How to Safely Rewire Your 125 Year Old Home Without Burning it Down

As the proud owner of a 125 year old home, I understand the desire to update the wiring to take advantage of modern conveniences. However, rewiring a home of that vintage requires great care to avoid catastrophic fires or other dangers. Here is my guide to safely rewiring my century-old home:

Assess the Existing Electrical System

Before beginning any rewiring project, it's crucial that I thoroughly examine the existing electrical system. Here are the key steps:

Check the main service panel - I need to look at the capacity of the electrical panel and determine if it needs upgrading to handle additional load. An old 60 amp fuse box will likely require replacement.
Identify wiring types - Older homes often have knob and tube wiring which will need to be completely replaced. Newer cloth-wrapped wiring may be salvageable but will need evaluation.
Map out circuits - Understanding which circuits run where is vital to planning new wiring. I'll want to diagram the locations of all outlets, switches and appliances.
Inspect condition - I'll check wires for cracks, heat damage or other deterioration. Any risks like uncovered wires or overloaded circuits must be addressed.

Develop a Rewiring Plan

Once I've determined the condition of the existing system, I can put together a plan for the new wiring:

Calculate electrical load - I'll total up wattages of all existing and new appliances to size the service panel correctly. Planning for future demand is wise.
Decide what to rewire - Rewiring the entire house may be prohibitively expensive. I may opt to focus on the oldest or most critical circuits first.
Choose wiring routes - I'll determine the best routes to run new circuits, balancing accessibility, aesthetics and cost. Following existing routes may be simplest.
Select safety features - I should install arc-fault and ground-fault circuit interrupters to prevent fires and shocks. Whole house surge suppression is also a good idea.
Obtain permits - My municipality will require an electrical permit and potentially inspections for a rewiring project. I'll build these into my schedule.

Safely Remove Old Wiring

Before installing any new wiring, I'll need to remove hazardous old wiring if present:

Turn off power - I'll shut off electricity at the main breaker panel before touching any wires to prevent shocks.
Confirm it's de-energized - I'll double check wires are not live using a non-contact voltage tester for safety.
Remove old wiring - I can now detach old wires from outlets, switches and appliances, coiling it up for safe disposal. Wiring must be handled carefully to avoid spreading lead or asbestos.
Remove abandoned wiring - Any unused, obsolete wiring lurking behind walls presents a fire risk and should be removed completely. This includes any knob and tube wiring.

Install New Wiring

With unsafe wiring addressed, I'm ready to run new wires throughout the home:

Select wiring type - For most homes, 12 or 14 gauge copper wire with ground is suitable. Larger gauge for high current appliances.
Run wires neatly - Wires should be run neatly through walls, basements and attics while securely fastened. Avoid creating trip hazards.
Use proper junctions - Any junctions between wires must be made inside covered electrical boxes using wire nuts or crimp connectors.
Confirm grounding - Every circuit must have a proper ground wire connected to outlets to prevent shocks and allow GFCIs to work.
Label circuits - Properly labeled wires and circuit breakers will make repairs much simpler down the road.

By methodically evaluating my old wiring, planning upgrades carefully, removing outdated wiring and installing new wires to code, I can bring my antique home up-to-date electrically while minimizing fire risks. Patience and attention to safety are essential, but the results will improve comfort and safety for decades to come.