Summer is an excellent opportunity for home improvements, particularly regarding your electrical system. Thanks to longer daylight hours and warmer temperatures, many projects that improve safety and comfort in your home can be completed more effectively with or without professional electrician assistance. Neighborhood Electric suggests some summer electrical projects you should consider for your own residence this season.
Installing outdoor lighting can transform the way your yard feels during warm evenings. From brightening gardens or paths to adding security lights around your property and increasing curb appeal - outdoor lighting adds another dimension of enjoyment for summer evenings in the yard!
Before embarking on any lighting project, it's essential that you carefully consider where and what type of lights would work best in each location. Spotlights work great for lighting trees or certain landscape features, while pathway lights help guide you after dark.
Working outdoors with electricity can be hazardous. Therefore, enlisting professional assistance with any outdoor electrical project is wise. A licensed electrician will ensure all wiring meets local codes for maximum home safety and success in their installation project.
Many families use more electricity than usual during summer. Air conditioners, pool pumps, and other appliances can put extra strain on your electrical system. If your home has an older electrical panel, it might struggle to keep up with the increased demand, leading to problems like flickering lights or even electrical fires.
Upgrading your electrical panel can help prevent these issues. A modern electrical panel is designed to handle the higher electricity loads many homes require today. Adding extra circuits is also a good opportunity if you install new appliances.
Because this project involves working with your home's main electrical system, you should not try to do it yourself. Instead, hire an electrical repair service to complete the job safely and efficiently. A professional electrician will be able to assess your needs and recommend the right panel upgrade for your home.
Ceiling fans are a great way to stay cool during the summer without relying too much on air conditioning. They circulate the air in a room, making it feel cooler and reducing the need to run the AC as much. Installing ceiling fans in crucial areas like bedrooms, living rooms, or outdoor patios can help you save on your energy bills.
If your home doesn't have ceiling fans, adding them is a relatively simple project. However, it involves running electrical wiring to the fan and ensuring it’s securely mounted to the ceiling. If you're uncomfortable working with electrical wiring, it's a good idea to hire an electrician to install the ceiling fans.
Summer thunderstorms can sometimes lead to power outages, leaving you without electricity for hours or even days. To prepare for these outages, consider installing a backup generator. A backup generator automatically kicks in when the power goes out, keeping your home running until the electricity is restored.
Whole-home generators are more expensive but can power your entire house during an outage, keeping your appliances, lights, and air conditioning running. Installing a generator requires connecting it to your home's electrical system, which a professional should always do. Contact an electrical repair service to install the generator and ensure it works properly when needed.
Another summer electrical project to consider is upgrading your home's outlets and switches. Older homes may still have outdated outlets that don’t meet modern safety standards. For instance, many older homes don’t have ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets designed to protect you from electrical shock in areas like the kitchen or bathroom.
Since replacing outlets and switches involves working with live wires, it's best to leave this job to a qualified electrician. An electrician can quickly and safely upgrade your outlets and switches, ensuring that your home's electrical system is up to date and functioning correctly.
Finally, summer is a great time to schedule an electrical inspection. During an inspection, a licensed electrician will check your entire electrical system and recommend any necessary repairs or upgrades.
By having an inspection done during the summer, you can address any issues before the colder months arrive when you might rely more on heating systems and other energy-consuming appliances. An electrical repair service can help ensure your home is ready for the seasons ahead.
Summertime is an excellent opportunity to tackle electrical projects around your home, from installing outdoor lighting to upgrading the electrical panel. Though some tasks may appear simple, working with electricity can be dangerous. More extensive projects or work involving wiring require professional electricians or repair services. You can enjoy all the advantages of your electrical upgrades knowing they were safely completed and correctly.