Introduction
Rewiring a home can seem like an intimidating task, but with the right preparation and safety precautions, it's possible for a homeowner to rewire their house without hiring an electrician. I've done it myself numerous times to update the wiring in older homes and save thousands of dollars in labor costs.
In this comprehensive guide, I'll walk you through the entire process step-by-step, covering what's involved, tips and tricks I've learned, safety considerations, choosing the right materials, costs, time requirements, and more. My goal is to empower homeowners with the knowledge needed to take on basic home rewiring projects safely and successfully.
Safety First - Avoiding Electrocution and Electrical Fires
Before touching a single wire, safety must be your top priority. Electricity can seriously injure or even kill if mishandled. Here are some key safety steps I follow:
- Turn off power at the main breaker - This de-energizes the wiring so you can work safely. Verify power is off by testing outlets with a multimeter or voltage tester.
- Disconnect the electrical meter - This ensures power cannot be turned back on accidentally. Contact your utility company to do this.
- Wear insulated gloves and shoes - This protects you from accidental shocks.
- Use an insulated mat when working on conductors - This prevents accidental contact with live wires.
- Have ABC rated fire extinguishers nearby - Rewiring can spark electrical fires, so be prepared.
- Work slowly and carefully - Rushing leads to mistakes and shock risks. Take your time and be cautious.
- Inspect all connections thoroughly - Faulty connections can cause dangerous shorts and fires. Double check everything.
- Keep flammable materials away from work area - Have a clear area to prevent accidental ignition.
- Never work on live wires - De-energize and verify wires are dead before touching.
Following these precautions reduces the safety risks and allows you to rewire with confidence. Now let's look at what's involved in a typical home rewiring project.
Planning the Rewiring Project
Careful planning prevents costly mistakes and allows the project to go smoothly. Here are some key steps in planning a DIY home rewiring project:
Choose an Area to Rewire
- Focus on one section like a room or floor at a time, not the entire house.
- Start with an easy, accessible area to build experience.
- Rewiring the whole house at once is extremely difficult for one person.
Research Local Electrical Codes
- Local building codes dictate minimum wiring requirements.
- Review them thoroughly so your work passes inspection.
- Key aspects like wire gauge, GFCI outlets, and more depend on your area's codes.
Consider Electrical Load Needs
- Calculate the electrical loads for lighting, outlets, appliances, etc in the rewired area.
- This determines the required wire sizes and circuit capacity.
- A licensed electrician can perform load calculations if needed.
Develop a Wiring Diagram
- Map out a wiring diagram detailing all the circuits, connections, outlets, switches and more.
- This is essential to execute the rewiring properly.
- Alternative computer programs can auto-generate wiring diagrams as well.
Purchase all Necessary Materials
- With your plan complete, compile a list of all needed wires, outlets, boxes, tools, wire nuts and other supplies.
- Buying everything beforehand saves time and headaches later.
Removing Old Wiring
Once planning is complete, it's time to remove the old wiring. This involves:
- Locating all electrical boxes - Find all outlets, switches, lights, etc that will be removed.
- Disconnecting wires - Unscrew wires from outlets and switches, unjoining with wire nuts.
- Pulling wires out - Remove freed wires from walls and conduits. This can be tedious.
- Removing abandoned boxes - Unscrew old electrical boxes and outlet covers.
- Patching holes - Repair the open holes left behind with plaster.
Taking time to fully remove old wiring reduces confusion when installing the new system.
Running New Wiring
Now for the fun part - running fresh new wiring throughout the rewired sections. My process is:
Plan Wiring Routes
- Map out exact routes to run wires to all locations.
- Conduits in walls/ceilings can simplify this immensely.
- For open walls, holes will need to be drilled to route wires.
Cut Wires to Correct Lengths
- Measure routing paths and cut wires a few feet longer than needed.
- Leave slack for adjustments and connections in boxes.
- Keep different runs separated - label wires to avoid confusion.
Secure Wires in Place
- Use staples to tack wires against walls/studs along the path. Keep wires off the ground.
- For concealed wiring, fish tape threads wires through walls.
- Use fiberglass insulation to pad wires in wall cavities.
Connect Wires to Outlets and Switches
- Follow your wiring diagram to connect hot, neutral and ground wires properly.
- Match wire colors consistently throughout the system.
- Use wire nuts to join circuit wires and pigtails.
Install New Outlets and Switches
- Mount new electrical boxes securely into studs if replacing.
- Attach outlets and switches to boxes with mounting screws.
- Use wall plates to cover boxes for a finished look.
Important Do's and Don'ts
Based on my experience, here are some of the most crucial things to keep in mind:
DO
- Shut off power at the breaker and verify it's off before starting.
- Use the correct size and type of wire for each circuit.
- Maintain neat and organized wiring with consistent color coding.
- Consult local codes for outlet placement, GFCI requirements, etc.
- Connect ground wires and ensure proper system grounding.
- Label all circuits clearly at the breaker.
- Test wiring thoroughly before re-energizing.
DON'T
- Attempt to rewire the home all at once by yourself.
- Install wires that are too small for the circuit load.
- Run wires loosely without securing them properly.
- Hide junction boxes in walls - they must remain accessible.
- Energize circuits without double checking connections are tight.
- Exceed your knowledge or comfort level - hire a pro if needed.
Helpful Tools and Materials
Rewiring a house requires having an assortment of basic electrical tools and supplies:
- Wire strippers - For stripping insulation off wires
- Voltage tester - To safely confirm power is off
- Multimeter - For measuring voltage and troubleshooting
- Cable ripper - Removes old wires stapled to walls
- Fish tape - Tapes wire through walls during routing
- Cable staples - Secures exposed wiring to studs
- Wire nuts - Joins and splices wires together
- Electrical tape - Covers wired connections
- Romex/NM cables - Sheathed wiring for circuits
- THHN wires - For individual wire runs
- Electrical boxes - Houses outlets, switches and junctions
- Conduits - Protects wiring routed through walls
Having these basic tools and supplies makes the rewiring process much easier. Safety gear like insulated gloves is essential too.
Inspecting and Testing the New Wiring
Before turning the power back on, it's critical that the new wiring is inspected and tested thoroughly. Here is my process:
- Carefully examine all connections - Ensure proper splices and no exposed copper.
- Tug test wires - Verify all staples, clips and ties are secure.
- Check circuits are properly grounded.
- Continuity test all wires and circuits to confirm desired connectivity.
- Use a multimeter to check for shorts between hot and neutral or ground.
- Turn circuits on individually to check for functionality before fully energizing the panel.
- Inspect for scorches or burns indicating improper connections.
- Plug test devices like phone chargers into outlets to confirm power.
Taking these steps verifies your hard work paid off and it's safe to finally turn the power back on!
Finalizing the Project
You're oh so close to the finish line! Just a few final steps:
- Update the circuit labeling at your electrical panel box.
- Install any wall plates, switches and outlet covers.
- Patch and repair walls, floors, ceilings from the rewiring work.
- Caulk exterior conduits and penetrations to maintain weather sealing.
- Confirm proper function of all lights, outlets and switches.
- Clean up thoroughly - put away all tools, materials and debris.
- Schedule an inspection with your local building department.
- Make any corrections needed to pass inspection and get approved.
Once you've jumped through all the final hoops, it's time to crack open a beer and admire your major DIY electrical accomplishment!
Cost Savings Over an Electrician
By doing the rewiring yourself, you can save thousands compared to hiring an electrician. For reference:
- The average electrician charges $40-$100 per hour for home rewiring.
- They typically invoice for a minimum of 4-8 hours per project.
- So labor costs alone often exceed $200 per room rewired.
- For a whole house rewire, labor can cost $5,000-$10,000 or more!
The material costs for an average room might only run you $100-200. And your own "free" labor over a weekend saves massively.
Even factoring some extra material waste, mistakes and learning curve when DIY, you still save big bucks. Just be sure to properly educate yourself first.
Is Rewiring Yourself Right for You?
While I've tried to equip you with all the key steps to rewire a house solo, it's not necessarily the right choice for everyone. Consider these factors:
- Are you willing to study electrical codes thoroughly and follow them strictly?
- Do you have a full understanding of electrical fundamentals like voltage, current, grounding, etc?
- Are you extremely detail-oriented and methodical in your work? Mistakes can be dangerous.
- Are you comfortable working at heights on ladders and scaffolding?
- Do you have the physical capability for lots of kneeling, crouching, reaching, lifting?
- Do you have the proper tools and safety equipment?
- Troubleshooting complex issues requires electrical expertise - can you handle this?
- If needed, can you pass rigorous electrical inspections by your local officials?
Be honest in assessing your skills. Rewiring an entire house solo takes advanced ability. For many, hiring a professional electrician is worth the cost. But minor projects like a room addition or shop wiring are very DIY-friendly with proper precautions.
Whatever you decide, I hope I've provided a helpful overview of the entire home rewiring process. Stay safe, be meticulous, follow codes, and those wires will be humming smoothly in no time! Let me know if you have any other home electrical questions.