How Long Should a Home's Electrical Wiring Last?
October 25, 2018
Maybe you have just moved into a brand-new or even a slightly older home – or are just curious about the subject – but it’s important to know how long you can expect your home’s electrical wiring to last you. Electrical wiring that spans across your entire home is no small project, should you need replacement. We know this at Duggan's One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning®, so we want to inform you as best we can on how long you can anticipate your home’s electrical wiring to last. Here are some guidelines provided by State Farm.
Physical Signs
In terms of physical signs that you need to replace your wiring, there are actually several that are blatant red flags of a dangerous wiring situation. If you are constantly having to trip your breakers, or your fuses are frequently blown, this may be a sign that your wiring has run its course. If you are in your home and you smell a burning scent, or hear buzzing or sizzling sounds, that is definitely cause for concern that there’s a problem with a part of your wiring! If you ever experience sparking from an outlet when you plug in or unplug an appliance, that is not normal. If you ever feel like an outlet is loose, or you feel any sort of electrical shock sensation, those are all significant physical signs that your home's wiring is going to need replacement. These are certainly not all of the possible physical signs, but you can be sure of this – these are all clear signs and should not be overlooked.
Other Signs
The most obvious reason that you would need to check your home’s wiring is the age of your home. If you live in an older, more historic home, you’re going to want to check when the home’s electrical system was last serviced or replaced. Know that if your home is more than 40 years old and the wiring has not been replaced since it was built, you need to consider investing in the help of a professional to replace it. It is far too important not to prioritize this. Remember as well that with modern appliances and other newer fixtures, it is likely that an old electricity system will not be able to keep up with the demands. This may mean that for the most efficient, least wasteful energy usage, replacing your wiring system would be a good idea. If your home’s wiring is aluminum instead of copper, that may also warrant an inspection, and if you only have 2-pronged outlets (vs. 3-pronged) and could use more, an inspection is a sound idea.
Call Duggan’s Today
At Duggan's One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning®, we are experts at professional electrical installation. Quality electricians are hard to come by, and we’re proud to say that the members of our team are some of the most qualified, honest professionals in the entire region. To schedule a service, call us today at (706) 914-1617. We are based in Augusta, GA and serve the surrounding area, as well as certain cities in South Carolina.