Electrical rewiring
If you’re considering hiring a professional for electrical rewiring of your home or place of business, you probably have some questions. What are the benefits of a system rewire? What are the logistics of planning one? And how can you be sure that you won’t have electrical problems in the future?
Here at Chanay Electric, we have years of experience working with South Florida homeowners and business owners to make sure that they’re electrical system meets their needs. We want to answer your questions so that you can move forward with this useful upgrade confidently!
How do I know if I need electrical rewiring?
One of the most common questions that we get is: how do I know when I need rewiring? And there are a couple of indications that will give you your answer:
- You consistently have electrical issues. Maybe the circuit breakers trip when too many of your employees are using desktop fans or the fuses blow at your home when you run more than one kitchen appliance at once. More than just an inconvenience, these are signs that your current system is unable to keep up with your electrical demands.
- Your lights flicker. No one wants to live in a house or work in an office with flickering lights!
- Your electrical outlets get hot, or appear discolored. An overloaded electrical system puts you at risk for a fire and one of the early warning signs is a burning smell. You may not actually see smoke, but your electrical outlets will be warm to the touch and may look burned.
- Your outlets are loose and wobbly. Your outlets shouldn’t allow for wiggling of the plug in the socket, as the loose connection can lead to sparks.
These are all signs that your current electrical system is struggling to keep up with the load required for your everyday activities. If you notice these signs, call in a professional electrician to assess whether you need a full system rewiring or a different solution.
How often is rewiring necessary?
Another way to know if it’s time for rewiring is to consider how old your current system is. Typically, electrical systems need to be rewired about once every 20 to 40 years.
But, if you own an older home or property, you may not know the last time it was rewired. We would recommend calling in a professional electrician to take a look at your system and assess whether your home or workplace is still using the original wiring or has been updated.
The good news is, modern wiring can last longer than traditional materials! In fact, rewiring your house today could mean that your electrical system lasts anywhere from 40 to 70 years.
What are other circumstances in which professional wiring is necessary?
Another example of when you’ll need to call in a professional electrician for electrical wiring is in the case of new constructions, home additions, or remodels! Your remodeling team may hire a subcontractor to oversee the electrical wiring for your project, or if you have an electrician that you trust, you can bring them in to help with the planning and installation of new wiring.
Even if you’re not planning any physical changes to your space, you may need rewiring if you anticipate a change in your electricity usage. This would be the case if your business is expanding and you’ll be using more electronics or appliances as you hire more staff. Or, you might need to adjust your system if you plan on installing an e-vehicle charging station.
What kinds of permits are required for rewiring?
Any time you’re dealing with electricity, you’ll need to acquire the appropriate permits to ensure that everything is being done safely. Here in Fort Lauderdale, for instance, any work involving electrical rewiring that is regulated by technical code requires permit acquisition through the Development Services Department.
If you’re not sure what kind of permit you need, we’re happy to help! As licensed electricians here in South Florida, we’re well-versed in permit approval submissions!
How can you be sure that your new electrical wiring plan is sufficient for your needs?
When we put together an electrical rewiring plan, we take into account everything from lifestyle to number of household members or staff to any special requests that clients may have, such as extra electrical outlets or an e-vehicle charging station. We may also ask about any foreseeable changes that may come in the next few years, such as an expanding family, or business expansion.
These questions give us a better idea of what the electrical needs will be of the client so that we can install a new system with the right load capacity. After all, you don’t want to invest in rewiring your home or workplace only to have it be insufficient in a few years.
What does the electrical rewiring process entail?
Curious about what to expect from start to finish with a rewiring project? Here’s the step-by-step for homes and commercial spaces:
- Create an electrical plan. As mentioned, this will include sitting down to discuss electrical needs and any planned future changes in electrical usage.
- Acquire the appropriate permits. Before any work can be done, we need to have the approved building permits.This process can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.
- Prepare the worksite and remove the outdated wiring. This will include shutting off the power source and stripping the old wiring, switches, and plugs.
- Install the new wiring. How long the installation will take depends on a variety of factors, including the complexity of the new electrical system and the size and age of the property. It could last anywhere from 3 to 10 days, but we can give a more accurate estimate during the planning stage.
- Test the new electrical system. Testing the system is an important final stage so that we can leave knowing that the new wiring is safe and reliable!
Call Chanay Electric for residential and commercial rewiring!
When it’s time to rewire your South Florida home or office, you want a team of electricians who are not only experienced but also committed to delivering a reliable, safe and adaptable electrical system for your unique needs. We offer our rewiring services to homeowners and property owners in Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Hallandale Beach, and beyond!
