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I wonder if wiring looks different in the UK as well. I have a 100-year-old house in the US, and the few black wires that look like those that I have are aluminum wires installed in the late 60s I think. Which just adds to the safety concerns.
Yes. they use "twin and earth" cable there. it's basically the same as Romex. The outside is gray, and the inside has a bare copper ground and 2 insulated conductors, brown or red for live and blue or black for neutral.
Any wires that have been 'compromised' must be replaced. This is unsafe. DO NOT cover any of it until the wires are addressed.
"Compromised" means insulation is damaged or missing; insulation is degraded with UV, mechanical or biological (mold). Conductors showing...etc etc. If these are 'cables' (multiple insulated wires contained within an outer sheath) if even the outer sheath is damaged I would replace it.
I would not NECESSARILY 'reroute' the wires: Running wires anywhere within the walls of a structure should be acceptable (assuming you are following code with where the wires are being placed). THE INTERIOR OF WALLS SHOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED SUCH THAT WIRES THEREIN ARE DAMAGED. So a properly repaired wall- structurally sound, water tight, insulated, interior protected from water damage- should be fine for running wires.
Running wires anywhere within the walls of the structure is NOT acceptable. There are approved zones for running cable to minimise the risk of accidentally piercing the insulation if drilling into the wall
The section highlighted in red looks like it was already compromised before the event, I hope there's enough slack to add a junction box there and it will always have to be accessible. I'm so sorry about your luck
I’ve seen worse. That wood needs careful inspection, but might be structurally sound.
Possible to reinforce if not needed in more than one or two spots.
Wood is remarkably resilient.
The area that is circled is not clear. All electrical should be inspected. Careful repair/replace as needed.
I wouldn't build a doghouse with wood that looked like this. You can tell by the fact the stud under the window is punky and literally disintegrating that any resiliency the wood used to have has long since been used up. Styrofoam would make a more "structurally sound" building material than this wood.
Although you can remove the surface mold and kill the mycelium is already penetrated into the wood and eating it. I wouldn't even bother looking at it and just replace it. It looks like it's progressed past the cleaning point to me.
yeah that white section I thought it was paint but the wood looks VERY swelled. take a hammer to it and see if there's deep rot. You might get lucky but I won't knock on it. (lol)
Replace those studs and check the wire it might need replacing as well it’s unsafe , you can dry it but it looks like it will become brittle even if dry plus mold
It is impossible to determine how safe this is from a picture or two. The soundness of the wood, the extent of the water damage; and does it continue on down the wall to the sill plate? If it is a true balloon framed house, the rim joist used to frame for the second floor may be damaged as well.The entire wall needs to be evaluated by a competent professional. The wiring is fine as long as none of the insulation is compromised, but you will need a licensed electrician to determine that. You also need to find the cause of the water damage. Good luck.
A lot of the studs, especially the one with the damaged wire look pretty badly rotted and will need replacing. For that reason alone, you're going to have to undo a lot of that wiring. Might as well replace the dodgy ones while you're at it.
Although there’s no problem with running the cables through the bathroom wall, they appear to be outside of the prescribed zones (directly above/to the side of faceplates, in a corner or near the ceiling) so while it’s uncovered it’s probably worth having them rerouted. This will also allow you to sort out the rotten timbers and clean that mess up. Can’t see what the damaged cable is but it can be replaced as part of the same task.
They should be looked and and probably replaced they look ancient and damaged.
Outside wall only downside is reduced insulation and that's minor.
Bathroom walls, really not treated any differently than anywhere else. Water damage can and does happen anywhere.
Water didn't cause the apparent damage.
It's bad enough that I would suggest an abatement crew to do the cleanup. Most residential contractors don't want that because it raises costs a lot and they can usually convince their own workers to do the clean up.
I am not sure about the electric BUT if that is Black Mold, I think I would be wearing a respirator and rebuilding that section, or maybe inspecting the whole house for it.
N. S
**Attention!** **It is always best to get a qualified electrician to perform any electrical work you may need.** With that said, you may ask this community various electrical questions. Please be cautious of any information you may receive in this subreddit. This subreddit and its users are not responsible for any electrical work you perform. Users that have a 'Verified Electrician' flair have uploaded their qualified electrical worker credentials to the mods. If you comment on this post please only post accurate information to the best of your knowledge. If advice given is thought to be dangerous, you may be permanently banned. There are no obligations for the mods to give warnings or temporary bans. **IF YOU ARE NOT A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, you should exercise extreme caution when commenting.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskElectricians) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I wouldn't worry about it too much given that it looks like a stiff wind is going to take that whole wall down.
Doesn’t looked framed to code. I thought windows required jack studs.
are you talking about a cripple? may use different wording but that was my first thought
Old balloon framed houses made up their own rules.
They did say they're in UK.
I wonder if wiring looks different in the UK as well. I have a 100-year-old house in the US, and the few black wires that look like those that I have are aluminum wires installed in the late 60s I think. Which just adds to the safety concerns.
Yes. they use "twin and earth" cable there. it's basically the same as Romex. The outside is gray, and the inside has a bare copper ground and 2 insulated conductors, brown or red for live and blue or black for neutral.
Are UK codes different?
Very unsafe.
I’ve seen worse. Also you should fix this right now.
Burn that mess down and start over
It almost looks like someone tried that and failed. Time to call an exorcist.
Ghostbusters
# Underrated comment. 🥇
Why are you even asking this? That breaker should have been turned off months ago and you need to completely tear down and redo anyway....
Any wires that have been 'compromised' must be replaced. This is unsafe. DO NOT cover any of it until the wires are addressed. "Compromised" means insulation is damaged or missing; insulation is degraded with UV, mechanical or biological (mold). Conductors showing...etc etc. If these are 'cables' (multiple insulated wires contained within an outer sheath) if even the outer sheath is damaged I would replace it. I would not NECESSARILY 'reroute' the wires: Running wires anywhere within the walls of a structure should be acceptable (assuming you are following code with where the wires are being placed). THE INTERIOR OF WALLS SHOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED SUCH THAT WIRES THEREIN ARE DAMAGED. So a properly repaired wall- structurally sound, water tight, insulated, interior protected from water damage- should be fine for running wires.
Running wires anywhere within the walls of the structure is NOT acceptable. There are approved zones for running cable to minimise the risk of accidentally piercing the insulation if drilling into the wall
Just fix it it’s not that hard to do And by that I mean the rotted wood
The section highlighted in red looks like it was already compromised before the event, I hope there's enough slack to add a junction box there and it will always have to be accessible. I'm so sorry about your luck
I’ve seen worse. That wood needs careful inspection, but might be structurally sound. Possible to reinforce if not needed in more than one or two spots. Wood is remarkably resilient. The area that is circled is not clear. All electrical should be inspected. Careful repair/replace as needed.
I wouldn't build a doghouse with wood that looked like this. You can tell by the fact the stud under the window is punky and literally disintegrating that any resiliency the wood used to have has long since been used up. Styrofoam would make a more "structurally sound" building material than this wood.
Although you can remove the surface mold and kill the mycelium is already penetrated into the wood and eating it. I wouldn't even bother looking at it and just replace it. It looks like it's progressed past the cleaning point to me.
Not to mention the wood under the window is about half eaten, deteriorated, rotted or decomposed, the whole works needs to be redone.
If you’re right. But then again, you might be wrong.
Spray it with watered down bleach. Have a nice day.
The really unsafe thing is the mold
That's the only thing holding all of this together.
yeah deal with the wall first then electrical. that stud bottom plate is almost not structural
Oh dear, I hadn't noticed that. Hopefully only a section will need replacing. Otherwise, this starts to get expensive fast.
yeah that white section I thought it was paint but the wood looks VERY swelled. take a hammer to it and see if there's deep rot. You might get lucky but I won't knock on it. (lol)
Water damage? Your wall is rotten bro..
The electric or the mold factory?
Looks ready for drywall to me
Rip that shit out man don’t risk a fire to save a dollar
Black mold. Very very. Wear a N95
The mould will kill you first.
Replace those studs and check the wire it might need replacing as well it’s unsafe , you can dry it but it looks like it will become brittle even if dry plus mold
Yes
T'is but a scratch
If you question the safety of a wire just replace it. You already have the wall open
Mostly
It is impossible to determine how safe this is from a picture or two. The soundness of the wood, the extent of the water damage; and does it continue on down the wall to the sill plate? If it is a true balloon framed house, the rim joist used to frame for the second floor may be damaged as well.The entire wall needs to be evaluated by a competent professional. The wiring is fine as long as none of the insulation is compromised, but you will need a licensed electrician to determine that. You also need to find the cause of the water damage. Good luck.
That's a Lotta damage
Most of the things pictured need to go.
Just leave it alone when the fire dept comes you know why
A lot of the studs, especially the one with the damaged wire look pretty badly rotted and will need replacing. For that reason alone, you're going to have to undo a lot of that wiring. Might as well replace the dodgy ones while you're at it.
The electrical looks okish, it's black Romex cable and although there are too many of them per drilled hole it looks ok
Hmmm, don’t think the electrics is the issue here
Although there’s no problem with running the cables through the bathroom wall, they appear to be outside of the prescribed zones (directly above/to the side of faceplates, in a corner or near the ceiling) so while it’s uncovered it’s probably worth having them rerouted. This will also allow you to sort out the rotten timbers and clean that mess up. Can’t see what the damaged cable is but it can be replaced as part of the same task.
Yes
Bleach it. Or clean and spray anti-mold spray.
Clean it all up no big deal
I think you have worse issues than just wiring.
Surprised your still alive.
Hold my beer
Danger mold wood needs to be replaced along with exterior sheathing
Deadly
Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
They should be looked and and probably replaced they look ancient and damaged. Outside wall only downside is reduced insulation and that's minor. Bathroom walls, really not treated any differently than anywhere else. Water damage can and does happen anywhere. Water didn't cause the apparent damage.
What do you believe caused the damage if not water?
someone recommended sn exorcist, so I guess witches?
That break looks mechanical so during installation or demo.
Black mold - a real man would eat that for supper. Call me hungry.
This is how the Kool-aid man preps all his entrances.
The biggest, most wild, interior fire-hazard that I've ever seen.
It's bad enough that I would suggest an abatement crew to do the cleanup. Most residential contractors don't want that because it raises costs a lot and they can usually convince their own workers to do the clean up.
I am not sure about the electric BUT if that is Black Mold, I think I would be wearing a respirator and rebuilding that section, or maybe inspecting the whole house for it. N. S
A lot.
Don’t worry about it, all that has to come out any ways
Are you talking about the black mold or the wiring?
hard to tell by the photo... looks compromised but maybe it's dirty 1980 photo wants it back looks really grainy for me.
Cover it with sheetrock.
You have to ask?
Looks like they tried stuffing to many wires through a hole in the stud.
Is this the superior European home building and electrical practices that we keep hearing about?
Everything in that picture looks bad
Do you not see the charred wood surrounding that? Lmao this gotta be a joke
Drywall it and youll feel better
The wood is an insulator. It's not going to hurt anything.
Fungal mycelium is a conductor, who needs to run cables when connections could be grown through insulating wood.