It’s time for updates! I’m actually a bit over due on postings but we’ve had a busy spring. It’s all good, though! Between family visits and work going in multiple directions, plus delivery of the kitchen cabinets, we’ve kept our nose to the grind stone and have been plucking away all spring inside.

Let’s see, where did we leave off? After we got as far as we could with the kitchen until the cabinets arrive, it was time to tackle the wiring. We had already peeked into the lower 2nd floor attic, also inspected the upper 4th floor attic and after simply opening a few receptacles and switches, we knew, no choice, we had to rewire this whole house. Case in point – see this image. Get the idea?

To give credit, there are some relatively new wires in the house, however many are junctioned from the old knob and tube cloth wires, and some times no boxes were used for the junction (yikes!). Not to mention, criss-crossed and doubled-back all over the house. After so many “add-ons” with wires, there were practically no direct routes of any wires left. So how to begin?

Day 1, Paul crawled back into the lower attic space which was closest to the electrical box, and he began trying to eye what led where. Then back down to the electrical box, we were flipping breakers on and off, and me with my little handy dandy tracing wand (it’s the BEST and FUN gadget!), began tracing these wires.

Once we knew where they went, it was time to run new wires to provide feeds to these routes and in a way that was more direct. So we began; we pulled back, cut into walls or ceilings and exposed where the new wires should be. Next Paul drilled through studs for the needed holes all along the route the wire would take. Once that was done, we spent days running new wires to get everything in place, many times adding additional light switch options along the way. Only after all new wire was in place and fed for a given route, then we killed the power at the box, disconnected the old wire along that route, installed a new switch to the new wire and flip the new switch to go live! We’re back in business! Minimum down time! The disruption of power was basically only the time needed to “replace a switch (but this time hooking it to the new wiring) and hook the other end into the power box.”

Then the best part! I got to pull out all of the old previous wire for the line. Exhale!! That was SUCH a satisfying feeling to pull out section after section of that old dusty wire and now see safer modern wiring in its place.

This is how we did it, a route, a wire, a light switch and an overhead at a time, day by day.

The easiest was where the ceiling was exposed in the hallway and the wires simply hung in rafters overhead. A couple of pics of our fun.

For the areas along the main walls, crown molding was removed, plaster cut and lathing taken out. Below are a few pics of how the studs were bored and wires fed through them. In some instances we could use the original bore holes but many times, where we were adding additional wires. It was dusty and tedious yet we could see our progress, which made it was easier to stay motivated.

I will say on the other hand, we both had a hard time tearing into the walls. We’re supposed to be repairing, not doing more damage. That was actually a very awkward feeling.

Check out this wonderful old wallpaper we found under the crown in the library! it looks like a forest scene of some kind. Add this to the “what a cool find!” category of this home!

Another side note, as we ran the wiring, we weren’t simply running new wires to existing lights, we were at the same time trying to modernize the house for today’s living with how and where light switches would be. For example, in the past, to turn on the entry light you had to walk from the back hallway in the dark, to the front of the house by the front door to get to the switch. Versus today’s living, a light switch would be at each end of the hallway for the light fixture. Now it does, No more walking in the dark to turn on or off the entry light!

We decided to buy a couple of new sconces for the end of the hallway. See the pic below. I love them!

And believe it or not, they still make push button light switches, so we bought a couple more and now, you can turn the dining room light on and off from either door of the room! What a concept. 🙂 It’s the little things, right?

And don’t worry, we read up on regulations, requirements and how-to-guides all along the way. We’ll have it all inspected before we close it up again. This is a huge undertaking and we are not yet done, but so far, we have the hallway (the kitchen was already rewired when we took out the walls), the entry way, the drawing room, library and the dining room done. Next, the parlor and ball room.

And heads up, scaffolding has arrived so work will begin on the outside again very soon! Onward…