Does your home electrical wiring need upgrading?

home electrical wiring

Is your home over 40 years old? If so, then it may be worthwhile to consider upgrading your home electrical wiring. There are certain tell-tale signs to look for, and the following diagnostic questions will help.

(a) Do you have adequate insulation, or are your monthly utility bills high?
(b) Do your circuit breakers trip frequently?
(c) Does your home have aluminum wiring? This could be the case if your home was built before 1973.
(d) Do you have discolored or charred electrical outlets in the home?
(e) Is there a persistent, unidentifiable burning smell in any part of the home?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, it could indicate that the home electrical wiring needs to be inspected. The inspector will let you know if you have problems to address. Only a qualified, licensed electrician should be selected to inspect the wiring. The following statements provide explanations for why rewiring a home may be necessary.

a) A study conducted by the U.S. Fire Administration found that inadequate insulation around home electric wiring is dangerous. It has about 30% probability of causing electric fire. This situation is likely to develop in old homes that were built more than 40 years ago. Old, poorly insulated homes are in danger of developing an electric fire. Heating and air conditioning costs will be higher also.
b) Because older homes cannot adequately handle larger electrical loads, the wiring may heat up. Especially with small appliances like a hair dryer, microwave, washer and dryer. As the wiring ages and deteriorates, the probability of developing electric fire becomes greater.

Home Electrical Wiring

Frequent tripping of circuit breakers could signal the likelihood of an electrical fire developing. In particular, faulty or defective aluminum wire connections will easily overheat.
c) Several discolored or charred electric connections in the home indicate electrical shorts. This can be due to faulty or loose electrical connections. The charred look signifies that arcing and electrical sparks are occurring.
d) A persistent burning smell, with no identifiable cause could indicate that electrical shorts are occurring. When the reason for the burning smell is not known, the problem may be hidden behind walls. A problem of this nature is very dangerous. It calls for the attention of a licensed electrician.

Rewiring a home is a big, expensive job. Therefore it is necessary that the job is done properly by a qualified professional. The first step is to have a licensed electrician to inspect the wiring.  This is a safety issue that should neither be ignored nor postponed.

To find a qualified professional who can guide you through the process, contact U.S. Electrical Services, Inc. https://usesi.com