Electrical Dangers of Older Houses

Electrician peeling off wires

If you live in or recently purchased an older home, you should have the electrical system inspected by a professional electrician. Your home could have outdated wiring or improperly installed electrical during one of the upgrades it’s had over it’s lifetime. Learn some useful information that will help you protect your family, home and investment by looking for these common dangers that could come with your older home.

Aluminum Wiring

Homes that were built earlier than the 1970s likely have aluminum wiring. Even if your home is newer than that, some DIY electrical jobs could have been done using aluminum wiring. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, homes wired with aluminum are 55 times more likely to have one or more wire connections outlets reach ‘fire hazard conditions’ than homes wired with copper.  Overheating and cracking are common problems with aluminum wiring and you don’t want to live with that safety hazard!

Certified electricians in Calgary that can inspect your wiring system to see if it is aluminum and can replace it with a new, safer copper wiring system. Do not attempt to repair or replace your aluminum wiring yourself!

Knob and Tube Wiring

Knob and tube wiring is also an old wiring system that was used in homes in the early 1900s but can still be found in homes that were built as recently as 50 years ago. If you are moving into an older heritage or character home it is possible that it has this kind of electrical system and will have to be replaced because this outdated wiring is more likely to crack and result in electrical fires.

DIY Electrical Disasters

Your older home has likely had a few upgrades, renovations or additions over it’s lifespan. If the basement has been finished, new rooms added or even large items like a hot tub installed you could be facing some unknown electrical issues. If the previous homeowner(s) did not hire an licensed electrician the DIY wiring installation could be done improperly and be causing a fire hazard to your home. You never know what can be lurking behind those walls!

A Master Electrician will inspect your electrical panel and ensure it is upgraded in order to control the flow of electricity throughout the entire house. They can also inspect your current electrical system to make sure there isn’t a mess of wire left behind by an inexperienced do-it-yourselfer.

Find electricians in Calgary.

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