Electrical Service Upgrade Planning.
Are you considering residential remodeling or planning the construction of a new home? If so, plan well for your electrical service upgrade needs before construction begins. Once the walls go up, so do the expenses involved for electrical services that are beyond the current existing capacity. Consider well your electrical service needs and the quality of the electrical material to be specified for the project. When dealing with any kind of electrical wiring installation, safety should always be a high priority.
Residential wiring best practices have changed to accommodate for the addition on new electrical technologies. Powerful audio and video equipment, home security monitoring, etc. require special protections and capabilities from the electrical wiring circuits. Acceptable wiring practices of 30 years ago are not acceptable in today’s residential construction. Today, residential construction primarily uses three types of wiring:
- Romex is a composite cable consisting of 1 or more “hot” conductors, a neutral conductor, and a ground wire. All the conductors are individually insulated and the entire bundle is sheathed in PVC plastic.
- BX / Armor Clad / Flexible Metal Conduit cable. BX contains one or more individually insulated “hot” conductors, one individually insulated neutral conductor, and a insulated or non-insulated ground wire.
- Individual conductors run inside conduit: – used primarily in industrial and commercial applications, but used for “Structured wiring”. Structured wiring is a generic term for any heavy-duty electrical and data cables designed to handle the latest entertainment and communication devices including phones, Internet, and household heating and lighting systems.
Each of the wiring system products listed above has its pros and cons.
Romex is by far the most common type of wire used in single-family residential applications today, and been used extensively for the past 40 years. Romex is flexible, heat & fire resistant, easy to install, and relatively inexpensive.
Slightly more expensive, BX contains one or more individually insulated “hot” conductors, one individually insulated neutral conductor, and a ground wire, which may or may not be individually insulated. BX is sheathed in a flexible metal spiral. BX provides all the advantages of Romex plus it resists puncture by nails and screws, and resistant rodents and other pests damage.
Significantly more expensive yet is structured wiring systems. Individual conductors run inside conduit is used primarily in industrial and commercial applications. But, according to the National Association of Home Builders Research Center, almost 50% of homes built in 2008 included structured wiring.
Luckily, the typical home owner can choose any or a mix of the products above to design the ideal electrical wiring installation to match his lifestyle.
If an electrical service upgrade is in your plans, leave your electrical work to the professionals. For all of your residential electrical needs, give us a call – we’re here to help.
Call today to request a free job consultation. Would you like a complimentary…no obligation …project consultation? Please feel free to call for more details.
Goodiel Electric LLC.
Glenn Goodiel.
Mobile: 772-263-2333.
Florida License – EC13005097.
For a Great Deal, call Goodiel Electric.
Master Electrician and Martin County Florida based Electrical Contractor.
In Martin County, Goodiel Electric, LLC. services Hobe Sound, Indiantown, Jensen Beach, Jupiter Island, North River Shores, Ocean Breeze Park, Palm City, Port Salerno, Rio, Sewalls Point and Stuart.
In St. Lucie County, Goodiel Electric, LLC. services Port St. Lucie, St. Lucie West, Tradition, Torino, Tesoro, Lake Charles, Lake Forest, Magnolia Lakes, PGA Village, The Vineyards, St James Golf Club, The Cascades, Fort Pierce, and the unincorporated areas of St. Lucie County.