How to Safely Rewire Your 1890s Home Without Hiring an Electrician

Introduction

Rewiring a home from the 1890s can be daunting, but with proper planning and precautions it can be done safely without hiring a professional electrician. As the sole owner of a historic 1890s home, I took on rewiring it myself and learned a lot in the process. In this comprehensive guide, I will share everything I learned about rewiring old homes to help you do it safely on your own.

Dangers of Outdated Wiring

Old homes often have outdated and hazardous electrical systems that need upgrading for safety and functionality. Some key dangers of 1890s electrical systems include:

Knob and tube wiring - Common in older homes, this primitive wiring is a fire hazard. The brittle insulation often cracks over time, exposing live wires.
Overloaded circuits - Homes built in the 1890s likely have very few circuits covering the entire home. This can overload the system and wires, leading to melted insulation, sparks, and fires.
No grounding - Most old systems lack proper grounding, which protects you from shocks and allows faults to safely trip breakers. Ungrounded wires present a serious shock risk.

Rewiring solves these dangers by replacing old wires and adding grounded, dedicated circuits to each area and appliance in the home.

Evaluating Your Electrical System

Before beginning any rewiring project, you need to thoroughly evaluate your existing 1890s electrical system to understand what needs upgrading. Here are some key things to inspect:

Wiring material - Check whether you have knob and tube wires or more modern rubber/plastic insulated wires. Knob and tube is very outdated and dangerous.
Number of circuits - Count your circuit breakers. 1890s homes likely only have 5-10 circuits covering the entire home, whereas modern homes have a dedicated 20A circuit for each area/appliance.
Grounded wires - Open an outlet and check if you have 3-prong grounded outlets. 2-prong ungrounded outlets are outdated and unsafe.
Light and outlet placement - Note where all lights and outlets are placed throughout the home. Rewiring allows you to add new lighting and outlets where needed.
Service panel size - Locate your main service panel and check the amperage rating. 100-150 amps is common in old homes, which is inadequate for modern needs. Upgrading to 200 amps or more may be needed.

Creating a Rewiring Plan

Once you have thoroughly evaluated your existing wiring system, it's time to map out your rewiring plan. Here are the key elements your plan should include:

New grounded circuit wires routed from the main panel to each room.
Dedicated 20A circuits for high-draw areas like kitchen, laundry, and bathrooms.
Lighting circuits with switched outlets to control lights.
Additional outlets added to areas with insufficient receptacles.
Potential service panel upgrade for sufficient amperage.
GFCI protection for all damp areas to prevent shocks.
New grounded wall outlets throughout.

Draw up your rewiring plan on paper to visualize the scope of the project and the most logical way to route new circuit wires throughout the home.

Safety Precautions

Working with electrical wires comes with fire, shock, and electrocution risks. Take the following safety measures:

Turn off power at the main breaker before starting work each day. Verify it's off by testing outlets.
Work one circuit at a time so you don't get wires mixed up. Label each wire clearly.
Wear rubber-soled shoes and gloves to prevent shocks.
Never touch live wires with bare hands. Use insulated tools only.
Keep flammable materials away from work area.
Install AFCI breakers for added fire protection. They shut off power after detecting sparks.
Have a fire extinguisher nearby.
Inspect all wiring thoroughly before restoring power.

Follow these precautions rigorously to ensure your safety throughout the rewiring process. Never take shortcuts when dealing with electricity!

Removing Old Knob and Tube Wiring

If your home has original 1890s knob and tube wiring, this will need to be fully removed before running new wires. Here is how to remove it safely:

Locate the main service panel and disconnect the old wiring. Cut all wires coming into the panel and cap them off.
Go up into the attic and disconnect any knob and tube feeds to light fixtures.
Remove knob and tube wires from the basement/crawlspace to the attic, cutting them into manageable sections.
Take down any porcelain knobs or tubes attached to structural framing.
Pull individual knob and tube wires out of the walls. This often requires drilling access holes if wires are stapled.
Vacuum out old insulation containing knob and tube wire fragments which could cause shorts.
Cap all abandoned wires in walls you cannot fully remove.

Follow this process thoroughly throughout the home to eliminate all old knob and tube conductors inside walls before running new wires.

Running New Circuit Wires

With the old wiring removed, you can now run new grounded wires for your planned circuits. Key steps include:

Run 2/3 wire NM cables from the main panel to all circuits. Use thick 12 AWG for 20A small appliance circuits, 14 AWG for 15A general lighting/outlet circuits.
Use the appropriate breaker for each circuit in the main panel. 20A for outlets, 15A for lighting.
Group wires in bundles along common routes through basement, walls, and attic. Keep wires organized.
Use staples spaced every 4.5 ft to secure cables to structural framing. Avoid piercing insulation.
Drill holes through wall studs and joists to route wires between floors. Avoid plumbing/gas pipes.
Seal all penetrations with fire caulk to maintain fire rating.
Connect wires to outlets and switches. Match each conductor color to its terminal screw.

Take it slow and be meticulous. Correct wiring is critical for safety.

Installing New Outlets and Fixtures

As you run new circuits, you can add outlets and lighting fixtures wherever needed.

Mark planned outlet locations on walls at sensible heights. Cut drywall and drill holes to route wires.
Choose grounded outlets and connect circuit wires securely to terminals. Attach to outlet boxes.
Replace old 2-prong receptacles throughout home with new grounded 3-prong outlets for safety.
Add GFCI outlets in bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, and other damp areas to prevent shocks.
Install associated light switches in convenient spots. Run switch loop wires to control lights from multiple locations.
Connect new light fixtures to lighting circuit wires in the ceiling. Ensure stable mounting and ground connection.
Use recessed lights to add more lighting to dark rooms. Cut openings carefully and secure housings.

Take full advantage of rewiring to enhance your home's lighting, outlets, and switches.

Inspecting and Testing Your Work

Meticulously inspect every inch of your new wiring before restoring power. Double check that:

All connections are tight with no exposed copper.
Wires have no nicks in insulation that could short.
Cables are secured neatly at regular intervals.
Grounded wires go to all new 3-prong outlets.
All boxes, fixtures, panels have proper ground connections.
No wires are near sharp edges or hot surfaces.
All breakers match wired circuits.

Use a multimeter to confirm no continuity between hot and ground/neutral wires. Energize the system and methodically test each outlet and light to verify proper function. Only restore power once you've validated the safety of your entire system.

Conclusion

Rewiring an antiquated 1890s electrical system is a major project, but it can be accomplished safely without hiring an electrician if you take precautions. Thorough planning, safe work habits, meticulous care running wires, and rigorous final inspections are critical. Take your time and don't cut corners. Do it right the first time and you'll have a safer, more functional electrical system good for another 120 years! Let me know if you have any other questions.