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Remodeling is the ideal way to modernize your home in Littleton, CO, or the surrounding areas. Plans to remodel a house to update it for your changing needs often focus on layouts, designs, finishes, and appliance choices. Yet the electrical system often needs your attention before any of that work begins. By having a professional home electrical safety inspection, you can catch issues during the planning phase. That can help you stick to your budget while ensuring a safer and more energy-efficient remodeling project.
Why Electrical Safety Should Come Before the Remodel
Often, homeowners want to add major appliances, smaller appliances, and outlets without accurate knowledge of their current systems. If the system you have now can’t support the planned additional load, it can lead to safety, efficiency, and performance issues. Remodelers can encounter big challenges when changing layouts, opening walls, pulling up flooring, moving fixtures, and adding outlets. Through a pre-remodel electrical inspection, you can identify those issues upfront. That will help you get the most value possible for your remodeling budget.
What an Electrical Safety Inspection Can Find
Many older houses in the region are no longer up to code, as standards have evolved. That can be problematic, especially if your remodel requires building permits.
Consider these issues that you can catch early through an electrical safety inspection in Littleton, CO:
- Overloaded circuits
- Inadequate amp coverage
- Missing panel safety features
- Outdated installation techniques
- Poor outlet and switch placement
- Indoor and outdoor lighting issues
- Old or damaged wiring behind walls
- Missing or improper GFCI/AFCI protection
- Safety concerns due to old or DIY electrical work
Outdated or Damaged Wiring Behind the Walls
The wiring in your home can deteriorate over time through normal use. There are also factors, such as overloaded circuits and moisture, that can accelerate the deterioration. Continuing to use this worn wiring can cause safety hazards and lead to bigger repair costs down the line. If you have an older house, another concern is substandard materials and installation practices. Older houses in Littleton can have knob-and-tube wiring, cloth-covered wiring, and aluminum branch-circuit wiring.
Electrical Panels That May Not Support the New Plan
It’s not unusual for electrical inspections before remodels to reveal 100-amp and even lower-capacity panels. That isn’t enough amp coverage for the modern household, and a remodel often calls for increased capacity. Most homes need at least 150 amps. Many electricians recommend 200 amps, and larger homes may need 250 amps or more.
An electrician can perform custom load calculations to give you enough power for your current and future needs. That’s important when adding things like circuits, major appliances, and EV chargers. If you built your house before 2021, it likely lacks whole-house surge protection as well. You need that to shield your new panel from internal and external electrical surges.
Missing or Improper GFCI Protection
When remodeling, it’s important to ensure you have ground-fault and arc-fault circuit interrupters. GFCI outlets prevent injuries and damage by preventing electrical shocks. Modern code requires them in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, garages, outdoor spaces, and anywhere else you would expect water. Colorado building codes also require AFCI protection in many other living spaces. These devices prevent the arcing that leads to many of the most common electrical fires. GFCI/AFCI combination units are available for rooms where you need both types of protection.
Overloaded Circuits and Poor Outlet Placement
Every circuit in your home has a limit to the devices it can support. Overloaded circuits can lead to electrical hazards, poor energy efficiency, and reduced appliance lifespan. It’s a common issue in older homes, especially when a previous owner performed DIY upgrades. You also risk overloading your circuits if you simply add to the devices you already have. Electricians can move outlets, as better placement often solves the most common access issues.
Lighting Issues That Affect the Remodel Design
New lighting for a full remodel often requires more than swapping fixtures. Remodeling offers an excellent opportunity to transition to LEDs, which can lower energy and bulb costs. You can add ceiling fans for better comfort and HVAC efficiency. An electrician can ensure that your indoor lighting has the proper wiring, load compatibility, and load capacity. You can add dimmers that give you finer control over your indoor lighting. Other options include smart outlets and switches that can eliminate phantom power draw and lower your overall electricity usage.
Safety Concerns Around DIY or Previous Electrical Work
Many Coloradans live in houses where previous owners performed DIY electrical work. That means that even relatively new homes can have code-compliance issues. Through an inspection, you’ll catch issues like loose devices, mismatched breakers, and improper junction boxes. You can then plan to rectify those problems as part of the overall remodel.
How an Inspection Helps Avoid Remodel Delays
Discovering electrical problems mid-remodel can cause delays and higher costs. Drywall installers, cabinetmakers, and appliance installers, for instance, often can’t wait for the electrical work. They’ll have to return at a later date to complete the job.
Plan a Safer Remodel With MZ Electric
Since 2009, MZ Electric has been a local electrical contractor based in Littleton, CO. Our electricians provide safety and code compliance inspections ahead of remodels. We can also oversee all the upgrades and replacements your home may need. That includes new wiring, electrical panels, surge protection, smart outlets, GFCI protection, and much more. We will provide free estimates for any services we recommend and discuss our flexible financing on approved credit.
MZ Electric is ready to help. Contact us to schedule an inspection and in-home consultation.
