A Shocking Improvement: Easy Ways To Upgrade An Older Home's Electrical Systems During A Renovation

Renovating your home can be a long and arduous endeavour, and you might hesitant at the thought of adding any more tasks to your renovation workload. However, a thorough renovation that involves tearing out walls and floors also presents a rare opportunity to inspect your home's electrical wiring, sockets and other electrical installations.

Of course, tackling any flaws or shortcoming with your home's electricity can be dangerous work, especially without the proper knowledge, so you should call in professional electricians to inspect and, if necessary, repair and upgrade any systems found lacking. Here are some of the ways electricians can help you swiftly enhance the electrical capabilities of your home:

Repairing faulty wiring

The integral wiring that runs through the floors and walls of any modern home is mostly hidden from view, so a home renovation is the best time to make sure your building's wiring is everything it should be. Check for any visible wires that have become obviously frayed or corroded, and have them professionally replaced and upgraded as soon as possible.

Of course, it's hardly likely that every inch of your wiring will be exposed by the renovation process, but you can still inspect the wiring that remains hidden for faults. Electricians can hook up special detectors to your newly exposed wires that detect unusual resistance or loss of power throughout your entire home's wiring network. If any of these abnormal readings are detected (a telling sign of wire degradation), the offending wiring can be exposed and replaced without the need to tear down all your walls looking for a single fault.

Upgrading sockets and outlets

A renovation is a good time to check the integrity of your wall sockets. Aging wall sockets and outlets, particularly ones that have become old and worn and no longer hold plugs in place security, can be easily replaced without disruption.

However, this is also a good time to install more outlets, a particularly worthwhile task if your home is older and does not feature enough sockets to keep up with the demands of modern digital technology. As well as installing these new sockets for you, electricians will also be able to advise you on the best places to install them to maximise their utility.

Installing surge protectors and GFCIs

Many older homes have dated electrical wiring systems, and do not feature modern measures put in place to protect against power surges and other interruptions. If you are renovating an older home, it's generally worthwhile to call in electricians to inspect your home's electrical safety measures and bring them up to modern safety standards.

This generally involves the installation of two key components; surge protectors, which protect appliances against power spikes in your main power supply, and GFCIs (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), which automatically shut off electrical power if they sense that a power-drawing appliance has become wet and submerged. These additions can be particularly valuable in older rural homes, as these properties rarely see renovation and are especially vulnerable to both power surges and flooding.

About Me

Contractors for Big and Small Jobs

Do you need a contractor to help around the house? Are you planning on remodeling, adding an extension, pouring a new driveway, doing landscape or starting another home project? Then, this blog is for you. However, it also has posts for construction professionals who hire contractors in the course of a project. If you are looking for tips on how to manage contracting teams, ideas for hiring equipment, employment questions or related information, this blog is also for you. Welcome. My name is Tom. Through the years, I have managed a large construction company and hired a lot of contractors to do work on the investment properties I own. Now, that I've stepped back from working full time, I decided to start a blog with tips for consumers and business owners. Enjoy.

Search

Latest Posts

31 January 2024
Whether you're redecorating your home or planning to spruce up your office space, painting is one of the quickest and most affordable ways to give any

27 November 2023
If you're involved in any kind of construction or renovation project, you know that choosing the right materials is crucial. From cement and bricks to

14 August 2023
Every building you see started with a vision. Bringing that vision to life likely required meticulous planning and preparation. As the backbone of mos