How to Rewire Your Home Without Dying: Secrets Electricians Don’t Want You to Know

Introduction

Rewiring a home can be a daunting task, but with proper precautions and some electrical know-how, it doesn't have to be dangerous. As a homeowner, you can save thousands of dollars by doing it yourself instead of hiring an electrician. However, working with electricity does carry risks that you need to take seriously to avoid injury or even death.

In this comprehensive guide, I'll share all my hard-earned advice on how to rewire a home safely and legally, without electrocuting yourself or burning the place down! I've made every mistake in the book, so you don't have to. Armed with the insider tips in this article, you'll gain the skills and confidence to take on this major DIY project. Let's get started!

Safety First - Use Extreme Caution When Working With Electricity

Before touching a single wire, you need to understand the hazards and take every precaution. Electricity can arc across gaps, penetrate insulation, and spread through your body with devastating effects:

• Electrical burns - current flowing through tissue causes severe burns both internally and on the skin.

• Cardiac arrest - electricity can disrupt heart rhythm and cause death.

• Muscle contractions - current flow causes involuntary muscle contractions which may prevent you from being able to let go of electrified objects.

• Fire - faulty wiring is a major cause of electrical fires.

To protect yourself, you absolutely must:

• Turn off power at the main breaker panel - All circuits you'll be working on must be dead. Double check with a non-contact voltage tester.

• Wear insulated gloves and shoes - Make sure they are rated for the voltage you'll be working with. Never work bare-handed.

• Cover exposed skin - Wear long sleeve shirts and pants with no rips or tears.

• Use insulated tools - Never use metallic tools which can conduct electricity to the handle.

• Have an exit plan - Know how to quickly get out in case of emergency.

Working on live circuits is extremely dangerous and there's rarely a need to do so in a home rewiring project. De-energize all wires before working on them!

How to Turn Off Power and Ensure Circuits Are Dead

The most important safety step is killing power to any wire you'll be handling. Here's how to do it:

1. Locate the main breaker panel and open the door. Inside you'll see rows of circuit breakers controlling all electrical circuits in the house.

2. Flip the main breaker to the "off" position. This disconnects power from the whole panel.

3. Turn off the individual breakers for any circuits you'll be rewiring.

4. Verify power is off by turning on a light or outlet and making sure they are dead. Be sure to check both halves of kitchen and bathroom outlets.

5. Use a non-contact voltage tester on wires to double check they are unpowered. Test before touching any wires!

6. Once you've confirmed everything is dead, you can safely start work. But first...

Lock Out / Tag Out Procedures

To prevent any possibility of someone restoring power while you're working, follow formal lock out/tag out procedures:

• Lock the main panel door open so breakers are inaccessible. Use a lock only you have the key for.

• Attach warning tags at the main panel and any subpanels stating "DANGER - Electricians Working".

• Keep the keys with you at all times. This prevents deadly mistakes.

Follow the same precautions if wiring connections involve large appliances or the home's meter/electrical mast. consulted with the power company to have the meter fully disconnected.

How to Handle Wiring Safely

Once all circuits are confirmed dead, you can get to work. But extreme caution is still required when handling wires:

• Wear insulated gloves rated for the voltage in the system. Even dead wires can shock if contacted by energized wires.

• Keep wires free of kinks or scrapes which compromise the insulation. Use cable staples to route.

• One circuit at a time - Do not expose more than one circuit's wires at once.

• No bare copper! - Use wire connectors for all splices and tape insulation over them.

• Double check wires are dead before touching. Re-verify with a non-contact tester.

• Connect grounds first when wiring devices or fixtures. Disconnect grounds last when removing.

• De-energize adjacent circuits too if wires must pass through other circuit bays.

Avoid working alone - have someone else present to call 911 or administer CPR if you suffer a shock.

Stay patient, focused and methodical - rushing leads to mistakes. Treat every wire as potentially live until proven otherwise!

Choosing the Right Wiring

For any new wiring you install during the rewiring project, be sure to use wire rated for the amperage, voltage, and conditions it will be subjected to according to code:

• Use copper wiring only. Aluminum wiring requires special precautions due to oxidation and expansion/contraction issues.

• For 15 and 20 amp branch circuits, use #14 AWG copper for power and lighting circuits.

• For major appliances, use #12 AWG or even #10 AWG to handle the current.

• For low voltage control wiring, #18 AWG will suffice.

• Use outdoor-rated, UV-resistant wiring where exposed to sunlight and weather.

• Choose THHN/THWN insulation for dry locations, UF-B cable for wet areas.

• Use GFCI protected, 3-wire cables for all kitchen, bathroom and outdoor circuits.

• Select cables with ground wires - never use old-style 2-wire cables without ground.

Choosing the right cable size prevents voltage drop and overheating that can cause fires.

Installing New Wiring and Devices

Once you have the right materials, properly installing new wiring, outlets, switches and fixtures keeps everything operating safely:

Cable Routing

• Drill holes to route cables through top or bottom plates to get between stories.

• Notch wall studs using an electrical notch guide so wires pass neatly through.

• Staple cables every 4-1/2 feet and within 8 inches of boxes using insulated staples only.

• Don't run parallel within 6 inches of gas lines or other cables to prevent interference.

Device Boxes

• Choose correct box type and size for number of wires/devices. Plastic boxes won't ground circuits.

• Mount outlet boxes 18 inches off floor, switches 48 inches. Place evenly on Studs.

• Feed cables into box with at least 6 inches spare for easy connection. Don't pull taut!

Making Connections

• Use approved cable clamps and fittings to enter boxes.

• Wrap connections clockwise so wire untwists as tightened.

• Make pigtails to line, neutral and ground terminals so one wire per screw.

• Use wire nuts or screw terminals for splices, never electrical tape alone.

Testing Circuits

• Confirm line/load correct on outlets using a 3-light tester before connecting anything.

• Verify GFCI outlets trip properly and conduct continuity checks.

• Check lights and switches function properly at panel before closing walls.

Meticulous cable routing, well-made connections, and thorough testing ensures safe and reliable power. Don't cut corners!

Final Safety Checks - Look Everything Over Twice!

Before turning power back on, give the entire wiring job an exhaustive final safety inspection:

• Verify no exposed wire, loose connections, over-stripping.

• No pinched wires under staples or at penetrations.

• Confirm proper wire/breakers sizes (no overheating risk).

• Grounding intact for all circuits. Neutrals and grounds separate.

• Cables properly supported, routed away from hazards.

• All boxes and devices solidly mounted and covered.

• No risk of fraying, overheating, arcing anywhere.

• Test GFCIs and smoke/CO detectors. 10 year battery models recommended.

Fix any issues! Thoroughly inspect from every angle, checking even mundane details.

Only after passing the final safety inspection, restore power:

• Remove lockout devices and tags.

• Close and rebolt the main panel cover.

• Switch main breaker on, then individual circuits.

With power restored, do final operational checks of all lighting, outlets, and permanent appliances on each circuit.

You don't want newly wired devices tripping breakers when first energized! Plug high-draw appliances in one at a time.

Congratulations, you've successfully rewired your home without dying! Now relax and enjoy your hard work. Just be sure to leave the panel accessible - you'll surely be back to add and change circuits someday.

Summary

While rewiring a house yourself is challenging, the dangers of electricity can be minimized with proper precautions:

• De-energize all circuits and lock out power before working.

• Wear insulated clothing and rated gloves/boots. Never work bare-handed.

• Treat all wires as live until voltage-tested. Use extreme care handling wires.

• Use only copper wiring of the correct gauge and insulation type.

• Route and connect all wiring according to electrical code. Avoid hacks.

• Thoroughly inspect all work before re-energizing circuits.

Working methodically and staying hyper-focused on safety will keep you injury-free. Now you have the complete guide to tackle a full home rewire yourself!