Electrical
Electrical Upgrades in Kansas City, MO

If you’ve been searching for ways to increase the value of your home, one of the best options is to make specific upgrades to your electrical system. The fact is that the electrical system is one of the most essential parts of a home. That’s why upgrading it to improve safety or add convenience is an investment that can really pay off.

New Electrical Panel

Most experts recommend replacing the main electrical panel in a home every 25 years or so. That’s primarily because old electrical panels can develop issues that result in various safety hazards. If your electrical panel is old or has any issues, you can be certain you won’t get as good of a price for your house were you to sell it. That’s because prospective buyers will usually realize that they’ll need to pay to replace the panel soon.

In addition to improving electrical safety, another reason upgrading your electrical panel is a good way to boost the value of your home is that it will make your home more energy efficient. Modern electrical panels are much better at effectively channeling power to where it needs to be, resulting in less waste and lower electricity bills.

If you have an old panel that’s only 100 or 150 amps, replacing it with at least a 200-amp panel is also a way to future-proof your house. The average home’s electricity needs are continuing to increase because of things like EV chargers, and a 100-amp panel is simply not sufficient to meet the modern electrical needs of most households. By upgrading to a larger panel, you can ensure that your house’s electrical system can meet the needs of any buyer.

AFCI Circuit Breakers and GFCI Outlets

AFCI (arc fault circuit interrupter) breakers and GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets are essential safety components that should be part of any modern electrical system. The National Electric Code requires that new homes have these devices for certain circuits and power receptacles. If you have an older home, you’re not required to install them. Nonetheless, doing so is an easy way to boost the value of your home and make your electrical system much safer.

AFCI breakers protect against arc faults, which is when electricity jumps between two different contact points. This often happens because of a damaged wire or device and usually ends up with the current producing sparks. Arc faults can also produce an extreme amount of heat that can lead to a fire or cause someone to get seriously burned. When an arc fault occurs, it causes the current to suddenly spike. AFCI breakers are designed to immediately detect this spike and shut the power to the circuit off.

GFCI outlets protect against ground faults, which are one of the most common causes of shocks and electrocution. A ground fault is when the current essentially leaks out of an outlet or device and electrifies another metal object. Anyone who then touched the electrified object would get seriously shocked or possibly fatally electrocuted. GFCI outlets can detect when even a tiny amount of current is leaking out and will trip and stop power from flowing to the outlet should a ground fault ever occur.

Whole-Home Backup Generator

Another excellent investment is installing a backup generator for your home. This type of generator is permanently mounted outside the house and connects directly to the house’s main electrical panel. It also connects either to the home’s natural gas supply or a large propane tank so that it has a constant source of fuel.

Any time the power goes out, a device known as an automatic transfer switch triggers the generator to start running and supplying power to the house. In most cases, it won’t even take a minute before the generator ensures that the power to some or all of your home is restored. That means your refrigerator and freezer will quickly come back on, so you don’t have to worry about all your food spoiling. You’ll also be able to keep your lights on, charge all your devices, run your heating or air conditioning, etc. The fact that a backup generator makes sure the house is always prepared and will still have electricity during an outage makes it an invaluable addition that will most certainly attract more buyers and drive up the price of your house.

Level 2 EV Charging Station

The popularity of electronic vehicles continues to grow by leaps and bounds. As such, more and more people are looking for properties that already have a Level 2 EV charging station when in the market for a new home. Not only will an EV charging station installation make your home more attractive to certain buyers due to the convenience of being able to charge their EVs at home, but it’s also one of the best electrical investments you can make.

Studies have shown that homes with a Level 2 charging station sell for approximately $15,000 more on average compared to similar homes in the same area without one. That means if you’re considering putting your house on the market, it’s well worth considering having a charging station installed since you’ll almost certainly make back more than what you paid for the installation.

Smart Home and Home Automation Technology

Smart home technology is undoubtedly the way of the future. Adding things like a video doorbell, smart garage door opener, smart lighting, a smart thermostat, etc., is a great way to make your life more convenient. Certain types of smart home technology can also make your home more energy efficient or improve your home security. While they likely won’t add a huge amount of value to your house, installing some of these devices is still well worth the investment. That’s because most of these devices are relatively inexpensive and easy to install and because they’ll make your home far more appealing to most people.

USB Outlets

Another inexpensive upgrade that’s worth considering is replacing some of the outlets in certain rooms with USB outlets. Having USB outlets in places like bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms is useful for ensuring people can charge their devices without needing to take up one of the normal outlets. More and more people are also installing USB outlets within their bathroom vanity cabinets. That way, everyone can charge their electric toothbrushes within the cabinet instead of having to leave them out on the counter.

When you need any home service in the Kansas City area, trust the experts at MVP Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing & Electric. We’re a locally owned and operated company with years of experience. If you’re considering upgrading your home with an EV charging station, backup generator, or anything else, our electricians are ready to assist. We can also perform a full inspection and take care of any repairs to ensure that your electrical system is safe and that all its components work properly. To learn more about what makes us the best home service company in Kansas City, contact the team at MVP Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing & Electric today.

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