FULL & PARTIAL
HOME REWIRES.

Raleigh Court, Old Southwest, Wasena, downtown Salem — the Valley's best old neighborhoods run on some of its oldest wiring. Covenant Electrical rewires older homes completely or in phases, bringing them safely up to modern code without wrecking the plaster to do it.

Knob-and-tube and cloth wiring

Pre-war wiring still functions in many Roanoke homes, but it can't safely carry modern loads, and most Virginia insurers now surcharge or decline policies where it's active. Replacement is a permitted, inspected job, done room by room in occupied homes with strategic access cuts rather than demolition.

Aluminum branch wiring

Homes built or expanded roughly 1965–1973 may have aluminum branch circuits, which loosen at connections over decades and carry a documented fire risk. Depending on the situation, approved remediation methods can address it short of a full rewire — an inspection determines which route makes sense. The warning signs worth knowing are here.

What a rewire includes

Every branch circuit replaced, grounded outlets throughout, GFCI and AFCI protection where code requires, kitchens and baths brought current, and usually a panel upgrade paired with the work. Most full rewires take from three days to two weeks depending on the house.

Frequently asked questions

Can you rewire a house while we live in it?
Yes — that's the normal case. Work proceeds room by room, power stays on in the spaces being lived in, and each day ends with the house safe and usable.

How much does a rewire cost?
It varies widely with the size and construction of the house, which is why every job starts with a walk-through and a flat-rate quote. As a rule of thumb, a full rewire is a four-to-five-figure project, and insurance savings on older homes offset part of it.

Will you have to tear open all the walls?
No. Experienced rewiring uses attics, basements, and a limited number of strategic access openings. Some patching is part of the job, but it's surgical, not demolition.

Is partial rewiring an option?
Often, yes — highest-risk circuits first (kitchens, bedrooms, overloaded circuits), with the rest phased over time. An inspection establishes the priority order.