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REWIRING

Rewiring Services

Before renovating your home, think about rewiring. The wiring in many older homes is often insufficient to meet today's electrical consumption needs. If you live in an older home there is a good chance that your electrical system is operating at or above its capacity. This is a potentially dangerous situation. Does your home have sudden power outages? Do circuit breakers trip often or fuses blow? Have you a shortage of outlets in the home? Are the outlets two-prong ones? If you have answered yes to these questions, it may be time to rewire all or part of your home.

Safety Issues with older wiring

Often when fuses blow, homeowners will replace the fuse with the bigger fuse. This causes the wiring to carry a bigger load then it was designed too.
In many cases older wiring will not have a ground wire. System grounding is imperative in helping to prevent electric shocks.
Older wiring can often be brittle or cracked leaving live wiring exposed.
Flicking or dimming lights may indicate that a splice or termination is breaking down.

Our rewiring services include:

Inspection and assessment of current wiring condition
Knob and Tube replacement
Aluminium wiring rejuvenation
Addition of new circuits
Whole house rewiring

What if my Home Does Need Rewiring?

Rewiring the home is an investment that adds substantial, long -term value to your home. It is a major project that may take between one to three weeks, depending on the size and construction of the home. It is the best solution to serve your home safety needs.

If your home has older wiring, and you are concerned about the safety of your electrical system, contact Electrika for a home consultation.

Types of older wiring

Knob and Tube

Knob and tube wiring was the standard from the late 1890s to just after the Second World War. It consists of porcelain knobs (used to hold the wire in place) and tubes (used to bring the wiring through the wooden joist). It has two wires: a hot and a neutral and no ground wire. Knob and tube wiring is now considered obsolete and is mostly found in homes of 50 plus years.

Concerns with Knob and Tube Wiring

1. There is no ground conductor which can lead to shock to you or damage to your appliances.

2. Any deteriration of the insulation may lead to fire.
3. Insurance companies may not insure you or may charge a higher premium for homes with knob and tube wiring.
4. Knob and tube wiring is often spliced to modern wiring by amateurs.
5. Knob and tube was not made to be enveloped by insulation. It was designed to be dissapated into free air.
6. Knob and tube is less resistant to mechanical damage then today's wiring methods.

Advice for Homeowners with knob and tube wiring

Have the system evaluated by a licensed electrician. Only and expert can confirm that the system was installed or modified correctly. Still, our recommendation when knob and tube wiring is present is that the home be rewired.
Do not run an excessive number of appliances in the home thereby taxing the electrical system possibly leading to fire.
Where the wiring is brittle or cracked, it should be replaced. Proper maintainance is crucial.
Knob and tube wiring should not be used in kitchens, bathrooms, laundary rooms or outdoors. Wiring must be grounded in ordered to be used safely in these locations.
Rewiring a home can take weeks and cost thousands of dollars, but unsafe wiring can cause fires and compicate real estate transactions. Homeowners should carefully consder their options before deciding whether or not to rewire their house
The homeowner or an electrician should carefully remove any insulation that is found surrounding knob and tube wiring.
Prospective home buyers should get an estimate of the cost of replacing knob and tube wiring. They can use this amount to negotiate a lower for the house.

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