Safely Prepare Your Home for an HVAC Upgrade – Part 2
As discussed in Part 1, the first step for an HVAC upgrade is contacting a licensed electrician to evaluate your home’s electrical system. Part 2 will cover more aspects of safely preparing your home for an HVAC upgrade.
Electrical System Inspection
Your licensed electrician should also perform a complete inspection of your house’s electrical wiring. The professional should ensure proper connections at the service panel to prevent the new AC compressor from worsening any existing problems. If there are any loose connections, this can lead to severe voltage drops every time the AC compressor engages, which can dim the lighting in your entire house.
Electrical System Upgrade
If there are defects or deficiencies in your home’s electrical system, they will require repairs or upgrades before installing your new HVAC system. An older home usually needs to upgrade its service panel and electrical meter to accommodate a 200-amp service. A smaller house with few major appliances may get by with a 100-amp service.
Although the utility will handle upgrading the meter, your electrician must run a bigger gauge cable into your house and replace your old service panel. Installing a new service box will give you ample room to add a new AC unit circuit and eliminate the need for a separate sub-panel.
Work Only With a Licensed Electrician
An electrical system upgrade will require working with a skilled and experienced licensed electrician. This will especially be true if you are planning to retrofit an older home’s central air conditioning system. A licensed electrician will ensure electrical work is done properly the very first time and ensure the safety of your family and home.
Electrical Services You Can Trust
Founded in 1991 and serving Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., where we are licensed and insured, Meyer Electrical Services provides home and commercial electrical services you can trust, including:
- Standby Generator Installation
- Panel Upgrades (Heavy-Ups)
- Electrical Vehicle Charging Stations
- Structured Cabling
- Circuit Breaker Replacement
Based in Bethesda, our team proudly serves all of Montgomery County. Receive a free consultation for custom electrical work today by calling (301) 941-1400.