Heritage homes are unique and uniquely beautiful. In Winnipeg, we have several neighbourhoods where heritage homes are common, from Scotia Heights to River Heights.
Technology, building techniques, and our understanding of safety have been completely transformed over the last century; many homes in River Heights were built 60-100 years ago. These homes may lack energy-efficient windows and roofing materials, have poor insulation due to old-school construction techniques, and/or have foundation problems.
We’re electricians, so when we see an old home, our minds immediately jump to panels and wiring. We’re going to give you some insights into the electrical problems these older homes can face - and how to fix them:
River Heights is full of beautiful character homes; many of these homes were built during the housing boom after World War II, while some homes, especially in River Heights East, were built over 100 years ago. A 2004 report on inequality conveniently provides us with the average age of homes by neighbourhood, and you can quickly see how much older River Heights is compared to many other Winnipeg neighbourhoods.
Older homes were built with older electrical wiring; some River Heights homes may even still have knob-and-tube wiring (though most have been upgraded since then). Other potential problems include:
Working in old River Heights homes can pose a few distinct challenges. These challenges include:
There’s also the challenge of bringing everything up to code. You might call an electrician because your lights are constantly flickering, only for the electrician to discover a host of wiring problems that all need to be addressed to bring your home up to modern standards.
These fixes all come at a cost - but in many cases, what we’re fixing are serious safety issues. We’ll give you all the info you need before proceeding, so you can make informed decisions about any modifications we make to your wiring.
80+ years ago, when many River Heights homes were built, air conditioning wasn’t nearly as common as it is today; to this day, fewer homes built before 1960 have air conditioning than any other age of home.
Other modern conveniences like laundry machines and dishwashers were also far less common. The consequence? Many of these homes were built with 60-amp or 100-amp service, and they cannot keep up with today’s electrical demands.
Modern HVAC systems, appliances, and other mechanical systems (all equipment used for heating, cooling, ventilation, and water heating) require more electricity than they did when most River Heights homes were built - and that’s without even talking about other modern amenities, like electric vehicle charging stations.
Modernizing your panel can help you get more out of your River Heights home while keeping you, your family, and your property safe.
We’ve already touched on code compliance; let’s take a moment to delve a little deeper:
Your home does not have to comply with modern electrical codes; it only has to comply with the codes that existed at the time it was built. There are two major caveats, however:
This means that if you hire us for a job, and there are all sorts of things in your electrical system that are not code-compliant, we will tell you about them; from there, you will decide what work we do. We’ll tell you very precisely what our scope of work will be, as any work we do must comply with the current electrical code.
Getting your home up to code has a number of advantages; you may need to pay less for insurance (because there are fewer safety concerns), and you’ll likely have an easier time selling your home or getting permits for projects. You may even benefit from greater energy efficiency!
Older homes require specialized inspections because they may feature any number of serious problems, from old wiring to cracked foundations. In Rockwood, many homes were built in the 1950s and 1960s, so you may even have to deal with asbestos insulation.
A detailed home inspection can help you uncover everything from air leakage to faulty wiring; if you’ve never had one done, it can be worth the money, especially if you plan on renovating or selling.
Many homeowners in River Heights require extensive electric work on their homes, whether it’s to attract more potential buyers or to upgrade their service to charge a new EV.
No matter what kind of electrical work you need, you should hire qualified, experienced electricians. Companies with knowledge of local codes and experience working in older homes are your best bet.
Powertec Electric has the knowledge and experience you’re looking for; if you need Winnipeg electrical services in River Heights, we have you covered.
