What is your policy concerning older wiring - 08/14/07 09:44 PM
Hi everyone-
I do mostly residential work including a fair amount of service/remodel.
In my town there are many older houses from knob and tube on through the various changes in cable construction right up to , of course, modern romex.
I personally have a policy that I won't add any load to any existing older wiring unless I can verify without a doubt that it is lightly loaded to begin with. I especially won't touch knob and tube or the tar covered stuff with the wound insulation that unravels as soon as you touch it. You know, the stuff that has about 2 inches of wire in the box and was soldered and taped.
Failing that I will insist on pulling new circuitry to the new loads and even unload the older wiring some if possible.
This, of course, requires that a relatively modern service has been added at some point along the years and that some load and distribution is still available.
But from time to time I'm also asked if I think the older wire with no equipment ground is safe and I'm not quite sure how to answer this question. I mean 40 years from now how safe will people think the house your living in right now is based on whatever code changes have been put in place by then?
My general opinion is that as long as it hasn't been hacked and re-hacked over the years or been damaged by all the ways possible (too many to list) that it should be as safe as it was when the house was built to the codes if effect during that era. If some obvious chimpanzee work has been done I suggest they have me clean that up. Even though I would prefer to live in a house with grounded wiring I find it hard to suggest that someone go to the high cost and extreme inconvenience to completely rewire their home, especially if they weren't already in the course of an extensive remodel when it would be the most cost effective time for such an action.
Should I be dissembling every box (with it's 2 inch soldered connections and wound insulation) to ring out or megger the entire system, buy an endoscope and inspect inside the walls, or leave this kind of consultation to someone who's equipped to do just that?
Any opinions or insights into this dilemma would be appreciated.
Thanks
Vince
I do mostly residential work including a fair amount of service/remodel.
In my town there are many older houses from knob and tube on through the various changes in cable construction right up to , of course, modern romex.
I personally have a policy that I won't add any load to any existing older wiring unless I can verify without a doubt that it is lightly loaded to begin with. I especially won't touch knob and tube or the tar covered stuff with the wound insulation that unravels as soon as you touch it. You know, the stuff that has about 2 inches of wire in the box and was soldered and taped.
Failing that I will insist on pulling new circuitry to the new loads and even unload the older wiring some if possible.
This, of course, requires that a relatively modern service has been added at some point along the years and that some load and distribution is still available.
But from time to time I'm also asked if I think the older wire with no equipment ground is safe and I'm not quite sure how to answer this question. I mean 40 years from now how safe will people think the house your living in right now is based on whatever code changes have been put in place by then?
My general opinion is that as long as it hasn't been hacked and re-hacked over the years or been damaged by all the ways possible (too many to list) that it should be as safe as it was when the house was built to the codes if effect during that era. If some obvious chimpanzee work has been done I suggest they have me clean that up. Even though I would prefer to live in a house with grounded wiring I find it hard to suggest that someone go to the high cost and extreme inconvenience to completely rewire their home, especially if they weren't already in the course of an extensive remodel when it would be the most cost effective time for such an action.
Should I be dissembling every box (with it's 2 inch soldered connections and wound insulation) to ring out or megger the entire system, buy an endoscope and inspect inside the walls, or leave this kind of consultation to someone who's equipped to do just that?
Any opinions or insights into this dilemma would be appreciated.
Thanks
Vince