How to Rewire Your Home Without an Electrician (And Avoid Burning it Down)

Understand the Basics of Home Wiring

Before attempting to rewire my home, I first need to understand the basics of how home electrical systems work. This includes learning about things like:

The main electrical panel - This distributes power from the utility lines throughout the home. It contains circuit breakers that protect against overloads.
Breaker box - This contains the circuit breakers that connect to individual circuits.
Electrical circuits - Homes have many different circuits branching off from the main panel, each powering different parts of the home.
Wiring - This includes the conductor materials (copper wire typically) and insulation that brings power through the walls.
Switches and outlets - These are connected into circuits and allow control over lights/power.
Grounding - This is critical for safety, providing a path for electricity to safely flow to ground in a fault.

Having a solid understanding of home electrical systems before attempting any rewiring is essential. I should read guides, watch tutorials, and study reputable resources on the fundamentals.

Make a Plan

Before touching any wires, I need to make a careful plan for my rewiring project. Crucial steps here include:

Evaluating the current wiring and noting any problems or limitations.
Deciding what I want to accomplish (e.g. adding circuits, increasing capacity, etc).
Considering the applicable electrical codes and standards.
Determining the required materials like wire, boxes, conduit, etc.
Drawing up a circuit map to plan out the new wiring runs.
Ensuring I obtain any necessary permits.
Shutting off power at the main panel and testing wires dead.

Having a solid plan is key to executing a safe, successful rewiring project. Rushing in without proper planning risks electrical hazards, code violations, and faulty work.

Adding a New Circuit

If I wanted to add a new lighting circuit for the living room, I would:

Shut off main power and verify it's dead.
Review my circuit plan and gather materials needed, including Romex NM-B 12 AWG copper wire, boxes, clamps, fixtures.
Run the new circuit wiring from the main panel to switches, lights, and back.
Make proper wire connections using twist-on connectors and good technique.
Connect the ground wires and properly ground all boxes/fixtures.
Label breakers clearly and ensure the new circuit is on the correct size breaker.
Turn the power back on and test that the new circuit works properly.

For any new circuit, the key steps are killing power, running wires neatly through studs, making solid connections, grounding everything, and testing operation after powering up. Rushing this risks fires or electrocution.

Consider Calling In An Electrician

While basic rewiring may be within my abilities, for larger or more complex projects I need to strongly consider hiring a licensed electrician. The risks include:

Making wiring errors that cause fires or shock hazards.
Violating building codes that later create issues.
Causing damage from power surges or incorrectly sized breakers.

Electricians have years of training and experience. They know the codes and best practices that I likely don't. Although hiring an electrician costs more up front, it gives me peace of mind that the work is done safely and correctly.

For complicated rewiring jobs, or those that require new service panels or heavy equipment, calling a professional is almost always the wisest choice over tackling it myself. I avoid potential disasters, and get the job done right the first time.