Is Your Electrical System Overworked?

By Elliot | January 14, 2015

Upgrading your home with a hot tub or spa or adding a home theatre or home office may require more than new equipment purchases. When redecorating, you are instantly rewarded with a beautiful new look. But equally important are changes that are not visual but improve your lifestyle. If you cannot use your microwave and coffeemaker simultaneously, your electrical system may be seriously challenged.

Overworked Electrical

Make Your House Future-Ready
For most homes, 150-200 amp service is recommended. According to the Leviton Institute, a 200-amp service panel will give you enough power to enjoy your home theatre while running the washing machine and dishwasher and ensure that your home is ready for the future.

Call An Electrician
Since most of us don’t have the luxury of completely rewiring our homes, the next best thing is to upgrade to a new service panel and keep what we can of our existing wiring. Installing a service panel is not a do-it-yourself job, and many local codes don’t allow it, so call an electrician. The average cost for an upgrade to a 3-wire, grounded, 200-amp system is approximately $2800-$3000. This money is well spent because it adds value to your home and also provides peace of mind.

Breakers and Service Panels
Circuit breakers and fuse boxes protect your home from an electrical fire caused by an overload or short circuit. Breakers come in 15, 20, 30 amps, etc. and must be used with matching circuits. Never use a 20-amp breaker on a 15-amp circuit because the wire will carry more current than it’s rated for and the breaker won’t trip. Most service panels have a single main service disconnect in the form of an individual breaker or a series of high-amperage breakers connected together. Your electrician will create a panel board or circuit directory that lists the circuits for every location in your home.

Whatever your service need, contact an electrician for a safe system that will meet local codes and keep your house powered safely and sufficiently for years to come.

Courtesy: Homeservice Club

 

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