Whole house rewiring projects can improve the value of your home, reduce your home energy bills, and bring new convenient functionality to your family. However, rewiring projects are a multi-step process, requiring in-depth knowledge and research into electrical technology and its potential value. As you explore your home rewiring project options, we’re presenting our guide to home rewiring.
Analyze the Potential Electrical Capacity for Your Home
Before the 1960s and at a time when families used little electricity, home designs featured a 60-amp electrical panel. These electrical panels are now too small for most homes, with families requiring at least a 100-amp panel to run air conditioners, washers and dryers, and water heaters.
You may overload 60-amp panels with modern electrical demands, including electrical vehicle charging and high-capacity air conditioners. Even if your home does feature a 100-amp panel, there’s a risk of overloading your breaker if you use hot tubs, electric vehicle chargers, and electrical water heaters.
Further potential safety considerations to analyze during the initial stages of a home rewiring project include new outlets and replacing sockets in skirting boards, which are a clear indicator of legal electrical installation work.
Your Home’s Age is Crucial to Developing a Home Rewiring Plan
As technology has evolved rapidly, so have the electrical safety standards. The rewiring requirements for a home built in the 1950s are far different from those built in the 1990s. Below are a few era-specific guidelines to consider when planning rewiring projects:
1930s and 1940s
Homes built in the 1930s and 40s will feature knob and tube wiring with insulated wires installed on porcelain knobs and tubes inside hollow walls and ceilings. These homes are likely to require extensive rewiring work involving:
- Replacing all wiring
Older homes will have multiple different wiring types with unknown quality standards. Prioritize home safety by replacing all wiring.
- Upgrade receptacles and lighting fixtures
Older homes from the early 20th century likely have only one receptacle per room. Crucial to the rewiring project will be to consider where you’ll require new lighting installed and how many outlets your family requires.
- Upgrade the electrical panel
Homes from the 1930s and 40s will have a 60 amp panel at most, requiring an upgrade to meet the capacity demands of modern life. Replacing your panel will allow you to use GFCIs (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) and AFCIs (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters) for home safety.
1950s and 60s
Modern innovations, such as three-pronged plugs and outlet spacing, were honed in the 1950s and 60s as standards for electrical safety rose. But postwar homes built in the 50s and 60s may require:
- Panel upgrades
While your home may not require complete wiring replacement, a postwar build will have outdated fuse panels and limited capacity for options such as branch circuits. Consider a panel upgrade with your rewiring project to maximize the value of your electrical work.
- Replace two-prong outlets and electrical boxes
While this is the era when three-prong outlets grew popular, many properties built in the 50s and 60s feature two-prong outlets, which have limited value in the modern electrical market.
- Check for Stab Lok and Zinsco breaker replacement
Millions of homes across the U.S. built in the 1950s and 60s featured outdated Stab-Lok and Zinsco breakers, which have since been proving to be a fire hazard and electrical risk. These breakers should only be inspected and replaced by a licensed professional with proven
experience resolving issues with legacy panels.
1970s and 1980s
As we move into the 1970s and ’80s, you’re more likely to find homes with 100-amp and 200-amp breakers with dedicated circuits for the kitchen and bathroom. Most homes of this era require minor upgrades and improvements during a rewiring project rather than whole-scale changes. However, one element stands out when evaluating homes built in the 1970s and 80s.
Aluminum wiring became popular in this era as the price of copper rose and its use became less feasible in the consumer goods market. Aluminum wiring is known to corrode, with connections loosening at the receptacle outlets, light switches, and appliances. Loose connections create wire resistance, potentially causing high heat and a fire hazard.
The 1990s to Modern Times
Modern homes often feature electrical panels with enough capacity to meet the demand, therefore convenience upgrades will be the priority for homes built in this recent timeframe. Considerations for rewiring homes built after 1990 include:
- Potential electric vehicle purchases
Electric vehicles are helping millions of Americans remove gas station payments from their monthly budgets. Installing an electric vehicle charger will help you save money on charging your car outside the home.
- Tamper-resistant outlets
Your rewiring project is the perfect opportunity to replace legacy outlets with tamper-resistant options to prevent children from being able to insert objects into the receptacle.
- Whole house surge protection
Storms are becoming more volatile, and weather patterns are less consistent. Whole house surge protection helps safeguard your family against the electrical fire risks associated with lightning strikes. Surge protection will also help prevent sudden voltage increases from outside sources from damaging your high-value electronic equipment.
DIY Vs. Hiring Professional Electricians
Many homeowners consider themselves a DIY home electrician. So, they try to save money by taking on rewiring work without professional help. However, home rewiring without professional tools and experience presents many safety risks. Below are a few of the reasons you should hire a licensed electrician to plan and complete your home electrical rewiring work:
- Licensed electricians know the signs of a complex rewiring project
Rewiring projects may involve working with older wires with no grounding while replacing them with wires that precisely match the breaker rating. Electricians also need to know how many conductors can be used in a specific box, requiring a depth of knowledge on circuitry few DIY homeowners can match.
- You may risk voiding your home insurance policy
Home insurance policies often have specific language about having licensed electricians complete all electrical work. DIY electrical work may fail to meet the standards set in the National Electrical Code. You might also find your home is not covered should a subsequent electrical fire damage your home.
- Professionals can test for safety and performance
Analyzing electrical performance and testing the equipment after the rewiring process is complete are fundamental elements of successful rewiring projects. DIY enthusiasts may encounter several system failures as they finalize their project, from unsecured outlets that can cause arcing to reversed polarity, which can cause irreversible damage to electrical equipment and potentially cause electrical shock.
Safety and systems performance concerns require steady experience and the watchful eye of a licensed electrician.
Put Decades of Electrical Experience Behind Your Home Rewiring Project
As the Des Moines home rewiring leaders, Custom Electrical Services has the experience and the equipment expertise to rewire Iowa homes of any size or style. Our electricians continually receive the highest ratings for our service, equipment, and knowledge, and we are proud to offer comprehensive warranties with each rewiring project completed.
Whether you are in the beginning stages of considering home rewiring or know the type of equipment your home needs for the long term, call Custom Electrical today at (515) 669-3418 or complete our online form to request your home rewiring quote.
