Older Home Electrical Wiring Problems
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Working with Older Home Electrical Wiring: What To Do When an Inspection Reveals Older Home Electrical Wiring Problems. © By: Dave Rongey |
Older Home Electrical Wiring Problems
Electrical Question: I bought a 5 year old house here in Southeast MO, in a county with no building codes or inspectors.
- Looking at the wiring, all 120volt breakers in the panel are 20A and all cable leaving the panel is 12 AWG as expected.
- All of the receptacles that I have inspected are also wired with 12 AWG; however several lights are wired with 14 AWG.
- I have never seen this done elsewhere. Since no individual light circuit draws much current, this works fine, but it just does not seem correct.
- Do you see this as a problem?
This electrical wiring question came from: Joe, a Homeowner from Poplar Bluff, MO.
Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical wiring question Joe.
Working with Older Home Electrical Wiring
Application: Upgrading Older Home Electrical Wiring
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced. This electrical project is best performed by a Licensed Electrician.
Electrical Tools Required: Electricians Pouch of Hand Tools for Rough-In Wiring, Electric Drill and Auger Bits, Extension Cords, and Ladders.
Construction Safety: All personal safety measures must be taken when performing remodel projects where you may come into contact with hazardous materials and environmental contaminants such as fiberglass insulation, vermiculite and asbestos, molds or mildew, as well as dust.
Estimated Time: Depends on the extent of the project, the type of wall coverings and structural construction and available access to the project area.
Precaution: Any existing wiring in the immediate area that may interfere with the installation should be identified and turned OFF and Tagged.
Notice: Installing additional electrical wiring or upgrading existing electrical circuits and wiring should always be done according to local and national electrical codes with a permit and be inspected.
What To Do When an Inspection Reveals Older Home Electrical Wiring Problems
- This definitely is not correctly wired because all of the circuit wire should be the same gauge.
- Is older home electrical wiring a potential problem? Well that depends on how large the light fixture loads will actually be.
- In an instance such as this the circuit breaker should be replaced by a 15 amp circuit breaker or one which is sized to the smallest wire size that is found on within the circuit.
- Replacing and upgrading old electrical wiring and bringing it up to current code compliance is definitely recommended.
More about Upgrading Older Home Electrical Wiring
- House Wiring Circuits and Circuit Breakers
- This article looks at common 120 volt and 240 volt house wiring circuits and the circuit breakers that are installed identifying the types and amperage sizes used in most homes.
- Electric Circuit Listing
- The size of the home electrical service panel is designed by calculating the square footage of the home and factoring in the code requirements for the electrical circuits that are required.
- Electrical Wiring Protection using Circuit Breakers
- A guide to home electrical circuit breakers and how they work to protect your electrical wiring. When properly installed, your home electrical wiring is protected by a circuit protection device.
Electrical wire
Electrical Wire for the Home
Complete listing of electrical wire types and parts used for home projects with electrical code information serves as selection guidelines.
- Electrical Code Articles
- Electrical Code Directory covering AFCI circuit, electrical-boxes, electrical-circuit, electrical-code-outlets, electrical GFCI, electrical-grounding, electrical-project, electrical-services, electrical-underground, electrical-wiring, electrical-wiring-code, lighting-code, smoke-detector,
For more information about Home Wiring
Home Wiring
- Home Wiring
- Basic Home Wiring Diagrams with Pictures
The following may also be helpful for you:
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Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.
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