How do you upgrade the wiring in your house if walls are intact?

Brenda, an electrician can do this. They are wonderful and can do it without tearing walls apart. Wires can be pushed through walls they have tools for it.

Brenda,. Call an electrician, this is no job for a lay person. Aloha!

It can be done but it is a tough job to pull new wire in an entire house unless you know what you are doing. Your job will get done faster and be safer if you use a professional electrician. They have the proper tools and education to make sure everything is hooked up correctly, in good working order, and there is no chance of fire danger.

A house built in 1958 is certainly "vintage." Hire a professional licensed electrician, but even with every tool available, do expect some wall repair in a few spots. I rewired and upgraded the panel in my 1986 home and there was minor wall repair in a few spots. Not a big deal, I fixed then repainted.

You DO need an electrician. This is not a DIY project. Dealing with codes, permits, inspections, and of course homeowners insurance.

Electricians will utilize a "Fish Tape" to move wiring between floors and walls, drilling access points where needed.

You'll need ground fault circuit interrupters installed on outlets near water, and a house ground arc interrupter is a good idea, if it's an option for you.

You may wish to install additional outlets and upgrade your home to a 200 Amp (if needed) service, with circuit breakers.

Depending on where you're located and the amount of work involved, the job will cost at least several thousand dollars, so if you see other things you'd like changed, have it all done at the same time, by a licensed professional with excellent references.

Yes, only a licensed electrician can do this. You may need a building permit, too, and he/she should handle that. Since your house was built in 1958, you will probably want to add a bunch more outlets, maybe some can lights and dimmers, and separate circuits for big appliances. While you're at it, have him install any necessary improvements like bath and kitchen exhaust fans, new doorbell wiring, additional porch or security lights, etc.

My electrician also added several three-way switches, for instance, so we could turn lights off at either end of a room or staircase. Look for bad set-ups, like the kitchen light switch that's at the wrong doorway for the traffic pattern, etc. In addition, you might want to ask about installing a whole-house surge protector. It has helped tremendously with preserving appliances from being zapped by really bad local electric services.