If you live in an older home in the Kansas City area, you may be having some issues with your electricity. That’s common because homes that are 30 years old or older weren’t originally wired with today’s electrical demands in mind. Older homes typically have a 60-amp electrical service. Modern homes are built with a service rated for 100 amps or more. Additionally, the NEC (National Electrical Code) changes over the years and homes that were wired 20 or more years ago may be missing some important safety features.

GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) are required by code in many places in your home. A GFCI is an inexpensive device that can save you from a harmful and possibly fatal electrical shock. If a piece of electrical equipment is damaged or defective, it can create an unintentional electrical path between itself and the ground. If a person touches this defective equipment, they can be burned, receive a powerful shock, or even be killed. All receptacles in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, outdoors and in unfinished basements should have GFCI protection. Usually, you can tell if your home has one by looking for a red button in the middle of the outlet. When activated, it pops out and the receptacle is essentially dead until you press the button to reset it.

At Fusion Electric, upgrading the electrical systems in older homes is a common service call we receive. If you’re constantly blowing circuits, need more outlets for computers, game systems, kitchen appliances, home theaters, etc., or are just concerned with the safety of your home’s old wiring, outlets or breaker box, give us a call. We’ll give your home a safety inspection and let you know if an upgrade is advisable. We cover the entire Kansas City area, from Leawood to Overland Park to Lees Summit.