Rewiring a home can seem like a daunting task, especially for those without much electrical experience. However, with the right precautions and lesser known historical electrical methods, it is possible to rewire your home safely without electrocuting yourself. Here is an in-depth guide on how to rewire your home without dying using these time-tested techniques:
Assessing Your Electrical Needs
Before beginning any rewiring project, it's important to thoroughly assess your home's electrical needs. This involves taking stock of the existing electrical setup and determining if an upgrade is necessary.
Evaluating Your Current Wiring
- Carefully examine the existing wiring in your home. Check for frayed or cracked insulation, which can indicate damaged wiring in need of replacement.
- Using a voltmeter, test outlets to see if any circuits are overloaded and not providing full voltage. This is a sign of insufficient wiring.
- Take note of any blown fuses or frequently tripped circuit breakers, which often result from outdated wiring that can't handle modern electrical loads.
- Check the wire gauge - smaller gauge wire like 14 or 12 AWG may need to be upgraded to safely handle more current.
Calculating Your Electrical Load Requirements
- Inventory all electrical devices and appliances in your home and add up their wattages. Compare this to the capacity of your electrical panel.
- Factor in any new devices or appliances you plan to install, like electric vehicles, HVAC systems, etc. These increase electrical demand.
- Consider special power requirements like 220V lines for large appliances or three-phase power for industrial equipment.
Evaluating Costs
- Get quotes from licensed electricians to see if hiring a professional is more cost-effective than DIY for large rewiring jobs.
- For DIY, calculate costs of supplies like wire, conduits, breakers, and tools.
Safely Rewiring Your Home
Once you've determined that rewiring is necessary, it's time to get started. Focus on safety above all else.
Turn Off Power and Install New Breaker Panel
- Shut off main breaker to cut power to the entire house and test with a voltage tester to be sure.
- Remove old breaker panel and install upgraded breaker panel according to manufacturer instructions.
Run New Circuit Wiring
- Map out new circuit routes throughout the house to connect rooms and devices.
- Use old wiring runs if possible, pulling new wire through existing conduits.
- For new runs, fish wire through walls using fish tape and drill entry holes with a spade bit.
- Use non-metallic NM sheathed cable for most household 15/20 amp circuits.
Install New Light Fixtures and Switches
- Replace existing switches and outlets with GFCI outlets for added safety, especially in kitchens, bathrooms and other areas prone to water exposure.
- Follow diagrams to correctly connect new light fixtures and switches in parallel or series depending on needs.
- Use wire nuts to secure connections and avoid loose wiring.
Connect Large Appliances on Dedicated Circuits
- Use thick 10/12 AWG wire for dedicated 20 amp circuits for large appliances like refrigerators, electric stoves, etc.
- Install 240V circuit breakers for specialized loads like electric vehicle chargers.
- Use color-coded wiring and labels at both ends to keep different circuits organized.
Update Electrical Panels and Connections
- Organize and label circuit breakers clearly.
- Ensure neutral and ground wires are properly separated and connected.
- Bond ground wires, conduits, and fixtures to grounding rods outside to earth ground.
Safety Precautions
Follow these essential safety precautions at all times when rewiring:
- Wear insulated gloves and eye protection. Make sure to cut power before starting any work.
- Take care not to overload circuits - balance electrical load appropriately.
- Use caution signs and barriers in rewiring work areas.
- Double check all wiring connections are tight, well-insulated and that protective conduit is used.
- Test circuits with a multimeter before turning power back on.
- Inspect work to confirm it meets electrical code requirements.
- Hire an electrician if you are ever uncertain about safely completing a rewiring task.
Historical Rewiring Methods
Here are some lesser known historical electrical methods that can still be applied safely today:
Knob and Tube Wiring
This very early method uses ceramic knobs to hold wiring off surfaces and tubes to protect where wires pass through framing. It can be reused in some cases by pulling new wires through old runs.
Cloth Rubber Insulated Wiring
Used from the 1920s-1950s, it has braided fabric insulation coated in rubber. Can be reused if insulation is intact and wires are adequate gauge for electrical loads.
Armored Cable (BX)
Flexible metal sheathed cable used in the early 1900s. Still acceptable to reuse if sheathing is in good shape, but requires special connectors to bond sheath to boxes.
Conduit Wiring
Conduits act as protective sleeves for wiring routed through. Galvanized rigid steel conduit has been used since the early 1900s and is highly durable for reuse.
By understanding these historical methods, you can more safely reuse existing wiring runs where possible while upgrading your home's electrical system. Always consult local building codes and permit requirements before any remodeling work. With proper precautions, you can complete a safe, reliable, and cost-effective electrical upgrade on your own.