subject: Reasons For Upgrading The Wiring In Your Home [print this page] Many older homes in the US have electrical wiring that is not up to date according to the different local and state building codes. For the most part, this wiring is obsolete and may be a fire risk and a safety hazard for those living in the home. The National Electrical Code or NEC was originally established in 1896 to standardize the way in which homes were wired but it was not a binding law in all the states. Suffice it to say, it was oftentimes overlooked or ignored for many years.
As a result, all electricians today must follow the wiring guidelines and practices established in the NEC code. The bottom line is that upgrading the wiring in your home is purely a safety matter and helps to eliminate the potential for electrocution or starting a fire. Interestingly enough, there are other reasons to upgrade or retrofit the wiring in your home, one of which is to support newer technologies that have become extremely popular in recent years.
You can also look at the capabilities for handling these newer technologies if you are considering the purchase of a newly constructed home as well. So whether it is an older home or one that recently been built, upgraded wiring provides the homeowner with many technological benefits. If you are shopping for a newer home, you might want to see if there is audio wiring as well as Cat5 cable (Category 5 Ethernet cables) and Coax (coaxial cable) installed and ready to use.
On the other hand, if you are living in an older home and the electrical wiring is suspect, then a retrofit or upgrade of your current wiring is a wise idea. The potential for danger and fire risk can result from a number of factors. But the primary ones are ungrounded fuse boxes, 2 strand wiring with frayed sheathing, or exposed wiring connections. So you can readily see the inherent potential for a dangerous situation or the hazardous risks that can result from bad wiring in ones home. From old homes to new ones, all of the homes and offices require proper wiring and one of the leading reasons for fires is short circuits due to old and outdated wiring.
Finally, the primary consideration before upgrading your wiring is whether you want to take it on as a DIY project yourself or if you would be better off hiring the services of a professional electrician to do the job. Always remember that electrical wiring is not childs play and requires a lot of knowledge to perform the job correctly, especially if you do not want to damage any of the walls in your home. If you are looking for professional help, it is best to search a local company that is insured, bonded and legit to perform all electrical work. You should browse online and get a free quote from a few services before signing up for upgrading the wiring in your home.
