If you’ve ever watched the show “Holmes on Homes” on HGTV, you’ve likely seen the problems associated with old or faulty wiring.  Mike Holmes tends to get very agitated by safety issues, and for good reason.  Each year, over 40,000 homes suffer fire damage due to home electrical problems.  These electrical fires account for hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.  And what’s the main culprit?  Old wiring!

If you live in a classic home built before 1940, chances are you have old wiring in the house.  You may have knob-and-tube or Romex wiring, both of which can become brittle over time.  The insulation dries out and starts to crumble, causing the inner wire to become exposed. The cloth insulation around the wire deteriorates with age and eventually becomes unsafe.

But perhaps one of the biggest threats of Romex and knob-and-tube wiring is that these types of wires aren’t grounded.  That means if one of your appliances shorts out, you could become the path to the ground for the electricity.

Even if your home is only 20 or 30 years old, you could still experience electrical problems at home due to a lack of capacity.  Most homes built more than 10 years ago are not designed to handle the amount of electronics we use today.  Think about it:  if your house was built in 1980, it was built before home PCs and laptops and HDTVs and surround sound and all of the other toys and gadgets we use today.  These appliances can draw a lot of power, and your current electrical wiring may not be up to the task.

If you own one of the one million houses in the DFW area that’s more than 20 years old, it’s a good idea to have a licensed electrician come out and take a look at the wiring.  He or she can make sure that your house will be safe and productive for many years.

You have been tossing around the idea for years, and now the idea of remodeling your home is finally a reality. What an exciting time for you! Whether you are getting a brand new kitchen, complete with the latest and greatest appliances, or adding on that bedroom your expanding family so desperately needs, you will need an electrician. Burbank homeowners who are the DIY kind of person will need to think twice before trying to tackle such a big, technical job.

Why You Need a Professional

There are several reasons you may decide to do most of the remodeling work on your own, with cost typically being the biggest motivating factor. There is certainly nothing wrong with saving a few dollars on a remodeling job, but there are some things that need to be left to the professionals. Electrical wiring is one of those things.

Most building codes require a permit be obtained for any rewiring. Inspections will also be performed. A person who has no real knowledge of electrical wiring will likely be unable to perform the work up to code. You could end up costing yourself more money in the long run if an electrician in Burbank has to remove everything you did and start over. You are looking at money wasted in material that will need to be replaced.

There are certainly some minor jobs that you could do, as long as you have an idea of how to go about it safely. Replacing outlets or light fixtures is easy enough if you understand basic electricity work. However, adding outlets or the wires needed to put in light fixtures is best left to the trained professionals.

Although you may think you are saving yourself money, you are risking your safety and the safety of your family by trying to do a job that requires a professional. The Electric Connection has the experience to take care of these things for you.

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