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Electrical Systems of Older Homes
By Matthew Steger, ACI, WIN Home Inspection
Think about what homes from the 1920s had in them that required electricity. Now, think about what we have in our homes today that depend upon electricity. It’s clear that there have been some big changes.
Back in the 1920s, most of a home’s circuits were lighting and a few basic appliances. Think about what we have nowadays and add them up: multiple televisions and DVRs, computers, clothes dryers, electric ranges, air conditioners or heat pumps, microwave ovens, refrigerators, surround sound systems, and then add in the lighting circuits.
It doesn’t take long to figure out that the electrical needs of homes in the 21st century far surpass those of homes that were wired in the 1920s. Often, while inspecting older homes, I will still find electrical systems that are considered antique and cannot reasonably or safely handle today’s electrical loads. Long ago, a 60 Amp electrical system was normal and could suffice for the home’s occupants in that era. For more than 20 years now, 200 Amp/240 Volt service has been standard for the average single family home, although sometimes a 100 Amp/240 Volt service may be adequate for some townhouses or homes with mostly natural gas appliances. Most insurance companies will no longer insure a home with less than 100 Amp/240 Volt service, yet I still occasionally find 60 Amp electrical systems in homes.
Fuse over-current protection is still sometimes installed in these older homes. As the name implies, an over-current protection device (like fuses or circuit breakers) helps prevent too much current flow in a wire. Once the amount of current flow exceeds what the size and type of wiring can handle, the wire will heat up and in extreme cases, cause a fire. In some instances, it has been proven that a fuse is less likely to fail, compared to an older circuit breaker, when the over-current device needs to act. While fuses are still considered a viable protection method in electrical systems, modern circuit breakers are more convenient when a circuit trips. No need to replace the circuit breaker, unlike a fuse, when the device trips. Circuit breakers, are indeed safer in some regards, such as once the breaker is installed, it is simply reset when it trips. Once a fuse blows and needs to be replaced, one may improperly replace it with a higher rated fuse and, thus, introduce a new safety hazard.
For example, 14 AWG (American Wire Gauge) copper wiring is generally rated for 15 Amperes (or Amps for short). An ampere is a unit of measure for electrical current flow. Installing a 30 Amp fuse or circuit breaker on a 14 AWG circuit presents a possible risk of fire since the wiring may overheat if the circuit is taxed before the fuse blows or the breaker trips. While I do see circuit breakers and wiring gauges that do not match from time to time, I see undersized fuses much more often. And yes, occasionally, people are out of fuses and simply stick a penny in the fuse receptacle. As I am sure you have already guessed, a penny is in no way an over-current protection device and can certainly lead to a fire.
Inspecting Breaker Panels
Older breaker panels also are a concern. Mechanical and electrical components tend to deteriorate with age. Some people are under the dangerous assumption that breaker panels and their components have an unlimited life expectancy; the rule of thumb in the home inspection industry is generally 30 years for these devices. When inspecting a home that has an electrical system over 30 years old, common practice is to recommend consulting a licensed and qualified electrician to evaluate the breaker panel to ensure it is still working as designed. Who knows if any of the circuit breakers have ever NEEDED to trip and didn’t. Home inspectors don’t remove circuit breakers from the panel, and it is possible that arcing or burn marks may exist but are hidden behind the breakers. These characteristics can be tell-tail signs of dangerous conditions. A qualified electrician can determine if these issues are occurring or have in the past. If no issues are apparent, this can help put a buyer’s mind a little more at ease.
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The type of wiring in the home can also be an issue. Up to the mid to late 1940s, knob and tube wiring (also sometimes called “K&T wiring”) was common. Knob and tube wiring on its own is not inherently a problem. It becomes a problem, however, when modified by unqualified people. This type of wiring consists of two individual wires that are run independently and then joined where needed to power lighting, switches, and receptacles. Today’s wiring is commonly called Romex® or NM (non-metallic sheathed) cable and includes all of the conductors together in one sheathed piece of wiring. Today’s circuits should be grounded since modern Romex® wiring includes a bare copper ground wire. K&T wiring does not include a ground wire. K&T wiring is designed to be air cooled, which means there should be no insulation (or other materials) around this type of wiring. Also, the size of the knob and tube’s individual conductors may be inadequate in some circumstances to supply today’s electrical loads and, in my experience, tend to have unsafe junctions (either to other K&T wiring or even modern wiring). It’s not unheard of for K&T wiring to be missing its insulation, leaving exposed wire conductors within reach. Just imagine if you’re walking into an old basement and your head accidentally brushes up against two exposed knob and tube conductors. Can you say OUCH?!? That is after (AND IF) you get back up after being shot across the basement with the shock of your life.
The photo above shows knob and tube (K&T) wiring entering a basement junction box.
Reporting Knob and Tube
Several well-known insurance companies will not insure homes with active K&T wiring. When I see K&T wiring, I use a voltage sniffer on both conductors to determine if they are still live (energized). If so, I take a photo to include in the home inspection report and make a note to the buyer and agent about its presence and explain its issues. I know of instances that buyers didn’t find out that they were being denied insurance coverage until the day of closing. I recommend buyers check with the carrier they are planning to use to verify coverage, and if need be, get quotes from several carriers that will insure K&T wired homes. Doing this right after the home inspection can save a buyer many headaches down the road.
Also, older 2 wire (ungrounded type) receptacles should only be changed to modern three prong (grounded type) receptacles if the wiring between the fuse box or breaker panel and the receptacle is also replaced with modern wiring and properly grounded. Otherwise, an ungrounded three prong receptacle may present a future safety hazard. A ground conductor is necessary if you are plugging in appliances that have a three-prong plug, such as a refrigerator, computer, or surge protector.
Some other things you may want to consider with old electrical systems is having a licensed electrician install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection at receptacles in wet areas, such as bathrooms, kitchen counters, laundry rooms basements, and at exterior and garage receptacles. GFCI protection can be provided by a GFCI receptacle or a GFCI circuit breaker. A GFCI receptacle doesn’t need to be grounded to properly function, so GFCI devices can protect older 2 wire (pre-1965) Romex®. While the National Electrical Code (NEC) didn’t require GFCI protection until the 1970s in most areas of the country (starting at exterior receptacles), adding GFCI protection in the wet areas listed above can help prevent a shock. If a GFCI isn’t installed properly, it may not provide intended functionality, so only a licensed electrician should perform this type of work.
The 1st photo shows an installed GFCI circuit breaker. The 2nd photo shows a GFCI receptacle.
This article isn’t meant to scare potential buyers from purchasing an older home, but rather to enlighten home inspectors, agents and buyers about the issues that may exist with the older home’s electrical system, especially if the electrical system hasn’t been updated in decades. Agents who routinely list older homes may want to keep these issues in mind and discuss them with their sellers prior to listing just to prepare them.
About the Author
Matthew Steger, owner/inspector of WIN Home Inspection, is a Certified Level 1 Infrared Thermographer and an ASHI Certified Inspector (ACI). He can be reached at: 717-361-9467 or msteger@wini.com. WIN Home Inspection provides a wide array of home inspection services in the Lancaster, PA area.
by MMGG
Awesome blog! Thanks! Our team loved reading them.
-by Electrician NSW
Thank you! This is informative.
-by Conrad Posthuma
Thanks for this information! It will help a lot of people understand the importance of updating the electrical wiring in their older homes to avoid any risks.
-by SK Electrical Works
The oldest type of wiring system found in homes is called knob-and-tube, named for the insulating knobs and tubes that are used to run the wiring along and through the house framing. Knob-and-tube wiring was run as individual wires—one black hot wire and one white neutral wire—throughout the home.
-by James Adams
As electricians ourselves we come across this issue on a daily basis. There are some many more appliances in the home nowadays and especially people now wanting to have electric vehicle charging points installed.
-by Joondalup Electrician
We have seen some shocking older homes come through lately and they have been big jobs with whole house rewiring and replacing switchboards with a new wiring.
-by Vivian Black
My great-aunt has been in the same home for over 60 years. She bought the house from another family that was there for even longer. It was built in the 1930s. I thought it was interesting how if a wire heats up too much it can cause a fire. In older homes, this can be a problem because they are not electrically equipped to handle the needs of today. We are going to try to talk my great-aunt into hiring a professional electrician to make sure that her home is up to par with today’s demands.
-by john guadagno
an electrician is going to install anew 200 amp service panel in my home but the panel is a sub panel without an emergency shut out switch is this ok
-by patrick
Can a home owners ins. be stoped for haveing a power master 200 amp circuit breaker box?
-by rachel frampton
My dad has been planning to sell his old circuit breaker that came for our 60-year-old house. You’re right; electrical need in the 21st-century won’t be able to handle today’s electricity loads. That’s why we’re hoping that we can still sell this old equipment.
-by Health Adviser Pro
Great post. I will be dealing with a few of these issues as well..
-by Derek McDoogle
I totally agree with you when you said that mechanical and electrical components tend to deteriorate with age. My dad told me that he would like to find a way so that he does not have to replace the fuses of the electrical box as often as he does now. I will recommend him to contact an electrician to ask for a quote for a replacement fuse box service.
-by Rick
We just bought a house in KY and it needs many repairs, one of which is the breaker box has been stolen! The meter outside has been removed and I called someone to get a new breaker box installed they told me the whole outside service and breaker box had to be ‘upgraded’ from a 3 wire to 4 wire because it had to now be inspected due to the meter being removed. Is this true?? or am I being scammed? Thanks
-by Matthew Steger
I would check with your city or township’s building code dept. They will tell you what they require. Main panels are only fed with a 3 wire service cable (2 hots and a neutral) plus a service grounding conductor to a ground rod(s) would be required.
-by Kevin B
I am looking at purchasing an older home (1960) and it has both 2 and 3 prong outlets. Some of the 3 prong outlets are ground and other’s aren’t. To add to my confusion they installed a new electrical panel in 1989. Shouldn’t they have brought all of the outlets up to the current code when they installed the new panel? If so, where can I find it in black and white to show them?
THANK YOU
-by s grasso
There is no requirement to upgrade receptacles because of a new panel.
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by Sarah Smith
I didn’t realize that you need to replace your breaker panel around every 30 years because they can otherwise cause arcing or burning of nearby materials. This would be really helpful for my mother to hear. From what I can remember, she hasn’t had an electrician look at her house since 1980. I’ll start looking into quality electrical services in her area so I can give her advice on who to hire.
-by Matthew Steger
Breaker panels don’t need to be replaced every 30 years however having a qualified electrician evaluate/inspect your panel to ensure that nothing odd is going on (such as damaged breakers, overheated branch circuit wiring, etc.) would be wise. Most consumers assume their breaker panel is working perfectly fine in everyday life, however circuit breakers actually only really ‘work’ when there is an overload (and the breaker hopefully trips) and you don’t really know if/when that will happen until it does. Cycling breakers off and back on occasionally can help determine if a jam exists (if a jam did exist, a breaker may not trip if it needed to and that would be a big problem).
-by Ed Wenzel
Hi, I am thinking of selling my home on Long Island. I bought it in 1989. The mortgage co. made the owners upgrade the box I have come to know it’s a two wire system. Will Insurer’s make upgrade to a grounded system? Thank you.
-by Gillian Babcock
My dad wants to use electrical boxes to properly manage the electrical system at home. It was explained here that when dealing with electrical boxes, it will be best to hire professionals to inspect breaker panels. Furthermore, it’s recommended to consult professionals because they can deal better with electrical boxes.
-by Matthew Steger
Not quite sure what you are referring to when you say “manage the electrical system at home”. Your main breaker panel (and subpanels, if needed) are your line of defense. Wire splices, terminations, etc. should occur within the breaker panel, junction boxes, or an appliance. All electrical work should only be performed by qualified (and licensed, if your state licenses the trade) electricians. Unless you dad is a qualified electrician, I would suggest he not mess with your home’s electrical system.
-by Millie Hue
Thanks for pointing out that hiring a licensed and a qualified electrician is a must to ensure that the breaker panels are still working properly. I will keep that in mind now that we need to hire one tomorrow. The reason is that we needed to shut down the electricity supply since we’ve been smelling a burnt odor where the panel is located.
-by Hazel Owens
That’s good to know that breaker panels and electrical components tend to have a 30-year lifespan. My mom lives in a home built in the 1980’s and I’m not sure when the last time she had her electrical panel looked at. I’ll have to find a residential electrician to go look at it to determine if she needs a new one or not to make sure her home is safe and all her electrical parts work.
-by Matthew Steger
Breaker panels don’t need to be replaced every 30 years however having a qualified electrician evaluate/inspect your panel to ensure that nothing odd is going on (such as damaged breakers, overheated branch circuit wiring, etc.) would be wise. Most consumers assume their breaker panel is working perfectly fine in everyday life, however circuit breakers actually only really ‘work’ when there is an overload (and the breaker hopefully trips) and you don’t really know if/when that will happen until it does. Cycling breakers off and back on occasionally can help determine if a jam exists (if a jam did exist, a breaker may not trip if it needed to and that would be a big problem).
-by Duane
This is a very informative article even for experienced DIY people not just novices. As far as the comments for what size service to have for a house…the fact will always remain that the need for xxxAMP service depends on the person(s) living there. I myself would not be able to go with just a 100 – 150 amp service unless another panel was put in for my shop items. My garage serves as a shop for more than just woodworking and I currently have 3 machines in it that require a dedicated 240v circuit for each of them (yes I have had all 3 items running at the same time). So if the wife decides to do laundry and cook something in the oven while I am working in the shop it is possible that the demand on the entire home panel could be close to being taxed out if it were just 100amps. Not to mention we have a pool which also has 2 240v 20amp pumps (mind you there is a 50 amp service run to the controller panel outside of the house but are fed from the main house pane so not “truly” a dedicated service and is not ideal) then there is a heat pump for HVAC (breaker in the main box). So basically it is as it will always be, have a licensed electrician inspect your house wiring and circuits for what you are currently demanding from it and allow a bit over for any eventualities.
-by Hilton Homes
Thanks for this, now a lot of people will know what to do with there houses that are old and need to replace those electrical wiring to prevent any harm.
-by Steven
I had a house burn down due to old wiring, not sure what kind of wire it was. but my question is “If i live in California, am i required by law to change the wiring in the house?” it’s a old house that was transferred into my name so no home inspection or realtor was used.
-by Steven
Let me clarify. an insurance company is trying to say I’m liable because I didn’t change the wiring in the house to a more modern wire, that I failed to maintain the house.
-by Ed Beal
Code does not require you to update your wiring! I have done repairs to Knob and tube (all require inspection in my area) but the owners want to keep this victorian all original. there are some electrical panels out there that are a fire hazzard and should be replaced but that is not a reason if you have home owner insurance that they could use to not pay a fire claim. I am a licensed Electrician and have been since the 70’s I see more fires from currently approved Back Stabbed devices than I have in knob and tube or even old cloth 2 wire.
-by JR
This very helpful information. I fear calling in an electrician, even though this late Victorian-era home was completely inspected prior to sale. From day one it was apparent that there is something definitely flukey about the wiring – grounding – etc. As a result, I have taken to not using appliances, safe for stove top – which makes me nervous enough. Don’t want a fire, but homelessness caused code violations that require fixing now- which should have been spotted prior to the buy, are isn’t a great choice.
-by Matthew Steger
If you have concerns with your home’s electrical system, I would definitely recommend hiring a qualified electrician to evaluate the system and make recommendations. A safe, updated electrical system may cost you some money now but could save you and your family down the road.
by Gatlin
I need some help. Im going to go by what this lady told me to see if you would know the problem. She said when she bought her house, the inspection said there is a lot of open circuits and it calls for a 30 amp. What does that mean I have to fix?
-by Matthew Steger
We can’t tell enough from your question as to the issue. Regardless, a qualified electrician should fully evaluate the entire electrical system and make repairs as needed. Some of the things that I routinely find in older homes are ungrounded 3 wire receptacles, improper (exposed) wire splices or terminations, and older breaker panels that may be obsolete by modern standards. Electromechanical things (like circuit breakers) don’t get better with age….
-by Skylar Williams
That’s scary that a first glance you wouldn’t be able to tell if your breaker box is at risk. You mentioned that they could be arcing from one to another and that is a hazard. I imagine a lot of fires are started because of old breakers.
-by Matthew Steger
Yes, a lot of sellers and even Realtors assume that as long as the home has power, that the breaker panel is “working” and has no issues needing replacement. In reality, a circuit breaker doesn’t really ‘work’ until it senses an electrical overload on a circuit and trips. You never really know if a circuit breaker ever needed to trip and didn’t without diving in a bit, such as having a qualified electrician evaluate a panel for melted conductors, arcing behind breakers, etc. What you don’t know or see, CAN hurt you.
-by Zequek Estrada
I kinda worry about moving into old houses because the electrical system it has may be out of date. I would assume that if you move into an older home that it would be a good idea to have your electrical system inspected. From the sound of it, there are ways to remedy anything that is out of date.
-by kitchen remodeling contractors
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by Jeremy Brett
Just be sure when moving into a home that has older wiring (aluminum) or an older panel (fuses), that although it may pass an electrical contractor’s inspection, your mortgage and insurance company may not allow it as part of your policy.
-On a few inspections, I had called out the older panel/wiring and had spoke about the insurance/mortgage issue. The clients called on the spot and found that that their particular insurance wouldn’t allow it. I recommended an insurance broker who got them insured so they got the house that they wanted. Different companies have different rules/polices regarding this issue. Great article!
by wayne richard
Matthew,
-Informative article but your statement. “As the name implies, an over-current protection device (like fuses or circuit breakers) helps prevent too much current flow in a wire.” should state that an ocd prevents excess much resistance, not current.
Also your statement “While I do see circuit breakers and wiring gauges that do not match from time to time, I see undersized fuses much more often” probably means to say “oversized fuses”. And your statement “…a penny is in no way an over-current protection device and can certainly lead to a fire.” is good advice to any reader who would replace a screw-in fuse, there is nothing inherent in a penny that would cause a fire. Now, a circuit overload protected by a penny, can certainly build resistance to the point of ignition of combustibles, but that’s a hot wire, not a hot penny.
by Matthew Steger
I updated the article years ago.. the version shown on this site is an older version.. and yes, it was supposed to be “oversized”, not “undersized”. ;-) OCDs do not prevent excessive resistance, but rather, they prevent excessive electrical current on a conductor as noted in the article.
-by jrm427@aol.com
Another issue that has come up in the older homes is the presence of Federal Pacific panels and breakers.
-Even the realtors are telling buyers to replace them before moving in
by Matthew Steger
Read my article on the topic: https://elizabethtown.wini.com/resources/tech-articles/fpe_panels/
-by Tim Gardner
Matt, I suspect the K&T photo shows braid covered NM wiring . There is no tube through the joist shown nor a knob insulator. At best, it is a poor example of K&T wiring if it is indeed so.
The only issue here is that the photo is misleading,
Regretfully, Tim Gardner
-by Matthew Steger
The wiring in the photo is indeed knob and tube (K&T) wiring. You just don’t see a knob (to secure a conductor to a joist, for example) or a tube (to pass the conductors through wood framing) in the photo, but the wiring is definitely K&T. It is spliced in a junction box and then runs up the main level of the home through the floor. This article is from 4 or 5 years ago and I have updated it since it was originally published in Working RE magazine.
-by BobSSS
Good article, but about 5 years out of date…
-QUOTE: “Now, think about what we have in our homes today that depend upon electricity”
KEY: Energy Efficiency… do we REALLY need 200amp panels still???
EXCEPTION: Electric Car Chargers
BOTTOM LINE: Electrical demands are constantly changing today, be careful what you recommend, without a Car Charger 100amps could be more than enough for a huge house… we’ve become a society of diodes…
by jrm427@aol.com
We’ re moving back to the lower demands, believe it or not with a 2000 square foot home using electric dryers, whole house air and electric ranges the draw is still low enough for 100 to 150 amp services.
-The electricians like to put in 200 amp sets on the older homes , but they are really unnecesary