Looking to Replace Damaged Electrical Wiring? What to Expect and How Much It Might Cost
During times when people rely heavily on electrical devices, damaged wiring can be an inconvenience. Frayed wires may interfere with outlets, circuit boxes, and lighting. This is why rewiring your home is a good idea. If your property isn't keeping up with your electrical needs, a full rewiring can restore functionality and increase capacity after work is complete. Here's what you can expect during the repair process and how much it might cost you.
Replacing frayed wiring
Over time, the electrical wires in your home may become frayed due to an electrical surge. Overloading is a common cause of frayed wires, where the capacity of the wire to transmit current is superseded. This results in melting of the wire, and thus no current can pass through it. Most electricians charge for wiring by the metre. In addition to the wire itself, they may also charge for labour to install the new wire in affected parts of your home.
In cases of minimal damage, you may only need to replace damaged portions of the wiring and connect them to existing ones. But if the damage is more extensive, running new wires through the main breaker box may be necessary for optimal results.
Running wires behind the wall
If rewiring is necessary, you should consider the cost of running new lengths of wire behind your walls. Most electricians will charge by a square metre of work done, while others may have a flat rate for rooms of a specific size. Having more outlets or lights in a room may also cause the cost to increase proportionately. However, don't take shortcuts when it comes to running wires. This is the most essential part of the rewiring process, as a quality job will ensure the longevity of your electrical infrastructure.
All lights and light switches should run on separate circuits from outlets within the same room. This will ensure that a damaged outlet doesn't cause your lights to go off. Furthermore, the wires should run deep behind the wall to prevent damage from flooding or physical contact.
The age of your home
In most cases, rewiring an older house is more complicated than a new one. This is because many new homes have open walls that are easier to access. Furthermore, builders prepare new homes for heavy wiring because they know how heavily people rely on electrical devices. But this doesn't mean that rewiring an old house is cost-prohibitive. Using the previous wiring scheme, electricians can replace damaged wires and install newer, higher quality ones in their place. Accessibility might be limited, but you will still enjoy improved performance after the project is complete.
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