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Living in a historic Raleigh home offers a lifestyle that lets you add to the history of the home while enjoying features that modern homes can’t. However, historic homes also tend to feature historical electrical systems that haven’t been updated in decades. These systems are commonly grandfathered into existing codes, which means they’re allowed to stay in place unless there’s a reason to upgrade the wiring.
When that reason arises, you’re faced with the challenges of retrofitting modern electrical solutions into a vintage interior. The best residential electrician in Raleigh, N.C., can address the old wiring issues while being sensitive to the interior appearance of the home. Here’s a look at the potential challenges and solutions that come with rewiring a historic home.
The use of modern technology results in a heavier load being put on a home’s electrical system. If the wiring of your historic home hasn’t been upgraded within recent memory, or you see ceramic tubes with wiring running through your basement or attic, you’re going to need the help of a licensed electrician from Durham, N.C. to pull out the old wiring and replace it with a system that’s suited to modern life.
The work of pulling the old wiring and pulling in new wiring is straightforward, and readily done by a licensed electrician from Durham, N.C., but that’s only the start of the issue. New wiring has to be installed according to the current electrical codes, which sometimes means that the home’s interior needs alteration to accommodate new electrical outlets. The same goes for vintage light fixtures that need new wiring to operate in accordance with the upgraded electrical system.
Some of the electrical issues commonly seen in older homes include:
These and other issues need to be addressed by a licensed electrician who understands the challenges of replacing the wiring in a historic home.
The first step towards rewiring the home is getting the electrical system evaluated by a licensed electrician who’s worked on historic homes. Not only are they familiar with the challenges involved, but they’re also familiar with the best practices for historic homes. That means the electrician understands the importance of not disturbing the historic elements of the interior, where and how to install new outlets without damaging walls, and rewiring vintage lighting fixtures to run on the new system.
Once the evaluation is completed, the electrician discusses the challenges they’ve uncovered and explains the steps they have to take to install new wiring. They’ll also show you why the existing wiring is deficient as well as explain the local electrical code requirements. The goal of the work is to balance the historic details of the home while bringing it into the modern era.
Every historic home is going to have a unique set of challenges when it comes to upgrading the electrical system. The work done by previous owners along with the home’s construction sometimes requires the electrician to create unique solutions for each challenge. A licensed electrician is capable of adapting their work to the challenges they find while adhering to the electrical code. The end result is a safe, reliable, and strong electrical system that respects the unique character of the home.
The passage of time is not kind to electrical wiring, and the increased demand for electricity means old wiring degrades rapidly. Contact us at DC Electric of Raleigh to set up an appointment with one of our licensed electricians and get started on upgrading the wiring of your historic home. We’ll evaluate the challenges your home presents and provide you with our solutions to make your home safe while retaining its historic appearance.
