Types Of Electrical Wiring Used In Homes

Electric wiring in older homes ranges from perfectly usable to downright dangerous.

Types of electrical wiring used in homes.

Electrical service to american homes began in the late 1890s and blossomed from 1920 to 1935 by which time 70 percent of american homes were connected to the electrical utility grid. An electrical wire is a type of conductor which is a material that conducts electricity in the case of household wiring the conductor itself is usually copper or aluminum or copper sheathed aluminum and is either a solid metal conductor or stranded wire. Electrical wires and cable have markings stamped or printed on their insulation or outer sheathing. Check with your local building inspector before you start any electrical wiring and cable project and be sure to obtain required permits.

When wiring a house there are many types wire to choose from some copper others aluminum some rated for outdoors others indoors. Old electrical wiring types photo guide to types of electrical wiring in older buildings. Understanding electrical wiring labeling. In general however there are only a couple varieties used for wiring a residential home.

Wire types and sizing. Whether you re building a new home or replacing the wiring in an older home use this guide to learn more about the types of electrical wiring commonly used in homes these days. The national electrical code nec and local building codes regulate the types of electrical wires and cable that can be used in specific electrical applications as well as the manner of installation. Aslan alphan getty images.

Not only could old insulating material rot and expose hot wires but systems that were designed to support a few lights and radios are now being asked to power computers microwaves hair dryers refrigerators and many other modern devices. We illustrate a variety of types of electrical wiring found in older buildings. It helps to understand a few basic terms used to describe wiring. Nm cable is usually three or more individual conductors.

We ve separated the guide into two sections. The common type of home electrical wiring is non metallic or nm cable. Those conductors are wrapped in a flexible plastic jacket also known as sheathing. Learning about the types of electrical wiring in homes is a great place to start.

These markings provide important information about the wiring and insulation including the wire size and material the type of insulation the number of wires contained inside a cable and any special ratings or characteristics of the wire. You may also know it as romex cable which is the most popular brand name of this type of electrical wiring. An electrical wire is made up. In the following 200 some years the methods for installing wiring in those homes has seen several important innovations aimed at improving the safety of electrical systems.