Rewiring your home may be a prudent decision if the current wires were installed more than a few decades ago. It may also be a good idea if there is evidence of frayed, improperly installed, or otherwise defective wiring in your home. However, there are a number of variables that determine how much time and money will be needed to finish your project.
Wires Are Often Hidden Before Drywall
When a home is first built, wires are typically hidden behind a given space’s drywall. The same is often true when an addition is built onto a house. This is done because a room simply looks cleaner when there aren’t a bunch of wires running along the walls. Wires are also hidden for safety reasons, as you don’t want someone to accidentally come into contact with a live wire. Keeping wires behind drywall may also help to protect them from water damage.
New Wires Can Be Installed and Attached Elsewhere
An electrician will likely be able to install new wires in an attic, crawlspace, or similar area accessible to that professional. First, the power is turned off to the house so that existing wires can be disconnected from the electrical panel. The new wires are then run through the wall and attached to the same panel. Those wires are also attached to a beam, joist, or other sturdy object so that they don’t fall on a person or other object after they go live.
As they are no longer attached to the electrical panel, the old wires are rendered as little more than ornamental pieces. They cannot hurt anyone or otherwise cause damage to the walls they are hidden behind because they are no longer live or carrying any amount of electricity.
After ensuring that there is no current coming through the old wires, the power to the home is turned back on. You can then enjoy your new electrical setup without having to also worry about how you will replace drywall or clean up the mess made taking existing drywall out.
Some Drywall May Need to Be Removed
It’s worth noting that small pieces of drywall may need to be removed to gain access to existing wires. However, it will be relatively easy to patch and replace what is taken in a timely and relatively inexpensive manner. In fact, the team at Mister Sparky may be able to include minor drywall repair as part of your overall rewiring project.
Call Mister Sparky for Help Today
If you are thinking about rewiring your home, give our team a call to learn more about how we can help. Our goal is to work on your house in a timely and affordable manner to reduce the interruption caused by what is a major home improvement project.