Cloth Insulated Wiring - A Shock and Fire Hazard

I've been an electrician in the Los Angeles area since 1979. In that time, I've worked on many older homes with wiring systems that were insulated with cloth that's been varnished. Surprisingly, prior to 1950, many electrical systems relied on this type of insulation. Who would think to put flimsy cloth nearby a live electrical wire?! However, cloth doesn't show the way electricity well, so it's a good insulator. Before the age of plastics, cloth was the insulator of option for electrical wiring.

Unfortunately, cloth insulation has a liability. As it ages, the cloth can disintegrate and expose bare wires. This can pose shock and fire hazards that contemporary insulation isn't subject to.

SHOCK YOU LIKE AN ELECTRIC EEL

Does Your House Have Cloth Wiring? Some cloth-insulated wiring systems can look like contemporary wiring. Was your house built prior to 1950? If so, it may well have cloth-insulated wiring. A great electrician can tell you with certainty.

Cloth Insulation Falls Off Wires. Cloth can become brittle over time and fall off the wires, sometimes in chunks. Bare wires pose the danger of shocking anything who accidentally touches them or of causing fires if two bare wires touch or come too close.

Cloth-Insulated Electrical Systems May Be Ungrounded. This type of wiring theory may not have been grounded. Grounding provides additional guarnatee that excess electrical charges will be routed out of your house and into the ground.

One benefit of grounding that many habitancy are unaware of is that without grounding, low-level electrical charges can build up in your wires and can shorten the lives of computers, entertainment systems, refrigerators, microwaves - any device which includes electronic components like sensors and timers.

Even more importantly, grounding protects habitancy and animals from shocks should an appliance or an electrical theory malfunction.

Upgrade for Safety. Upgrading cloth-insulated wiring systems is recommended for fire safety, security of contemporary electronics, and for the security of your family against electrical shocks. If your electrical wiring was installed prior to 1950 and you think that it might have cloth insulation, call a licensed electrician to take a look. Many electricians will do an inspection for free and give you a free evaluation for any upgrading that might be needed.

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Cloth Insulated Wiring - A Shock and Fire Hazard

SHOCK YOU LIKE AN ELECTRIC EEL