As a homeowner, one of your main priorities is to ensure your household is always safe and comfortable. It’s achievable by paying close attention to the electrical system.
It’s crucial to note that electrical problems often put a home at risk for fire, resulting in property damage and even fatalities. Due to this, it’s important to ensure your electrical system is updated. Moreover, as high-powered appliances and smart devices are becoming the norm, the electrical needs of a home increase, which will also require an electrical system upgrade.
If you plan on upgrading your home’s electrical system, here are valuable insights to keep in mind:
- Be Familiar With The Potential Risks Of Electrical Work
Electricity is a force to reckon with. Handling electrical components can be risky if you don’t know what to do. The suitable approach is to employ the services of an experienced electrician to handle any upgrades. You can click here or visit similar sites to ensure you hire a dependable professional.
Hiring a reputable electrician is a worthwhile investment; you’ll have peace of mind knowing that the task is executed properly. Also, such experts are trained and experienced, significantly lessening the chances of injuries or damage to your home. Remember that faulty wiring is one of the leading causes of fires, so it’s worth considering.
- Know The Indications That An Electrical Upgrade Is Necessary
When you start to experience electrical issues, such as fuses blowing up regularly, it’s a clear sign that the electrical system requires an upgrade.
If you’re still not convinced that an upgrade is necessary, here are some of the indications that it’s time to do so:
- Outlets showing signs of evident damage
- Dimming of lights when using certain appliances
- Blown light bulbs
- Light switches that feel warm to the touch
- Skyrocketing of your utility bills
- Warping on your electrical panel
If you encounter these issues, contact a professional electrician to perform the necessary repairs or replacements. They can examine the current status of your electrical system and let you know if the signs you experience are minor concerns or problems requiring prompt intervention.
- Know The Electrical Amperage In Your Home
Depending on your home’s size, it requires the right electrical amperage. For example, in a home equipped with large appliances and central air conditioning, the standard is 150-to-200-amp service.
If you don’t know the amount of electricity your home can handle, it’s best to find out. Doing so will help you determine your future needs, especially if you have upcoming renovation projects in mind.
Electrical panels can last 25 years or longer when they receive routine maintenance. If the current one in your home is old or shows signs of deterioration, consider switching to a new one, even if you don’t have plans to upgrade the amperage in your home.
An electrical meter is responsible for measuring the amount of energy your home utilizes. If you want to upgrade the amperage, replacing your meter is practical. Doing so will help save on your monthly utility bills since the latest models are more energy-efficient.
- Consider Placing Additional Circuits And Structured Wiring
It’s crucial to note that the breaker panel is the main distribution point for all electrical devices and appliances in your home. If the circuits overload, it’s likely to cause power outages or inefficient lighting in your home when running other appliances simultaneously. Always remember that the amperage should match or go beyond the current consumption in your home. The addition of a new circuit breaker or the installation of a subpanel allows efficient distribution of energy in your home.
Nowadays, structured wiring may be worth considering if you want to boost your home’s electrical system. As smart devices and Wi-Fi-enabled appliances are gaining popularity, you can designate a single central device as the central hub. Think of it as an efficient system when running electronic devices in your home, helping you cut down on utility bills while reducing the power necessary to run your devices.
- Upgrade The Outlets
The outlets likely require updating if your home is old. Having outdated outlets can be dangerous since they can’t adequately protect your home. The ideal approach is to upgrade to ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets. An advantage of these outlets is that they effectively prevent electric shocks and work best in any humid or wet environment, such as the bathroom or kitchen.
Final Thoughts
Upgrading your home’s electrical system is a worthwhile investment. It’s the ideal way to improve your home’s overall safety and energy efficiency. Remember to hire a reputable electrician to do the task to ensure a successful outcome.