electric contractor avice???

[blazroc]

had a electrical fire..was told i had three type of wires in my house.not up to code..was told that everything had to be change...not all would be cover by my insurance,will be bill for thr rest.this co. was sent by my insurance co. i thought i had the right to pick my own company?...this electric company start the job, and it been a nightmare..they change everything on the outside of the house (where there was no fire)when i ? it was told it was not code..they change the fuse box to a breaker box...started to run the wires up to the attic,ran the wires to where the fire started & ended, went about a foot past and tap in to the wires...when ? they said it could be grandfather in... i said that it was said that this wire that they tap into was balb and knob...( at the start of this mess,was told this had to go!!) they said sorry but they are done with this job today ..finished and left.. job done! after lots of phone call !! the electrical co. returns..walk in with a smile on his face and says " so how many times did the breaker trip" its seem to me that they knew this would happen...say he here to replace the rest of wires, (all of the wires run in attic) he said he might have to run some wires under the house, because some of my wires he has no way of getting to them..(over the pass 5 yrs, as i guted a room i replace all wires up the wall and into the attic,with 12gage wire..all room are done up the wall except the kitchen.bath & hallway)..i come home and he change all of the outlet & switchs..used my wire that went up the wall...by the way he is useing 14 gage wire,and the new box only has 15 amp. breaker...14 gage wire to 12 gaga wire is this good?...my attic look like a minn golf park. talk to the adjuster,owner of electrical co, all they say is let them finish, they don't have to talk to me..do i have any recourse to put a end to this nosence or am i just a crybaby?..thank you

[HayZee518]

you have every right to complain. any power co can make suggestions for a contractor but YOU have the last word! It is NOT right for the power company to order a certain contractor to wire your place. What's probably happened is that the power company is involved in a turnkey operation with the contractor. the power co gets a kickback on what the contractor makes. YOU CANNOT, SHOULD NOT MIX 14 GA AND 12 GA WIRES! You may be looking at another fire hazard by intermixing wires of smaller gauges. Old wiring in your attic floor is called knob n tube wiring. By code any place you have a splice you are supposed to have a box, metal or plastic with a cover. you are NOT permitted to make ANY open splices in ANY line. If "your" contractor did this, he is in violation of the NEC and any fire code.

[blazroc]

I was told by the electrican that 14 &12 ga. wire mixed together was not the best option but it's codeable in our town.. will i be able to replace this wire myself(after they leave)and still used this 100amp breaker box?

[HayZee518]

you say yer in hamburg ny. I know exactly where that is. I used to live in the North Park part of Buffalo. I changed a service entrance for a guy in south buffalo - he only went by "ski" for his name. 14 ga and 12 ga should never be mixed because if at the panel there is 12 ga then almost automatically someone is gonna change a 15 amp breaker to a 20 amp. if there is intermixing further down the line then the 14 is NOT protected. If you put, say a 1500 watt heater into an outlet thats wired with 14 ga and it is connected to a 12 ga and the 12 is protected with a 20 amp, that's five amps MORE than the 14 can take and the wire will start to heat up. Yeah changing it out is up to you. I would.
Niagara Mohawk ought to get hung for EVEN suggesting a contractor

[blazroc]

thank's hayzee518 for all your help...I show the electrican what you had to say. I also show some of your other post..he kinda started to back track on the info. he was giving me...but more importantly the next day when i came home, i notice yellow wires install in the house (12 ga wire! )...on 20 amp breaker.. the breaker don't trip anymore..thank you for the enpowerment...