How to Safely Rewire Your Home Without Hiring an Electrician

Assess Your Electrical Needs and Ability

Rewiring a home is a major project that requires knowledge of electrical systems, codes, and safety practices. Before attempting to rewire your home, honestly assess your skill level and knowledge. Be realistic about what you can safely DIY vs. when you need to hire a professional electrician.

Consider the following:

• Do you understand basic electrical theory, voltage, amperage, etc? Can you read and understand circuit diagrams?
• Are you able to identify the different types and sizes of electrical cables and connectors?
• Do you know the National Electrical Code requirements for your rewiring project?
• Can you operate essential tools like a voltmeter, wire stripper, cable cutter, etc?
• Are you prepared to handle live electrical wires safely?

If you answered no to any of these questions, strongly consider hiring an electrician to avoid safety hazards. Rewiring errors can lead to electrocution, fire, and expensive damage to your home.

Create a Rewiring Plan

Before starting, make a detailed plan which includes:

• Reasons for rewiring - Upgrade old wiring? Expand circuits? Safety issues?
• Scope of project - Which rooms? Entire house? Just branch circuits?
• Required permits and inspections
• Circuit mapping - Document existing circuits and label all wires
• New circuit design - Layout of new circuits, wire sizing, overcurrent protection
• Materials/parts list - Wire, boxes, outlets, switches, breakers, etc.
• Safety procedures - Deenergizing circuits, PPE, testing for live wires

Thorough planning will help your project go smoothly and safely. Get all required permits from your local building department before starting.

Turn Off Power and Remove Old Wiring

Safety first! Turn off the main breaker and all individual circuit breakers before touching any wires. Verify power is off by testing wires with a non-contact voltage tester.

Remove existing switches, outlets, lights, and other devices. Carefully label wires as you disconnect them so you can identify their circuit. Take pictures as you go along for reference.

Unhook and remove electrical panels. Finally, pull out old wires once everything is disconnected. Properly dispose of old wires and devices.

Install New Wiring and Devices

Follow your rewiring plan to install new wires, outlets, switches, lights, electrical panels, and other devices. Key tips:

• Use the proper wire size for expected current draw on each circuit
• Maintain proper wire color coding - hot, neutral, ground
• Secure wires firmly using cable clamps and staples
• Allow slack at connections to prevent pulling/damage
• Use junction boxes to splice wires together
• Connect ground wires to all boxes/devices

Adhere to all electrical codes and safety procedures. For example, protect wires in conduit when passing through concrete slabs. Take your time to do neat, clean work.

Inspect and Test New Circuits

Before re-energizing your new wiring, thoroughly inspect and test it, including:

• Visual inspection - Ensure secure connections, proper splices, no loose wires
• Continuity test - Verify correct wire connectivity on each circuit
• Polarity test - Confirm hot, neutral, and ground wires are properly connected
• Insulation test - Detect any compromised wire insulation
• Ground test - Verify ground continuity and resistance

Only after passing all tests should you turn power back on. Energize the main breaker first, then carefully test each new circuit before completely finishing.

Considerations

Here are some final tips for successfully rewiring your home safely:

• Work slowly and methodically. Rushing leads to mistakes
• Turn power off anytime you are working on the wiring
• Use extreme caution when dealing with live wires
• Have new wiring inspected before using to catch any issues
• Hire an electrician if you have any doubts about doing this safely
• Improper home electrical work can lead to electrocution and fires. If unsure, hire a licensed electrician!

Conclusion

Rewiring a home is a major task that requires skill and safety knowledge. While a DIY project can save money, never compromise safety. Carefully assess your abilities, create a plan, allow for inspections, and consider hiring an electrician for all or part of the job if needed.