions, a working smoke alarm is your best line of defence.
Minimum standards:
Hard-wired alarms in hallways, bedrooms, and living areas
Battery back-up systems
Regular monthly testing and annual replacement of 9V batteries
A Perth Hills electrician can test, install, or upgrade your alarms to meet WA regulations.
What You Can Do Right Now
Schedule an electrical safety inspection
Upgrade your switchboard and RCDs
Replace halogen lighting with cool-running LEDs
Book thermal imaging to detect faults early
Keep flammable materials away from appliances
Unplug devices when not in use
Why Choose Jarrah Group?
At Jarrah Group, we’re your neighbours — based in Glen Forrest and serving all suburbs throughout the Perth Hills and eastern suburbs.
We provide:
Electrical inspections
Smoke alarm upgrades
RCD and circuit breaker installations
Appliance testing and rewiring
Thermographic imaging and switchboard repairs
Our licensed Perth electricians and Perth Hills electricians take safety seriously. Every job is done to code, with clear communication and full transparency.
Final Thoughts: A Safer Home Starts With Awareness
Electrical fires don’t make headlines — but they ruin homes and take lives. Prevention starts with a call, a visit, and a plan.
Let Jarrah Group inspect, repair, and upgrade your home’s electrical system before something goes wrong.
Jarrah Group — Trusted Perth Electricians Keeping Homes Safe in the Hills and Beyond.
