Older homes have older wiring and older circuit breakers. As technology increases in the house, the wiring and circuit configuration may not meet the demand. More appliances have additional features, many items need charging (which produces a draw on the current load), and more toys and gadgets require electricity to perform.

If you have not had a recent inspection on your home, then it may be time to call a troubleshooter to assess your electrical needs and let you know how you can upgrade parts of your Medfield, MA, home to meet those needs.

Billing issues may be tricky to catch, depending on how long you have lived in your home. The protective insulation can wear away and expose electrical wiring. When this happens, an electrical short can occur, which causes electricity to stray outside its predetermined path. That causes the wasted energy to dissipate, and your wallet feels the effect. Also, shorts can cause other circuits to malfunction or cease working, or cause a fire.

Electrical panels have a maximum load, which is the maximum amount of current they will accept before tripping individual breakers. Frequently tripped breakers mean there is an overloaded circuit somewhere in the home. It may be due to a new appliance, multiple devices running simultaneously, or a short somewhere in the circuitry.

In either case, this is not how electrical panels and circuit breakers are designed. Frequent overloading can burn out breakers and weaken the integrity of the panel itself.

Call Paul Macrina Electrical Contracting to see if your Medfield, MA, home needs an electrical panel upgrade to keep up with the demands of an ever-evolving high-tech lifestyle.

Signs like burning smells or crackling sounds may seem like a step beyond troubleshooting, and they are. But troubleshooting is where the solution starts. These symptoms imply complex and often dangerous issues, and only a licensed electrician can find the solution quickly.

It is a good idea, and in many cases required, to have a professional electrical technician look at your home before you sell and the home you are going to purchase. But it does not hurt to go one step further and have an exhaustive check performed on your home.

You know what your electrical needs are, and it is unlikely that the last owner met those needs. Inspections are quick and only verify the big issues. Hiring a technician to inspect every outlet, light fixture, and electrical panel load limit will give you peace of mind that your family will remain safe.

Troubleshooting goes beyond finding what causes current electrical issues. It also allows you to be preemptive. Upgrading your electrical system can prove to be one of the most cost-efficient and proactive solutions to all your electrical needs.

Repairing an electrical outlet may not be in your best interest. Electrical outlet installations take about the same amount of time and allow you to upgrade to a better outlet.

You need GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets around water sources to greatly reduce the chances of electrical shock. Have your electrician install them in the following areas:

• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Laundry Rooms
• Basements
• Outside
• Roof
• Garages
• Workshops

GFCI outlets may be required in some of these areas, while other locations are for safety reasons.

Electrical panels manage the electricity coming into your home and disperses it as needed. They can last for decades, but daily wear affects them just like everything else in your home.

Rust or corrosion are warning signs that your panel is about to fail and requires a new electrical panel replacement. But before replacing your panel, you should talk to a professional electrician to see about upgrading it. An upgraded panel may include new features and more electrical output. With a bit of rewiring in the home, you could upgrade your overall electrical supply exactly how you want it.

Most people have surge protectors on their computers, television, or other costly electrical items. But a power surge can cause damage anywhere in the home.

Lightning storms in Medfield, MA, are not the only reason you might experience a power surge. Most incidents happen from within the home. For example, large power-drawing appliances, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, can create power surges.

Faulty wiring and electrical shorts may not only cause a power surge but may happen alongside crackling noises and burning smells.

The dreaded octopus – too many plugs in one outlet – is a power surge waiting to happen. Too many devices drawing from the same circuit can trip the electrical panel, leading to a home-wide blackout.

Whole house surge protectors are connected to the electrical panel to limit the amount of current into the home. They detect a large current and shut down all electricity to the home, thereby protecting the whole house or redirect the current into the ground.

They have ratings, such as 40,000 amps or higher, so it’s essential to have a professional determine the correct surge protector for your home.