Decision helper
Should you rewire your old house?
Start with what an inspector or electrician already told you. If nobody has said the wiring must go, a few questions about what you can see will tell you whether to plan a rewire, fix specific items, or leave the wiring alone. Pick “I don’t know” whenever you are unsure.
Your result
Start with the first question
The result appears once every list has an answer.
Why this result
What to do next
How this result is reached
| Result | When |
|---|---|
| Plan a rewire | An inspector or electrician recommends it. Or one of these is present: knob and tube wiring, cloth or rubber insulation that is brittle or crumbling. Or: amateur work together with at least one other concern. |
| Fix specific items | None of the above, but at least one of these: aluminum branch wiring, missing grounds, a fuse box or a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel, a service of 60 amps or less, warning signs, amateur work. |
| The wiring can stay | No concern found. |
| Get it inspected first | You do not know two or more of these three: the wiring type, the grounding, the panel. And no serious concern was found. |
The age of the house decides nothing on its own. Copper does not wear out, insulation does. This is a first estimate from your own answers, not an inspection. Code adoption varies by state and city, and your local electrical inspector has the final word. Have any work done by a licensed electrician.