Introduction
Rewiring your home can seem like a daunting task, but with the right preparation and safety precautions, I was able to rewire my home without hiring professional electricians. In this comprehensive guide, I will walk you through the entire process step-by-step, from assessing your electrical needs, to selecting the right materials, to connecting new circuitry. With proper diligence and adherence to electrical codes, you can take control of your home's electrical system and avoid the high costs of electrician fees.
Determine Your Electrical Needs
Before touching any wiring, the first step is to thoroughly evaluate your home's electrical system and determine what needs rewiring.
Inspect Electrical Boxes, Outlets, and Fixtures
Carefully inspect all electrical boxes, outlets, switches, and fixtures throughout the home. Check for signs of damage, overheating, discoloration, or faulty operation. Pay particular attention to outlets with only 2 prongs, as these are outdated and need upgrading to 3 prong grounded outlets.
Check Condition of Wiring
Examine the current wiring to see if the insulation is cracked or peeling away. Old cloth-wrapped wiring is particularly dangerous and should be replaced. Aluminum wiring requires special treatment and should be inspected by an electrician.
Assess Circuit Capacity
Determine if your existing electrical system provides enough power for all your home's needs. Count the number of devices, appliances, electronics etc on each circuit. Overloaded circuits with insufficient amperage require upgraded wiring.
Consult Electrical Codes
Review your local jurisdiction's latest National Electrical Code standards so all new wiring meets the legally mandated requirements. Some key areas to check include proper grounding, GFCI outlet placement, and minimum wire gauge for circuit capacity.
Purchase Electrical Supplies
With your needs assessed, now obtain the necessary supplies for the rewiring project.
Wire
- For 15 amp circuits, use 14 AWG solid core copper wire. For 20 amp circuits, use 12 AWG copper wire.
- Insulated wire is required for safety.
- For old cloth-wrapped wiring, use new plastic sheathed replacement wire.
Outlets & Switches
- Buy tamper-resistant outlets to prevent accidental shocks.
- GFCI outlets provide protection from electrocution for wet areas like kitchens and bathrooms.
- 3-prong outlets properly ground appliances for safety.
- Light switches should match your home's aesthetics and layout.
Circuit Breakers
- The circuit breaker panel size must accommodate all the home's circuits.
- Use AFCI circuit breakers to protect against dangerous arcs.
- Class C breakers are suitable for lighting while Class A handles major appliances.
Conduit and Boxes
- Non-metallic rigid PVC conduit provides protection for wiring.
- Choose the proper wire gauge size conduit for easy pulling of wires.
- Upgrade electrical boxes to sufficient size and code requirements.
Install New Circuits and Wiring
Now comes the major task of safely installing the new wiring and circuits. Work methodically, follow electrical codes, and get any necessary permits.
Turn Off Power and Install New Breakers
Start by turning OFF power at the main breaker. Then install new circuit breakers, verifying they are firmly secured and properly aligned.
Run Conduit and New Wires
Map out wiring paths carefully before placing conduit. Run PVC conduit from the breaker panel to outlet and switch boxes. Use the proper techniques when pulling wire through conduit to avoid damage. Avoid excessive bending or over-tensioning the wire.
Connect Wires to Outlets and Switches
Use the appropriate wire stripper tool to properly strip insulation. Secure the hot, neutral, and ground wires to their correct screw terminals when connecting outlets and switches. Maintain proper polarity - hot is black, neutral is white, and ground is green or bare.
Label New Circuits
Clearly label each new circuit at the circuit breaker and the new associated wall outlets. This avoids confusion and helps quickly identify tripped circuits in the future.
Inspect Work and Close Up
With all new wiring complete, inspect the work thoroughly against code checklists. Replace any under-sized boxes, secure loose connections, and ensure ground connections are tight. Once everything passes inspection, close up the walls and conduit.
Test Completed Circuits for Safety
The final step is verifying all new circuits are safe and working properly before fully powering up the home again.
Turn Power Back On At Panel
With all wiring concealed and boxes covered, carefully turn the main power back on at the breaker panel. Then methodically turn on each new circuit one by one.
Check Voltage and Polarity
At each new outlet, use a voltmeter to verify 120V power and proper hot and neutral polarity. All ground connections should show 0V when tested. If wiring is crossed anywhere, immediately turn off power and recheck connections.
Test GFCI Outlets
For any new GFCI outlets, press the "Test" button after powering them on to confirm the outlet trips properly and cuts power. Reset the outlet to restore power again.
Verify AFCI Protection
Plug a basic device like a lamp into each new AFCI-protected circuit to confirm power flows properly. The AFCI breaker should allow normal device operation.
With all new circuits fully tested and verified, your home rewiring project is complete! You have upgraded your electrical system and saved significant electrician costs. Just be sure to take safety precautions any time you work on home electrical projects in the future.