Essential Electrical Home Upgrades You Need To Make Now
If you are a homeowner and plan to remodel your home, consider getting electrical upgrades. This upgrade involves upgrading the home electrical system to about 200 to 400 amps. The entire electrical system around the house has to be replaced. This includes the electric panel, grounding, bonding system, load side service entry system, weather head, meter base, and entrance cable. You should note that this is not a DIY project, so ensure that you get in touch with a professional to upgrade the home electrical system.
Most homes built over thirty-five years ago cannot handle the current electricity needs, making it essential to upgrade electrical in their house for safety purposes. You should also consider getting an electrical exaltation if the lights keep flickering, you do not have sufficient outlets, and your breakers keep tripping. Listed below are electrical updates you may want for your home remodel.
REWIRING AND REROUTING
When you are renovating your home, you will likely expand an individual room and change where things should go. For instance, you may decide to change your kitchen from a traditional kitchen set up to an open plan kitchen. Depending on the space available, you may decide to have a kitchen island, a pantry, and a storage room.
Whatever aesthetic you choose for your new kitchen will be great, but the current electrical system in your home may not be able to accommodate these changes. So to avoid having to call in an electrician after the remodeling, consider having one rewire your electrical system during the remodeling process. It will be time-saving, and you will also be able to save on costs.
MODERN FEATURES
It is essential to get the proper lighting fixtures for your home. If you like to host guests, you know that lighting creates an ambiance, which can determine an environment’s energy. While it is crucial to get the right light for your home, you must consider the light switches that control the lights. There are various light switch options you can choose from when you are remodeling your home.
For instance, you could choose remote-controlled lighting, dimmers, multi-locations, different size switches, sliders, 4-way and 3-way switches. The options are endless, so you will choose a switch that works best for you, depending on your remodeling design.
PANEL UPGRADES
A panel upgrade is essential when you upgrade your home electrical system. Older technology did not require as much power as the current modern technology. Even though most manufacturers say their products are energy efficient, compared to older models, they consume more energy. Most people have many appliances in their homes, such as microwaves, refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, gadgets, and media-driven electronics.
Today, an average home uses about 30% more electricity. So when you are remodeling your home, it would be best to factor this in. Each room in your house consumes a different amount of energy. Therefore, ensure that your electrical system can handle it efficiently and safely. If not, consider getting an upgrade electrical in the house.
SMART HOME FEATURES
When remodeling your home, you may want to consider adding a couple of smart features to make your life easier. Technology has advanced so much to a point where everything in your home can be automated and be remote-controlled. Some smart home features allow you to control these features from the comfort of your phone. Installing smart features in your home is convenient because you can comfortably access whatever you want at your command or by a touch of a button. However, note that this will not be cheap.
Some of the smart home features you can add during remodeling include remote controlled blinds or drapes, smart smoke alarms, refrigerators that can remind you what groceries you need, smart sensors, hubs, alarms, and sirens, remote-controlled lights, video surveillance system, smart thermostats, remote-controlled cooling and heating, and a remote-controlled sprinkler system. Most manufacturers are also making smart appliances. Therefore, if you have the extra money to spend, you can make your life more efficient.
OUTLET AND RECEPTACLES
When you upgrade the electrical system in your house, it is essential to consider changing the receptacle. A receptacle must be efficient and safe when it is installed. High-energy appliances use specialized receptacle models. Since these appliances require a lot of energy, they need a receptacle that can accommodate them.
Ensure you seek advice from a professional electrician when you are remodeling to get the right type of light switches and appropriate outlets for all the appliances and electronics in your home. You do not have to worry about the design because there are many options to choose from since most of them have decorative features that can match with the finishing touches you will have chosen for the different rooms.
SUFFICIENT POWER
As mentioned earlier, different rooms in your home consume different energy levels. Therefore, when you are remodeling your home, it is essential to have an electrical exaltation. For instance, the home office, bathroom, workshop, and kitchen will require more power. So when you remodel, you need to consider that these upgrades may need a new electrical panel, and the electrical wiring has to be efficient. Your house needs to have enough outlets, and your electrical system should support and supply efficient power to all the outlets in use.
When you are remodeling your home, you must get an electrical exaltation. Please make sure you get in touch with a professional electrician so they can offer their expert advice. Considering that, it will be easier to update the wiring during remodeling since everything will be open. If you do not get electrical upgrades during remodeling, you will incur more costs because you may have to reopen your walls later to have the system upgraded. Ensure that you work with an experienced electrician when you decide to get electrical upgrades.
Some electrical wiring problems are not unsafe, but they can be bothersome, making them the perfect candidates for extra projects during a home renovation.
Whether your electrical wiring is really old or it just got installed within last decade, it can be dated and ready for some upgrades if it’s causing problems.
Because much of your electrical system is concealed behind the walls, it can be easy to overlook when planning a remodel. Consider home electrical wiring upgrades along with all the other items on your home renovation list. When completing a home renovation that involves opening walls and ceilings for other reasons, you have the perfect opportunity to make electrical upgrades. Ensure you plan for both current needs and what you might need in the future.
Work with your electrician when planning your home renovation job to include the electrical work that you may need or want.
Too Few Outlets
If your family has grown, your requirements for electrical power has probably grown even quicker. A home renovation is a right time to install additional outlets on each wall. Families have different needs for extra outlets, such as:
A home office with some computers and printers
Older kids’ rooms with televisions and video games
Outdoor Spaces
Kitchens with new gadgets or appliances
If you find yourself using multiple power strips and extension cords for your everyday tasks then it’s time to get an electrical upgrade. Your professional electrician can include extra outlets in your renovation plan solving the trouble of having to unplug some appliances before plugging in others.
No GFCIs Installed
GFCIs, or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, are designed to instantaneously turn the electricity off if the plugged-in item comes in contact with water or other types of moisture. These safety devices are standard in bathrooms and kitchens now, but if you own an older home they may be missing from your rooms.
It’s a very simple task for your electrician to switch out one type of outlet for another during a home renovation work, but it’s essential for your family’s safety, and may even be required for a renovation, depending on your local building code.
Plugs Fall Out of Outlets
You plug in an appliance, and a few minutes later the plug is laying on the floor, meaning that you need to upgrade them. Outlets should grip the end of the plug when it’s plugged into the holes. When the clip that’s intended to hold the plug wears out, it allows the plug to slip out and fall to the floor. Regrettably, this situation can cause arcs, sparking, and it’s a fire hazard. Have your electrician change these outlets as soon as possible.
Power Upgrade Needed
Outdated panels have limitations on available space to add circuits or they have fuses. Many old panels are of low quality or simply stop working and need to be changed.
An electric service upgrade is usually recommended or needed to increase the capacity of the existing electrical service. With all the new appliances and modern devices we now have in our homes, we find that older homes just don’t have sufficient power available to handle the increased demand. As a result, a service change is required. Other common reasons to change out an existing panel are due to obsolete technology.
Electrical Wiring
Most vintage homes will need to upgrade the electrical wiring at some point. The appliances and technology we own now demand a certain level of reliable power. A home renovation is a right time to upgrade your know and tube or aluminum wiring as well as installing new major appliances. If you have to open walls as part of your home renovation consider making upgrades to your electrical wiring while you have open access. This could be the perfect time to update old wiring for safety, efficiency, and modern gadgetry.
If you planning a home renovation in Greater LA / AV, CA we hope you reach out and tell us a bit about your project and your goals. From there, we’d be happy to help you make your dream project a reality.