How Do I Know if My Wiring Needs Updating?
You might notice one or more of many possible signs with your home's electrical system indicating you need a home electrical wiring update. Mr. Electric of Edmonton has performed home wiring updates for countless homeowners with older homes and outdated wiring using our years of expertise and quick, efficient service. Our technicians also understand the latest electrical code updates and perform wiring updates and installations to comply with them. The following examples of home wiring situations indicate you need to update your home's electrical wiring:
You Have Old House Wiring
Rewiring a home's electrical system is a substantial and complex job. Fortunately, Mr. Electric of Edmonton's licensed electrical experts don't always need to replace wiring completely in an old home. However, we will typically need to remove and replace some wiring in an older home. For instance, aluminum wiring found in homes built in the 1960s and 1970s is a widely recognized electrical safety hazard. There are other examples of hazardous wiring, such as pre-1930s homes with knob and tube wiring and homes built in the 1940s and 1950s with non-metallic wiring. Our electricians also replace frayed wires and loose connections resulting from wear and tear over time and botched do-it-yourself projects.
You Have Ungrounded, Two-Pronged Outlets
Mr. Electric of Edmonton is well-versed in various signs indicating a home has an outdated electrical system. One clear sign your home needs wiring updates is ungrounded, two-pronged outlets. These outlets are a substantial safety hazard that endangers your electronics and your family. Because of their lack of proper grounding, two-pronged outlets' electrical excesses don't have anywhere to go but into devices or people in contact with them. Even using a surge protector to power devices might not provide the protection you need for you and your devices from electrical excess. You can drop your shock risks quickly and safely by scheduling a visit from our technicians to install grounded wires and three-pronged outlets.
You're Missing GFCIs
GFCI outlets are easy to identify with the "Test" and "Reset" buttons on their receptacles. GFCIs protect your family and devices against electrical shock in high-moisture areas in and around your home. According to the current electrical code, homeowners are required to have GFCI outlets in their kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, garages, utility rooms, unfinished basements, crawlspaces, spa or pool areas, and other areas. Generally, you also need to install GFCIs in all electrified areas outside your home. You risk a painful and dangerous shock if these residential areas don't have these inexpensive and easy-to-install devices.
You're Missing AFCIs
AFCIs are essential to ensure your family has safe and reliable energy use inside and outside your home. This technology prevents fire by acting like a circuit breaker. An AFCI outlet disconnects power when a potentially dangerous arc occurs. The Canadian electrical code requires all outlets in residential settings to be AFCI protected with only a few exceptions.
Your Appliance Outlets Are Insufficient
Not all outlets in your home are the same. For example, outlets designated to power appliances like ovens, washers, and dryers must safely draw a significant amount of electricity to power them to perform at their best. Home appliances haven't always needed special plugs in homes, but today, you need a 240-volt outlet in your home for each modern, heavy-duty appliance. Older electrical systems are known to have three-pronged plug wiring. Most of the latest 240 plugs feature four prongs to enhance electrical safety because they have a ground wire addition.
Your Home's Electrical Panel is Inadequate
Do you know how many amps your home requires to power all devices and appliances connected to its electrical system? 60-amp breaker wiring was sufficient for homes at least two decades ago, but contemporary homes generally require 100 to 200 amps to safely and sufficiently power all electronics and appliances a household uses simultaneously. These devices and appliances include mobile devices, flat-screen televisions, refrigerators, and air conditioners. Installing upgraded breaker box wiring is a homeowner's best option to ensure it meets your home's increasing energy demands.
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