Old houses have their charm, but they also have quirks beneath the surface. One of the not-so-obvious concerns about buying a fixer-upper, or even a house that has already been renovated and flipped for sale, is the condition of the electrical system.
If the dining room lights flicker on and off when the new Whirlpool washer is running or the microwave blows the circuit breaker on a regular basis, it might be time to call a licensed electrician before the charm turns to sizzle.
“Modern electrical usage is quite different from even 20 years ago,” said Jay Markanich, a home inspector in Northern Virginia. “Then, we did not imagine the kinds of appliances we would be using now, nor the numbers of things like phones, computers, printers, TVs, etc. Home offices did not exist to the extent that they do today.”
The electrical capacity necessary depends on the size of the home and the number of occupants living inside. It also involves how the breakers balance the load and the condition of the wiring handling the current.
“Your average four-bedroom, two-bathroom house should be upgraded to a minimum of 200 amps,” he said. “That will likely service the existing number of occupants for years to come.”
Estimator Larry Bernard of Kolb Electric, a family-owned firm that has done business in the D.C. area since 1925, handles the “heavy ups,” or major increases in power, and other service upgrades such as replacing old wiring and fuse panels with new circuit breakers. An upgrade to 200 amps of power for the average house will run from $2,000 to $3,000, he said.
“Every situation is slightly different,” Bernard said. “It depends on the house.”
Another hot spot of concern is the wiring itself. Upgrading so that it does not overheat will keep the home safe from electrical fires.
“If the [electric] box and/or wiring were installed prior to about 1988, you should seriously consider replacing it,” Markanich said. “Branch circuit wiring installed prior to the mid-1980s is typically rated for a maximum temperature of only 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Newer electric fixtures, including lighting and fans, typically require wiring rated for 194 degrees Fahrenheit. Connecting older wiring to newer fixtures is a potential safety hazard with risk of fire.”
If a home’s electrical system does not meet the National Electrical Code, which is updated every three years, it may be grandfathered into the standard that applied when it was built. However, if buyers remodel, and anything they do affects the electrical system, it will need to be brought up to code and the building permit will require the signature of a master electrician.
“It’s best to go with a licensed electrician from the beginning,” Bernard said. “The small contractors, and there are some good ones, who don’t have licenses are OK for fixtures and switches. I’ve seen work done wrong by shady people, and it will cost you more money to fix it in the end. Somebody has got to have a license somewhere.”
Markanich often inspects renovated properties and stressed the need for a thorough examination.
“I’ve inspected a large number of ‘flips’ in the current market and have found many problems. Much of the work is unprofessional at best, and some, very dangerous,” he said. If a house has had serious remodeling done, including the electrical, and no building permits were pulled, I would examine it very, very carefully before any purchase price is offered.”
If something goes wrong in the house and no permits exist, many insurance companies will not cover it.
Have questions about permits?
D.C.
http://dcra.dc.gov/DC/DCRA/Permits/Homeowners+Center/Visit+the+Homeowner’s+Center
Fairfax County
fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/
construction/whenapermitis
required.htm
Arlington County
arlingtonva.us/departments/CPHD/isd/CPHDIsdPermit
Required.aspx
Alexandria
http://alexandriava.gov/uploaded
Files/fire/code/info/When%20is%20a%20Permit%20
Required%2008.28.08.pdf
Montgomery County
http://permittingservices.mont gomerycountymd.gov/dpstmpl.asp?url=/permitting/bc/nfbp.asp
