As a homeowner, you should always be on the lookout for efficient and effective ways to improve the features of your house. One major concern that all houses have is the wiring. If you are going for an upgrade for your house’s safety, then the first area you should tackle is the electrical wiring. Older homes tend to have more problems with the wiring as they might have worn out.
As we all know, wiring is usually installed inside the walls. Just because it’s not visible, doesn’t mean that you can overlook it! When renovating your house or buying a new one, getting the wiring checked must be your first priority. Make sure it complies with the standards of the industry to avoid any fires, shocks and electrical hazards. With that being said, let’s have a look at some of the facts about rewiring a home with old wiring:
Fact #1
You Might Still Be Living in the 19th Century
Re-wiring can save money and if you have a good electrical system running through the house, then a few repairs here and there will do the work. However, do you know when your house was built? Houses dating back to the early 19th century mostly have Aluminum wiring, which poses a high health risk.
Getting these wires repaired will do you no good. Over time, Aluminum wires loosen up and overheat, which mostly results in a fire. While re-wiring the entire house is not possible but copper connectors can be attached to resolve any future problems.
Fact #2
All Older Wiring Have Safety Issues
Older wiring such as the tube and knob system, which can be mostly found in the houses that were built in the 20th century pose a smaller risk as compared to houses with Aluminum wiring. However, it’s possible that after some time, you might start to experience such issues. Some of the warning signs include:
- Fuses, which blow out or breakers that trip
- A tingling sensation that travels from your finger to your body when you come in contact with an appliance
- Dimming or flickering lights
- A burning smell from an appliance or a room
- Sparkling, warm or discolored outlets
- No GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets in the bath or kitchen that is exposed to moisture
Fact #3
It Might Blowout Your Devices
Today, houses need around 300 amps in order to run LCD TV screens, air conditioners, computer equipment and more. On the other hand, old wiring mostly handled 60 amps and trying to work these devices on the old wiring can cause the circuit to trip.
Fact #4
Old Wiring Can Trip Large Appliances and Devices
Say, you are working all your devices on the old wiring. There’s a surge of electricity that trips all the devices. You are probably wondering why did the large appliances trip, as they could have handled the power. However, when the small appliances tripped, they affected the circuit and caused the damage to spread. This is why it is important to install separate circuits on old wiring to protect your valuable and costly appliances.
Fact #5
Rewiring a Home with Old Wiring Is a Sure Way to Blow up Your House
As we know that most of the wiring is behind the walls, getting the system installed from scratch can cost you thousands of dollars. Circuits and breakers are temporary fixes that will surely fail in the future. So, if you are planning to get some remodeling done in your house, this is the best time to get your system checked and repaired.
Upgrading your electrical wiring system might be costly but it is a smart investment that will benefit you in the future. Houses with upgraded electrical wiring go for more due to the safety they offer.