Signs That You Need A Whole House Rewire
If you have been experiencing problems with the electrical system in your home pretty regularly, you may need a whole house rewire. Your home may have the old aluminum wiring installed that was popular at one time. A shortage of copper around the mid-1960’s caused builders to use more aluminum in home building. This wiring didn’t last as long as today’s materials and is more susceptible to fraying, shorting, and wear.
Over time, the insulation and other materials become degraded. No matter what material was used, the wiring will eventually need some repair. This is true especially at any point where it connects to something such as outlets, fixtures, or switches.
The problem with electrical wiring is that it is not easily accessible. It runs inside the walls and ceilings of your home. Power then runs through the wire and is controlled by the panel box where your circuit breakers are located. The other side of the wire runs to outlets or fixtures.
Signs You Need Wiring Replacement Or Repair
You won’t really know whether the wiring needs to be replaced or repaired. An electrician is trained to make this determination. It’s important to listen to their advice for the safety of your home and family. The leading cause of house fires and electric shock is faulty wiring. Here are some pointers on what can happen to the wire and how to tell there’s a problem.
Frayed Wiring – When the wire wears down, it usually occurs at the point where it connects to something. Common causes of this problem include the expansion and contraction of the electrical wiring material over time. Eventually, the connections can become loose and then can produce sparks, shocks, or burn marks around the area.
Blocked Outlets – One sure sign that you need wiring repair or replacement is when you plug something in and it doesn’t fit snugly or it won’t easily push in all the way. This is a dangerous situation and the outlet should be repaired right away. Electricity can arc from the wiring to you, causing electrical shock. The outlet can also send a surge of power that will short out anything plugged in at the time.
Flickering Lights – If your lights are flickering or sometimes won’t respond when you flip the switch, your wiring may be getting old. Most of the time, there is an easy explanation for this but either way, you will want to have someone qualified to take a look at the problem.
Frequent Breaker Tripping – Your breakers help to prevent too much power from going through the wiring. If a power surge occurs in your home which didn’t come from the outside power line, you could have significant wire damage and not even know why it happened if you weren’t around at the time.
Burning Smells & Scorch Marks – Burn marks are most common around the outlets and light switches but can occur anywhere including inside the walls.
An Electrical Inspection Is Necessary
Most people think that electrical inspections are only for buying and selling real estate. But they are important for the safety of every home. It is recommended that you have an electrical inspection done about every five years or any time there is a noticeable problem. This will ensure that everything is in working order and not hazardous. If you rent the home to tenants, it’s best to have a yearly electrical safety inspection done because you never know what goes on during their tenancy. It’s not uncommon for tenants to try to work on the electrical system themselves or to do something that damages it.
Anytime you need your aluminum wiring fixed or repaired, you need to hire a licensed and insured professional electrical contractor who is qualified to do inspections. This way, everyone who lives in or visits your home will be safer and there’s less risk of a house fire.
Custom Touch Electric would love to assist you with any wire replacement or repairs you need in Oceanside. Even if you just need an inspection, we are ready and able to help you out.