Older homes can be beautiful. Some of them have stunning woodwork and craftsmanship that take our breath away. Not only that, but older homes can have real character – something that today’s “cookie-cutter” homes just don’t have.
If you bought an old home, there’s a lot to consider, namely the possibility of lead paint, old plumbing pipes, and of course...old electrical wiring. We must remember that everything has a shelf life and old electrical wiring is one thing that we cannot ignore for practicality and safety reasons. After all, electrical systems built in the 1950s and 1960s (or earlier) were not designed to keep up with our modern electrical demands.
Celebrate Your Home’s Age
You probably bought your home because you love its age. So, whether your home is 40, 50 or even 100 plus years-old, you can celebrate its age by hiring a professional electrical contractor to come in and conduct an electrical safety inspection. If your home’s electrical system hasn’t been updated in decades, it’s important to know if its current electrical system can stand up to your family’s demands on the electrical current.
You need to find out:
- Do you need to replace an old circuit breaker box?
- Do you have an old, outdated electrical panel that poses electrical hazards that can lead to a house fire?
- Do you have a breaker problem? If they keep tripping, you should get help from an electrician.
- Do you have a fire extinguisher handy in case you have an electrical fire?
- Do you have warm or hot outlets? If so, you have a problem.
- Do you have flickering lights? If so, you probably need to repair or replace the electrical panel.
We want homeowners to know that by its nature, electrical work is very dangerous and it is not a DIY project. Please do NOT attempt to do electrical work in your home. To make sure the electrical system in your older home is safe and up to code, contact us to schedule a service call with an Atlanta electrical contractor.
Related: How to Reduce Home Electrical Costs