One of the most exciting decisions you’ll ever make as a homeowner is remodeling. Whether you’re thinking about changing the basement, kitchen, bathroom or the exterior, you should take every aspect of the room into consideration. One thing that gets overlooked fairly often by homeowners is their electrical wiring. It’s important for people to update their electrical services whenever they make improvements and upgrades to their properties.
Although many people tend to do this later on after they realize they’ve missed something, it’s much harder and more time-consuming to do them at that point. Also, depending on the type of improvements that were made, they may have to go back and dismantle some things just so they can redo the wiring. Before any home improvements and upgrades are made, it’s best to tackle the electrical wiring first.
Electrical Services and Outlets
Many of today’s appliances are more energy efficient than ever. The average home is using 30 to 50 percent more energy than ever. However, they also have different electrical demands than older appliances. It is important for homeowners to understand that they should upgrade their electrical services every few years and every time they make improvements to their home. Many homes are already wired for 120V. However, many newer appliances require 220V. If you don’t have many electrical outlets that are wired to handle electrical loads of 220V, then you should add some.
It’s imperative that any electrical outlets that are added are safe. Electrical outlet installation is not as easy as they seem. There are electrical codes that need to be adhered to so that there aren’t any safety issues in the future. Even though you have many different types of electrical receptacles and covers for you to consider, not all of them are going to be suitable for your home’s electrical needs. If you think about it, you’ve probably noticed that some of the electrical outlets in your home already have different plug shapes.
Lighting and Fixtures
No matter what kind of renovations you plan to do to your home, don’t forget to take into consideration the lighting and fixtures. Instead of using the existing lighting fixtures, why not install some new ones in some new locations. The goal of renovations is for you to improve the look and function of your living space. You can’t do that if you aren’t willing to change things up. In order for you to make the most of the opportunity, you may want to hire a design consultant or ask your electrical services provider for recommendations.
Appliances and Electronics
Think about the kind of appliances and electronics you have in your home. If you plan to purchase more within the next few months, you should take your electrical requirements into consideration during your renovations. If necessary, you may need to research the electrical specifications of any appliances and electronics that you’ll be adding in advance so you don’t have to go back to have any additional electrical work done in the near future.
Make sure that no matter what kind of upgrades and renovations you make that you hire a professional electrical services contractor first. Don’t cut corners and try to hire someone who is not licensed, bonded, insured and credentialed to perform electrical work.
Choose a professional company that you would want to hire again in the future. Remember, even after your renovations are complete, in the next five to seven years, you should update your home’s wiring again. For more advice about your electrical services, contact Gervais Electric at (615) 965-8420.
