How to Upgrade Your Home’s Electrical Systems

Imagine going through your day-to-day life and you realize a burning smell from one of your rooms or appliances. Or maybe you notice that your electrical bill is way too high for a residence the size of yours. Those are alarming signs that your electrical system needs upgrading ASAP, and most people pay instant attention to them; rightly so, as this kind of problem can lead to major hazards inside the household.

In other instances, a home’s electrical system sends milder signs of trouble, and unfortunately, most people disregard them. Light switches feeling hotter than they should, or fuses and light bulbs blowing frequently can only mean your system is outdated. Among other signs you might notice are the constant flickering or dimming of lights, a tingling sensation whenever you touch any of your appliances, or your breakers tripping regularly. If it doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t, so you’d better start dealing with it right away. 

A Step By Step Guide To Upgrading Your Homes’ Electrical Systems

Whether you’re refreshing your house, investing in a fixer-upper, or selling your own home, your knowledge of electrical systems can give you the upper hand in the heated real estate market. Even your realtors’ top financing tips will be for you to invest in a place with an up-to-date system. So, why not educate yourself about the topic early on and have a good idea of where to start and how to go forward with upcoming electrical system upgrades.  

Replace The Existing Meter

Electrical meters measure the amount of energy a house consumes over a certain time interval. This is then used by electricity providers for billing purposes. Most old-school meters need to be read by a meter reader every billing cycle and are pretty hard to monitor. Plus, the older they get, the more risks they pose, from burning out to catching fire. That’s why many people are replacing their older meters with smart meters; they really save you a lot of hassle with fewer faulty readings and an easily manageable billing process. Also, if you live in one of the greenest cities in California, chances are that your neighbors have all opted for the smarter version already — and that should be your cue. 

Replace Circuit Breakers

Circuit breakers are the first line of defense in the household and the protectors of families and appliances alike. A defect in one or more of your breakers may cause a giant safety hazard. Even though circuit breakers have a long life of about 25 to 30 years, it is always a good idea to get them checked every once in a while. But if one of yours malfunctions, breaks, or is old enough, you need to replace them immediately. And don’t you worry, you’ll see the signs of malfunctioning clearly in the form of dimming lights and bad smells.    

Replace Electrical Panel 

To put it plainly, an electrical panel is where all of your home’s circuit breakers reside. It usually comes in the form of a metal box with a door—now you know it. An electric panel can be the safest thing in your household or the most dangerous, depending on how well you maintain or upgrade it whenever needed. When functioning normally, an electrical panel is the main power line to the home and distributes current to all its different circuits. All the fuses or circuit breakers assure that there are no over-currents in your house. To ensure safety, most people choose to go for a complete electrical panel upgrade, which allows them to have more power to distribute. And even though the cost to upgrade your electrical panel isn’t cheap, it surely is worth your dime. 

Pull All Necessary Permits For Panel Upgrades 

Now you know when and how to upgrade your electrical panel. There’s just one small detail you can’t dismiss: acquiring an electrical permit from the state of California. Prior to the installation of a new panel or the upgrading of your existing one, you need a permit. Don’t forget to ask for a permit even if you're just increasing the size of the panel or main service. 

Add Extra Circuits

Sometimes you have to face the reality that your house may be running out of power capacity. This means it’s time to add more circuits to keep up with your daily usage. First, you have to plan and wire the circuits, and then you need to install new breakers. Luckily, there’s always more room in the electrical panel than meets the eye, so just go ahead without having a worry in the world.  

Replace Traditional Light Bulbs With LEDs

LED bulbs are not only the more cost-effective alternatives to conventional ones, but they also reduce spending on energy by an estimated 80 percent. Even though replacing your light bulbs with LED might be a bit costly up-front, you’ll soon reap the benefits of it. Replacing existing bulbs with LEDs is an essential part of any house’s electrical panel upgrade, and it’ll even make your house look a lot brighter. 

Get A Smart Thermostat

It’s time to toss your old thermostat in the trash and go on a quest to buy a smart one. The benefits of replacing the old with the new are massive, and once you witness them, you’ll never look back. The smarter the thermostat, the better it understands your wants and needs, all thanks to the Wi-Fi sensors and advanced algorithms. Once you make the purchase and installation, you can rest assured that your home will be cooled or heated just the way you like it, as soon as you arrive — that’s an investment worth making. 

Bring In the Professionals 

DIYing yourself around electricity is never a good idea unless you're changing a lightbulb or organizing cables. Now that you know what needs to be taken care of, make sure to use the knowledge to have helpful discussions with your professional electrician. And don’t you worry, you’ll never run short of professional electric service providers in California. Make sure your family and all of your appliances are safe by allowing the professionals at A-Home Electric to handle the upgrades for you.

Our home’s electrical system is the unsung hero of our everyday lives, and the only time we ever think about it is when there’s a power cut, a problem, or a plan to sell the house. Up until then, we literally don’t know the slightest thing about it because, well, we take the lights of our lives for granted. Whether you’re a first-time home-buyer or putting up your bachelor house for sale, you have to deal with electrical systems sooner or later — and when it comes to electricity, the sooner is surely the better. Upgrade your home’s electrical system now by following the basic set of rules before it fails you after years of being ignored. And remember that an upgraded house always has a higher resale value.

Signs You Need To Upgrade Your Home’s Electrical System Right Now