How to Rewire Your 1850s Home Without Ruining Its Historic Charm

Renovating a historic home can be challenging, especially when it comes to updating the electrical wiring. As an owner of a 1850s home myself, I understand the desire to have modern amenities while preserving the integrity of the original architecture. With careful planning and execution, rewiring a historic home is very achievable. Here are my tips for success:

Research Permits and Regulations

Before beginning any work, research what permits and inspections may be required in your area for electrical renovations on a historic home. Always check with local historic preservation organizations or your municipal office. There may be restrictions or special requirements to support preservation. Being aware of these upfront ensures your project stays compliant.

I found it very useful to consult with our local historic preservation society first. They provided guidance on approvals needed and even recommendations for contractors experienced with historic homes. This extra step took a bit more time upfront but prevented any costly surprises down the road.

Hire an Experienced Electrician

Electrical work is complex and best left to the professionals, especially in a home with older existing wiring. Be sure to find an electrician experienced specifically in historic renovations. They will understand how to:

• Evaluate original wiring conditions safely.
• Reroute new wiring discreetly through walls and historic finishes.
• Problem solve creative solutions to avoid damaging historic details.

I made sure to ask prospective electricians how many historic home rewiring projects they completed in our initial interviews. This helped me select someone who truly had the right expertise.

Map Out a Plan

Work closely with your electrician to map out a wiring plan room-by-room. Communicate which historic elements hold the most importance to you to preserve. Areas like moldings, wood floors, tilework, etc. should be treated delicately.

Ask if wiring can be run through walls, floor joists, and ceilings to minimize visible disruptions. In our 1850s home, we were able to conceal most new wiring this way. The few unavoidable spots were handled carefully, such as running wire discreetly along baseboards before going back into the wall.

Install New Components Discreetly

For visible electrical components like switches, outlets, and light fixtures, select ones that are historically accurate or complementary to the age of your home. I foundBeautiful period accurate switches and plates that blended right into the original 1800s decor. They provide modern functionality without being an eyesore.

Also, ask your electrician about wiring new components in less conspicuous areas if possible, like running wire to ceiling lights through the attic. This keeps modern elements subtle. In one bedroom, we had the electrician wire power through the top plate to avoid surface-mounted wires on the historic plaster walls.

Patch and Repair Thoughtfully

Wherever wiring passages are made through existing walls, ceilings, etc., ensure the electrician patches and repairs them carefully to match the original finish. This may take a bit more labor and specialty plastering or woodworking skills, but it's critical.

Inspect repairs closely to ensure quality workmanship. If anything looks sloppy or visible, have the contractor redo it. Taking extra care here prevents your historic home from losing any of its coveted original appeal.

Seek Guidance on Safety Improvements

While modernizing wiring, consider appropriate safety updates like arc fault interrupters and grounding. Discuss options with your electrician and historic society to find versions that protect your home without drastically changing historic switch plates and breaker boxes.

For example, we added AFCI safety but kept our antique bronze breaker box as-is after getting it approved. The inspector allowed us to preserve the historic look but upgrade the internal mechanisms.

Updating wiring in a historic home takes research, care, and expertise. But thankfully by following the tips above, you can enjoy updated electricity and peace of mind while still preserving the irreplaceable character and craftsmanship of the past. I'm happy we took the time to do it right - we still get to see and use those charming original Bakelite switches daily!