Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Electrical Upgrades for older homes


Electrical Upgrades for Older Homes

Many people dream of purchasing an old or historic home and fixing it up to meet the demands of modern living. However, there are several updates that will usually need to be made to make the home safe to live in, and to make it compliant with local laws.

One of the most important updates you can make is to the home’s electrical system. An outdated system will...
not be able to meet the demands of modern appliances, and could even cause a house fire. Consulting with an electrician is highly recommended for anyone interested in purchasing an older home. A licensed electrician can help itemize all the details needed to modernize the home, perform the work safely and guide the project through any required inspections.

Here are a few tasks an electrician can do to upgrade your older home:

Upgrade the system. Upgrading from a fuse box to breakers will eliminate the need to replace fuses in the dark during the most inopportune times, and you will be protected against fire more efficiently.

Update wiring. Wire that is worn or undersized may need to be replaced to bring the electrical service up to code. It will also help to prevent a house fire.

Install additional outlets. Many older homes have only a few electrical outlets. An experienced electrician will understand how to run more wiring for additional outlets. An electrician can also install three-prong outlets to accommodate large appliances.

Install ground wiring. Another concern is the lack of ground wiring in older homes. In newer homes, three wires are run to the receptacle: a hot wire, a neutral wire and a ground wire. The ground wire protects against faults.

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