Saving One Penny at a Time: Day Four--AL-most Got Ya!!!

It's really starting to get busy! Before I could head over to the new house, I had to take off some lattice work from a deck I am having painted at another house. And I had to mow my own yard! I can't neglect my own while working on this new one!

After mowing, I picked up Dad from work to help me pick up a gas stove. On the way back, I stopped at my sister's house to pick up a couple gallons of paint. I dropped Dad back off, did that deck work, then headed over to the new house. I had a simple goal of getting the dishwasher installed today (spoiler alert: I failed).

Dad took off half the day to help with the wiring, and I was eager to assist him in any way possible there. He had already completed five receptacles on one of the circuits, and we just needed to finish that one up. I have found that home wiring is basically simple: you run a wire from Point A to Point B. So what's usually the problem? Well, neither Point A nor Point B. It's the "to."

I literally spent the majority of the day either in the attic (mostly) or the crawlspace. On the first circuit which he had 80% complete, we (thankfully) found out that our last wire ran through the attic where it was (mostly) accessible. I fished it down the wall to Dad, working on my belly while balancing myself between the trusses.

If I needed any convincing about the extra work we were doing to replace the aluminum wiring, well, it came fast. On one of the receptacle outlets, I noticed major charring where the aluminum connected to the receptacle. It was a fire waiting to happen. More convincing, though no longer needed, was going to come in an even bigger way in a few minutes.

Notice the black ends of the sheathing on the aluminum wires.

Much of the sheathing had actually burned off. More than likely this was a poor (loose) connection to the terminal. It could have started tight, but with heating and cooling, expansion and contraction, the aluminum changes over time, causing a poor connection. A fire waiting to happen.

Notice the charred ends of the sheathing.

We worked on a couple receptacles, one interior, one exterior, along with a switch that controlled the exterior. As Dad pulled apart the switch, he let out an all-too familiar "You have got to be kidding me." Frankly, this is a fairly common phrase from him on electrical repairs. Since I was a little boy, I have tagged along with him on electrical jobs, and it's funny how today at 32 I am doing the job I would do at 12. Up and down the stairs, crawling into nooks and crannies, in the attic, in the crawlspace, just finding, pulling, feeding wire. He's the brains, and I'm the legs. But in most projects we tackle, I hear that phrase. Some previous owner (or even electrician) did something either stupidly or in ignorance (one knowing, one not knowing) that creates an electrical hazard. Read: Death hazard.

I had already seen the charred wires from a poor aluminum connection. Now I witnessed a poor way of connecting what was probably a wire cut too short to a switch. The previous worker simply extended the wire by twisting a smaller wire onto it. Well, after 45 years, the tape (if any was used) had long gone, and the two hot wires were openly exposed. Hence the, "You have got to be kidding me."

The wire was too short. So the previous owner just extended it a few inches. sigh...

A close-up view of the poor electrical workmanship. This hot wire was fully exposed behind the switch.

Well, not soon after witnessing this, I had my full convincing as to why aluminum is a poor choice. As I took off the exterior switch, I couldn't believe my eyes. The previous owners were seriously lucky to be alive. They undoubtedly had no idea how close they were to having their house burn down. For in my hands, I pulled out a frighteningly charred GFCI outlet...connected to aluminum wiring. If I needed any further convincing as to why we were doing this extra work (and it is work!), I needed none after holding the outlet in my hand.

Removing the GFCI outlet from the wall. The house was this close to burning down.

The outlet after removing removed from the wall. Aluminum wires had obviously become hot...way too hot. Any further heat could have sent the whole house up in flames. Thankfully, the burning was kept to this outlet.

Seriously, this is some dangerous stuff! As a landlord, I can't even bear the thought of putting my tenants into any remotely dangerous situation, and the further we worked, the more I realized just how nasty this aluminum wiring stuff could be!

The reminder was needed. Dad and I had our work cut out for us today. I spent most of my time in the attic, trying to relay messages to him through the ceiling. We ended up resorting to cellphones most of the time, although it was hard for me on my stomach underneath the eave of the house. But little by little, we worked one wire at a time.

So one of the circuits is now 90% done and just needs the outlets wired. Another one is 80% done and just needs two receptacles and one ceiling fixture tracked down. Days can be difficult when you don't have that "checkbox feeling." Honestly, with only partial completions today, it's not too fun! But while eating with Dad afterwards, I let him know that in my research, an estimate for rewiring a house can come in at $155 a hole.

As we counted the holes we completed today, we came up with 7. That's $1085. Three more are close for another $465, and Dad completed six yesterday for an additional $930. Don't get me wrong, this is work. As in body-aching, belly-crawling, sweat-dripping work. But one by one, the receptacles are going from dangerous 1970's two-prong aluminum to 2015 grounded three-prong copper.

And while the yelling through walls is frustrating, the wires stapled to studs is frustrating, the numerous holes in the drywall is frustrating, the breathing in insulation is frustrating, it's encouraging to know that we are that much closer to having a fully-wired, fully-safe house.

So thanks, Pa! We are getting there!!!

In other news, I mowed the yard. It's much bigger than I expected! Also, I have a small water leak at the master bath sink supply lines. I have once again turned off the water! Oh, and I didn't even touch or think about the dishwasher today. I had way too much else going on! About those holes...we probably have a dozen or so holes in the drywall now to feed the new romex through. It's a bit frustrating, but it has to be done. It's just a little bit of a paint setback.

We still have a lot to accomplish, but after the wiring, it's literally paint, carpet, minor plumbing, and cleaning!!! Then it's tenant time!!! I'm hoping just three more weeks. :)