Electrical Issues That Could Make or Break Your Home Sale
October 26, 2022
When you put your house on the market, you have to compete with hundreds or thousands of other sellers in your area.
Smart buyers will pay attention to your home's electrical system to make sure it meets their needs. If you have any of these four electrical issues, you could find it difficult to keep potential buyers interested.
Your Home Doesn't Have Electrical Grounding
Do your outlets have two or three holes? If your outlets only have two holes, then they won't meet the needs of today's electronics and appliances.
Most modern appliances have chords with three prongs, so you need outlets with corresponding holes.
When potential buyers see that they can't plug in their appliances, they won't want to purchase your home. It's a lot easier to buy a house that comes with modern outlets.
Your Outlets Lack Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters
You know movies where people electrocuted by a radio or toaster oven falling into a bathtub full of water? Electrocution doesn't happen in modern homes with ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Instead, the outlet would stop sending electricity to the device.
Installing GFCI outlets is the easiest way to make homes safer. It's especially important to put them in wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens. In fact, you may need GFCI outlets in your kitchen and bathroom to comply with building code requirements.
You can also have an electrician install GFCI circuit breakers that protect your whole house.
Your Electrical Box Can't Handle Enough Amperage
A few decades ago, electricians often installed electrical boxes built to handle 60 amps. Compared to today, people didn't use much electricity, so 60 amps worked just fine.
Most of today's homes have electrical panels built for 100 to 200 amps. Some large homes can even support 400 amps of electricity.
You probably don't need a panel designed for 400 amps. Anything less than 100, however, will put you at a disadvantage. A 60-amp service can't even supply power to a stove, water heater, and hairdryer without tripping.
Your House Doesn't Have Enough Outlets
Since people tend to use more electrical devices now than they did in the past, buyers expect houses to have plenty of outlets. No one wants to purchase a home that doesn't offer enough outlets to power their TVs, computers, routers, and appliances.
If your house doesn't have enough outlets, some potential buyers will look for alternatives to your home.
Contact Mister Sparky to complete a safety inspection and make any necessary repairs before you put your home on the market. Getting the right service will make it easier for you to sell your home.