The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1948-07-29
YODERNIZING YOUR WIRING

Can you use your electric APP
planes whenever and wherever
you want to use them? Is it pos
sible to have as many lights as
you wish, and can you add new
appliances to the present electric
load in your home?
In most cases the answer is
mo-" Your present wiring system
Is already overtaxed. Installed
some years age when you built
your home, it probably made ade-
quate provision for the few lamps,
hand iron. and perhaps the toaster
which comprised your electrical
equipment then. But 1t is now used
for so many new chores that 1t
cannot serve you economically and
conveniently with it's added load.
BY proper planning, and by add
ing to the wiring system those
parts which are simple to add,
the cost of electrically moderniz-
ing home can be surprisingly
small-often no more than the
cost of redecorating one or two
rooms.
Before you make these plans,
you should know what's wrong
with your wiring. You'll want to
know whether it's worth the cost
involved and whether the present
deficiencies can be overcome.
In checking the necessity for re-
wiring. the lack of switches, lights
and outlets is obvious. The lack
Of other features is harder to de-
tect. Every wiring system has two
parts; the visible part-consisting
OF convenience outlets, switches
and lights, and the invisible part
the wires themselves which are
installed behind the walls.
While shortcomings in the visible
part of the wiring may cause in
convenience, inadequacies in the
invisible part may result in In
creased cost, power failure and
poor appliance operation.
These deficiencies are more Sc.
rious than generally realized. I'm
proper wiring causes a drop in
electric pressure voltage drop
and If appliances do not receive
the correct pressure (voltage),
they cannot perform efficiently.
Now that you know what's
wrong with your wiring. what can
you do about it? First, determine
what parts Of the system need
undermining. To Judge best what
you need most, check your pres
ent wiring system first and record
the present number Of your oon-
vsniencs outlets, lights and
Switches.
Then d >srmine the number Of
fuses in your service entrance
panel, which is usually installed
in the kitchen or on the back
porch. In most cases, each fuse
indicates one circuit.
II you have an electric range,
water heater. oil burner, or clothes
dryer, you may have special cir
cults. The range or water heater
circuit will have two fuses each;
all other special circuits will have
one. If you have circuit breakers
instead Of fuses in your service
entrance panel, the number Of ham
dies will indicate the number Of
circuits.
Next fix the location and count
the number of additional con-
venience outlets which you think
you need and write 1t down. Do
the same for additional lighting
outlets and switches.
Now your electrical contractor
can quickly determine how many
circuits you need. From your tab
ulation, he will be able to Judge
how much additional wiring is
necessary.
Then, decide how far you want
to go. While a complete re-wiring
job is the best assurance of sue
cessful living electrically, it 10
possible and practical to improve
your wiring system sufficiently
for many Of your needs by adding
one, or If needed, two or three
circuits to the present system.
This method will help to over
come many Of the deficiencies Of
your present wiring system. 1t
will make many Of your appliances
work better-it will provide con-
venience outlets and conductors of
the correct size where they are
most needed. And best Of all, the
addition Of a circuit or two, when
properly planned, can be accom-
plished with little damage to your
walls and finishes-and at sur
prisiIgly low cost