Wiring And Rewiring

If you have an older house, you may have outdated features such as knob and tube wiring, fuse boxes, and aluminum wiring. Having an older electrical system doesn’t mean that you necessarily have to have it upgraded, especially if it is well-maintained. The issue is more about whether your current electrical system supports your electrical demand, such as a water heater, air conditioner, dishwasher, laundry machines, electric garage door opener, computers, and home entertainment systems. Your older house may not be adequately wired to handle the demands of these modern-day appliances and devices. At this point, it is a personal decision as to whether or not you want to upgrade your current electrical system.

On the other hand, if you start experiencing problems with your current electrical system, such as circuit breakers frequently tripping, a burning smell coming from outlets, discolored or burnt switches and outlets, or lights dim or flicker when other appliances or devices begin running, then from a functional and safety perspective, it may be time to update your electrical system.

You might think about rewiring your electrical system if your house is 30 or more years old to bring it up to current standards. Houses 30 years or older may have old rubber insulated cabling, fabric insulated cabling, or lead insulated cabling, which should be replaced as these insulation materials just tend to crumble.

The time period to rewire your house usually depends on the size of your house. For an average-sized house, it may take 3-10 days. More complex projects may take longer.

Before doing any major renovations to an older house, have your electrical system inspected first to determine if the system has been well maintained or not or if it can support your electrical demands. Upon completing the inspection, if the electrician advises that you have your house rewired, take this advice seriously before beginning any major remodel.

It would definitely be worth rewiring an older house if so advised. Think of it this way. You spend all this money remodeling kitchens and bathrooms in an older house, but don’t touch the electrical system. After a while, when you encounter significant safety issues and are forced to rewire the house, you’ll need to remodel your kitchen and bathrooms over again at a greater expense than if you had included the electrical system as part of your initial renovation project.

The cost to rewire a house depends on the size and age of the house, the ease with which an electrician can access old wiring, and the quirks associated with the older house.