I need an electrician

[motely36]

The house we own has 1 grounded outlet in the basement where the washer/dryer are plugged in.

We would like to re-wire the entire house or at least add some grounded outlets to each room. But we haven't done anything because we fear the cost. Is this something we can do in stages? Or is it easier to do all at once?

I honestly don't even know where to start.

[Robb]

1. First off, call a few

Most electricians will pop by and give you a free estimate -- and on a whole-house deal, are as likely as not to acquiesce if you ask them to put it in terms of several smaller jobs instead of one big one.

A lack of grounding is a touch on the dangerous side, and worth getting taken care of. On the plus end, it may not be as expensive as you think to get it all done.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

2. How old is your house?

Do you have a fuse box or a circuit breaker panel?If your house was built in the fifties you may have ground wire ,three prong plugs came into existence after the ground wire became code. Can you see wiring in the basement? And yes that can be done in stages.

[motely36]

4. The house was built in the 1880s i think

Its a row home. We have circuit breakers. Although i think it is wired poorly because it seems each floor is together on a breaker.

Edited to say: I don't know when the wiring was last done.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

6. That's interesting, the time frame the house was built in.

Are you throwing circuit breakers ,or are breakers shutting down because too much is drawn ? Or do you just find it odd that the house is wired that way? It's not uncommon and that is how it was done in those days. In the older houses that are not going to be completely rewired by it's current owner, we add dedicated circuits in their kitchens ,bathrooms entertainment center and computer rooms !Sometimes just one or two.you can call your electric company and ask how much power is coming into your house. Is it say 100 amp ,or two hundred amp ? That's the question.A electrician or general contractor can tell by looking at the line from the pole to the house.If it's 100 amp., that means it was never changed over. Whats coming into the house in amps., has to do with the distribution of power through out the house. Thats about knowing what you got to work with.You have your major draw items,electric water tank,stove .Dryer/washer. With everything going,that electric stove draws a lot of power/amps.Take a look at those 220 amp. breakers and see what those numbers are, 40 amp. or sixty amp. That doesn't mean those breakers are drawing that much in use,but in full use a stove for example draws what it draws. Starting to figure something out? It's wired the way it's wired in accordance with power distribution.Do you have a attic or access to your attic? Do you have a basement and is there any visible wiring there?

When you bought the house, did your inspector tell you it was over due for rewiring,or did it all check out?

OK, so,take a look in the panel box and let's see what is there. Count the breakers how many 15 amp. and how many and how much are the big draw breakers?Those are the 220 ,maybe forty maybe 60 amp. And how much is coming into the house? The electric company will tell you that answer.

Got to start somewhere right ?

[Stinky The Clown]

5. You actually might not be ungrounded

Depending on how the old wiring is installed. Some metal sheathed wiring (we called it BX cable) uses the sheathing as the ground, but never connected the ground to a three prong outlet. Adding the needed three prong outlet ***might*** be a homeowner job you could tackle yourself with some initial guidance.

[Kolesar]

3. You may be able to solve the problem by installing ground fault interrupter circuit breakers

Or by installing GFI outlets at strategic locations in the house: If you install a GFI outlet at "the first outlet on the circuit", it will "protect" all of the remaining outlets along that circuit. I did that on circuits in my 1960 house that had two-wire wiring.

Circuit breakers ought to be done by a licensed electrician.

You could google or wikipedia for advice on GFIs. You probably need a professional to figure this out. Mistakes can be injurious.

[mopinko]

7. is there a grounding strap?

a piece of copper wire of some sort, near the breaker box, and going to a water pipe?