electrical wiring Archives - Trade School Programs in Chicago

Do You Need to Update Your Home’s Electrical Wiring?

September 15, 2020 by Coyne College

A 2019 report by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) states faulty wiring was the second-leading cause of residential fires in the United States between 2012-2016. That’s alarming—especially since it is preventable. It also can run up your electricity bill. Could electrical updates save your home—and keep more money in your pocket? Here are some considerations to help you decide.

When do I need to update the wiring?

Not all unsafe wiring is old; it may just be damaged, worn, cracked, or corroded. Any of these may be signs you need to update the electrical wiring in your home to ward off the likelihood of an electrical accident or fire:

• Loose connections
• Frayed cords
• Pinched, pierced or cracked wire insulation
• Overheated wires or cords
• Damaged electrical appliances
• Wiring that rodents may have chewed

Everything seems to work, so why would I update my home electrical?

Is your home more than 40 years old? There are wiring risks in older homes that could signal a need for updates. Most homes built before the 1940s used knob and tube wiring that ran along and through the building’s frame: one black charged wire and one white neutral wire. Electrical tape placed around ungrounded soldered wires formed splices and wire connections. Insulation prior to 1960 was made of rubber that was known to crumble or flake. If the insulation became worn, was incorrectly installed, or was covered with regular building insulation material, it could be dangerous and not up to NEC—National Electrical Code—standards.

Although NEC was established in 1897, it is consistently upgraded and provides the latest regulations regarding electrical wiring, overcurrent protection, grounding, and installation of equipment. Following code doesn’t always require replacement of wiring—especially if you live in a historic home. If local code allows it and your wiring needs work, you can splice the old knob and tube wiring with a new NM (non-metallic) cable if you use a junction box, which protects wire connections. Even if your house was built as late as the early 1970s you could have a safety hazard if your wiring is aluminum, rather than the standard copper. Aluminum connections can loosen and cause fires.

How do I know if my wiring is ok?

If you have no idea when your wiring was inspected, it’s a good idea to have a professional electrician check it for wear and tear. This can be especially helpful if you’ve experienced any of the following:

• Frequently blown fuses or tripped breakers
• Flickering lights
• Tingling sensations when you touch an appliance
• A burning smell that persists from an appliance or room
• Warm, sparking or discolored electrical outlets
• Two-prong (rather than three-prong grounded) outlets throughout your house

How long does the electrical wire last?

The copper wire used for electrical wiring today can last 100 years. The problem is with the protective sheathing or insulation, which can wear down a lot sooner. It’s the type of sheathing that determines how long the wiring lasts, which is usually 50 to 70 years.

Are there any other clues that I should update the electrical wiring?

If you are keeping up with technology via computers, flat-screen TVs, air conditioners, and trendy gadgets, you might not be getting enough power to run them efficiently—or effectively. Standard household power used to run on 60 amps, but today’s devices need 200 amps of power. If you don’t have it, you could cause damage to expensive equipment. Power strips and additional outlets can help, but they may not be enough to protect your equipment and could create a safety hazard.

What do I need to do before selling my house?

If you plan to put your house on the market with outdated wiring, it might not pass inspection. You would be faced with costly repairs—and you might lose potential buyers. Updating your electrical may help you get the most money from your home sale. These updates could help get you a better offer:

• Solid copper wire and adequate grounding throughout your home
• 200-amp wiring rather than 60-amp
• Grounded outlets that all accept three-prong plugs
• Multiple outlets in each room
• A circuit breaker panel rather than a bulb-style panel
• GFCIs (ground fault circuit interrupters) put in “wet” locations (bathroom, kitchen, garage, basement)

In addition, if you arrange for an electrical inspection before your house goes on the market, you may be able to prevent potential sales issues.

My home does have issues. How much will it cost me to update the wiring?

Where you live, the size of your home, and how much needs to be done could all impact the price of updating electrical wiring. It’s not cheap and could run into the thousands of dollars for total wiring replacement. The best time to do the updates, though, would be if you’re doing a remodeling project because contractors will be around knocking walls down or accessing the wiring anyway. If you’re lucky, you may just need to add circuits and repair damaged wires, switches or panels.

How can I become an electrician?

Coyne College Chicago can provide you with the hands-on electrical training and individualized instruction you need to prepare for an in-demand career as an electrician. Enroll in the Coyne College Electrical Construction & Maintenance program, and you’ll learn about residential and industrial wiring systems, troubleshooting, and power systems analysis. Choose from day or evening classes that accommodate your schedule.

Contact Coyne College to train for a career as an electrician—a career O*NETOnLine predicts will grow faster than average of other occupations through 2028. It pays well, too: median wages in Illinois in 2019 were $27.01 hourly and $56,180 annually.

Warning Signs of Faulty Electrical Wiring

August 17, 2020 by Coyne College

faulty-electrical-wiring-signs-coyne-college

Faulty wiring can be very dangerous. In the United States, wiring problems are responsible for tens of thousands of house fires every year. Fortunately, the majority of wiring-related accidents could be prevented by inspecting for faulty wiring and fixing it before a major issue emerges. The following faulty electrical wiring signs will help you find and address problems.

1) Visibly Damaged Wiring

It may seem obvious that any visible wire damage is a problem. However, many people overlook seemingly minor damage thinking that it won’t cause an issue. Even if the wire is mostly in good shape, it is better to fix it promptly than risk the potentially serious consequences.

Some issues to look out for include frayed wire ends. Another common problem is bite marks on the wiring. Bitten wires often look fine other than some cosmetic damage. However, sharp teeth can often sink a lot deeper than you may expect. If you find a home pest problem, consider checking the nearby wiring carefully for any damage.

2) Scorching or Discoloration

Look at outlet points around the property. Any strange colors, scorching or other evidence of burning indicate that there are some electrical problems.

Typically, this means that the wiring connected to the outlet is getting overly hot. You may also notice distortion of the faceplate of the outlet. Similarly, if you can feel heat coming from the outlet, that is a clear indication that it is heating up.

It probably comes as no surprise that hot electrical wiring is a bad thing. While it is normal for wiring to get slightly warm when used consistently, it should not be so hot that it is uncomfortable or that it causes any damage to the outlet plate. Stop using the outlet immediately and try to find the problem.

3) Frequent Blown Fuses/Breaker

If the fuse keeps blowing or the breaker keeps tripping on a circuit, that is a sign that something isn’t right. It could simply be an indication that you are overloading the circuit. However, good wiring should make this relatively difficult to do under normal operation. So, it could be a sign that there is a wiring problem.

In a well-wired property, using every outlet on a circuit should only be an issue if you are using an appliance or other item that has very high power demands. Typically, appliances such as dryers and HVAC are wired on special circuits to accommodate this demand.

Another reason you may be causing the breaker to trip is that there are too many multi-outlet extension cords on the same circuit. Again, this won’t usually be a problem unless you are egregiously overloading the circuit. If there are no obvious excess demands, there may be an issue with the circuit.

Damaged Wiring

Even if the wire is mostly in good shape, it is better to fix it promptly than risk the potentially serious consequences.

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Scorching or Discoloration

Look at outlet points around the property. Any strange colors, scorching or other evidence of burning indicate that there are some electrical problems.

Learn More

Frequent Blown Fuses/Breaker

If the fuse keeps blowing or the breaker keeps tripping on a circuit, that is a sign that something isn’t right.

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4) Excessively Messy Wiring

Electricians don’t need to make their wiring completely neat when they install it. There are no technical benefits to organized wiring nor drawbacks to messy wires. So, a little disorder isn’t necessarily anything to worry about.

However, the organization of the wires speaks somewhat to the quality of the work. Someone who is meticulous about keeping things orderly is more likely to be careful with the wiring. Conversely, an excessive mess may indicate a slapdash job. This is not a hard and fast rule, but it can be an indicator.

5) Unusual Sounds

Another one of the most important faulty electrical wiring signs is sound. In particular, buzzing is an indication that something is amiss. Normally, an electrical current should produce no noise that is audible to the human ear. However, when a wire is damaged, a prong is loose or some other issue exists, the current may jump and creating a buzzing noise.

You may also be able to hear your lights flickering even if you can’t see the problem. This indicates that the current isn’t quite flowing smoothly. Even minor issues can cause undue stress on the system and may result in a bigger problem down the road.

6) Burning or Other Unusual Odors

Similarly, strange smells are an indication that you may have electrical problems. The most common odor that you can expect is a burning smell. It is probably not a surprise that this should be investigated and resolved quickly. After all, the most common danger of wiring problems is electrical fires.

Any source of burning smell or smoke should be fixed quickly. However, if the problem is significant enough that there is clear burning on the sheathing, you should disconnect everything from the circuit and manually trip the breaker. The problem is severe enough that it could cause imminent danger.

Other odd smells should also be investigated. They could be the result of burning producing an unfamiliar smell. They could also have other causes. Regardless, it is best not to ignore anything that seems out of the ordinary.

7) Flickering or Dimming Lights

Light fixtures should only require a relatively small amount of power to run at full brightness. Therefore, if your lights are flickering or dim, it could be a sign that there is some faulty wiring.
The problem could also be that the lights are sharing an outlet with a major power consumer. Appliances that have heating or cooling elements tend to be the most electricity-hungry. Consider unplugging any appliances on the same circuit to see if that resolves the problem.

You could look into moving the lights to another circuit. Additionally, if removing the appliance from the light circuit does not fix the problem, try changing the bulbs and/or plugging in a different light fixture. If none of these changes resolve the issue, you may have a deeper problem.

Take the First Step Toward a Career as an Electrician

The above faulty electrical wiring signs will help you identify a problem with the wiring in your home or business. If you want to learn how to fix these problems yourself, consider getting an education to become an electrician. This could be your first step towards a reliable and rewarding career. Coyne College offers programs such as electrical construction and maintenance. Learn more and apply online today.

Learn the Basics of Home Electrical Wiring

June 29, 2020 by Coyne College

home-electrical-wiring-installation-guide

Electrical wiring can be tricky—especially for the novice. That’s why it’s usually best to hire a professional for anything other than a simple job. Otherwise, you could risk injury, damage or fire. If you do plan to complete a DIY project that has an electrical component, there are some basic things to know about wiring installation.

Understanding electrical wiring

Since the 1940s, any house built (or any older home that has been rewired) has had to follow an electrical code: the NEC—written with safety in mind. NEC code identifies types of electrical wires and electrical cable types by color. When you remove a switch plate, you’ve probably noticed yellow, white, black, red or green wires. They are not there to be decorative; each serves a specific purpose, and some don’t play nicely with others.

How to electrical wires

When you’re doing wiring installation, you need to identify the parts of the wiring cable, the non-metallic electrical cable: the outer sheathing (the jacket) and the inner wires. The colored “wire” you see—the green, black, red, blue or white—is actually the sheathing that covers the inner copper wires. If you look closely, you’ll see markings stamped on the sheathing to let you know the number and gauge of wires inside. The color of the sheathing lets you know what each wire does.

The following is sort of an electrical wire types chart:

Black wires or “hot wires” carry live electrical loads from the electrical service panel to an outlet, light or other destination.
Red wires are also hot wires used to interconnect smoke detectors, so that if one alarm goes off, all the others do as well.
White and gray wires are neutral wires that connect to the neutral bus bar, which attracts current and carries it throughout the house. Don’t let the “neutral” part fool you because they can still carry a charge—especially if the current load is not balanced.
White wires wrapped in black or red electrical tape are also hot wires. The tape just lets you know that the white wire, which is normally neutral, is being used as a hot wire instead.
Green wires connect the grounding terminal in an outlet box and run it to a ground bus bar in the electrical panel, giving current a place to escape to the ground in the event a live wire touches metal or another conductor. Green wires can only connect to other green wires but can still be live if the electrical system is faulty.
Bare copper wires are the most common type of grounding wires.
Blue and yellow wires, although not usually found in non-metallic (NM) cable, are sometimes used as hot wires in an electrical conduit. The blue ones are travelers that might be in the switches at both the top and bottom of a staircase to control the same light.

Black Wire

Carries live electrical loads from the electrical service panel to an outlet

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Red Wire

Used to interconnect smoke detectors, so that if one alarm goes off.

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White and gray wires

Are neutral wires that connect to the neutral bus bar, which attracts current and carries it throughout the house.

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What type of wire is used for residential?

Most modern homes use nonmetallic (NM) cable that consists of two or more wires wrapped inside the colored sheathing mentioned previously. The package of wires usually contains one or more hot wires plus a neutral and a ground. To accommodate wiring in an older home or if your wiring just needs work, you can splice the old wires with new NM cable using a junction box that protects wire connections. The larger circuit wires carry circuit voltage that can be really dangerous to touch. If you don’t know what kind of wires you have, consider them all to be dangerous.

DIY wiring and switching tips

If you have the confidence and want to tackle a DIY wiring job on your own, you need to be prepared with information and tools.

Have the proper tools. These might be a multimeter that tests electrical voltage and a combination sheath/wire stripper.
Familiarize yourself with the different wires. Make sure you know which colored wire goes where and their purpose to avoid electrical shock and to safely wire your home.
Have more wire than you need. Make sure it stretches at least three inches outside of the electrical box.
Patch drywall with big plates. Did you make the hole in the drywall too big? Fix it with an oversized electrical plate.
Pay for quality. Don’t scrimp on the quality of switches and outlets.
Check the voltage before you touch wires and circuits. The multimeter will let you know if they’re safe to touch.
Do your research. Watch YouTube video tutorials.

Electrical wiring mistakes to avoid

An electrical “oops” moment could be really serious, causing short circuits, shocks or fires. These are a few common mistakes you’ll want to avoid:

Never connect wires outside of electrical junction boxes. If there’s no box, add one and connect the wires inside it.
Remember the three-inch minimum on wire length. Don’t cut your wires to short. IF you do, add six-inch extensions.
Never leave sheathing unprotected between frames, as in a ceiling installation. Staple it to a 2×2 or use metal conduit if the wire runs along the wall.
Avoid loose switches or loosely connected outlets.
Never install a three-slot receptacle without a ground wire.
Don’t recess an electrical box behind a wall surface. Instead, add a wall extension.
Secure cable with a clamp so wire insulation doesn’t cut or fray.

Common household electrical problems

If you have old wiring, you probably have a whole set of issues. One of the more common ones is frayed insulation because there was no grounding, and the wiring wasn’t made to handle today’s heavy-duty appliances. There are several other common electrical problems that are not restricted to old wiring:

Frequent surges caused by lighting, damaged power lines, or faulty appliances or wiring
Dips in power supply because of faulty devices (or those made of poor-quality materials) connected to the power grid
Light switches that don’t work correctly
A circuit breaker that trips frequently
An overloaded circuit breaker
Shocks
Lights that are too bright or too dim
High electrical bills
Lightbulbs that burn out too often
“Possessed” recessed lights that go out and then come back on

How to

If you have proper electrical training, you should be able to handle most projects. Have you thought about becoming an electrician? According to O*NETOnLine, the projected job growth for electricians through 2028 is faster than average for other occupations. Consider enrolling in electrical construction and planning programs Coyne College Chicago. You’ll get the hands-on electrical training and individualized instruction you need to prepare for an in-demand career as an electrician. You may also want to consider electrical construction and maintenance (ECM programs) in Chicago.

Curious? Contact Coyne College for more information.

How to Deal with Unsafe Electrical Wiring

April 9, 2020 by Coyne College

Even if you think of yourself as being pretty good with DIY projects, you may want to leave a potential electrical issue to the experts. Anytime there is unsafe wiring, it could cause a fire and severe shock. It’s crucial to understand the hazards and know how to stay safe.

Unsafe Electrical Wiring

Even if you think of yourself as being pretty good with DIY projects, you may want to leave a potential electrical issue to the experts.

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Understand Hazards

It’s crucial to understand the hazards and know how to stay safe.

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What could cause unsafe wiring?

Not all unsafe wiring is caused by old wiring, but damaged, worn, cracked or corroded wiring can certainly increase the likelihood of an electrical accident. These are a few possibilities:

Loose connections
Frayed cords
Pinched, pierced or cracked wire insulation
Overheated wires or cords
Damaged electrical appliances
Wiring that rodents may have chewed

What about electrical outlets and switches?

You definitely want to keep electrical outlets away from water, as water conducts electricity. Never use a radio, hair dryer, phone or anything else with an electrical cord near water—including pools and wet floors. Never plug damaged or frayed cords into an outlet, either.

How do I know if my wiring is old?

Most homes built before the 1940s used knob and tube wiring, named for the insulating knobs and tubes that ran wiring along and through the building’s frame: one black charged wire and one white neutral wire. Splices and wire connections made with tape placed around ungrounded soldered wires were the norm. The electrical tape insulated them and kept them from touching each other.

Read our other Blogs

Warning Signs of Faulty Electrical Wiring

August 17, 2020

Must-know Tips for DIY Electrical Wiring and Switching

September 3, 2019

People take on DIY projects in their own homes for a number of reasons. Whether they want to save money, feel more independent or enjoy fixing things themselves, any DIY project requires some basic know-how to be done properly. Installing or replacing electrical switches and wiring is no exception. These DIY Electrical Wiring tips can

Learn the Basics of Home Electrical Wiring

June 29, 2020

Is old wiring always unsafe, and should I replace it?

Before 1960, wiring insulation was made of rubber that can crumble or flake. It’s dangerous if the insulation has worn away, was installed incorrectly or is covered with regular building insulation material (which could overheat and potentially cause a fire). National Electrical Code (NEC) doesn’t require you to replace knob and tube wiring—especially if you live in a historic home. If local code allows it and your wiring needs work, you can splice the old wiring with new NM (non-metallic) cable if you use a junction box, which protects wire connections.

What if I have a short circuit?

If the power suddenly goes out on an appliance or light or you notice a spark or smoke or smell burning wires, you could have a short circuit. If you suspect a short circuit, turn off the circuit panel, check to see which flip is switched and inspect power cords plugged into outlets along the particular circuit for damage. There are other steps you should take to find a short circuit. If you’ve done the troubleshooting and don’t find an obvious problem, it might be in hidden wiring that an electrician should check out.

The thing about electricity is that it always tries to go back to ground through the wiring circuit breaker panels and then through the utility wires. If the connections within the wiring network loosen or break, current can leak and try to take a shortcut to get to ground. That might mean through flammable material or even you!

Is a short circuit dangerous?

When there’s additional electricity flowing through a switch, outlet or appliance, it generates additional heat. If the affected wires come in contact with flammable parts in your home, they can cause a fire. If you or a pet touches a live or damaged wire or cord, you can get shocked because you both conduct electricity. When the current flows through to the ground, it results in electrical shock.

What a short circuit?

Although there are several possible causes, three are most common:

Poor circuit wire insulation: If your wiring insulation is old or damaged, a faulty neutral wire connection touching a hot wire can trigger a short circuit.
Loose wire connections: When attachments loosen, neutral and live wires might touch, creating unsafe wiring that should be repaired by a professional electrician.
Appliance wiring issues: When you plug an appliance into a wall outlet, the wiring in the cord becomes an extension of the circuit. If the cord has issues, they become circuit issues.

What if I think I know enough to do a wiring job and stay safe?

It’s critical that you make tight electrical connections because if wires loosen, there might be arcing and overheating. That spells potential fire. However, if you make a proper wire nut connection, have reliable terminals and know what else to watch for, it’s possible to make safe connections.

With many electrical wiring projects, you may need to repair the main service panel. That’s the place where utility wires send electricity for distribution throughout the circuits of your home. Again, it’s something that you may be able to do on your own—if you have some electrical experience.

If you know you have unsafe wiring—or even think you may—it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Contact a certified electrician to do the job.

How can I become a certified electrician?

According to O*NETOnLine, the projected job growth for electricians through 2028 is faster than average for other occupations. Have you thought about enrolling in electrician programs in Chicago? Consider taking day and night electrical program classes at Coyne College Chicago. You’ll get the hands-on electrical training and individualized instruction you need to prepare for an in-demand career as an electrician. If you have a day job, Coyne College offers evening electrical classes that could work with your schedule.

Must-know Tips for DIY Electrical Wiring and Switching

September 3, 2019 by Coyne College

Have the right tools handy

Like any other DIY job, you want to make sure you have the right tools to do the job. They can include a multimeter, a non-contact voltage detector (tests the heat of wire without touching it) and a combination sheath and wire stripper. Being equipped with the right tools will help you be prepared for anything throughout the electrical switch wiring process.

Know your wires

When connecting electrical wiring to an outlet, it’s important to not confuse your wires or put them in the wrong terminal. The white wire is the neutral wire and goes into the neutral terminal, which is marked by silver/light-colored screws. The black wire, on the other hand, is the hot wire and goes into the hot terminal, the one opposite the neutral terminal. If there’s a ground wire, it will be a copper wire held in place by a screw on the same side as the neutral terminal.

Knowing the difference between the wires will allow you to wire your home correctly and avoid the high voltage of swapping the neutral and hot.

Three-inch rule

It’s always better to have too much wire than not enough. There are wire extensions available if you end up cutting them short, but the wiring will work better if it is intact.

As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to have wiring that is long enough to extend 3 inches outside of the electrical box.

Hide gaps in drywall with oversized plates

When you’re installing electrical switches, it’s pretty easy to cut a hole in the drywall that is too big. Thankfully, there are oversized plates available at hardware stores that you can use to cover your switches.

They are typically in sizes up to 3/4 inch wider and longer than regular switch plates. Most people won’t be able to tell the difference, unless they’re professional electricians or fellow DIYers.

Quality switches and outlets are worth it

While it might be tempting to scrimp on some supplies as a DIYer, electrical switches and outlets aren’t one of them. They tend to be only slightly more expensive, but also last longer. A good way to tell a quality switch or outlet is by the presence of a back-wire feature.

Test the voltage

Be sure to test the voltage of wires and circuits before touching them. Testing electrical components with tools such as a wire sniffer or a multimeter will tell you if they are safe to touch or if an electrical current is flowing through them. Electrical work can be a dangerous job, especially if you’re unsure about what you’re doing. Always test before touching.

Do proper research

In today’s age of the internet, you can learn how to do anything online. For that reason, there’s no excuse not to do your homework before installing electrical wiring and switching in your home.

Searching for tutorials on how to wire a light switch is a great way to learn more about how to do it. On YouTube there are countless tutorials on DIY Electrical Wiring, from electricians and home improvement pros available that literally show you how it’s done.

Get an education

As great as internet learning is, it does have its limitations, and it’s no substitute for a trade school program. Learning how to do electrical work in an educational setting is the best way to ensure you know what you’re doing in home DIY electrical wiring.

What’s more, you can also make a career of electrical work. Electrical education programs are readily available at trade schools across the country. If you’re in Chicagoland, Coyne College is a great option.

Spark your career at Coyne College

Coyne College in Chicago offers two programs for aspiring electrical workers: Electrical Construction and Planning, and Electrical Construction Maintenance.

Our Electrical Construction and Planning program can be completed in as few as 78 weeks, while the Electrical Construction and Maintenance program can be finished in 42 to 56 weeks, depending on whether you take day or night classes.

As a student in Coyne College’s electrical programs, you will gain a comprehensive knowledge of electrical work by taking courses such as:

Electrical and Electronic Principles
Electrical Test and Equipment Safety
Electrical Construction – Residential
Electrical Theory and Applications

You will learn the ins and outs of the electrician trade in a setting that focuses on your individual success. Coyne College’s highly knowledgeable instructors have years of real-world experience under their belts and are eager to help you make the most of your education.

Discover everything Coyne College’s electrical programs have to offer by visiting https://www.coynecollege.edu/ or calling 800-720-3990 today.

7 Electrical Wiring Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

August 28, 2019 by Coyne College

Installing electrical wiring can be a challenging task for even the most experienced DIYer. It’s also one of the most important things to make sure you do correctly. Here are some of the most common electrical errors paired with simple solutions to help you avoid these wiring mistakes.