When people think about ways to enhance the value of their home they typically think about things like renovating the kitchen or bath, finishing the basement or even adding a deck. But there’s another way you can significantly ramp up the value of your home and it’s something no one will notice until they interact with the lights or other features of the house: electrical upgrades. In a recent article on eieihome our own Hanna Taylor sat down to answer some questions about the value of having a licensed electrical contractor upgrade the various electrical components of the house and how those upgrades can enhance safety, comfort and convenience as well.

A Wiring Upgrade is Not a DIY Project

Upgrading the wiring in the home is a great way to enhance its value but, as Hanna points out in her interview with eieihome, it’s not a project that homeowners should undertake themselves:

“Some homeowners seek to cut corners by carrying out electrical work themselves. This is illegal as it violates building codes. A good electrician will make sure all wiring in your home is certified and this will increase the value of your home.”

That’s an important point because if the new wiring isn’t up to code it will actually reduce the value of your home rather than increase it. Plus, once the wiring is rejected by the building inspector it will all have to be pulled out and redone. So resist the urge to perform DIY wiring upgrades.

What About Other Enhancements?

Your electrical contractor is able to enhance the value of your home in a number of ways besides upgrading the wiring. Those include:

• Upgrading your panel – Sometimes there’s no need for a full wiring upgrade. What you really need is just to replace the electrical panel. Upgrading the panel provides a more consistent flow of power throughout the house and will often solve nagging problems you may have been experiencing like blown fuses and flickering lights. An upgraded panel also introduces scalability to your home, allowing you to add features down the line without having to modify or replace the panel again. If you’re hearing strange sounds emanating from your old panel it could indicate a looming fire hazard and you should call the pros at Hotwire Electric pronto.
• Conducting an LED retrofit – Lights comprise up to 1/3 of your electric bill. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology are revolutionizing the lighting industry in ways not seen since the light bulb displaced the gas light. LEDs in particular produce previously unimagined savings due to their extraordinary efficiency and long life. A home that has been retrofit with these new lighting technologies is one that is substantially more valuable than one still running 20th century lighting tech.

Summary

If you’re serious about adding value to your home look beyond the kitchen cabinets to the wiring that courses through the walls, the lights that put the finishing touch on the decor and the electrical panel that serves as a gateway between the electric grid and the house. Upgrading any of these oft-overlooked features will produce a significant bump in home value while at the same time making the house more comfortable and convenient than ever.