The Benefits Of Rewiring Older Homes
Is your house more than 40 years old? If so, then consider speaking with a home electrician near Frederick about your wiring. If you have an older home, then there are several ways in which you could benefit from having it rewired.
Improved Safety
While being older doesn’t inherently make your home’s electrical system dangerous, it can be difficult to determine if its wiring is up to code. Also, natural conditions can cause the wiring or its insulation to deteriorate, which can present a danger. In addition to these issues, some homes that were built in the 60s and 70s contain aluminum wiring, which is now considered to be a potential hazard because it can overheat and even start a fire. For these reasons, it can make sense to rewire older homes to improve their safety. If you don’t know when your home’s electrical wiring was last checked, then consider calling a certified electrician to schedule an inspection. The following are a few signs that your home’s wiring could be unsafe:
- Outlets that spark, feel warm or are discolored
- Dimming or flickering lights
- The presence of ungrounded, 2-pronged outlets
- Repeatedly tripped breakers or blown fuses
- A persistent burning smell
- Feeling a tingling sensation when you touch an appliance
- A lack of GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets in your bathrooms or kitchen
Greater Power
Most homes that were built and wired decades ago do not have electrical systems that are designed to handle the power demands of today’s devices. In the past, 60 amps was the standard amount of power needed for many appliances, while those of today require closer to 200 amps. If you have an older home, then there is a good chance that it should be rewired to provide enough power for items like flat-screen TVs, air conditioners, and computer equipment. Following an inspection, if your electrician recommends rewiring, then it can be a smart decision to account for future power needs by adding new structured wiring throughout your home.