Electrical Code Updates in Medfield, MA

These days, American homes require more power than ever. With increasingly sophisticated appliances, more entertainment devices like TVs and video game systems, and devices like phones and laptops that need charging, it is no surprise that the modern home uses much more power than even ten years ago.

Your electrical panel is responsible for routing all of that electricity throughout your home. However, most homes built before 2000 have panels rated for 50 or 100 amps — far too little based on today’s electricity consumption rates. That overloading can lead to problems.

In most cases, the best solution is to upgrade your electrical panel to handle 200 amps. With Paul Macrina Electrical Contracting, an electrician can determine whether your panel has enough power or if it needs to be upgraded to a larger model.

If your electrician recommends an upgrade, our team of experts will help you choose the right equipment and make sure it gets installed quickly to keep any interruptions to your daily life to a minimum.

With an electrical panel upgrade from Paul Macrina Electrical Contracting, you can rest assured that your home will have the power you need when you need it.

One of the most important additions to your home, Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters — GFCIs — are outlets that immediately shut off the electricity supply when they detect the presence of moisture.

As you probably know, water and electricity are a dangerous combination, and GFCIs can help prevent electrical shorts that could electrocute you and potentially cause a fire. GFCIs are required in all areas where outlets may contact water, including bathrooms, basements, kitchens, and any outdoor outlets.

Anytime you need an electrical repair, it is best to let the professionals handle it. This advice is especially proactive when it comes to important safety devices like GFCIs. Let Paul Macrina Electrical Contracting handle installing your GFCI outlets to keep your home safe.

While adding GFCI outlets is an important part of keeping your home’s electrical system up to code, there are several other ways you can improve your outlets to make your home even safer.

For instance, some appliances require more power than a standard 15A outlet can provide. Paul Macrina Electrical Contracting can solve this problem by installing 20A outlets where you need them so that you can power:

• Toasters
• Coffeemakers
• Microwaves
• Blenders
• Mixers

There are many other upgrades available as well. We can install outlets with USB receptacles, which makes it easy to charge your electrical devices. Or you might invest in smart outlets, which allow you to control devices plugged into them using your phone or tablet — or a smart speaker.

Finally, you should also consider adding child-proof outlets to your home, especially if you have small children. These outlets look identical to normal outlets, except they have spring-loaded covers within the receptacles. Adults will be able to push plugs past these covers, keeping children from putting foreign objects in the outlet.

When most people think of power surges, they picture dramatic events, usually resulting from lightning strikes or severe problems with an external transformer. While these events can be catastrophic, the reality is that your home frequently experiences several micro surges — sometimes up to 50 per day.

These micro surges may not cause any visible disruption, but they can cause lasting damage to your sensitive devices over time. As the damage builds up, you may experience decreased performance, and the lifespan of your devices may end up being significantly shortened.

To prevent your devices from being damaged, you should consider whole house surge protection.

With a whole house surge protector, your electrical system is protected from surges at the electrical panel itself, saving you from plugging surge protectors into every outlet around your home. These protectors regulate power flow, sparing your devices from the irregular power spikes that can cause you problems.

Many of the homes in Medfield, MA, were built in the 1950s or earlier, and there is a good chance these homes have what is known as knob and tube wiring. An outdated technology, knob and tube wiring sent poorly insulated wires throughout the home wrapped around ceramic knobs, which kept them away from the structural framing.

Knob and tube wiring presents several problems. First, many times the insulation on these wires has disintegrated, leaving bare wires exposed.

Second, these systems were designed to carry much less power, and they can’t keep up with the demands of the modern home. Third, knob and tube systems are difficult to repair. Finally, these systems don’t have a ground wire, making them especially dangerous.

The best solution is to remove the knob and tube wiring and replace it with a modern system. While this project can be extensive, it is much safer, and you’ll experience much better performance from your electrical system.

While most modern homes have a ground wire integrated into their electrical systems, many older homes do not. These wires are an important safety feature, helping to disperse any excess electrical charge by directing that energy into the ground.

All of the outlets in your home should have ground wires. If you have outlets with only two slots and no third hole, then there’s a good chance those outlets aren’t grounded. If you have concerns about whether your electrical system is properly grounded, contact Paul Macrina Electrical Contracting, and we’ll make sure your system is safe.