When you should replace your old electrical wiring

This is because old electrical wiring wasn’t designed to take the load of today’s appliances. The electronics we’re using frequently such as the refrigerator, TV, speakers, vacuum, and washing machine can cause your home’s electrical circuits to overload and malfunction.

Here are several signs to replace your old electrical wiring system — get a professional electrician to help you with this job. 

1. Dim or Flickering Lights

If the lights inside your home are flickering or are dim, this usually means that the electrical system is not functioning well, you may have drop-outs or your old electrical wiring is no longer up for the job.  All these are indications for an upgrade.

2. Breaker is Regularly Tripping

This means that you are overloading your house with electricity and your system can’t keep up. If the electrical system is tripping the breaker the fuses are blowing regularly, this is a dangerous situation which can cause a potential fire. This means that your system is old and needs a serious upgrade. Gather several electrician quotes to help you begin the job of updating your wiring system. 

3. Excess Number of Powerboards

Our day-to-day activities require more power than 30 years ago when your house may have been built. This can require an upgrade in order not to put too much pressure on one or two outlets per room. A complete electrical rewiring should be done, so you don’t plug in more than one major consumer per outlet.

If the outlets are already stained or have changed colour in some areas, this is an indication of existing power surges. This is a high fire risk and you need to address this immediately.

How many outlets are necessary for a regular room, exactly? 

That depends on the destination of the room in question, and function of the devices or equipment you want to use there. Add some extra outlets for light sources and for charging your devices, in addition to those for the TV, the washer and dryer, and the vacuum. For minimum use of powerboards in the room, you will probably need starting from five outlets per room, which is a minimum for a safe and functional home. Your electrician will be able to advise you on these depending on your house and requirements.

How much does an electrician cost?

This clearly depends on the area and surface of your home, but we can help you by explaining the activities involved for upgrading your electrical wiring system, to help budget according to electrician quotes in your area. So, how much does an electrician cost? Electricians normally charge between $80 to $150 per hour. But, it varies from place to place. 

How does electrical rewiring work?

First, the electrician will need to extract the old system from your walls. In some cases, in more modern homes, this can be done without breaking and entering, but it usually goes down to drilling walls and ceilings, which is heavy work, especially with stone walls of older houses. After drilling, the electrician will sweep all the older electrical components, in order to remove any potential danger. They will also try to preserve the structure as much as possible. 

Then, they will identify and mark new cable locations. Next up, the drilling will continue according to your joint plans of refurbishing, to make your house more cosy and practical. Your electrician will know how to avoid hazards such as asbestos materials in the process — so you can see why this is not a DIY job.

Later, they will rewire your outlets and replace the outlets too. As this is a very technical part, an electrician needs to rewire all your systems. Even if the power is off, you will want this taken care of by a professional, so everything is completed seamlessly.

In order not to over-run a circuit or a segment, an electrician will know exactly how many circuits will be needed per room, so your large consumers won’t put too much pressure on one outlet in particular.

This can be a time consuming process and needs to be done perfectly so remember to take the steps to hire the best electrician. But don’t just choose the first one. Get quotes from at least three local electricians. Just take into account that this is an important investment for your house, and it’s important in keeping your home safe and running.

Therefore, hiring a professional and not doing things by yourself is the way to go when you will be changing your electrical wiring.

Having a brand new and well-planned electrical system inside your home can improve your living standards and avoid unnecessary and unwanted risks. An accident inside the house will cost you more than the mere replacement of the electrical works within your house.

If you’d like assistance replacing the wiring in your home, get in touch with local electricians today.

Further Reading

• 10 Important Electrical Safety Tips
• How to Choose the Best Outdoor Lights
• 5 Lighting Ideas for the Perfect Bathroom