Solving an Electrical Problem

One of the problems with upgrading homes is that you never know what the future will hold. The upgrades are typically done with the present in mind. For electricity especially, this can result in homes becoming less technology-friendly over time. The reason is that more and more items in regular life need to be plugged in, and the items already in use sometimes increase in terms of how many watts or amps they draw. If you're trying to improve your home so that you can age in place or sell it in the future, take another look at the circuits for the bathroom and kitchen. One of your upgrade projects may need to add amps to each room.

Outlets Near Water Need to Include GFCIs

If you're in an older home and have not yet installed ground fault circuit interrupter circuits and outlets, you need to do so immediately. These circuits shut off power to the outlet when they sense a surge of current. They are now required near sinks and other water sources (because if something plugged into that outlet falls into a sink full of water, you need that circuit to shut down immediately). That's likely the most urgent upgrading issue. If your home is newer, you may likely have these outlets already. They're the ones with reset buttons on the face of the outlet.

Hairdryers Need Amps

Hairdryers draw a lot of power, and more and more models seem to be released with high power needs—high enough to trip a circuit breaker or overload an outlet that was installed with lower power needs in mind. You can still find low-wattage hair dryers, but if you have anyone stay over, for example, or if you're remodeling to turn the place into a homeshare, you need to be sure whoever is there can use the power without creating a problem. That means increasing the amount of power so that a high-watt hairdryer can be in use at the same time the lights are on.

All Those Small Kitchen Appliances Add Up

Many small kitchen appliances are becoming necessities in the home. All of these draw power. If you have a microwave, countertop electric grill, rice cooker, and other appliances all going at once, you can draw too much power and make the circuit trip and shut down. Adding amps or another circuit to the kitchen can easily handle any increase in how many small appliances can be used at once.

For large remodeling issues like these, it's best to call an electrician. The electrician may need to change wire gauge to outlets, for example, which is a job you do not want to do yourself. With professional help, however, the remodeling can go very well. Contact a company, such as Etheridge Electric Company Inc, for more information.