Renovating a Historic Home’s Electrical System
Tips for Safely and Efficiently Updating Your Home Wiring
As Springfield, San Marco and other areas of Jacksonville and Northeast Florida enter their renovation renaissance, many homes built as early as the late 1800’s will start to experience the power demands of today’s world. It’s important that these homes be done properly to ensure the safety of those families and their neighbors. Here are some tips to safely upgrade your historic homes.
Create a Home Electrical Diagram
We’ve all seen how electrical panels are labeled. It’s not always easy to read or accurate. This is why it is important to have your own diagram. Start by drawing a rough outline of your floor plan or even just listing the rooms and every switch, electrical outlet and light fixture there. Be sure to include ceiling fans even if they don’t have a light attachment. Then with the help of a friend and a low power item, like a small lamp, test each of the circuit breakers and write down what is connected to what breaker.
Figure Out What Changes or Additions You Need
Once you have what exists written down, start to make a list of what items you need to move or add. Be sure to notate things like the need for 110 or 220 outlets, data ethernet ports or phone lines. Think about the position of items like your internet modem and router. Go room-by-room and write these down.
Get to Know Your Style
Home electrical upgrades come in many shapes and sizes now. Lighting can be used in new and innovative ways to create beautiful scenes. Take the time to look through photos of other homes or work with your electrician’s designer to see what upgrades you can do to create a huge impact in your home’s curb and interior appeal.
Find an Electrician
It is always best to work with a licensed electrician when working on an older home. This not only ensures your safety, but can also reduce your risk: from things like knowing what permits to pull to making sure what you buy matches what the system can handle. You can start with family and friend recommendations. When you do, though, be sure to find out what kind of work was done. Some people are willing to recommend who they liked, but may not have used them for the size and scope of the project you are doing. You can also look at online reviews, but be sure to dive into the reviews to make sure you see your kind of project and consistency from previous customers. Be open to talking to more than one and asking them questions. Here are a few sample questions:
- Are you licensed and insured?
- Who from your company will work on my project and what is their level of training and experience with this type of work?
- What kind of safety rating do they have?
- Are you willing to provide referrals from previous customers?
Have Your Wiring and Panel(s) Inspected
Now that you have a plan and an electrician, it’s time to know your home. A licensed electrician will verify your diagram while looking for signs of loose or degraded wiring and other safety concerns. Your panel will be inspected and you should get a recommendation of keeping or replacing that panel based on your electrical needs and the proper calculations.
Be Sure to Know You Have All the Options
It used to be that a complete home rewire was needed for almost any old home renovation. Recent developments now offer solutions that can cost less and still be as safe. If your electrician has not explained other solutions than a total rewire to you (even to show why they may not work for you), consider getting a second opinion from a reliable company.
Make Sure the Work is Done Right and Tested
As the project progresses, be sure your electrician is sharing progress with you. Keep a checklist of what you agreed to have done and go back to it along the way. As the project comes along, your electrician should be testing what has been installed to make sure everything is safe.
A historic home is a beautiful thing and when the electric work is done right, can be just as comfortable and convenient as a newly built home.
American Electrical Contracting has renovated historic home electrical systems in Jacksonville for over 20 years. We hold one of the highest safety ratings in our industry and are the highest-reviewed electrical companies in Northeast Florida. If you want your historic home looked at by a trusted company, contact us. We are always happy to help.