If you live in an old home, the wiring might need to be replaced for safety reasons. Even if the existing wiring is still acceptable, you may want to rewire your home so you have more outlets. Either way, the first step is to call in an electrician to inspect your electrical system and make a recommendation. Home rewiring could be the right choice. Here's a look at how home rewiring is done.

Start With A Plan

If you don't need any more outlets or circuits, your electrician may be able to use your old wiring as a guide for the new wires. However, old homes weren't made for modern appliances, so there's a good chance you'll need more dedicated circuits in your home for your refrigerator, microwave, and dryer. You may want more outlets in your home media room, family room, and kitchen due to all the small appliances and electronics that you use.

Decide where you need extra outlets and let the electrician develop a plan for rewiring your house that also adds new wiring. Your electrician might even need to upgrade the electrical panel so there is room for the new circuits. During the planning stage, the electrician has to decide how to go about the process of removing old wiring and running new wires. This might be possible without opening walls, and your electrician will look for the least disruptive way to proceed.

Install The Wiring

Your electrician can give you an estimate of how long the work should take. It might take a few days to complete the job and the electricity has to be off during that time. You may want to leave or at least be prepared to live without electricity.

The first step is to remove as much of the old wiring as possible. Old wiring may be stapled to the walls, so the electrician may cut some of it out and leave the rest behind so they don't have to open up walls.

Once the old wiring is out, you can see for yourself the condition of the wires. You may see rodent-gnawed insulation and other damage that shows you how hazardous old wiring can be.

If your home needs a new electrical panel, the electrician might install it next so it's ready for hooking up the new wires. The new wires and other electrical components can then be installed and fed to outlets, switches, and overhead lights so everything in your home is fed with new wires and there are plenty of circuits to go around without overloading any of them. 

For more information, contact a local company like Fast Fix Electrician San Diego.