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According to Census data, over 30% of United States homes were constructed before 1950. If your home is among that 30%, there’s a decent chance it still contains decades-old wiring that may be putting you and your family’s safety at risk. Curious about which types of wiring you should look for? Our Harrison Electric team is laying out the details below.

Aluminum Wiring

Ask any residential electrician about aluminum wiring, and the majority will tell you: it’s not safe for your home. Not convinced? According to reports issued by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, homes that use aluminum wiring are 55 times more likely to have “fire hazard conditions” than homes that contain copper wiring only. Convinced yet?

Outdated wiring of this kind was replaced by more reliable copper wiring in the 1930s, but many older homes still contain it. And unfortunately, it presents a hazardous situation for your home and family, especially if it contains areas of deterioration or was improperly installed.

Another issue with aluminum wiring is its capacity to carry electricity. Today’s homeowners require far more electricity than their 1930s counterparts, and unfortunately, aluminum wiring was never meant to safely carry modern electrical loads. Too, aluminum expands when heated and contracts as it cools. Over time, this phenomenon can lead to loose connections and wire deterioration, both of which present a significant fire hazard.

If you believe your home may still contain outdated aluminum wiring, your best course of action is to contact a residential electrician for an inspection. At Harrison Electric, our certified electricians are experts at rewiring a house. After we inspect your system, we’ll discuss our findings with you and recommend high-quality electrical solutions to enhance your home’s safety. 

Knob & Tube Wiring

Knob and tube wiring is the definition of antiquated electrical work. Though it might appear quaint, this type of wiring can be hazardous if it exists inside your home. Generally, you won’t find this wiring in homes constructed after the 1930s, but there are always exceptions.

For the uninitiated, knob and tube wiring is named for the ceramic knobs and black tubes that surround the system's actual wiring. Even if your historic home has seen a few electrical upgrades in more recent decades, there’s a significant chance the antiquated wiring still exists in hard-to-reach places. Attics, crawl spaces, and wall cavities are a few of the most common areas where electricians locate remnants of the original electrical system.

If you think your home contains knob and tube wiring, contact a residential electrician for a thorough inspection. Though you may not realize it, there’s one glaring problem with knob and tube systems: they don’t contain a ground wire. Without a ground wire, your electrical system has no safe path to offload excess electricity, which increases your risk for overloaded circuits and, unfortunately, house fires.

Ultimately, knob and tube wiring was never intended to carry the electrical load most modern homes demand. For the safety of your home and family, you should request professional rewiring at your earliest convenience.

At Harrison Electric, we’ve helped tens of thousands of Twin Cities homeowners update and maintain their electrical systems throughout our 30+ years in business. We specialize in all forms of residential wiring and electrical component upgrades designed to help you safeguard your home and family.

Interested in learning more about our solutions for old wiring in your house? Feel free to give our team a call at 763-544-3300 or connect with us on our contact page, and we’ll be in touch. For your convenience, you can also schedule service online or request a service quote.