Install an HVAC and Keep Cool

The Australian summer can be super hot. If you live in Australia, you will want to make sure you can stay cool during the intense heat. I came to realise how important HVAC systems are when I moved into an apartment which didn't have HVAC. It was OK in the winter, but by the summer, it was terrible. I called in an HVAC contractor and asked them to install a new system. It was amazing what a difference it made. The contractor also gave me some advice about how to maintain the system. I hope this blog is useful to you.

When You Can Expand Old Electrical Systems

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Have you just bought an older home whose electrical system may not be sufficient for your needs? Read on and discover some of the circumstances under which you may simply expand that system without incurring the cost of replacing the entire electrical system.

Extra Space in the Panel

Fuse boxes or service panels normally have some extra space for additional circuits at the time they are installed. That extra space is intended to cater for any future needs when the electrical requirements of the building occupants change. Some homeowners never require to install additional circuits in the system. The space for extra breakers or fuses will therefore remain blank. In such a case, you may create additional circuits within that panel or fuse box without straining the system.

Underutilised Circuits

Another circumstance under which you may simply expand the capacity of the current electrical system is if the existing circuits are not fully loaded. For example, the circuit on which the kitchen appliances are supplied with power may be utilised at half their capacity. This extra capacity allows you to install more outlets so that additional appliances can be connected to the same circuit without having to overhaul the entire electrical system. You can check the fuse box or service panel in order to confirm the ampere rating of each circuit. Compare that maximum load rating with the ampere rating of each of the appliances supplied by that circuit. You can then know what extra load can be added safely to that circuit.

Sound Insulation and Wiring

You may also expand the current system without replacing it in case an inspection of the insulation and wiring system reveals that they have no signs of wear, such as frayed wires. Such wires can still work for several years without putting the system at risk. It would therefore be wasteful to replace such a system that hasn't aged.

Existence of Proper Additions

It is often inevitable that additions will be made to the original system that was installed when a home was built. For example, a wall outlet can be added by a homeowner in order to avoid using extension cords on a permanent basis. However, the way those additions were made can be a deciding factor in whether you can expand that system or replace it altogether. Properly installed additions are ideal since they will allow you to expand that system safely. Improper additions, such as having different gauges of wires within the same circuit, may compel you to replace the system because such an addition makes the wiring unsafe.

Find an electrical contractor who can evaluate the entire electrical system based on the factors above. That professional will advise you about which components may or may not need to be replaced in order to address your current electrical needs. 

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29 August 2017