My stepfather was a CPA and a really Good Accountant here in California. However, he didn't really know anything about electrical wiring. So, it made this Santa Barbara house when he tried to save money by doing it himself. The electrician yesterday found I think it was a number 10 wire that he had tied another piece of wire onto it instead of pulling in a new line by wrapping the two pieces together. However, he didn't put electrical tape on the bare metal joiners so this is really dangerous and could have started a fire under the right circumstances. Then since this house was built around 1952 we thought about rewiring the house. However, I think this was even before Romex was invented so to change the wiring in the house from the old wiring we would likely have to rip out the walls WHEREVER the wiring goes in the house. This would be very expensive not only in putting new wiring in but also in repairing every wall in the house from putting new wiring in and also in the ceilings. Since this is a slab house there might be plumbing in the Cement Slab (Ranch Style California) house but there would be no electrical wiring in the slab Cement foundation in the house (under any normal circumstances where things would be inspected by a building inspector in 1952.
A friend in Texas who was a general contractor here in California for 20 or 30 years was saying that a number 12 or number 14 wire would likely still be relatively safe from that era but that we should likely change out all the switches and plugs from that era to make the house safer but that the wiring likely was still okay (at least the number 12 wires which are used for plugs mostly and the number 14 wires which are used for Switchlegs to turn on and off lights and things like that.
So, even a house built in Southern California in 1952 if it was inspected then, generally speaking I think the wiring itself might be okay as long as an electrician did it not a homeowner and if it was inspected properly to begin with. However, like our building General Contractor said it likely would be a good idea to still change out all the plugs (electrical outlets) and switches just for safety.
Also, as you examine the plugs and switches and pull the wiring out to observe them often if something hasn't been done right you can somewhat observe whatever someone might have done wrong way back when too. But, most of the time number 12 and number 14 wires are likely still okay (as long as the rats and mice haven't chewed on them which can make them dangerous and start fires at some point.
This is why it is better to have all your wiring inside of an EMT pipe or in Los Angeles Flex Conduit which keeps rats and mice from being able to chew through the insulation on wires.
Also, even Romex can be chewed through by Rats and mice which can at some point cause fires when the copper or aluminum core on wires touches the metal of an outlet or switch box which is usually made of metal or any other metal object like a nail or anything else anywhere in your house.
So, the safest way to go now days is not to use Romex but to use EMT pipe or Flex Conduit if flex is legal where you are because rats and mice cannot chew through metal pipe or flex pipe and potentially cause a fire at some point (like during an earthquake) where things get jostled around a lot (especially here in California.
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