Renovating Your Home? Consider These Electrical Upgrades

Home renovations aim to transform a house’s look and enhance its functionality. One of the most crucial yet often overlooked aspects of a home renovation, especially in older homes, is electrical upgrades. People’s electricity demands rise over the years due to the increased electrical equipment in the house, making it essential to upgrade the existing electrical system. 

A home with old, outdated, and faulty wiring systems increases the risk of fire, electrical shocks, blackouts, constantly tripping circuit breakers, power surges, and other hazards. These upgrades add value to the property, reduce expensive power bills, and keep up with the local and national electric codes.

We recommend homeowners consider the following electrical upgrades while renovating their homes to stay safe:

Replace outdated outlets and install additional outlets

Not having enough outlets is a common issue in every household. Too much reliance on extension cords and power strips signifies that the home needs more electrical outlets. Also, older homes have outdated two-prong outlets that present several electrical hazards. Consider replacing them with new outlets.

GFCI installation

Installing ground fault circuit interrupters has become a standard feature in modern homes, and commonly seen in bathrooms, kitchens, outdoors, and other home areas exposed to water. These are safety devices that immediately turn off the power to an outlet when it encounters water or moisture to prevent further damage. Older homes may not have this essential safety feature, and an electrician can assist in affordable GFCI installations in the required areas to ensure safety.

Electrical wiring 

Renovation presents a perfect opportunity to inspect the old wiring system and rewire the whole house to meet the rising electricity demands. During the renovation, an electrician has easy access to the wiring due to the tore down walls. Old and outdated wiring can overload due to the increased pressure and is a severe safety hazard.

Electrical panel

Any home addition with increased electrical demand during renovation requires upgrading the electrical panel and breaker box. It is crucial to meet contemporary lifestyle demands. Modern households use much more energy than older homes, and old, outdated panels increase the fire risk. New power panels prevent frequent circuit breaker tripping and are a worthy investment towards improving home safety. 

Add surge protectors

Think about installing a whole-house surge protector at the electrical panel to protect the expensive appliances and gadgets from damage. 

Upgrade to a smart home

While planning a home renovation, consider smart electrical upgrades like smart locks, home alarm systems, bulbs, light switches, thermostats and appliances, motion detector sensor lights, and security cameras. They increase convenience, aid in energy savings, and enhance home safety.

Consider LEDs

Lighting is a crucial electrical element, both indoors and outdoors. Replace the old lights with LEDs to significantly reduce power consumption. LEDs are available in a wide range of colors and designs to make the newly renovated space appear bright and lively.

Consider charging stations

The demand for charging ports in the home has increased considerably over the years as every family member has multiple devices that need charging. Adding dedicated charging stations has become a popular electrical upgrade that homeowners consider during a renovation. It frees up the electrical outlets and ports and keeps all the electrical devices in a designated space.

Get an expert electrical contractor

It is not recommended for homeowners to perform any electrical work in the house. Hire a full-service licensed electrical contractor for any help with electrical upgrades during a home renovation.

ACT Electric is a full-service residential and commercial electrical contractor company specializing in electrical installation, repairs, and upgrades, electrical troubleshooting, electrical remodeling, electrical home inspection, and electrical retrofitting. We always prioritize customer comfort and safety. Give us a call at (480) 986-1722 today!