10 Wiring Problems Solved

By: Josh Garskof, This Old House magazine (Page 8 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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7. ALUMINUM WIRING

What it means: You have a type of wiring, used in the 1960s and '70s as a cheap substitute for copper, that is no longer considered safe.

Code violation? No; grandfathered in.

Danger level: High. Aluminum corrodes when in contact with copper, so connections loosen, which can lead to arcing and fires.

Solution: Retrofit a dielectric wire nut approved for aluminum wire (a pair sells for less than $1) onto each copper/aluminum connection in light fixtures. These nuts have a special grease that stops corrosion while maintaining conductivity. Make sure any replacement switches and receptacles are labeled AL-compatible.