Growing families and aging houses combine to create a need for home improvement projects big and small. You may be adding a second story over your attached garage while your neighbor puts on a new roof, but each job has one thing in common: a need for professional electrical work. A lot depends on the size of your project and the age of your house, but a professional electrical contractor will work with you to determine what factors you need to consider before starting on your home improvement project.
#1: New Wiring
If you’re adding a room onto your home, you’ll need to look at your wiring needs before you finalize your plans. You should work with a licensed electrician from the very beginning to determine the amount of power you’ll need running through the room, the number of outlets that are necessary, and any lighting fixtures you might want to install. This should all be part of the original planning stage before any actual work begins.
#2: Upgraded Wiring
Your basic house structure is solid, but you don’t like the old-fashioned moldings and you’re using the room much more than you used to. You may not need an entirely new set of electrical wiring, but an upgrade may be in order. Adding more outlets to a room due to increased entertainment use may put a strain on your system. Older fuse boxes should be replaced by modern circuit breakers, and old wiring should be inspected to make sure it’s still in good condition.
#3: Outlets and Switches
Upgrading a bedroom or dining room may call for installing a dimmer switch to help with the mood as well as controlling electrical costs. High efficiency fixtures combined with dimmer switches can enhance any room while saving money.
Any room which can contain moisture should be equipped with GFCI outlets, including:
- Bathrooms
- Garage
- Workshop
- Backyard
- Kitchen
- Wet bar area of basement
- Hot tub
- Pool area
#4: Lightning Safety
Every home improvement project that includes a new roof should have lightning protection installed in the form of air terminals, also known as lightning rods. These short, unobtrusive poles allow lightning that strikes your home to be harmlessly diverted into a grounding pad away from your house, prevent electrical and fire damage. In addition, a contractor will advise additional protection in the form of surge suppression, to ensure the safe operation of your delicate electronics during sudden power outages due to lightning.
#5: Energy Savings
Instead of replacing old materials with newer versions of the same type, consider changing them completely to more efficient and less expensive energy-saver varieties. All light bulbs can be improved upon by changing them out for LED lighting systems. They run cooler, use less power, and give off a brighter light than older incandescent bulbs. For fluorescent lights in basements, kitchens, and hobby rooms, replacing the ballast in each light for new, high efficiency models can save power and add to a greener lifestyle. Even a simple study of the way your family uses the rooms can reveal wasted electrical power and ways to rearrange your living space to make the most of what you’ve already got going in each area.
When you’re considering a home improvement project, don’t neglect the residential wiring aspects – it will just cost you more in the long term if you do.
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