Electricians Should Stay Out Of Bathroom Renovations
Renovating specific rooms in your home improves their functionality and increases your home’s value. The bathroom is one of the most common rooms homeowners remodel as it is one of the most used rooms in the house. The purpose of renovating is to make it look cleaner and modern by incorporating more functional fixtures. But there is certainly more involved in a bathroom renovation project than just installing new fixtures, appliances and improving the aesthetics.
The electrical wiring of a bathroom is as essential as any other part of the renovation project. If the electrical wiring is done right in a bathroom, it ultimately boosts the accessibility and convenience of the room. Although you may want to save more when doing a bathroom renovation, there are some things you can skimp on and need to hire experienced professionals to do the work. One of those things is electrical works. The most professional electricians are the safest because a bathroom’s electrical works are complex. Ensure the one you hire has the necessary certification and is licensed to operate in your state. Note that the behind-the-scenes electrical installations or wiring of a bathroom should be done right to avoid any electrical problems in the future.
Water and electricity are a hazadours combination which is why you should not leave anything to chance. In the bathroom, you require heated water to shower, and you also rely on electrical appliances such as hairdryers and shavers in your daily routine. You need to take care of your bathroom devices by having the electrical system installed right. That protects your family from electrocution, shock, or fire. Below are some of the electrical considerations you need to account for during a bathroom renovation project.
Upgrade your service panel
A bathroom renovation means improving its functionality which means upgrading some of the bathroom appliances such as heaters and other electrical fixtures. Upgrading your bathroom appliances also means you need to upgrade your service panel because higher chances are, the older service panel will not accommodate new appliances and devices. If not, ensure you check the electrical inputs of an appliance before buying to determine if your existing service panel can handle it.
If you are installing new appliances in your bathroom during a renovation project, work with a professional electrician to install and set them up. Luxury bathroom renovations should still eschew electrical features to save you from any undesirable problems in the future. A professional electrician can account for all the electrical installations and label every switch or breaker control with their corresponding switch to save your family from confusion.
Safety tips
- Electrical sockets should be fixed away from the shower.
- Ground fault circuit interpreters are necessary to automatically shut off power if the electrical current is improperly grounding.
- Do not use electrical devices or appliances in the bathroom when standing in the water.
- Any exposed wiring is subject to immediate repair.
- Any electrical heater in the bathroom should be hardwired into a circuit, preferably installed in a wall.
- The less electrical wiring a bathroom has, the better.
- Pull strings may be better for light fixtures in the bathroom as they minimize the touching of switches with wet hands.
The bottom line
Hire only a professional and licensed electrician when renovating your bathroom to prevent any possibility of amateur mistakes that could be disastrous.