Wondering about this grounding thing

[DIY]

I have been in houses that have added a single ground wire from every outllet back to the breaker box. And I have been in houses and apartments that have spent thousands on re wire jobs for ground.
What is the difference between the 2 ways that ultimately lead to the same end result. A proper ground.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

Biggest reason for a rewire is that a lot of the older wire had insulation that does not withstand heat and time as well as today's wire does. We also use WAY more electrically-powered devices than many homes were originally built for.

Having properly grounded appliances and fixtures has a safety benefit but is not the solution to life, the universe, and everything.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jimbo]

There are a lot of issues in play here. But one easy and code approved method to increase the safety of an older house is to replace the outlets with GFCI receptacles. This does not add a ground, but it DOES provide protection from shocks. Each GFCI receptacle actually includes a sticker to attach which says something like "not a grounded outlet".