4 Signs Your Atlanta Home Needs Rewiring

Got an old Atlanta home?

If so, the wiring may not be up to code.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, around 45,000 home fires occur each year involving electrical failure or malfunction. Don’t let your home be one of them.

How do you know if your home needs rewiring?

Your home is over 50 years old

If your home before the 1970s, and has not been updated for modern building code standards, it may need rewiring. Older homes weren’t built to handle today’s amperage or electrical load. It can’t handle today’s energy-hungry appliances. Even small appliances like hair dryers and toaster ovens can take its toll on the wiring.

If your home was built between 1965 and 1973, it might also have aluminum wiring in place. Aluminum wiring tends to overheat to sometimes hazardous levels. If you see AL written on the wiring jacket, you should replace your wiring.

Your circuit breaker keeps tripping

Your home’s circuit breaker was designed for your protection. It trips to protect your home from electrical fires.

A circuit breaker can trip for a variety of reasons. You may be using too much electricity on one circuit. It might short because of old wiring. As wiring ages or becomes overloaded, the system can overheat. This impacts the insulation and wears it down. This can lead to short circuits and arcs, which are the main causes of home electrical fires.

Your outlets change colors

Have you noticed the outlets you use most are changing color? Do they have a darker, almost charred appearance? This is a sign you have a short in the system either caused by a loose connection or through faulty wiring. If this is left unattended, the problem builds. It can arc and result in a small fire that chars your outlet.

You smell a burnt smell

Even if you can’t see a problem with your wiring, you might be able to smell it. If a short occurs within your walls, it can begin to burn the wiring and insulation around it. These can leave a persisting burnt smell.

See yourself in any of these situations? It may be time to rewire your home.