Electrical Rewiring – Can A Non-Pro Do It?
Many homeowners are proud of owning old homes. Many of such structures are a thing of beauty and they even come with the most colorful historical accounts. It is impressive to have a pre-Civil War home or one that was built during the turn of the century but as electricians know, there is one part of such homes that need to be checked – and fast!
Old houses come with old wiring systems and these old wires tend to crack and become faulty. If such wiring systems are not given proper attention in due time, they could easily cause fires when you least expect it. Thus, a complete rewiring is definitely in order.
But how would you go about an electrical rewiring project?
Ask for Professional Help
The first step that you need to accomplish is to ask for expert advice. Any licensed electrical contractor will be more than willing to extend help. If you want to do the project yourself, then you have to make sure that you have all the needed safety gears and equipment. Prepare rubber-soled shoes, goggles, and insulated tools. You must also be up on your toes at all times. If this is your first DIY rewiring project, then it is best to have your task, at least, supervised by a pro.
After consulting with a professional, find out what cable size you should buy. This decision can only be made by finding out the amperage of each of your appliances. This can be a tricky part of the electrical rewiring project so, again, why not put down your tools and leave the job to the pros? An electrician is the most suitable person for the task of uninstalling old wires and placing new ones.
Rewiring homes without any professional help requires a lot of steps and these include finding your breaker box; checking and recording the number of outlets, lights and switches in your home; and many more. Pull out the outlet or switch then make sure that you leave ample wire inside the breaker box for you to work with. Have the old wires cut and removed from the breaker box. Do this with utmost care.
Next, you will need to change the wires. You need an assistant to be able to do this. Ascertain that enough old wires have been pulled out in order for you to install the new wires. The new wiring must be loose and the insulation peeled back at half a foot or more.
Have the black and white wires taken off then loop the ground wires. Use an electrical tape to hold the wires in place. You can then install the power outlets; repeat these same steps on all your switches and outlets inside your home.
It is also important to reinsulate the wires with the exception of the black, white and the ground ones. Insulation protects against shocks and electrocution that can happen when exposed wires touch a conductor – and yes, the human body is one of the best conductors of electricity. Find green screws to fasten the ground wires. You can only turn on the lights once these are installed.
Lastly, have the breaker box completed. Remember to leave ample lengths of wire to work with. Be sure to focus on your task because even a single mistake can have deadly consequences. A lot of people find out too late that this process becomes too complex in the end. Most of the time, it is impossible for a novice to complete such a risky task. Once again, the greatest precaution is to have a professional take care of the electrical rewiring job.
