7 Most Common Electrical Wiring Mistakes

There’s nothing like the comfort of relaxing in your own home after a long., hard day at work. But what if dangerous, undetected wiring mistakes are hidden in the home you love? Unless your home is newly constructed by professional builders, it’s possible that amateur electrical work, including one or more of these common home wiring mistakes, could be hidden inside the walls without you even knowing it. Occasionally, even professional builders miss things. To prevent dangerous house fires, it’s important to always use a trusted, professional electrician, like Karen Proctor Electric. Here is a helpful list we put together for you of the 7 most common home wiring mistakes for you to look out for:

1. Wires run too near stud faces
• Wires must be run at least 1 ¼ inch from stud faces so drywall screws and nails cannot reach them
• Nail plates on stud faces protect wiring
• Cable stackers route wire bundles away from the drywall
2. Running line voltage (electricity) and low-voltage (phone and modem) wires together
• This causes interference in electronics and telecommunications equipment
• Instead, the two types of wires must be run parallel, six inches apart, using separate junction boxes for the outlets
3. Too many wires forced through the stud holes
• A not uncommon attempt to avoid drilling more holes to accommodate all wires.  Drilling paddle-bit or auger holes in studs is time-consuming and hard work.
• Take the time to drill a series of parallel holes.
4. Sagging, exposed wires
• Dress all wiring up against joists using wiring staples.
• Run wiring perpendicular to joists using a running board, or use raceways.
• This prevents family members from hanging clothes and decorations from exposed wires!
5. Electrical boxes buried behind drywall
• Locate junction boxes and splice boxes atop cabinets or in the back of cabinets with a blank faceplate over them
6. New fixtures (new work) mixed haphazardly with old (old work)
• When mixing new fixtures with old (pre-1987) wiring, use a splice box and at least three feet of new wire from the fixture to the box. All post-1987 electrical wiring has a date printed on the insulation.
7. Undersized boxes
• If several wires are coming into a box, consider using a larger outlet box and get a “plaster ring” or “mud ring” over-sized faceplate.

Again, using an experienced, licensed professional electrician like Karen Proctor Electric is always the best way to protect your family and your investment. Our knowledgeable, experienced electricians bring you the highest quality service in the Middle Tennessee area, including Nashville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Ashland, Dickson, and Springfield. Karen Proctor Electric also offers free estimates, and competitive rates. For more guidance on avoiding common home wiring mistakes or to have one of our qualified electricians service your home, please contact Karen Proctor Electric at  (615) 261-8098.

For info on special offers, click here: http://www.karenproctorelectric.co

Top 5 Electrical System Fixes for Older Homes

Did you know that most circuit breakers only have about a 40-yr life? Circuit breakers are the safety nets of an older home’s electrical system. Many older homes still rely on the original electric panel and circuit breakers installed at the build of the home. If the circuit breaker has unknowingly ceased to function, it could spell serious trouble - trouble that is seldom discovered at a home inspection prior to purchase. There are many other culprits that often go unnoticed when inspecting an older home. Badly-done homeowner electrical repairs tend to top the list, and are not only expensive to correct, but often dangerous.

There are a number of things you can do to make the electrical system of your older house safer if you’re not quite ready to make the leap to complete replacement.

Top 5 Electrical System Fixes for Older Homes:

1. DITCH THE EXTENSION CORDS Extension cords are meant for temporary use only. Ditch them anywhere they are permanently installed, and have a licensed electrician run wiring to additional new receptacles.
2. REPLACE ALL DAMAGED SWITCHES AND RECEPTACLES  Also, change out any receptacles that can no longer securely grab the prongs of an appliance cord. This is most likely to occur at  locations where cords are repeatedly plugged in and out, like at the kitchen counter. A loose connection between receptacle and cord can cause arcing. Any receptacle where an electric cord can be pulled out with no resistance should be replaced.
3. REPLACE THE 100 AMP PANEL WITH A 200 AMP PANEL The change-out will require an electrician to run new service wires to the home. Because new panels are required to have special AFCI breakers for most circuits, you gain an added level of protection for the aging wires still in the wall. Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter breakers sense when any wiring in the circuits they protect is frayed or otherwise damaged  and arcing/sparking is occurring between two disconnected pieces of the same wire or two adjacent wires in a cable—and they cut off the power to the circuit.
4. or REPLACE THE BREAKERS IN THE PANEL If replacing the electric panel is more than you can afford, think about having an electrician replace the breakers in the panel. The panel box typically has a longer life than breakers anyway, and you will get AFCI-breaker protection for the 120-volt general purpose circuits. The only problem with this strategy is that it’s hard to find replacement breakers for some old panels.
5. LOOK FOR EVIDENCE OF BAD DIY REPAIRS  and have a professional electrician fix them.

At the first sign of trouble, such as lights that blink, appliances that work intermittently, breakers that keep tripping, or the acrid, burning smell of a short circuit, always shut off the circuit at the panel and seek the assistance of an experienced, licensed professional electrician, like Karen Proctor Electric. We specialize in electrical repairs of all types.  

Our knowledgeable, experienced electricians bring you the highest quality service in the Middle Tennessee area, including Nashville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Ashland, Dickson, and Springfield. Karen Proctor Electric also offers free estimates, and competitive rates. Could your home's electrical system benefit from the attention of a licensed electrician? Call Karen Proctor Electric today. Our phone number is 615-642-1792.