Your Home Needs These Outlet Upgrades

Custom Electrical Solutions, Inc. has many ideas for upgrading your home. One of the things we specialize in is installing new wall outlets to give homes a boost in safety and function. Upgrading power outlets is an inexpensive and easy way to make your home more family-friendly. Greater functionality of course means better comfort and who doesn’t want to make their lives easier? It’s also important to know Florida building codes were updated in 2015. If your outlets were installed prior to 2015, they may be out of date or considered unsafe. Let’s look at a few ideas you can use to update your home’s electrical outlets.

LED Night Lights

One of the most common and affordable ways to upgrade your home’s electrical outlets is with self-lighting outlets. Unlike traditional night lights which require an outlet, these lights are built in. They measure ambient light to automatically turn on when needed. They use only pennies a year in electricity and the lights have a 20-year life expectancy. These outlets are a beautiful addition to any home.

Recessed Outlets

Recessed outlets are geniuses at streamlining your walls. Instead of sticking out, your plugs will nestle into the outlet, allowing you to place your furniture and appliances flush against the wall. Their recessed structure also prevents plugs from being knocked out of the socket. Bonus: These are available for cable and phone lines too!

USB Outlets

Every modern family has a plethora of gadgets that all require USB chargers. Rather than constantly buying, breaking, and losing USB converter plugs, consider installing USB outlets in your home. These outlets typically give you two to four USB outlets to use directly with your phones, tablets, and more. This frees up your power outlets for other uses and eliminates the need for bulky wall chargers. Ideally, there should be one of these in every room, especially near a sofa or computer desk.

Tamper Resistant Receptacles (TRR)

Tamper resistant outlets are a must-have for any home with small children. These outlets are built with a special internal barrier which prevent small objects from being inserted into them. Every home built or remodeled after 2008 is required to have them. The 2017 National Electrical Code now requires these outlets in homes and all other property types where small children frequent. These outlets are an important upgrade because they are proven to prevent injury and death due to shock hazards.

AFCI and GFCI Outlets

Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI) and Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) are outlets that constantly monitor the “current” situation. AFCI outlets automatically shut down when they detect overheating in the wiring, preventing damage. They are easy to incorporate into your home’s main electrical panel. Similarly, a GFCI monitors electricity flow and automatically shuts down any time there’s an interruption like a power surge or outage. This prevents damage to plugged-in devices, saving you money on repair and replacement.

With so many upgrades available for your home, there are several things to consider. Do you want to upgrade for safety or convenience? For beauty or functionality? If you’re like us, you would say all of the above! Give us a call today at 954-464-5507 and we will arrange a free quote based on your needs.