Upgrading your electrical service can be expensive and messy, but often, it is most important to ensure superior protection and safety of your home and family. Everything might seem okay – the refrigerator is keeping food cold; the television is working fine; laptop is charging well! But what you cannot see is that your electrical system can be too old to take any more pressure. You might not see it now, but the wiring is depleting somewhere, putting your home, family and other valuables at risk of short circuit and fire. And that is the last thing you would want to happen, right?
Upgrading your home’s electrical service can be intimidating and expensive, but with comprehensive planning, you can turn it into a fantastic proposition to add new features to your home and increase its value. At the most, a sheer investment in electrical service upgrade is always worth ensuring superior safety of your home and family. Call professional electricians in Croydon to inspect your electrical system and provide optimal solutions.
Safety Issues with Old Electrical Service
According to a study in 2009, faulty wiring is the major cause of fires at homes. The older the house is, the greater are the chances that your electrical system is unsafe and outdated. Moreover, if you aren’t sure whether the electrical wiring meets the safety standards, you put your home to more danger. Furthermore, wire insulation may deteriorate over time, causing significant damages. Some of the issues that you typically face with old and faulty electrical service are:
- Dimming or frequently flickering lights
- Fuses blow off repeatedly and breakers trip
- Two-prong outlets throughout the house that are ungrounded
- Persistent burning smell from an appliance or room
- Discolored, hot, and sparking electrical outlets
- Tingling sensation when you touch a switch or an appliance
- Lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets in bathrooms, kitchen, and other moisture-exposed areas
All these are just the signs that your electrical service might be old and depleted, and needs upgrading if you wish to prevent major catastrophes.
Meet the Needs of Growing Power Usage
Decades ago, 60amps happened to be the standard consumption rate for household power. Over the years, this has increased to a whopping figure of 200amps, powering flat-screen television, air conditioners, computer, electrical appliances, and other gadgets. Therefore, it is important to upgrade your electrical service to meet growing power consumption rate. After all, you can’t resist these expensive valuables going hay-fire due to significant voltage drops or short circuit.
Replace Aluminum Wiring
If your house is one that’s built around the 1960s and 70s, perhaps the electrical system is done with aluminum wiring. It is certainly a safety hazard because they aluminum wiring connection loosen over time, and can cause overheating and even fires at receptacles when electrical appliances are plugged in. Upgrading your electrical service to the standard copper wire and connectors can resolve potential hazards.
While upgrading your electrical service, it is also important to consider your future power needs. This will ensure comprehensive and long-term protection of your home and family from any kind of electrical hazards. Only expert electricians in Croydon can inspect your home’s electrical wiring and provide safety solutions.
