What's lurking in your attic
Attics are where old wiring goes to hide. In Alexandria's older homes, we find live knob-and-tube under blown insulation, splices buried where no one can see them, and extension cords doing the job of real circuits. Attics are hot, hard to reach, and easy to ignore — which is exactly why problems grow there.
The insulation danger
This one is serious. Knob-and-tube was designed to cool in open air. When later owners blew insulation over it, they trapped the heat. Overheated old wiring under insulation is a documented fire cause. If your attic has both old wiring and added insulation, that combination needs an electrician's eyes — soon.
Recessed lights and insulation
Old recessed lights ("can lights") get dangerously hot. Bury an old non-rated can under insulation and you have a heater in your ceiling. Modern IC-rated LED retrofits are safe against insulation and use a fraction of the power. When we rewire an attic, we usually upgrade the lights too — it's the same trip up the ladder.
Access and heat
Attic work is miserable in an Alexandria summer — 130 degrees up there. We schedule attic work for cooler hours and bring the right gear. Tight access, low headroom, ancient wiring: we've seen it all. The job takes a day or two for most homes, and we don't leave a mess in your hallway.
When's the last time anyone looked at your attic wiring? Call (301) 679-9193 for a free inspection — attics included.