Building or Remodeling

Watch out for “Wiring Deficiency Anemia”

Many homes were wired to accommodate fewer electrical appliances than are commonly used today. If you keep adding electricity users to an underpowered system, you’re asking for trouble!

Inadequate wiring means:
Wasted power – Appliances that must run longer to do their job use extra electricity.
Fire danger – Hot wires, cracked insulation, and short circuits can also start fires.

Symptoms of poor wiring:
Shrunken TV picture
Dimming or blinking lights
Slow appliances
Blackouts, blown fuses
“Octopus” outlets (multiple plug-ins inserted into a single outlet)

Check your house to make sure it has:
Adequate entrance for electricity – a big 3-wire flow into your house.
Enough branch circuits from the fuse box to handle present needs, plus some to spare. Have a separate circuit for each major appliance.
Main panel of at least 100 amps – 150 or 200 amps is better.
Plenty of outlets – One every 4 feet in the kitchen – one every 6 feet in other rooms.

Should you rewire? Rewiring can convert an inadequate, out-of-date system to safe, convenient, energy-efficient electric service. And rewiring often COSTS LESS than a series of additions to an older system.

Ask your electrician to inspect your wiring system to see if rewiring would be advisable.