Now, technically speaking you can continue to use electrical wiring that’s many decades old. There are systems in use today that use wires that are over a century old. Just because you can do that, though, that doesn’t mean you should. The problem with using older wiring is that the older it gets, the more worn out it gets. That makes it more prone to things like short circuits, electrical fires, and a whole host of other problems that you will want to avoid if at all possible. If you want to keep your home safe from the threats posed by old wiring, the best thing that you can do is have it replaced with modern wires.

When we said above that there are some electrical wiring systems still in use that are over a century old, we were talking about knob and tube wiring. This is a method of wiring from way back when residential electricity was first coming into vogue, at the turn of the twentieth century. The problem is that while these wires work, they predate the invention of insulation. So, what you have in this system is a bunch of uninsulated, live wires suspended a few inches away from the walls to prevent them from catching fire. If this sounds incredibly dangerous, that’s because it is. Due to the nature and age of these systems, we highly recommend that you have them replaced as soon as you possibly can.

Electrical wires develop problems over time, just like any other home system. The difference between electrical systems and many others is that once you have a short circuit or something similar, it’s a lot more difficult to patch in some cases than it is to simply replace the whole affected area. If your electrician is dealing with a problem in your electrical system, they may decide that it is safer, more cost-efficient, or both to replace the problem wiring than to try and repair it.

Anderson Electric Corp. provides comprehensive electrical wiring services throughout Wayne, NJ and the surrounding areas. If you need electrical services, we are here to help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our professional electricians. We’ll make sure that your electrical system serves you well for many years.