Installing or Upgrading Electrical Wiring

I had my entire house rewired, the attic looks like an explosion of a wiring factory, is this safe for the wires to be everywhere? What to do about Problems with Your Electrical Project.

Installing or Upgrading Electrical Wiring
Electrical Question: I had my entire house rewired, the attic looks like an explosion of a wiring factory, is this safe for the wires to be everywhere?

• I had my entire house rewired but they didn’t rewire the drops, just the attic, and they placed junction boxes everywhere.
• The entire attic looks like an explosion of a wiring factory. Is this safe for the wires to be everywhere?
• This attic is fairly open with regular stairs and a exterior door as well as a access panel.
• The renovation is being done through a licensed general contractor who had supplied all needed paperwork to my home lender and verified before work began.
• As far as an inspection being performed I do not know, per contract they have with the lender everything should have a permit and pass inspection but I don’t know if they have done either.

This electrical wiring question came from David, in Daleville, Alabama.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical wiring question David.

Electrical Wiring Installed the Right Way

Application: Install New Electrical Circuit Wiring.
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced – Best installed by a Licensed Electrical Contractor or Certified Electrician.
Tools Required: Electricians Pouch of Hand Tools for Rough-In Wiring, Electric Drill and Auger Bits and Extension Cord. All safety measures must be taken for your protection while working around environmental and construction hazards and when working with all types of tools.
Estimated Time: Depends on the extent of the project, the type of construction and available access to the project area.
Precaution: Any existing wiring in the project area should be identified, turned OFF and Tagged. Old electrical wiring that will be replaced with new electrical wiring should be removed.
Notice: Installing additional electrical wiring should be done according to local and national electrical codes with a permit and be inspected.

Are There Problems With Your New Wiring Project?

Based on this Electrical Question there appears to be problems that the homeowner now has to deal with. I will identify these problems below with a few of my own questions about this project.

• Vital Information to Insure a Code Compliant Electrical Wiring Project
  • Did you ask for the credentials of the person you hired to rewire your home?
  • Was the person doing the work a Licensed Electrician, Certified Electrician, or Licensed Contractor who is authorized to perform electrical work?
  • Was a permit obtained from the local building department?
  • Was the project inspected by and approved by local building department?
  • NOTE: Typically home lenders may not be knowledgeable with electrical codes and the importance of building permits and inspections.

• The Typical Permit Process for an Electrical Wiring Project
  • A plan is developed with a full description of the project in detail.
  • The plan is submitted to the building department for approval.
  • Upon approval the fees are paid and the approved set of plans are kept at the job site.
  • The phases of work are started. Each phase of work may require an inspection before the next phase can begin. For example, wall coverings such as sheet rock may not be installed until all open framed areas with new wiring have been fully inspected and approved.
  • When a lending agency is funding the project a representative from the lending company may visit the job site to verify that the work is proceeding and the inspections have been made before authorizing funding the next phase of the project.
  • Once the final phase of the project has been completed the final inspection will be performed. Upon approval the permitted project is closed and the final funding is released.
  • Typically, if any problems arise during any phase of the project the work has to stop until a resolution is provided. This is especially true at the end of the project where the project must pass the final inspection before the final payment is made to the contractor who is providing the work.

What to do about Problems with Your Electrical Project

In some cases, a project may have been performed and now you may have discovered that the work is sub-standard, not performed according to code, may have been done without an actual permit, or did not have the appropriate inspections, therefore consider the following.

• Consider the Following if Your Project Was Not Done Right
  • As the homeowner, it would be in your best interest to make sure your electrical project was done right and according to all applicable electrical codes.
  • Contact your local building department and explain the situation, and request an inspection.
  • If the building department determines that there is any fault with the project then consider contacting the individuals and companies who were involved with the project and give them the opportunity to make the required corrections.
  • Note: In many areas, if a home is placed on the market for sale and a property inspection discovers problems within the home then the homeowner may be held responsible to make the corrections, or hire a contractor to make the necessary repairs.

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The following may also be helpful for you:

Dave's Guide to Home Electrical Wiring: » You Can Avoid Costly Mistakes! « Wire It Right with the help of my Illustrated Wiring Book Great for any Home Wiring Project. Complete Guide to Home Electrical Wiring Perfect for Homeowners, Students, Handyman, Handy Women, and Electricians Includes: Wiring GFCI Outlets Wiring Home Electric Circuits 120 Volt and 240 Volt Outlet Circuits Wiring Light Switches Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Electric Range Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Dryer Cord and Dryer Outlet Troubleshoot and Repair Electrical Wiring Wiring Methods for Upgrading Electrical Wiring NEC Codes for Home Electrical Wiring ....and much more. Learn more about Home Electrical Wiring with my Online Video Course: Basic Home Electrical Wiring by Example

Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.

Electrical Tips to Help You Wire it Right The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires! The Non-Contact Electrical Tester This is a testing tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and is the first test tool I grab to help identify electrical wiring. It is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use. The Quickest Way to Check for Faulty Electrical Wiring! The Plug-In Outlet Tester This is the first tool I grab to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring. This popular tester is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring. It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect Very handy and easy to use. Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire! The Wire Stripper and Wire Cutter My absolute favorite wire stripping tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and this is the tool I use to safely strip electrical wires. This handy tool has multiple uses: The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation. The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets.. The wire stripper will work on both solid and stranded wire. This tool is Very Handy and Easy to Use.

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