Most people reach out to us and this one question –
“Do I need to upgrade my electrical system during remodeling?”.
Whether you plan to remodel your home or renovate an old one, it’s essential to upgrade your current electrical system to meet today’s safety standards.
Not only the safety but an electrical upgrade helps to increase the resale value of your property. An electrical upgrade may also help to cut down your future expense on the power bills.
Also, on the bright side, your home will comply with the latest local or national codes.
If you have old wiring at home, it can lead to electrical shock if anyone comes in contact with exposed wires. An outdated electrical system can also trip the entire circuit often due to power surges.
Overall, you need to upgrade your current electrical system if you’re planning to remodel the home.
And in this post, we’ll share five major electrical upgrades that you should consider for your home.
Electrical Outlets
If you take most of the old homes, chances are, there will be outdated outlets that don’t have a proper ground wire.
A home remodeling is an excellent time for you to install or upgrade the existing outlets. You may also consider the future and your needs for the next 5 or 10 years. Plan it accordingly and make the upgrades now itself.
With that said, consider upgrading the home office, kitchen, children’s room, and even outdoor spaces. Again, we can barely tell how’s the coming days will look like.
The pandemic has lead most of the workforce to go remote. If you make the upgrades today, then you don’t have to spend much money tomorrow.
You may also upgrade any two-prong outlets during the renovation. That helps you to avoid electrical shocks and fires.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI)
As you may know already, the GFCIs are intuitive outlets that help to immediately turn off the power if any plugged-in devices come in contact with water or moisture.
They’re crucial for areas like the kitchen and bathrooms. They’ll help large-scale load devices such as refrigerators, microwaves, ice makers, and toaster ovens. GFCIs are handy for outdoor areas as well.
GFCIs don’t work by tripping your breakers, but they instantly turn off the outlet that comes in contact with water or moisture to avoid electrical shock and fire.
The bright side is that the GFCIs are inexpensive for an electrician to install. While doing the electrical upgrade, make sure you have sufficient GFCI outlets in your home and the right places.
At Artizan Electric, we’ll help you install the GFCIs on a budget. Call us today (509) 339-9991.
Electrical Panel Upgrade
About 80% of homes in the U.S. are more than 40 years old. They can use about 30 to 50 amps of power.
Appliances today require four or five times more electricity to operate smoothly than in the old days. The old electrical panel can get an overload of power quickly. It may damage the entire circuit or create fire hazards.
If you’re planning to remodel or renovate your home, save it from the regular flickering and circuit breaker trips. And most importantly, protect your expensive gadgets from potential fire hazards.
It’s a must to upgrade your home electrical panel to handle the requirement of modern power needs. Most importantly, an electrical panel upgrade can save you and your family from life hazards.
Upgrade To A Smart Home
Innovative home technology has gone over the roof in the recent decade. More and more companies are coming forward with creative ideas to make your home more convenient. With just the tip of your fingers, you can now control anything in your home. Smart homes are the lights, thermostats, air conditioning, and the home’s safety and security.
A smart home gives you insights into doors unlocked, and lights turned on at night, and much more. At this time, if you’re renovating the house, then consider upgrading it into a smart home.
It’s a future-paced world. You may also want to install an EV charging station in your home for convenient electric vehicle charging.
The Electrical Wiring
As we mentioned earlier, most vintage homes still have ancient wiring systems. The technology of today demands a degree of reliable power. A home renovation might be the perfect time for you to eliminate knob-and-tube or aluminum wirings that can cause potential hazards.
So What’s Your Next Step?
The electrical upgrade seems inevitable when doing a home renovation. It can save you time, energy, and money for years to come.
Our expert electricians at Artizan Electric have expertise in upgrading a home’s entire electrical system.
If you live in Spokane or Eastern Washington, contact us today, and we’ll inspect before you start the home renovation.
We’re also available 24 hours for emergency services.
Contact us on (509) 339-9991, and we’re happy to assist.