Is It Time To Rewire Your Home?
Posted on: 9 March 2022
Do you live in an older home that doesn't have modern wiring? If so, you're likely wondering if you need to rewire it. Here are some things to consider before you get this electrical work done.
Your Home Has Knob And Tube Wiring
It's possible that you live in a home that has very old knob and tube wiring. This wiring is very unsafe and can actually be a potential fire risk, and you should definitely consider rewiring your home if this is the case. Knob and tube wiring often runs through attics, because it requires space for the wires to disperse heat. As you can imagine, this is not a good combination when an attic has insulation around the wiring and that heat can't disperse as intended.
Your Home has Cloth Wiring
Another form of wiring that is common in older homes is cloth wiring, which is named that way based on the form of insulation that surrounds the wires. This wiring is problematic due to how the insulation can naturally deteriorate, as well as it being prone to causing fires as well. While it's not as problematic as knob and tube wiring, it should still be a reason to be concerned and consider rewiring your home.
Your Home Does Not Have Grounded Outlets
Many older homes were built during a time when the electrical codes were different. It can lead to many outlets in your home using two-prong outlets that are not grounded. While this may have been fine many years ago, these days people have many electronic devices that can benefit from being plugged into a grounded electrical outlet. You'll need to rewire your home to ensure everything is grounded properly.
Your Home Had Damaged Wires
It is worth opening up some outlets and switches and taking a look at the cables that connect them. You want your wiring cables to be free of cracks in the insulation and to look like they are in good condition. If you see a lot of wires with cracks around the insulation, then this is a good indication that the wires should be replaced.
Your Home Has Overloaded Circuits
The way that your home was wired many years ago may not make sense for how you use your home today. For example, all of the bedrooms may have been on a single circuit, because at the time they only needed to provide power for lights. These days, everyone may have a television, computer, or other types of electronics all on the same circuit, which will cause them to be overloaded. Rewiring will allow you to create more circuits so that they have a smaller electrical load.
For help or additional service with rewiring your home, contact a local electrical service like Potts Electric.
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