Does my house need rewiring?

There are five reasons to rewire a house — it's more than 50 years old, circuit breakers frequently trip, it has aluminum wiring, outlets and switches are charred, and a burned smell persists. It's best to hire a licensed electrician to assess rewiring needs, according to George Brazil Home Services.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that aluminum wiring, which deteriorates with age, is present in more than 2 million homes built between 1965 and 1973. Aluminum wiring is present if "AL" is written on the wire jacket. In 2008, the U.S. Fire Administration conducted a study that showed that electrical wire insulation was responsible for 30 percent of electrical fires in older homes.