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Electrical Upgrades Available in Orange County

Since so much of modern homes’ and businesses’ electrical systems lie hidden behind walls and ceilings, it’s common for property owners to pay them no mind and just assume that everything is working as intended. Sometimes, though, underlying problems spill out into daily life. Outlets fail, circuit breakers trip, and light fixtures stop working as intended. 

Don’t wait until the building’s power system leaves its residents or occupants in the dark. Schedule electrical updates as needed to make sure the whole system is safe to use and able to accommodate everyone’s needs. Property owners can read on to find out everything they need to know about making electrical upgrades in Westminster, CA.

The Importance of Working With Trained Professionals

Before discussing specific upgrades, let’s get one thing straight: unless they have dedicated training, property owners should not attempt to upgrade any part of their power systems without professional help. The level of electrical current running through even a small home is strong enough to injure or even kill unwary amateurs. Even among electricians, dangerous electrocutions are not unheard of. Just think of what kind of danger that poses to property owners with no professional training. It’s not worth the risk. Hire an electrician.

How to Perform a Full Electrical Upgrade

Most people interested in full electrical upgrades are investigating options for providing more power to the building. They’ve been dealing with tripped circuits, multiple power strips, and inconvenient or even hazardous extension cords and are just plain sick of it. A full electrical upgrade requires a significant upfront investment, but it will alleviate all of those problems and more. Here’s what’s involved:

Step One: Upgrade the Electrical Panel

A property’s electrical panel, sometimes referred to as a breaker box, handles 100% of the power that enters the home, routing it to different circuits and cutting off power as needed to protect the property should anything go wrong. Older electrical panels weren’t designed to handle the kinds of loads associated with modern life and business. 

Step Two: Improve the Distribution System

Just upgrading the electrical panel won’t be enough to ensure a constant, steady, and sufficient supply of power to an older building with few electrical circuits. More often than not, electricians will also recommend installing extra circuits to distribute the power to different outlets and appliances safely and efficiently.

Step Three: Replace Used Cables, Wires, and Receptacles

The level of work required during this step can vary depending on the home or business’s power use. If there are currently tons of electronics plugged into power strips or extension cords crisscrossing rooms to supply power to different areas of the building, the electricians will add new outlets. If the wiring and receptacles are damaged, outdated, or nearing the end of their usable lives, they’ll replace those fixtures. 

Lighting fixtures, ceiling fans, light switches, and other electrical components may also need to be replaced, and GFCI outlets may need to be installed in some areas of the building. Homeowners making the switch to smart home technology may also need to install structured wiring and media enclosures.

The Best Times to Upgrade an Electrical System

Most property owners don’t decide to upgrade their electrical systems out of nowhere. They’ve usually been having trouble supplying power to their lights, outlets, and appliances for some time. The best time to upgrade an electrical system is during a renovation or while preparing a home for sale.

Upgrading the wiring, adding circuits, or altering the spacing of outlets often requires removing walls, anyway, so it makes good sense to hire electricians to perform this work during a renovation. Plus, property owners who plan to install new appliances and fixtures will need the help of electrical service, anyway, especially if they will create an extra power draw. Other signs it may be time to consider an upgrade include:

  • Frequently tripped circuit breakers

Repeatedly blown fuses

Flickering or dimming lights

Multiple outlets that no longer work

A lack of GFCI protection in moisture-prone areas

Warm or sparking outlets

Unusual burning smells coming from outlets, electrical panels, or appliances

The presence of ungrounded outlets throughout the building

Over-reliance on extension cords and power strips

Code violations uncovered during an inspection

All of these symptoms should be viewed as warning signs that the electrical system is in need of some updates. These problems range from inconvenient to seriously dangerous, but all of them have one thing in common: their diagnosis and repair are always best left to trained electricians.

The Benefits of Electrical Upgrades

For property owners who have been living with serious inconveniences like an insufficient number of outlets, frequently tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses, and potential fire risks, the benefits of performing an electrical upgrade are obvious. The upgrade will help an aging building accommodate modern levels of power consumption.

There are also some less obvious benefits of upgrading the electrical system. It will help to keep the building’s residents or occupants safe, prevent code violations that could leave property owners facing hefty fines, and increase the value of the property, providing a good return on investment when it comes time to sell.

Even well-maintained electrical systems need to be upgraded periodically. In today’s rapidly advancing technological age, any building that was built more than 30 years ago has an electrical system that would now be considered obsolete. Upgrading the system to accommodate modern Americans’ increased reliance on electricity is the only way to resolve this problem, and hiring professional electricians to perform the upgrade is the only way to ensure everyone’s safety.

Work With the Best

Westminster property owners who want or need electrical upgrades deserve to work with the best. S.E. Electrical Services, Inc. has been serving local communities for over ten years. Each technician is highly trained, and the company offers a customer service guarantee. Fill out a contact form online or call (714) 448-6251 to get in touch today.