Some homes need electric work so badly that they may not even be eligible for insurance coverage. Brian Wilson from Captain Electric provides tips on upgrades that will keep your home and family safe.
Brian Wilson of Captain Electric:
1. Permits
- An ESA Permit is required for all new wiring or modifications to a wiring system, no matter how small.
- Make sure that the company you hire will apply for a wiring permit and provide you with the certificate when completed. INSIST on it!
- Doing work without a permit is illegal, and puts the safety of you (the homeowner) and your family at risk.
- Your homeowners insurance may be jeopardized.
- Unlicensed, uncertified individuals who perform illegal electrical installations are breaking the law and are liable for their actions.
- Only hire an ECRA/ESA licenced Electrical Contractor.
- It is not okay for an “electrician” to do electrical work, unless it is through an ECRA licensed company that he owns or works for.
- If he says “no permit” – send him away
- Hire the right people, certified, ECRA licensed, insured professionals, who will make sure it is done right.
2. Wiring issues
Fuse Panels:
- Even the most recent fuse panels are now over 40 years old.
- Did you know that manufacturers rate the average life expectancy of any electrical panel to approximately 20 years? Beyond that is a bonus.
- If you have a fuse panel, have it inspected by a qualified electrical contractor.
- Over-fusing, burned buss bars, double tapped circuits are all common problems, and should be addressed.
Knob and Tube wiring and Aluminum Wiring:
- Are also a concern. Insurance companies are aware of the problems associated with these wiring systems and some are refusing to insure these homes altogether.
- A competent ECRA licensed contractor will be able to provide solutions.
- Again – hire the right people.
Smoke Alarms:
- We run over 1400 service calls a year, and we are still amazed at how many homes do not have adequate number of Smoke Alarms, or the ones they have are outdated and not even functioning.
- We would always recommend hardwired & interconnected smoke alarms with battery backup as the best protection.
- There are also excellent solutions with wireless interconnected alarms. [See video for samples].
Tamper Resistant Receptacles:
- Now a code requirement in new homes. What about your older home? If you have children, consider replacing the receptacles in your home with TR (tamper resistant) receptacles. If you run a daycare centre, this is a no-brainer.
Many of today’s choices when it comes to electrical work are both automated and energy efficient. Oris Taylor from HotWire Electric gives us a tour of a home with many modern features.
Oris Taylor of HotWire Electric:
1. Lighting
Under-cabinet lighting (pin vs. puck):
- Puck lights are typically used for under-cabinet lighting and consume a lot more energy (20 watts) compared to pin lights, which save a lot of energy at only ½ watt.
Chandelier:
- Instead of overwhelming the living room with pot lights the homeowner decided to make the chandelier the main focus and then complimented it with a few accent lights and up lights (lights in the floor).
2. Automation/Energy Savings
Retractable Downdraft:
- Got a kitchen island with a stovetop? Instead of a clunky hood fan why not go with a retractable down draft? At the push of a button it neatly tucks away into your counter.
Touchscreen Control:
- An increasing number of people are opting to control their lighting, music, security cameras and more from one centrally located screen in their house. These features can also be connected and controlled remotely through a smartphone or tablet.
Motion activated lights:
- When you enter a room the lights turn on and when you exit they time out behind you.
The Cost Of Electrical Work
There’s a common theme amongst the reviews on electrical work on HomeStars. Majorly popular projects include:
- Installation of pot lights
- Outdoor lighting
- Complete re-wiring
- Upgrades to Electrical Panels
- Various small jobs
Installation of Pot Lights
The average cost for pot light installation doesn’t seem to vary much between jobs or between regions in Canada. The average cost for having pot lights installed in your home is $1,250.00. It seems that the number of lights installed doesn’t effect the number greatly.
Outdoor Lighting
Exterior lighting has a larger range across different projects. Our data shows an average cost of $960.00 but don’t be mislead. Larger projects trend closer to $1,500.00. Basic security light jobs really pull the overall average of outdoor lighting down. One or two basic porch lights, or security light average closer to $300.00.
Complete Re- Wire
Knob and tube wiring replacement and whole new house electrical jobs average $8,000.00 across Canada but the averages are closer to $10,000.00 in the city of Toronto.
Upgrades to Electrical Panels
A necessity in a lot of older homes, upgrades and replacements of electrical panels average near $1,520.00. People today plug in a lot more electronics than the households of past. This means older homes will often need an upgrade to their panel.
