The electrical systems power almost everything that makes a living in a modern house possible. Electricity powers the cooling system, controls the lighting, and may even be responsible for providing your home with hot water. Electricity also runs all the household appliances that make living in a 21st-century home so convenient.
Yet the electrical wiring is one of the most overlooked systems in your home; you typically don’t think of it until the power goes out. Moreover, most of the system is hidden behind walls, with switches and outlets being the only signs of their presence. As a result, it is tough to tell when there are problems with the home’s electrical system.
But as the McKenna & Vane team says, like everything else in your home, electrical systems must also be cared for. Although you don’t see it happening, electrical systems can age. Circuits wear out, wiring may break, and the entire system can become outdated as new safety new codes come into effect or better devices and materials enter the market.
When these happen, your home’s electrical systems become less efficient and pose a greater risk of electrical fires. Outdated electrical systems cost more to maintain because they are prone to malfunction and are more likely to damage your home appliances. Outdated electrical systems also impair your home’s market value.
Reasons for and benefits of home electrical system upgrades
Unlike other home remodeling projects – for instance, kitchen or bathroom upgrades – which are primarily cosmetic, electrical system upgrades are essential. Because they are vital to the function and safety of your home, they are somehow not optional; at some point, you will be required to do them. Here are some of the benefits of upgrading those electrical systems today.
Safety
Faulty wiring is the number one cause of electrical fires in homes. The older the wiring in a house, the greater the risk of a fire. Worn-out insulation, aged outlets, and outdated circuit breakers are some of the features that contribute to this risk.
Meet your home’s power needs
Older homes are less power-intensive than modern ones. Their electrical systems cannot keep up with the power demands of new appliances – televisions, HVAC units, computers, dryers, home theatres, etc. Modern homes need more amperage than the 60 amps that used to be the standard years ago.
Improve convenience
One way to know if your home’s electrical system is lagging is when there are not enough power outlets in the home. You must rely on ugly (sometimes dangerous) extension cords to get power where you want it. This problem can even force you to alter the arrangement of your furniture and appliances.
Stay up-to-code
Electrical codes change yearly; new standards are constantly implemented to improve safety and performance. Although you don’t have to upgrade your electrical systems every year to keep up with these changing codes, the time comes when your home’s electrical systems will become completely obsolete.
Improve the value of your home
Home buyers want to buy homes that do not require major upgrades and are willing to pay more for the convenience of not having to fix a house by themselves. On the other hand, buyers will punish you by demanding a lower selling price if the home’s electrical systems are out-of-date.
How should you approach the upgrade of your home’s electrical systems? Should you do a wholesale upgrade of the entire wiring or focus on some essential features?
10 essential electrical upgrades for your home
- Upgrade the electrical wiring
The standard wiring system used in homes built in the 1980s and before was knob-and-tube (K&T) wiring or aluminum wiring systems. But these systems posed a greater risk of electric shocks and fires and were often inadequate for a home’s electrical needs.
Although they have been phased out, you can still find them in old homes. If yours is an older home, upgrading the wiring system will make the house safer, and more efficient, and it will also cut down on your home maintenance costs.
- Get rid of outdated electrical panels
Electrical panel upgrades are necessary because the average home today uses 30%-50% more energy than a similar-sized home did in the past. The electrical panel regulates the power that flows into your home from the grid. The panel also distributes that power to the rest of the home.
Your home’s energy use should never exceed 80% of your electrical panel’s capacity. Electrical panel upgrades should balance increased energy use in the home if the electrical panel is to retain its function and efficiency.
- Replace old circuit breaker panels
Circuit breakers protect your home by cutting the power supply when the wires in your electrical system overheat. But circuit breakers are designed to handle specific amounts of electrical load.
Frequent circuit breaker trips are not always due to electrical wires overheating; they are sometimes caused by overloading the electrical circuit, such as when you have too many appliances in the home. The solution to this problem is not to try to stop the breaker from tripping but to install a bigger circuit breaker.
- Install surge protectors
Surge protectors add a second layer of protection to that provided by circuit breakers. While the circuit breaker regulates the amperage to your house, surge protectors regulate the voltage to your appliances. Different home appliances are rated to handle different amounts of voltage. But events like lightning strikes may cause power surges that damage those appliances.
Power surges are rated as one of the most common dangers to sensitive electronic equipment. Installing surge protectors in your home ensures that your appliances will remain safe.
- Add more power outlets
Older homes have fewer outlets, and these two-pronged outlets often need to be in the right places. Aged power outlets contain worn-out parts that make them a fire hazard. They are more prone to power surges along with the risk of electric shocks.
Replacing old outlets and adding new ones with built-in USB adapters will improve convenience and safety. The location of the power outlets in the house will no longer dictate the placement of the furniture and appliances in your home.
- Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)
GFCIs are an essential electrical feature in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, washrooms, or outdoor areas where there is a risk of power outlets coming into contact with moisture. Instead of the circuit breaker tripping and cutting power to the entire house, the GFCI switches off.
GFCIs provide another layer of protection against electrical shocks and fires in your home. They also let you isolate the impact of unexpected events in the electrical circuit to the affected location only.
- Add charging stations to your home
Computers, tablets, Smartphones, and laptops need to be charged constantly. Finding a way to charge them without leaving a trail of wires everywhere in the home is a huge problem.
Charging stations helps you avoid device clutter and the tripping hazard all those tangled wires constitute. By organizing all charging devices in one easily accessible location, charging stations help you create a more pleasant and safer environment.
- Update your light switches and lighting
Single-function light switches that only let you do two things with your lights – switch them on or off – are a thing of the past. Multifunctional light switches offer better ways to control your lighting.
In addition to letting you determine the amount of illumination in rooms, they add an aesthetic flourish to your home. Light switches and lighting features have also evolved to become more energy-efficient and safer. Newer lighting systems do not generate excess heat; they won’t place an additional burden on your AC.
- Upgrade to home automation systems
Smart home features let you remotely control the systems in your home using your voice, Smartphone, or other devices. Even when you are away from your house, you can keep an eye on it and control its various systems.
Popular home automation systems include smart door locks, motion detection security lighting, smart temperature control, smart lighting, and smart outlets.
- Install a smart smoke alarm system
Smart smoke alarm systems are more sophisticated than the one-dimensional analog alarm systems you may use. These newer systems offer better protection because they can detect subtle changes in your home’s temperature.
Smart smoke alarm systems will alert you to a fire faster than older systems will. Their accuracy not only saves lives but makes a huge difference to how much damage a fire does to the home.
Home electrical systems upgrade is an investment more than it is a cost. While an initial investment is involved in installing the new systems, the cost-saving effect of these new systems makes the investment more than worth it. This cost saving comes from better energy usage, lower maintenance costs, and higher property values.
But upgrading your home’s electrical systems can also be a huge financial drain. This can happen when you do these upgrades without first talking to a qualified electrical contractor. Electrical system upgrades are unlike other home upgrades; you cannot DIY them, hire an amateur to do them or get away with choosing a cheap option.
If you are thinking of upgrading your home’s electrical systems, but you are looking for the best upgrades that suit your home’s needs and also fit your budget.
