As time progresses electrical wiring continues to upgrade and is important that your wiring is checked to make sure your home does not have cotton cloth wiring. No, cotton cloth wiring is not necessarily the end of the world, but as it ages it can present issues that can cause massive problems in your home.
Cotton cloth wiring is copper wiring that is wrapped in rayon or cotton, then insulated with either rubber or asbestos paper. This type of wiring was most commonly used in homes built before the 1960s, so as this wire ages the cotton can become weak and brittle. This can pose a potential risk to your home and most importantly yourself! Because cotton cloth wiring was created so long ago, it does not comply with the standards we have imposed today and while it’s not illegal to have in your home, it can be very dangerous.
There are many reasons that cotton cloth wiring can be dangerous to yourself and your appliances and here are few: Asbestos can be present in the wiring.
- Asbestos is known to be dangerous as it is linked to being a cause of cancer. The older the wires are the more chance they have of being coated with asbestos
- The cotton cloth wirings may not be able to contain all the heat that the electrical wire produces. Due to this, there could be a chance of either heat damage to the building or a fire could start.
- As the cotton cloth wire gets older it becomes more brittle and has more potential of breaking or cracking. There are many dangers that can arise from copper being exposed, the first being electrocution and electrical fires! These will start if the 2 pieces of bare cable touch and cause a spark.
- When these older homes were built, the wiring was done to the age’s standard, this meant that grounding was either not done or not done correctly. This means that your appliances can have excess electrical charge running through them which will damage the appliances.
Considering all these reasons, it is important that you at least know what kind of wiring is in your home. If it is cotton cloth wiring, you should consider getting it replaced.
Another thing you should remember is that if something does start going wrong in your home, an electrician will not properly fix the problem if cotton cloth wiring is in your home. Almost every time, they will advise that you upgrade your electrical system and provide you with a temporary fix. At Glenco, our electricians know exactly what they are looking for when it comes to these kinds of jobs. So, if you decide to go through with upgrading your wiring we are here to help.
