While cosmetic changes are not necessarily difficult, one area of concern in historic homes, and sometimes even in houses built 40 or 50 years ago, is archaic wiring.

Old homes can be charming and contain architectural elements that are aesthetically appealing from generations past — but their lack in updated features requires more care and attention than modern homes.

While cosmetic changes are not necessarily difficult, one area of concern in historic homes — and sometimes even houses built 40 or 50 years ago — is archaic wiring.

Age is a big indicator that it's time for a checkup when it comes to electrical wiring, said Jerry Kennihan, service manager of Kennihan Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning.

“What's interesting about some older homes (is) they weren't wired to handle the electrical devices we have today,” Kennihan said. “They were wired as a convenience for one plug at a time. Now everyone plugs everything in at night.”

In today's electronics-driven society, electricity is an essential component of daily life. Even when gadgets are turned off or not in use, they use electricity if they are plugged in, Kennihan noted. This is known as “ghost voltage.”

“Something that was once a convenience now becomes a staple in the house,” Kennihan said. “You want to be careful that you don't overload those circuits.”

Kennihan said some older homes have fuse panels, and if a fuse blows, the circuit opens up. Homes without these panels don't allow for circuits to open up, and this is where a circuit breaker can help. Newer homes are often equipped with an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI).

“A fuse is just a piece of wiring with tin or copper in it that, once it heats up, it burns and splits apart due to heat, and it can no longer move electricity, and it becomes unsafe,” he said. “A circuit breaker is similar, except it kicks off when it feels too much, and you can reset it. An arc fault recognizes that too, and kicks off. It's pretty much code in all new homes nowadays.”

Old wiring might not meet the needs of the devices used in homes overpowering the circuits, which can create problems by causing breaker blowouts and overheated wires that might spark and cause fires from within the wall.

Fires can often start due to electrical overloads, Kennihan said. Many are caused in the winter when people are plugging in space heaters, which take a lot of energy to run. If an outlet isn't protected correctly or the wire is the wrong size, that's a “huge opportunity for a fire.”

“Overloading a circuit is also a problem from plugging too many things in,” he added.

This is a consistent problem because wiring often falls into the out-of-sight, out-of-mind category. Confirming that a home's electrical system is safe is a necessary part of home maintenance.

“(People) can start with an inspection,” Kennihan said. “When an electrician comes out and does an inspection, he's going to point out some things that are in danger of overloading and say, 'Be careful of this plug, this plug, and this plug.'”

In the past, he said, people have put a quarter, nickel or penny behind a plug to prevent it from blowing, so their equipment in use isn't affected — but that bypasses safety. Kennihan said he recommends having that checked into as well if you're the owner of an older home.

“If you see visible wires downstairs, like in some unfinished basements, take a look to see if any wires are exposed or look damaged,” he said. “Just use common sense. If you have to plug something, don't plug seven things into one outlet. Common sense is probably the biggest thing.”

An entire home does not need to be rewired to fix many of the problems that can pose dangerous situations for residents, Kennihan said. Wiring is a safety priority that many people forget, but it's certainly worth a little time and money.