Home Electrical Wiring & Rewiring

There are many reasons your home might need to be wired or rewired. A common reason is that your home was built before 1950, when builders used cloth-covered wires. This type of wire cover can become damaged over time, leaving behind bare wiring that can spark and start electrical fires. You might need to look into home rewiring if you experience any of the following additional electrical problems:

• Your home was built with knob-and-tube wiring or aluminum wiring
• Your home experiences electrical power surges frequently
• Your light switches are not working properly
• Your lights are too bright or too dim
• Your electrical bill is consistently higher than usual
• Your lightbulbs are burning out quickly

If you’re looking to improve the existing wiring system in your home, it’s important to know the benefits of a project like this. From improving safety to boosting your home’s value, there are many benefits to rewiring a home:

• Improve safety. This is the most obvious — and most important benefit — of rewiring your home. When wiring is old, wires can become frayed, possibly sparking and starting electrical fires. 
• Increase home value. If you are thinking of selling your home, rewiring could add significant value. Before a home is sold, the home seller or buyer usually hires a home inspector to ensure the house is up to standard. If you ace the home inspection, you might add thousands of dollars to your home’s price tag. If you don’t pass it because you have a faulty wiring setup, you might see the potential buyer walk away, as it’s a gamble to purchase a home that does not meet electrical safety standards. 
• Lower your electricity bill. If the wiring system in your home is not up to par, it could be struggling to keep your home functioning. It is most likely using up much more energy than a new wiring system, causing your electric bills to skyrocket. A new wiring system uses energy much more efficiently, helping you spend less to power your home.

Electrical problems such as flickering lights might not seem like a big deal, but they can be a symptom of a severe underlying problem. Issues like power surges and loose wires can damage your outlets and appliances. And if your system is particularly old or damaged, the issues can spark a fire. Below are some common home electrical problems and their causes.

Power Surges

• • Your circuit is overloaded. You may have too many items plugged into one or more power outlets, which can overwhelm your electric system and cause sparks and power surges. 
  • The coating on your wiring is damaged. If the wires in your home are old or damaged, the coating could be deteriorating. This exposes the bare wire, which can prevent electricity from flowing evenly.
  • High-powered appliances use too much energy. When appliances such as high-tech air conditioners or refrigerators share the same circuit as the rest of your devices, the energy use in your home could be off balance. The high amount of energy these appliances require could overpower other devices in the circuit, causing power surges.

Light Switches Not Working

• • There’s no power to the light switch. The first thing you want to check for is if the light bulb needs replacing or if the circuit to that light switch is turned on. If it is turned on but the light switch is still not working, there could be a deeper issue. 
  • There is a loose connection. If the wires powering the light switch are loose or not fully connected, your lights might flicker or your light switches might not work at all. To fix this, an electrical contractor can take a look at the wiring to make sure nothing is out of place.

Lights Are Too Bright or Too Dim

• • Your wiring cannot handle the amount of electricity you’re using. If your home is wired improperly or your wiring system is too old, it might not be able to properly disburse the current in your home. This can happen in old homes that were not built to handle advanced appliances and devices.

Light Bulbs Are Burning Out Too Quickly 

• • The light fixture has worn out. Over the years, light fixtures become old and can develop wiring issues, which use up more energy than necessary. This can cause light bulbs to burn out sooner than usual.
  • Upgrading your lighting in your home may reduce stress on the fixtures and wiring. For example, LED lighting uses significantly less energy than standard bulbs.

The true cost of rewiring your entire home varies greatly depending on the square footage. A wiring or rewiring job can vary from about $5,000 to $20,000. Much of the cost comes from the fact that most complicated wiring jobs require electrical contractors to bring all of the home’s electrical system to current code. Gubruds provides estimates for the cost of the job upfront, and we’ll do what it takes to get it done without any additional or hidden fees.

A wiring or rewiring project typically involves the following steps:

• Step 1: A qualified electrical contractor evaluates the existing wiring system or space to be wired.
• Step 2: The electrical contractor removes the old or damaged wiring system. Depending on the scope of your project, this might include opening up walls and ceilings. However, a smaller project could involve minor openings in the  walls or accessing the system through an attic or crawl space.
• Step 3: The electrical contractor installs the new wiring system and prepares any opened walls to be patched by a professional.

Are you experiencing wiring problems in your home? While there are some wiring issues that you can troubleshoot on your own, most should not be taken lightly. When wiring systems are old and not functioning properly, it can be risky to take on the job yourself, as you could be shocked or injured. Make sure your wiring issues are repaired properly by hiring an electrical contractor with years of experience correcting issues just like yours safely and quickly. 

There are many options for choosing an electrical contractor in the Sacramento area, but how do you know they’ll do the job right? Gubruds Electrical Contracting, Inc. has repaired and installed electrical systems in and around the greater Sacramento area since 1995. We have the experience necessary to inspect, diagnose, and repair even the most complicated electrical issue you might have. We also offer same-day emergency services.

Contact us here or call us today at (916) 883-2751 to get a quote on your electrical project.