Essential Factors To Consider When Making Electrical Upgrades With Your Electrician | Myrtle Beach, SC

7/27/2020

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Some homes in Myrtle Beach, SC, were built more than 40 years ago; hence they have electrical systems that may not handle today’s electrical needs. Therefore, an electric service upgrade is a safety necessity because an outdated electrical system trying to handle modern electricity is downright dangerous.

The average standard for household power used to be at 60 amps. Currently, homes need 200 amps to power air conditioners, flat-screen TVs, computer equipment, and many other modern household electrical gadgets. This has prompted most homeowners to opt for electrical upgrades on their properties to accommodate the gadgets’ energy requirements.

Electrical upgrades provide solutions for tripping breakers or flickering lights due to few outlets for the many modern appliances and prevent fire accidents and electric shock originating from power hitches.

Some of the electrical upgrades that electricians handle include rewiring and rerouting, installing modern light switch features, panel upgrades, and the integration of smart home features.

Below are some factors to have in mind when making such transitions:

Knowledge of your home’s electrical grid

Before booking an electrician appointment, you should be well-versed in the functionality of your electrical system. You should know whether your electrical system works with breaker panels or fuse boxes and identify how the rooms and appliances in the house are wired.

Also, you need to understand the full scope of your electrical needs by knowing the local codes and permits, thereby giving you basic knowledge of the appropriate type of wiring to be used and the number of outlets installed in each room. However, it’s advised to have a certified electrician conduct comprehensive inspections in larger residential houses.

Choose modern lighting options

When making electrical upgrades, it’s recommended to use low ceiling lighting to increase your home’s aesthetic appeal. You may also consider extrusion lighting, which provides a more sleek and commercial look. According to expert electricians, adding automated lighting solutions should be a priority to guarantee the utmost comfort.

Professionals suggest that when making electrical upgrades related to lighting, you should ensure that the changes are implemented objectively or risk integrating lighting trends that won’t last long. It would be best if you kept in mind other lighting solutions: wall washes, low hallway wall lights, floor lamps, pendants, and step lights.

The current condition of your electrical system matters

You may advise technicians to reuse old wiring, switches, and other electrical components to save on money and time spent shopping for new material. Even though it is possible at times, the quality of reused electrical components is not always guaranteed, thereby making such decisions potentially detrimental to your home’s appeal.

As such, homeowners should always opt for new electrical components during the electric system or property upgrades. This prevents financial loss resulting from property damaged because of faulty, aging, or malfunctioning electric units.

Know your home’s specific electrical needs

Some of the reasons that would prompt electrical systems revamp for your home include having an outdated panel unit that doesn’t support the addition of more circuits, poor quality of the existing components, and increased utility needs inside your homestead.

As pre-mentioned, traditional homes did not have the electrical capacity to handle modern devices and appliances. In this regard, when making electrical system improvements under these circumstances, clients should contact certified electricians who assist in installing new outlets, grounding, and panels and running new wires. They also calculate your home’s electrical capacity and upgrade the service accordingly.

Pay attention to the switches and ground fault circuit interrupters

Lighting switches are an essential part of the electrical system that any homeowner should pay attention to when making electrical upgrades. With several stylish options available in the market, a professional can assist with the installation and customized replacement of switch interfaces.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, also known as GFCIs, are another critical consideration to make during electrical upgrades. These components are safety devices whose installation is recommended by electricians to prevent accidental electric shocks, especially during wet seasons. They are required under code stipulations in kitchens and bathrooms where you come into constant contact with water.

These components immediately cut off the power supply when a plugged-in appliance comes into contact with water. Therefore, having GFCIs installed goes a long way in ensuring the safety of your property.

The powerpoint placement is key

Home renovations are done to accommodate more members, and the increase reflects on your home’s energy requirements. During such instances, it’s crucial to account for the increased number of people when making electrical upgrades by adding more power outlets.

Electricians can assist in planning on how many outlets are required and factor these aspects into the calculation of your home’s overall load demand. You can have your trusted electrician install new power outlets in kids’ rooms that require TVs and video games, home offices that use computers and other peripherals, kitchens that require new appliances, and select areas in outdoor spaces.

Be keen on your home’s wiring

When making electrical revamps or home renovations, the wiring network is bound to get tampered with. Professionals focus on the wiring size to ensure it matches the building or property’s energy requirements. When the two are incompatible, they increase the risk of fires. By increasing the number of outlets in a circuit, homeowners may force excess current through the circuit.

As such, an increase in amps should be complemented with the installation of new circuits. The experts also make sure they’ve safely secured the wiring with staples to prevent damage. They inspect improper wire connections and lengths according to code regulations and provide solutions for unprotected wires.

An electrician, you can trust

A complete electrical service upgrade is a complex job that requires an experienced professional for quality and safety reasons. It’s done to upgrade the electrical service to 200 amps, which is the required standard. However, an upgrade to 400 amps may be necessary, depending on the homeowner’s electrical needs.

Call the experienced Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach, an electrical service contractor that’s been serving the Myrtle Beach, SC, area since 2010. Besides assisting with the implementation of electrical upgrades, our technicians install new electrical appliances, fix faulty outlets, perform general electrical repairs, handle interior and exterior lighting services, and offer emergency electrical services.