If you're purchasing an old house, make
sure the home's electrical system is in safe and working order before
you close on the house. Have an electrician inspect the system, and
specifically ask them about these aspects of the house's wiring.
Fuse Box or Circuit Breaker
Find out whether the house has a fuse
box or circuit breakers. While both are technically safe, circuit
breakers are more common today than fuse boxes for a couple of
reasons.
First, circuit breakers are safer in
home settings where homeowners sometimes try to use do-it-yourself
solutions when problems arise. Fuses are generally safe in and of
themselves (and even more sensitive than circuits), but homeowners
sometimes use tinfoil or other techniques to bypass fuses. This
creates an unsafe situation - and never should be done!
Second, circuit breakers are easier to
reset when a power surge causes the system to trip. Resetting a
circuit is as simple as turning a switch fully off and back on
again.
If you want to reset a fuse, you must
take out the blown fuse and install a new one. This means you need to
have fuses on hand, and you must purchase a new fuse for every time
one blows. If a system keeps tripping for some reason, you can go
through quite a few fuses before the problem becomes apparent, which
increases the cost of repairs.
Should the home you're looking at have
a fuse box, you might want to ask the seller if they'll pay to switch
the box over to an electrical panel with circuit breakers. They might
claim that the box is safe, but a circuit breaker is a more modern
way to wire a home. Even if an electrician says a box is safe, you
probably will still want to change the system over soon after your
purchase.
Capacity of the Circuit Breaker
Just because an older house has an
electrical panel with circuit breakers doesn't mean the control panel
of the electrical system is capable by today's standards.
Older homes' electrical panels often
have lower capacities than today's systems because there used to be
fewer appliances and devices that consumed electricity. As high-end
kitchen appliances, larger stoves and refrigerators, and computers
became more common, homes began to need more electricity to power all
of these items.
Electrical panel capacities are
measured by amperage, and most new panels come with a 100-, 150- or
200- amperage capacity now.
By today's standards, a home that's
under 3,000 square feet and doesn't have a central air conditioner
should have an electrical panel with a 100-amperage capacity. A home
that has more than 2,000 square feet and does
have central air
needs a 200-amperage panel.
Older homes, however, might have only a
60-amperage panel. Such a panel would be able to support just one
major appliance at a time and is insufficient for today's homes. If
you're interested in an older home that has such a low-capacity
panel, have the seller pay to upgrade the panel or expect to hire an
electrician to make the change after you purchase the property.
Type of Wiring
Beyond the electrical panel, you should
also have an electrician check the type of wiring. In particular, ask
if the house has knob and tube wiring anywhere.
Knob and tube wiring is an old type of
wiring that was widely used up until 1940 and was still installed
until 1975. In theory, the system is safe if it's properly maintained
by a knowledgeable electrician. In practice, homeowners often don't
maintain their home's electrical systems properly.
If a house has knob and tube wiring,
have an electrician carefully inspect the entire system to see
whether it is safe. If there are any areas in disrepair, make sure
they're replaced before you move in.
If you need help assessing the
electrical system in an old house, contact Express
Electrical Service
.
