One home improvement task that all homeowners should seriously consider doing is an overall check and plan for electrical upgrades. Electrical upgrades are a home renovation task that many tend to overlook.

Rather than waiting until something breaks, burns, or otherwise fails, go ahead and start making these upgrades. You know, before they become a problem!

Overall Re-wiring

If your home was built more than 40 years ago, you may want to consider having your home re-wired. It is quite a project when you look at the details, but it’s one that is worth it!  We talk about this also in our post about Common Electrical Concerns For Older Homes.

Along with the re-wiring, the electrician that comes out might recommend upgrading your electrical service panel. This may be necessary so your panel is better able to handle the high output of today’s electronics and appliances. Remember, we won’t recommend what isn’t absolutely needed!

Re-wiring a house is an investment, but to improve the safety and efficiency of your home, it is well worth it. This project can also help to increase the value of your home!

If you are not ready for a complete system upgrade or your house is not that old – there are other, smaller projects that can still save you money. Remember, every bit adds up!

Thermostats

If you haven’t upgraded already, it is time to upgrade to a programmable thermostat. They are handy! Programmable thermostats allow you to keep a comfortable temperature set to your specifications. You can set yours to automatically use less energy during the day when no one is home, keep a perfect temperature during the rest of the day, and a cooler setting overnight so you sleep better.

Exhaust Fans

If you don’t have them already, be sure to install exhaust fans in bathrooms and the kitchen. Exhaust fans help keep excess moisture out of the air and  preserve the life of your walls, appliances, etc. Newer versions have automatic humidity sensors that turn themselves on and off. You won’t have to worry about forgetting to turn them on or off after use.

Whole House Surge Suppressors

In this modern age, we utilize more and more electronic devices (i.e. cell phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs). Unfortunately, these devices can fall victim to voltage surges from lightning storms, failed transformers, and more rarely dirty power from your serving utility.

Many residential service panels can accept whole house surge suppressors. These are fancy devices that protect your house from an over-voltage condition. Every service panel contains circuit breakers that protect the house from an over amperage condition. But protection from over-voltage has only been recently added to the National Electrical Code as a requirement for new installations in the year 2020. Surge Suppressors can potentially save you thousands of dollars in destroyed equipment. This is a service we can’t recommend enough!