Are old round or Bakelite light switches safe?

Cracked or chipped covers, especially around the screws. Brown or black heat marks, or a switch that feels warm. Crackling, buzzing or a flicker when you use it. A switch or mounting block that moves on the wall, or a block that has split. A light that only works if you hold the switch just so.

Energy Safe Victoria lists old or broken switches and power points among the tell-tale signs of faulty wiring, and advises owners of houses over 30 years old to have their wiring checked by a licensed electrician.

In an older home, the wiring behind an original switch is often just as old. Early rubber-insulated cable can harden and crack with age, and older circuits may have no safety switch protection at the board. Energy Safe Victoria says anyone buying a home built before the 1980s should have the wiring checked before moving in. Replacing a switch is often when the condition of the cable comes to light.

Replace any switch or power point that's cracked, scorched, loose or warm. If several are original, it usually makes sense to do them together and test the circuits at the same time, so you know whether the wiring is sound or due for replacement.

If you like the look, modern switches come in heritage and push-button styles that suit a 1920s bungalow or a Williamstown cottage, and smart switches can go in during the same visit.

Swapping a switch is licensed electrical work in Victoria, even like for like. Energy Safe Victoria says not to touch or try to repair a loose, cracked or broken power point; cover it and have a licensed electrician replace it. The same goes for an old switch.