Common Electrical Problems in Older Buildings

What are the common electrical problems in older buildings? There are numerous issues that you can experience when purchasing an older home or building. The beauty of older architecture or the historical value of an older home or building is appealing to many. However, the older the building the more likely it is that you will encounter electrical problems, plumbing issues, and structural damage.

Over the years, your potential older building may have gone through numerous owners or sat vacant for a lengthy period. If you are considering purchasing a building over 50 years old, it is important to not only consider the purchase price but to also consider repairs and insurance costs. As we previously mentioned, with an older building you can stumble upon several common electrical problems. We will take a moment to explore those concerns and hopefully give you important point to consider prior to signing on the dotted line.

Old Wiring

Buildings constructed over 50 years ago were built with less restrictive building code requirements than ones built during the last couple of decades. When locating your main breaker box, you might discover cracked electrical wire coverings or a mass of spliced together wires from do-it-yourself projects that have gone wrong. In addition, finding wiring that is from the 1950’s or older is another red flag. To ensure your building’s future safety, it would be necessary to rewire the building if you have cracked wiring, spliced together wires, or wiring from the 1950’s or older.

Inadequate Power

Another common electrical problem in older buildings is inadequate power. Homes built over 50 years ago did not have to power as many appliances and gadgets, or other electrical equipment that we now have in our buildings and homes. In an older home you might need to unplug everything in your bathroom before using the hair dryer or if you have a portion of your building that is newer, you might need to plug that hair dryer into the newer portion of the building. With today’s electrical requirements, you will need to update your wiring.

Dead Outlets and Switches

With an older building, you might discover outlets and switches that no longer work. Instead of fixing outlets and switches, previous owners may have used extension cords. They might have operated a lamp via an extension cord plugged into another room. As a result, you will need to identify which outlets and switches are operational. Once inoperable outlets and switches have been identified, you will need to hire an electrician to update the wiring.

Knob and Tube Wiring

If you open the main power breaker in an older home, you may discover that you have is a “fuse box” instead of a main breaker box. What is a “fuse box”? With a fuse box, you will discover a bunch of round porcelain knobs instead of rectangular fuse boxes. If you find that your building still has old porcelain knobs, you will need to update your wiring. In addition, you will need to install a new breaker box and fuses. The protection of your family and property is too important to leave in the hands of porcelain knobs.

Contact The Electrical Pros Now

An experienced electrician can guide you through the process of determining electrical problems. Once they identify any issues, you can begin the process of rewiring or updating your building. To speak to an electrician, contact The Electric Pros today. We are an experienced industry leader. To get started with a The Electric Pros, check us out online or call us at (844) 249-4733.