Electrical

Many Michigan homeowners want to enhance their homes with modern appliances, including tankless water heaters, EV chargers, and water treatment systems. People in older homes are often surprised to learn that their electrical systems aren’t robust enough. Let’s explore how you can upgrade your electrical system to meet your needs now and in the future.

Schedule a Comprehensive Electrical Inspection

Most electricians recommend scheduling an electrical inspection every three to five years. You may have to schedule more often if you have an older electrical system. If you can’t remember when you had your last inspection, now is an excellent time to schedule.

A home’s electrical system can deteriorate through normal usage. Routine inspections are useful because your electrician will identify that wear before it becomes more serious. That helps you to take care of maintenance issues as they crop up.

A comprehensive inspection is also useful to determine whether your electrical system meets your current needs. Is there adequate amp coverage and are there enough circuits? It will also reveal how your system lags behind the current electrical code. Often, bringing a home up to code is an essential step toward supporting the latest appliances.

Electrical Panel

The electrical panel is the most important component in a home’s electrical system. It’s often a focal point of upgrading the system to facilitate more powerful appliances. If your electrical panel is older than 25-40 years, you likely need a panel upgrade.

The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires a 100-amp electrical panel as a minimum. Many home builders consider 150 amps to be the practical minimum, and many modern households need 250 amps or more. Despite that, it’s not unusual to find 40-60-amp panels in older homes.

An electrician will help you determine if your current panel meets your needs. That includes amp coverage but also the circuit count and whether there’s capacity for more. Another consideration is whether the panel is up to code. If any electrical work requires a permit, you may have to bring the panel up to code. Even if not required, you may need to upgrade to support the new appliances and ensure optimal safety and performance.

Whole-Home Surge Protection

Surge protection is one way that many homes, even modern ones, are not up to code. The NEC requires a panel-integrated surge protection device (SPD) as of January 1, 2023. Most homes built before then don’t have that protection. There are three levels of surge protection relevant to residential applications: Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3.

The NEC requires a Type 2 SPD for new homes. This device functions between the electrical panel and the rest of the home’s electrical system. When it detects a surge or spike, it activates and channels the excess electricity into the ground. This provides protection against external surges, such as from indirect lightning strikes. It also protects against internal surges, such as from air conditioners, heat pumps, and generators cycling on.

Type 1 surge protectors function outside the home between the meter and the grid. These SPDs protect against direct lightning strikes. They also protect against anomalous grid power, such as due to a blown transformer. Such events are uncommon. Still, they can result in devastating damage to your home and possessions when they do occur.

Type 3 surge protection is local. Common examples are the surge protector strips you plug your computer and home entertainment equipment into. An electrician can also install outlets that have integrated Type 3 surge protection.

Circuits

Major appliances require dedicated circuits. In older homes, systems often don’t have enough circuits for a modern household or capacity for more. Many households overcome a lack of outlets and lights with power strips, but that’s a dangerous approach. It can overload circuits and lead to fires and other electrical hazards, including device damage.

An electrician can upgrade the panel to provide the circuits you need. If your panel has capacity, your electrician can add circuits to the current panel up to the limit. If you still have some or all fuses, you should upgrade those to modern circuit breakers. It’s also important to replace any deteriorated wiring. Worn wires can be dangerous and result in poor performance.

Another consideration in older homes is upgrading the system with circuit interrupters. The NEC requires ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) for certain applications. There are also combination GFCI-AFCI devices.

Install GFCIs wherever there’s water present. That includes kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and living spaces where you’ll have aquariums. The current NEC requires AFCIs for most rooms in homes, including bedrooms, closets, and living rooms.

Smart Outlets and Plugs

If upgrading your outlets, consider spending a bit more on smart outlets. For outlets you won’t yet upgrade, you can purchase smart plugs instead. One reason is vampire power drain. Many modern appliances and devices don’t turn off but rather go into a standby mode where they continue draining power. It isn’t a lot in a given moment, but it adds up over time. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates the average household spends over $100 annually because of it.

New outlets are an opportunity to add integrated features, such as surge protection, USB ports, and Ethernet connections. Smart plugs can transform any standard light into a smart light. This works for other devices as well. You can add smart switches and dimmers to your rooms. All of these devices help save energy through features like timers and scheduling.

Standby Generators

Michigan is no stranger to extended power outages. If improving your home with new appliances, it’s an excellent time to consider a standby generator as well. Backup generators detect outages and automatically cycle on as needed. That keeps power running to your new appliances along with your lights, HVAC equipment, and much more.

LED Lighting

The electricity demands of the modern household are considerable. While LED and smart lighting don’t directly support modern appliances, they can be a big help. Consider that LED lights last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs. They also use at least 75% less energy. The DOE estimates switching to LED lighting fully will lower average household energy consumption by 17%. You can also expect an annual savings of around $225.

ENERGY STAR

Another way to reduce the load on your system is by choosing ENERGY STAR products. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency and DOE. The program certifies products that meet the highest standards for energy efficiency. That includes LED bulbs but also:

  • Ceiling fans
  • Dishwashers
  • Water heaters
  • HVAC equipment
  • Garbage disposals
  • Small kitchen appliances
  • Washing machines and dryers

Electrical Upgrades in West and Southwest Michigan

Service Professor is an electrical contractor with locations in Kalamazoo, Grand Ledge, and Grand Rapids, MI. Our company has been serving this region for over 40 years. We employ licensed electricians who are available for safety inspections and code assessments. Our team performs all electrical repairs, and our customer service team is available 24/7.

We also perform installations of electrical panels, outlets, indoor and outdoor lighting, standby generators, EV charging stations, and much more. To schedule a service appointment or an on-site consultation, call today, or contact us online.

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