Concord, NC, has the charm of a town that has been around a while, and it shows. However, even though the numerous older residences are still well in use today, the city has seen a lot of residential development in recent years. The growth of the town has led to many homeowners opting to upgrade their electrical appliances, which usually requires special wiring. As a residential owner, you should consider investing in specialized electrical wiring for your devices to prevent power surges from damaging the sensitive circuits on the inside.
The Need for Special Wiring
Dedicated circuits are a method for ensuring that appliances get the electricity they need without overloading the house’s supply. They can be a useful safety measure that homeowners should look into. In any kitchen, there should be a dedicated circuit for the refrigerator. TVs could also benefit from having one, as can washers and dryers. If you find that your appliances are tripping your circuit breaker often, then you may need to consider calling an electrician to install a dedicated circuit for those appliances.
Adding a Dedicated Circuit
Creating a dedicated circuit and tying it into the house’s supply is a relatively simple matter. We follow a simple step-by-step procedure to install those circuits:
- Map out the circuit before beginning so that you know where the lines are going to be run.
- Check the breaker for an unused 20-amp slot, or space to install one
- TURN OFF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE OUTLET
- Cut holes and knockouts to trace the wire from the breaker box to the final location
- Fish the cable from the panel to where you’re going to install the outlet for the circuit
- Connect the wires in the outlet, ensuring that the ground, live, and neutral wires are in the correct locations
- Go back to the breaker and connect the other end of the circuit to the free switch you located earlier in the panel
- Ensure that no wires will come into contact with the housing of the panel
- Turn the breaker on and test the circuit
How Does a Dedicated Circuit Protect a Home?
Without a dedicated circuit, an appliance may have to share supply with other devices, possibly coming out of the same outlet. Even if a dedicated circuit is created for a specific machine, the wiring should be able to support the amperage for the appliance. If the installation can’t handle the load, then it could become a fire hazard. Additionally, as mentioned before, dedicated circuits limit the amount of power that that particular appliance can draw from the house’s supply. By doing this, they limit the chance of the device accidentally tripping the breaker it’s attached to.
Choosing the Right Electrician for the Job
As with all things dealing with electrical systems, you should consult a professional instead of installing it yourself. The potential for electric shock is very high when dealing with house wiring, so hiring a trained professional for the job is the best way to go about installing a dedicated circuit. At LiveWire, we believe that if you’re doing a job, you should do it professionally. If you need to install your own dedicated circuit, call one of the best-known professional electricians in Concord, NC. Contact LiveWire today!