House Rewiring in Pittsburgh

Knob and tube, cloth or aluminum wiring in an older home? We replace it with modern grounded circuits, open as little wall as we can and handle the permit.

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House Rewiring for Pittsburgh's Older Homes

Many Pittsburgh homes were built before 1940. City rowhouses and foursquares, and older homes in Mt. Lebanon and Sewickley, were wired long before anyone owned a microwave or a computer. Many of them still run on knob and tube wiring from the early 1900s, cloth covered wire from the 1940s and 1950s,.

That wiring has no ground and was never meant for modern loads. Renaissance Electric and Power Systems has been working in Pittsburgh homes since 1997. We replace old wiring with new grounded circuits, either room by room or the whole house at once, and we fish new wire through the walls so your plaster stays as intact as possible. Every job is backed by our lifetime workmanship warranty.

Knob and tube wiring strung on white ceramic knobs across the rafters and joists of a 1930s attic.
Old cloth covered wiring with a taped splice on a ceramic knob feeding a brass light socket beside galvanized ductwork.

Signs Your House Needs Rewiring

  • Ceramic knobs and tubes in the basement or attic
  • Cloth covered wire that crumbles when touched
  • Two prong outlets with no ground in most rooms
  • Lights that flicker or dim for no clear reason
  • Outlets or switch plates that feel warm
  • Your insurer or a home inspector flagged the wiring
  • Aluminum branch circuit wiring from the 1960s or 1970s
  • Splices left open outside a junction box

How Whole House Rewiring Works

1. Walk Through

We trace your old circuits and talk about how you use each room.

2. Plan and Permit

We lay out the new circuits, decide on phased or whole house work and pull the electrical permit.

3. Protect the House

Floors and furniture get covered, and we work from the basement and attic where we can.

4. Fish New Wire

New cable is pulled through walls and ceilings with small, planned openings instead of tearing out plaster.

5. Inspection

The inspector checks the rough wiring and the finished work. We meet them on site and fix anything they ask for.

6. Finish and Cut Over

New devices go in, old circuits are disconnected, and every circuit is tested and labeled.

Rewiring Work We Handle

Knob and Tube Wiring Replacement

Remove active knob and tube circuits and replace them with grounded modern cable.

Whole House Rewiring

Every circuit in the house replaced in one project, usually with a new panel.

Partial and Phased Rewiring

Fix the worst circuits first, like the kitchen, and finish the rest later.

Grounding for Old Homes

Add a proper ground so three prong outlets actually protect your electronics.

Panel Replacement

Replace an old fuse box or full panel so the new wiring has somewhere safe to land.

Service Upgrades

Move from 60 or 100 amps to 200 amp service when the new wiring needs more capacity.

Fishing Wire, Permits and Inspection

Rewiring rarely means gutting the house. We run new cable from the basement and attic down and up through the wall cavities, and we cut small access holes only where a wall has a fire block, a beam or a turn we can't get around. We tell you where they'll be before we start.

Rewiring needs an electrical permit from your borough or township, or from the City of Pittsburgh inside the city. Allegheny County doesn't issue them itself. We pull the permit, schedule the inspections and meet the inspector on site. New circuits are installed to the current code, which means arc fault (AFCI) protection on most living space circuits and GFCI protection in kitchens, baths, basements and outdoors.

Many homes need a new panel as part of a rewire, because the old fuse box or panel has no room for the added circuits and breakers. If the service itself is too small, we coordinate a service upgrade and the Duquesne Light disconnect at the same time.

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White NM cable running through drilled holes in wood studs with a nail plate during a rough in.

What Affects the Cost of House Rewiring

Every older house is different, so we quote after a free estimate. These things move the number:

  • Size of the house and number of floors
  • Number of circuits, outlets and fixtures
  • Plaster, lath and brick walls versus drywall
  • Basement and attic access for fishing wire
  • Phased work or the whole house at once
  • Whether a new panel or service upgrade is needed
  • Finished rooms with no open ceiling below
  • Permit and inspection requirements in your town

What Pittsburgh Homeowners Say

Real Google reviews from homeowners, many of them in older Pittsburgh houses.

Adam and his team are amazing. This team is extremely responsive and takes their time explaining what needs to be done and in terms that you can understand it. I have used them 3 times updating and repairing electrical either due to an old house or damage from storms.

Amy S.

I was desperate for an electrician to complete some urgent repairs on a home we recently purchased. Renaissance responded promptly, created a plan to address the issues (including arrangement for all permits and inspections needed), and completed the work in a timely and professional manner.

William H.

Eric was great! He took time to answer questions and provided detailed information and guidance. He replaced/updated an old outlet in an old house.

Pat B.

We worked with Eric he was on time, professional, efficient and provided explanation for what he was doing. He also made suggestions on other things that appeared unsafe in the home.

Ashley L.

Old House Wiring Guides From Our Electricians

House Rewiring and Knob and Tube Questions

Is knob and tube wiring dangerous?

Not just because it's old, but it carries real risks. It has no ground. Its insulation turns brittle with age. It was designed to shed heat into open air, so insulation blown over it can make it run hot. And decades of splices by past owners are often a bigger problem than the original work.

Will my insurance cover a house with knob and tube?

Many insurers won't write a new policy on a home with active knob and tube, and some ask for it to be replaced soon after you buy. Some also ask about cloth wiring, fuse boxes and aluminum wiring. Check with your agent. After the work, you'll have the passed permit to show them.

Can a house be rewired without removing drywall or plaster?

Yes, in most cases. We fish new cable through the walls from the basement and attic and make small, planned openings only where framing blocks the path. Walls don't get torn out. Expect some patching, mostly near outlets, switches and a few spots along the ceiling line.

How long does it take to rewire a house?

It depends on the size of the house, the number of floors, the wall materials and basement and attic access. A smaller home can often be done in several working days, while a large plaster walled house takes longer. We give you a timeline with your estimate.

Should I rewire the whole house or do it in phases?

Whole house rewiring is faster overall and usually costs less than the same work split up, because setup, permits and panel work happen once. Phasing makes sense when budget matters or one area, like the kitchen, is clearly the worst.

Can I stay in my house during a rewire?

Most homeowners do. We work room by room and keep power on to as much of the house as we can, with some rooms off while we cut over.

What about cloth wiring and aluminum wiring?

Mid century cloth wiring often has no ground and insulation that cracks when moved, so we usually replace it along with knob and tube. Aluminum wiring can be made safer with proper connectors or replaced. Our aluminum wiring guide covers the choices.

Do I need a permit to rewire my house?

Yes. We pull it from your borough or township, or from the City of Pittsburgh inside city limits, and we schedule and attend the inspections.

Will rewiring require a new panel?

Often, yes. An old fuse box or a full panel has no room for the arc fault and GFCI breakers new circuits need. We check it at the free estimate. See our panel upgrade page.

What affects the cost of house rewiring?

The biggest factors are the size of the house, the number of circuits and devices, plaster or brick walls, access from the basement and attic, and whether a panel or service upgrade is part of it. We give you a written quote after the free estimate.

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Licensed PA electricians since 1997. A person answers the phone and gives you a straight answer.

Why Renaissance

Licensed & insured PA, Registration #PA-032900

Serving Pittsburgh since 1997, 28+ years

5-star rated on Google

EV charger certified installers

Residential and light commercial

Up-front pricing, no hidden fees

Power out or something burning? Call us any time. We offer 24 hour emergency service, 7 days a week.

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