How Can Rewiring Save a Home from a Major Electrical Hazard?

Mother Nature and Father Time eventually damage all wiring. Heat, moisture, and age slowly break down the materials that keep electricity flowing safely. Accidents happen, too.

When wiring breaks down, the consequences become extremely serious. Damaged electrical wiring causes house fires that destroy property and kill people every year. Worn-out wiring also creates shock hazards that can injure or kill.

The good news is that rewiring your home eliminates these deadly dangers before disaster strikes. The certified electricians at Mr. Electric can check your system, find hidden risks, and keep your home safe. Whether you need a full update or a quick fix, our uniformed pros are here to help.

How Electrical Wiring Breaks Down Over Time

If you’ve ever seen electrical wiring, it’s probably the insulation that you were seeing. This insulation is made from rubber or plastic materials that protects the metal conductors that carry electricity. Over time, this insulation can break down.

For example, heat from normal electrical use makes insulation become brittle, and moisture from leaks or humidity causes insulation to crack and peel away. After twenty, thirty, or forty years, insulation typically falls apart.

When insulation fails, the bare wires become exposed inside walls. These exposed wires can touch each other to create dangerous short circuits. They can also contact metal pipes, electrical boxes, or wall studs, thereby sending electricity into places it shouldn't go.

It’s not just the insulation that breaks down; Connection points where wires join together also deteriorate with age. The screws and terminals holding wires in place loosen from years of heating and cooling cycles, and metal surfaces corrode and oxidize. Eventually, these bad connections spark and arc.

Warning Signs Your Home Needs Rewiring

A trained electrician is best equipped to identify whether your electrical wiring needs a hand, but there are signs you can watch for as well:

• Frequent circuit breaker trips is a big one. While occasional trips are normal, constant trips during everyday activities mean wiring can't safely handle your home's electrical needs.
• Flickering or dimming lights when appliances turn on reveal voltage problems from inadequate or damaged wiring.
• Discolored or warm outlets indicate dangerous overheating. Outlets should never feel hot or show brown or black marks around plug openings.
• Burning smells near outlets, switches, or inside walls suggest insulation is melting from excessive heat.
• Sparking outlets or switches show electricity arcing across gaps in damaged wiring or connections.

These are strong signs that your wiring is in trouble, but they don’t necessarily mean you’ll need complete electrical wiring. Still, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. So, contact Mr. Electric to have an electrician investigate sooner rather than later.

The Dangers of Ignoring Bad Wiring

The cost of electrical repair service may make you hesitant, but using deteriorated electrical wiring creates multiple serious risks:

• House fires from electrical problems kill hundreds of people yearly and cause billions in property damage.
• Electrical shocks from damaged wiring can stop hearts and cause severe burns.
• Damaged wiring also destroys expensive electronics and appliances.
• Insurance companies sometimes deny claims for fire damage caused by known electrical problems that owners didn't fix.

Plus, electrical repair service is reliable and affordable when you choose Mr. Electric. In fact, we provide upfront price quotes so you can judge for yourself. We even back our workmanship with a 1-year guarantee so you can rest assured.