10 Wiring Problems Solved

By: Josh Garskof, This Old House magazine (Page 5 of 13)

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #1
Overlamping is when a light fixture has a bulb with a higher wattage than the fixture is designed for

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #2
Uncovered junction boxes increase the risk of wire damage and shock

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #3
Lights flicker when it's windy because frayed wiring causes a short whenever the cables move

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #4
Not enough outlets means you're likely to rely on extension cords and power strips

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #5
GFCIs shut down circuits in 4 milliseconds to prevent fatal shock

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #6
Overwired panels contain more circuits than they are rated to handle

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #7
Popular in the 1960s and '70s, unsafe aluminum wiring is a cheap substitue for copper

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #8
Backstabbed wires are more likely to come loose

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #9
Undergrounded (2-pronged) receptacles means your home has no way to safely conduct stray current

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #10
Plugs fall out of their receptacles when contacts are worn

Illustration: Ian Warpole

Knob and tube wiring may be covered with building insulation, which causes overheating

Illustration: Ian Warpole

Armored cable insulation should be checked every 5 years or so

Illustration: Ian Warpole

Grounded receptacles cannot be retrofitted to two-wire plastic-sheathed cables

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How to Add Electrical Outlets

In this how-to video, This Old House master electrician Allen Gallant powers up a new outlet

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4. TOO FEW OUTLETS
What it means: Heavy reliance on extension cords and power strips.
Code violation? No; grandfathered in. (Today's codes require receptacles within 4 feet of a doorway and every 12 feet thereafter.)
Danger level: Minimal, as long as you use heavy-duty extension cords, 14-gauge or thicker. (The thicker the wire, the lower the gauge number.) Undersize extension cords (16-gauge or smaller) can overheat and ignite a fire if loads are too heavy.
Solution: Add more outlets. Expect to pay an electrician about $100 per first-floor outlet and double that for second-floor work. (There will likely be a minimum charge.) This work requires cutting holes in walls and ceilings to snake the wires. Some electricians will patch the holes; others leave the patching to you.