Everyone understands that electricians do critical work. They install the wiring, plugs, and circuit breakers that make all of our modern conveniences possible. Typically, when homeowners hire contractors to build or renovate a room, electricians are simply an addendum to that project. Are you installing a new air conditioner for the second floor just finished? It is best to hire a subcontractor to connect the system to the panel box. While these additional tasks are a perfect application for an electrical license, there are many reasons why you can hire electricians simply to update your home’s electrical installation.
From fuses to circuit breakers
Many people still use the term “fuse box” to describe the circuit breaker panel hidden in a wall somewhere in their home. While this term is inaccurate for almost all modern homes, it describes a problem that many older homeowners have without knowing it. Before the advent of circuit breakers, all lights, appliances, and electrical outlets went to the same panel, which had a series of fuses inside. The fuses worked the same way as traditional light bulbs; They worked until the inner filament burned out, at which point they must be replaced.
Today, replacing a fuse is a hassle compared to the convenience of flipping a circuit breaker. If your home still has a real fuse box, an electrical contractor can install a circuit breaker panel with relative ease. This upgrade will not only add modern convenience, but also reduce the electrical load on each main fuse, allowing major appliances to each have their own dedicated circuit breaker. This means that you can have more appliances that require a greater amount of energy without risking a power surge.
Rewired
When viewed as an isolated project, rewiring your entire home is simply not worth the cost. However, the biggest rewiring expense comes from tearing down sections of the wall to access the cables. If you’ve already opened the wall for a remodel project, rewiring has minimal cost and has significant benefits. Most old houses had all the wiring when they were built. The original wiring work is unlikely to meet today’s rigorous code standards. Electrical contractors simply have better methods and techniques now than they did 30 years ago. Rewiring will not only make your system more secure, it can also increase the resale value of your home. As with anything else, the cables will eventually need to be replaced to avoid the risk of fire. If you ever decide to move, being able to tell a potential buyer that much of the wiring is new will make them feel much more comfortable buying your home.
While these are just two simple upgrades, there are a multitude of projects electricians can do to improve the effectiveness of your home’s electrical system. Do your home and family, as well as the next family in your household, a favor and get a consultation from an electrical contractor today. Ask them to give you an overview of all the potential improvements they can make and decide for yourself what to tackle first.