Are you thinking about rewiring part or all of your home? Perhaps a home inspection uncovered some aluminum circuits or knob and tube wiring in an area of your house. Don’t worry, Edison Electric, Inc. can help. We have the experience to re-wire your circuits right the first time! Call us to schedule an appointment in Minneapolis, MN.
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Reasons Why You Might Need to Rewire Your Home
Do you need new wiring in your home? While it can be difficult to tell if your wiring needs to be replaced, some reasons to install new wiring can include:
- If you have aluminum wiring and knob and tube wiring: These types of wiring are outdated and should be replaced.
- If you have damaged wiring: Damage wiring, or any signs of fraying or wear and tear, can pose a hazard to your home if left unrepaired. Watch for signs of damage by rodents, water, and overheating.
- If you have a damaged circuit: If your circuit is outdated or damaged, it should be rewired by a professional to ensure your household’s safety.
- If your home has a fuse panel: If your house has a fuse panel it can signal the wiring in your home is original and possibly overloaded. Our electricians at Edison Electric, Inc. can perform a combination of services to upgrade your fuse box to a circuit panel and install a few new circuits to share the load and ease the burden on your existing wiring.
Why You Should Replace Aluminum Wiring
Aluminum wiring can be present in older homes, especially if your home was built in the 1970s. While this form of wiring can effectively provide electricity to the property, it can also pose fire risks to the house as it can expand, leading to overheating at the connection points. Other risks of using this type of wiring can include:
- It can become brittle and more prone to oxidation, which can cause electrical fires.
- The soft wires can get cut or crushed during renovation projects. Damaged wires can create hot spots, which can lead to overheating.
- It poses a 55% higher risk of fires than homes with copper wiring.
- When the wiring oxidizes, arcing can occur. This can lead to overheating and fire.
- When it rusts it can develop a white oxide that can lead to overheating.
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Hire a Professional to Replace Your Knob and Tube Wiring
Does your home have knob and tube wiring? This method, sometimes referred to as K&T, is a type of electrical wiring used in pre-1950 houses in St. Paul and Minneapolis. This uses a system of copper conductors, which are run through tubes and held down with porcelain knobs. These systems can pose risks to your household because it may have been incorrectly altered, covered with insulation, or has been overloaded for a long period of time. It also does not have a ground wire, which is standard in most newer wiring systems and is a reason many insurance companies require the knob and tube wiring to be replaced. Some of the other risks with K&T wiring includes:
- Increased fire risk.
- Inability to service three-pronged appliances.
- Deterioration over time.
- Improper modification by previous homeowners.
If you have knob and tube wiring, call Edison Electric, Inc. Our electricians have the experience to identify and replace your system efficiently, with as little damage to your walls and ceiling as possible. Make your home safer – give us a call and schedule a visit!