Can we talk about how we used to handle old cloth wiring?

Back when I started, the old boss would just tape over the cloth insulation if it was cracked. Said it was fine if it wasn't live. Did that for years on houses from the 40s. Then about five years ago, I saw a demo where a guy showed how that cloth can hold moisture and dust, even taped. Totally changed my process. Now, if I see cracked cloth on a hot wire, I insist on a rewire for that circuit. It's not cheap for the homeowner, but explaining the fire risk usually gets them on board. Last job in Tacoma cost about $2,800 to rewire the kitchen alone. Anyone else switch from just patching to full replacement on this stuff?

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3 Comments

the_charlie5mo ago

Yeah, used to think a little electrical tape was a solid fix too. Seeing how that old cloth can basically trap problems changed my mind completely. Now the only right way feels like a full replacement for safety.

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abby3085mo ago

My uncle's garage workshop in Phoenix still has a roll of that old cloth tape from like 1972. I get the appeal of a quick tape fix, @the_charlie, it feels like you're solving the problem. But you're totally right, it just hides the issue and makes it worse later. I learned that the hard way after a small scare with an old lamp cord. Now anything with cracked insulation just gets a whole new wire, no question.

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hall.nora5mo ago

Remember my dad's old radio repair shop.

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