11 Steps To Prepare Your Home For Rewiring
You might need a complete home rewire if you have an older home with electrical infrastructure that can’t keep up with your advanced appliances, electronics, and energy demands.
A complete home rewire is a major job that can cause significant disruption, but it is necessary to prevent fires and protect your electrical system’s functioning.
Frequently tripping breakers, appliances that can’t work properly with your existing wiring, too few outlets, and a home older than 30 years with original wiring are all signs you need a total rewire.
While you know that hiring the right electrician at Mister Sparky will make your rewiring project smoother, you likely want to know how to prepare your house before your electrician arrives. Taking these steps to prepare a house for rewiring can reduce potential headaches you might otherwise face.
1. Determine Your Needs
Determine your power needs both currently and in the future. Make a list of your electronics and appliances, and inspect your home to calculate the number of additional outlets and switches you need. Think about your family’s future energy needs, and plan accordingly.
For example, if you want to add smart home technology and advanced appliances, you’ll need wiring and outlets that can keep up. This will also help you figure out whether you might need to upgrade your electrical panel at the same time as your complete rewiring project. Once you determine your needs, talk to your electrician.
2. Plan Outlet Locations
While your electrician can give you general advice about the total number of outlets you might need, you know your home and decor better than we do. Consider where to locate your new outlets based on how you arrange your furniture and where you place your electronics and appliances.
Other things to think about include your external lighting and whether you might need to install a charging station for an electric vehicle in your garage. Once you think about these things, draw a room-by-room plan to mark where you want additional outlets installed, and share this plan with your electrician.
3. Get Advice From Your Electrician
Your electrician at Mister Sparky is very knowledgeable about total home rewiring and what it involves. Meet with us to discuss your electrical needs and your plans, including your future needs. We’ll be more than happy to offer guidance and help you design a plan that is safe and cost-effective. We can help you avoid sticker shock and explain how we can help you stay within your budget. Don’t put up with any malarky, call Mister Sparky!
4. Remove What You Can
Before your project date arrives, you can prepare by removing everything you can from your home other than large, heavy furniture and appliances. Place small items inside plastic totes with lids, and store them in a storage unit or shed. Rewiring creates a lot of dust, and removing as much as possible from your home can protect your belongings and reduce how much cleaning you’ll need to do.
5. Protect Electronics
Dust can get inside electronics and destroy them. Place your electronics inside large plastic bags, and store those bags inside plastic totes with lids. If you can, move all electronics to a storage unit or shed until the rewiring job is finished.
6. Take Down Curtains
Remove the curtains from your windows and take them in for dry cleaning. Store them elsewhere until your project is finished.
7. Move Everything Away From the Walls
Your electrician will need clear paths to your walls. Move everything away from the walls to the middle of your rooms. There should be enough room for your electrician to walk freely and use a ladder when necessary.
8. Cover Everything With Dust Covers
Since your electrician will need to cut into walls to rewire your house, expect a significant amount of dust. You should prepare by covering all of your furniture with dust covers. It’s a good idea to cover your items with plastic sheets that you tape at the bottom and then cover them with dust covers to keep as much dust out as possible.
9. Don’t Clean
Don’t worry about in-depth cleaning before your electrician arrives. During the rewiring job, dust will get into drawers, cabinets, and everywhere else. Cleaning beforehand won’t make a difference. Just store your small items away, protect your electronics, and cover everything you can. There will be plenty of cleaning ahead, so save your time and energy.
10. Arrange for Wall Repair
Whether you have plaster walls or not, it’s a good idea to arrange for wall repair following your rewiring job. Talk to your electrician to get recommendations for contractors they work with for wall repairs or replastering. It will also be a good time to consider having your home’s interior repainted.
11. Consider Staying Elsewhere
Staying somewhere else during your complete home rewiring might be a good idea. You’ll be away from dust and debris if you stay with a friend or in a hotel. We can also work faster when we have unimpeded access to your home while rewiring it. If you have allergies, staying elsewhere can also prevent you from experiencing flare-ups.
Contact Mister Sparky in Birmingham Today
A complete rewiring job can seem daunting to most people. However, if you take time to discuss your plans with your electrician and complete steps to effectively prepare your house before the project, the process can be much smoother. Choosing the right electrician for a total rewire is important.
When you’re trying to find someone to handle the job, you can trust us. We have handled the electrical needs of our customers since 1996 and have the experience and expertise to complete your total rewiring job quickly and professionally. Don’t put up with any malarky, call Mister Sparky in Birmingham, AL, today at (833) 210-8973.
