Home electricity is one thing that is constantly changing and evolving, so if you are considering purchasing an older home, it may need some electrical upgrades and repairs. While making electrical upgrades to a home is not the type of thing that would typically be a deal breaker, these are problems that you will want to know about before you make the final decision to buy. Here are three electrical aspects you should check out before you buy an older home. 

1. Turn on the heat and air and look for changes in current. Flip on the air and heat and see if the lights wane or flicker as the system comes on. If it does, it means that the required electricity for starting up the system is more than what the current electric panel can supply. This usually only means that you should have an electrical contractor implement new breakers or circuits to better coincide with the demands of the system. However, it can also point to wiring problems with the heat and air system as well. 

2. Look for paper-covered wires. All electrical wiring is coated in some type of material to keep it protected. While the most common non-conductive material used to coat wires now is rubber or some type of plastic, years ago, the norm was paper. Take a look at the wiring in the home you are thinking about buying and see if they are coated with a paper cover. If they are, you should consider having the wiring in the house replaced because while paper is non-conductive, it is notorious for wearing away and leaving the wires inside exposed, which can be a fire hazard. 

3. Count the electrical outlets. This is a pretty basic problem, but can definitely be frustrating just the same. Because electrical devices were not as common many years ago, there was not as big of a need for every room to have several outlets. Therefore, many older homes will have merely one or two electrical outlets in each room, which can lead you to using extension cords on a regular basis and even inadvertently overloading an outlet and this is definitely a fire hazard. Thankfully, an electrical contractor can resolve this issue pretty easily by installing a few extra outlets in each room of the house.

For more tips, talk with a local electrical contractor such as Sycamore Engineering.

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