7 signs your fuse box needs upgrading
By the ProVolt team18 September 2026 5 min read
Rewireable fuses, no RCD protection and scorch marks are just the start. Here's what to look for, and what an upgrade involves.
Your consumer unit — the fuse box — is the heart of your electrical installation. If it's more than 20 years old, there's a good chance it no longer gives you the protection a modern home needs.
The clearest sign is rewireable fuses: little porcelain carriers with fuse wire inside. They work, but they offer no protection against electric shock. A modern board uses RCDs or RCBOs that disconnect in milliseconds if current leaks to earth.
Other warning signs include a wooden back board, a plastic enclosure under the stairs (modern boards are metal-clad to contain fire), frequent nuisance tripping, warm or buzzing switches, and any scorch marks or burning smells.
An upgrade usually takes a day. We isolate the supply, fit the new board, test every circuit and fix any faults we uncover, then issue a certificate and notify building control on your behalf.
If you're not sure what you've got, send us a photo of the board with the cover open. We can usually tell you in a few minutes whether it's worth replacing.