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8 Signs Your Home Needs Rewiring

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The older a home’s wiring gets, the more likely they are to get worn down and suffer from various faults. In order to keep your home’s electrical system healthy, you should get regular rewiring work done. Rewiring involves removing your home’s wires and replacing them with new wires. But how can you tell when it’s time to make the switch? Let Ryan Gath Electric give you some ideas on when your electrical system needs a rewiring.

Here are eight signs you should call Ryan Gath Electric for your home rewiring:

Frequently broken fuses or tripped breakers.

Fuses and circuit breakers are one of your home’s defenses against electrical fires. When your system can’t handle the electrical load, the breaker trips or the fuse gets blown, cutting the circuit. If your home’s wiring can’t easily deal with your electricity usage, you may see frequent tripping and breaking, which is a sign your wiring may need upgrading. As an example, wiring from before the 60s could service around 60 amps, while today’s homes can handle 100 amps. Keep in mind that there are other reasons for tripping and breaking, so use a circuit breaker tester to help diagnose the problem.

Persistent burning smells

A persistent burning smell with no clear source is a major concern for homeowners. It’s likely that faulty wiring of some kind is the culprit. Ignoring the smell can be dangerous, so shut off the power at the circuit and call one of our professionals for help immediately.

Flickering lights

It’s not uncommon for flickering lights to be caused by a bulb that’s not properly screwed in or that needs to be changed. However, if the flickering is house-wide, then the problem is with the wiring. One of our technicians can help you determine if you need new wiring.

Aluminum wiring

Aluminum wiring is a kind of wiring used from 1965 to 1973 for about two million American homes. Unlike the traditional copper wiring, aluminum wires have a variety of flaws like incompatibility with modern devices, heating problems, and a tendency to split and fray. Aluminum wiring can be identified by the ‘AL’ written on the jacket.

Electrical shocks

Experiencing an electrical shock of any size from an outlet should be considered a major warning. If you go to plug something in and you get shocked, call a technician immediately.

Loose outlets

At outlets age, they can wiggle loose from the wall. When they hang from the wall, they expose the wiring within, which can be very dangerous. If you see a loose outlet, you should call us to have an expert tighten it up or replace it if necessary.

Strange noises

If you plug something into an outlet and hear a buzzing or sizzling noise, your wires are in dire need of a replacement. Call us as soon as you can if you’re hearing noises from your outlets.

Hot/Discolored outlets and switches

Discolored outlets and switches can be a sign of wiring problems behind the scenes. Loose connections can cause sparking and arcing that results in small fires. These small fires char the outlet and switch cover, discoloring it as well as making it hot to the touch. Ignoring this can lead to life-threatening issues, so call us as soon as you notice this sort of issue.

For all of your electrical needs, call Ryan Gath Electric today!