When the home is saddled with an electrical system “updated” in the 1940’s, one of the requisite upgrades necessary that will be handled via a house call from an electrician.
An older home loaded with architectural charm, but containing an
outdated electrical system and a subpar circuit breaker box will be
quickly overloaded by the demands of today’s electrical devices. A
refrigerator, microwave, programmable coffee maker/ grinder/ espresso
maker, 6 burner range, convection oven and toaster are all standard
equipment in a modern kitchen, but in a home wired for electricity six
decades ago, the system may be unable to support all of these
appliances; and should someone turn on a hair dryer at the same time
that demand is high, that one additional device may cause the circuit to
blow and shut the whole system down. And a teenager attempting to get
ready for school without electricity may blow, or shut down, as well.
An electrician can come into the home and evaluate the existing
electrical system, inquire about the needs and lifestyle of the
homeowners and create a plan for how much of an upgrade will be
necessary to meet those needs. The house may require a complete rewiring
job, which can be done with the inclusion of additional outlets,
switches and lighting features throughout the house. Because of the
sensitivity of some of today’s electronics, it may seem a logical
decision to have the electrician install a whole house surge protector
while running the wires for the new system.
Should a homeowner choose to install outdoor lighting, such as flood
lights or motion sensors, or architectural lighting for a pool or a spa,
an electrician will put in outdoor outlets with GFCI protection
included. If these outlets pose a threat to overstress the current
circuit breaker panel, a sub panel can be wired to redistribute the
load.
Another feature that has become a popular request made of an electrician
is the installation of a standby generator. This device will
automatically switch on when a power outage occurs, providing
electricity to most household appliances, whether or not the homeowner
is present. For individuals who live in a rural area this is vital, as
water is supplied to the home via a well pump; if there is no
electricity, there is no water!
An electrician should be licensed, bonded, insured and certified by the
state they work in ensuring they are aware of all codes for that state
and that they work within the compliance of the standard codes,
requirements and restrictions. Before any work begins, inquire about the
cost of the job that is to be done and if charges are determined by the
size of the job or are calculated at an hourly rate. Also ask if
weekends and after hours are charged at a higher rate. A request for all
expenses to be written out in advance will afford peace of mind that
there will be no surprises in the total due once the job is complete.
