▪ Older houses (before the early 1970's, I think, but don't hold me to it) may have aluminum wiring instead of today's copper wiring. The problem with this lies in the durability of aluminum, particularly where the wires wrap around the terminals in the switches and receptacles. Over time, the wires can partially disintegrate due to a chemical reaction and create a fire hazard. I would rip out all of the aluminum wiring if I could. If that is not feasible, then ask your electrician about "co/alr" connections and "arc-fault" circuit breakers that can mitigate the risk.

▪ Not too long ago, a contractor talked me into wasting money on "Cat 5" structured wiring that would help with a home network. The trend now is clearly towards inexpensive wireless home networks, so skip the special wiring that would join all of your rooms together.

▪ Have you heard of Tivo? I hadn't when I built my house. Now, I wish that I had put phone jacks very close to where my televisions are located. Tivo needs to connect to the internet either wirelessly (not an option for me) or through your phone line. I don't know about other digital video recording systems, but you may want to check their requirements.

▪ While the walls are open, you may want to pre-wire for any future in-wall audio speakers for home theater. Just be sure to make a diagram so that you can locate the wires later.

Rewiring old houses - electrical issues

Former builder and instructor of "Save Time and Money in Home Remodeling" cont. ed. course at Emory University