Getting Your Home Electrical System Ready for Back-to-School Demands

As the back-to-school season approaches, getting your home ready to accommodate the academic needs of the students in your household becomes a top priority. Between homework, school projects, and adults working from home or on hybrid schedules, having an efficient and functioning electrical environment at home is vital. Before the season begins in earnest, it’s a good idea to consider whether your electrical system meets all your household needs.  whole-home electrical inspection, along with a few thoughtful upgrades, can help you get a jump on the new school year. Mid-August is a good time to be getting your home electrical system ready for back-to-school demands.

Appropriate Lighting for Every Workspace

Now more than ever, home spaces are being pressed into service as multi-use areas. Creating spaces conducive to study, schoolwork, and career is crucial to fostering focus and productivity. Proper lighting plays a major role in that task, from promoting learning and concentration to reducing eye strain.

• Task Lighting: Install task lighting in study areas like reading nooks and desks. Workstations outfitted with adjustable task lighting and LED bulbs provide focused lighting, which supports better concentration. 
• Natural Light: Natural light enhances mood while boosting productivity, which makes it an ideal addition to any lighting plan focused on flexibility and versatility. You can’t control actual natural lighting around the clock, but you can opt for full-spectrum LED lighting designed specifically to mimic the effects of natural sunlight. 
• Ambient Lighting: Sometimes homework happens at dedicated workstations, and sometimes students set up camp in communal spaces like living rooms, dens, and kitchens. Flexibility in lighting options is crucial for these areas, as you can create the ideal ambiance and mood for any activity, from family dinners and group projects to dimly-lit movie nights. 

Quality-of-Life Upgrades to Your Home Electrical System 

With multiple family members working and learning from home at any given time, power demands are higher than ever. Because it’s crucial to prevent overloading circuits while ensuring everyone’s devices can run simultaneously without interruptions, dedicated circuits are essential. By providing a separate power supply for specific, high-demand appliances, you can reduce your overall risk of tripping circuit breakers. 

Another must-have quality-of-life upgrade to your home's electrical system before the school year kicks into high gear? USB outlets. Not only do they eliminate the need for bulky, easily misplaced chargers, but USB outlets also make it easy to charge tablets, phones, and other devices in multiple home areas.

Depending on the age of your home, this may also be a great time to consider upgrading your electrical panel. If ten or more years have passed since your home was built, there’s a good chance your electrical panel isn’t up to the demands of modern living. Upgrading the panel boosts safety and ensures you have enough power to support everything running in your home at peak time.

Get Ready for Busy Season 

Back-to-school is just around the corner, which means the autumn and winter holiday season will soon be on a fast approach. This is the perfect time to get your home up-to-par for the school year, and also for the impending holiday gatherings!

At Wilcox Electric, we understand just how essential a functional, efficient home any time of year is, but especially during those hectic seasons. Our team of licensed electricians can conduct a thorough, whole-home electrical inspection to ensure your system is up to the task. From dedicated circuits and USB outlet installations to smart home integration and lighting plans, we offer a vast range of services to optimize your home for convenience, productivity, and quality-of-life. Contact Wilcox Electric today to learn more!