Best if wired by a Licensed Electrical Contractor. Let’s just
start there.
Q: What's grey, crispy
and hangs from the ceiling?
A: An amateur
electrician.
Okay, there are lots of amateur electrician jokes like this
one.
Old houses weren’t built with the expectation that computers
would be as common as dishes in the sink in every household. Not every
homeowner bought a home with the experience necessary to make sure that wiring
doesn’t create surges, spikes, or damage hardware.
You need to talk to a licensed electrical contractor about
your electrical needs in an old house. I need to be a little serious about
this. You need to know the proper wiring. You need to be aware that electrical
repairs and replacement of wires can require an electrical inspection to avoid
any dangerous consequences in the future that were likely unintended, but still
preventable at this point. Additionally, local building code authorities need
to be complied with and contractors know these like the back of their hands.
The risk of a tragedy is not one you should take, according
the Avner Leibovitz, an Ohio
electrician. He suggests that to avoid a tragedy, you consult with a trained
and professional electrician or electric company.[1] A
trained professional won’t scrimp or cut corners. Most importantly they are
well versed in safety standards and know that your peace of mind is established
when you don’t think that a bad wiring job might lead to you losing your
hard-earned possessions or your family. He considers that many bad electrical
wiring issues stems from do-it-yourself fixes.
Even do-it-yourselfer websites recommend some prior working
knowledge of electrical wiring systems as being necessary since there are a lot
of risks.[2]
Why take the risk in the first place? I wouldn’t. A lot of
old houses aren’t even wired up to current code specifications. Did I mention
that making an AC wiring mistake can kill you?
If you’re thinking about adding electrical outlets, it’s a
good time to piggy back that idea onto considering how old your wiring is. According
to Timothy Thiele, an IBEW Local #176 Union Electrician, “older knob-and-tube
and Romex wiring has a way of becoming brittle. The insulation dries out and
starts to crumble, causing the inner wire to become exposed. The cloth
insulation around the wire deteriorates with age and eventually becomes
unsafe.”[3]
Another consideration to make is that older homes often have
electrical fixtures and receptacles that are ungrounded. Although many local
codes do not require rewiring, grounding is worth adding because it protects
against electrical shock.[4]
If you’re not even sure what older versions of wiring you
have, consult with a paid trained professional.
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