Electrical Safety
Old Wires in Old New Orleans Homes
Understanding the risks and solutions for outdated electrical wiring in historic properties.
The four wiring types, one by one
1. Knob-and-tube
2. Cloth-insulated wiring
3. Two-wire (ungrounded) systems
4. Aluminum branch-circuit wiring
What a professional checks, in order:
1. Age and the service.
Build year and last rewire narrow the suspects: a 1930s cottage points at knob-and-tube, a 1968 slab at aluminum.
2. Accessible spaces.
Attic, crawlspace, garage — ceramic knobs and tubes, fabric-braided cable, jacket markings, visible without touching anything. The panel.
3. The panel.
Wire types entering it, termination condition, whether the panel dates to the wiring's era.
4. A sample of devices.
Pulled receptacles and switches reveal discolored insulation, loose connections, and devices swapped without addressing the wiring behind them.
5. Load and temperature.
Under normal load, a thermal scan finds hot spots — a termination much hotter than its neighbors can indicate a connection or loading problem that needs further evaluation.
6. The report.
Photos, what's present, what's deteriorated, what's a hazard now versus later. If your breaker keeps tripping, the report ties the symptom to the wiring instead of guessing.