If you’ve purchased an older home in Victoria or the West Shore, then you’ve probably heard this fateful question from your insurance provider: does your home have aluminum wiring? Unfortunately, this is not just an idle curiosity on the part of your insurance broker. Aluminum wiring can not only have serious implications for your home insurance policy but can also affect the safety of your home. The good news is there are solutions for dealing with aluminum wiring in your home. Read on below to see what all the fuss is about and what you can do about it.

An electrical permit may seem like an unnecessary expense. However, electrical permits are necessary to protect both customers and contractors. Valkyrie Electric pulls electrical permits for several reasons:

• Electrical permits provide a documented history of electrical work. They also help differentiate work performed by different electricians. For instance, if your home is being renovated, it’s important that there is a distinction between electrical work previously installed and any new electrical work. This protects both customers and contractors from any liability for previous electrical work that isn’t up to current standards.

• Liability. Your home is your most valuable asset. Hiring qualified electricians helps protect this asset. Valkyrie Electric is licensed, bonded and insured. Part of being a licensed electrical contractor is taking electrical work very seriously. We are legally obligated to pull electrical permits, and doing so ensures that all of our electrical work complies with the most up to date electrical standards.

• Insurance. Having unpermitted electrical work completed in your home can jeopardize your eligibility for a home insurance claim. An electrical permit shows that you have invested in qualified electrical work by a licensed electrical contractor and everything has been done to code and above board. Any insurance claims that result from unpermitted electrical work might not be covered by your home insurance provider.

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Your home’s electrical panel might not be a feature of the room, but it’s certainly the star. Tucked away behind closed doors or hidden in the basement, your electrical panel tirelessly distributes power throughout your home. We don’t tend to think about our home’s electrical system unless it needs repair. However, just like any mechanical system in your house, it requires updating to keep it at its best. Valkyrie Electric, a woman-owned electrical contractor, can help you stay up to date with the latest developments in home safety and maintenance. Upgrade your home's electrical service panel and get a jolt of confidence knowing your home is secure. Don't wait - get a free quote today and feel the power!

Residential electrical work may seem mundane and harmless but doing it yourself isn't the most advisable decision to make during your renovations or home improvement projects. As a professional electrician partnership at A DIY project gone wrong can be a real shocker - but you don't have to take the risk! At Valkyrie Electric, our professional electricians in the Victoria, BC area are here to light up your home renovation and improvement projects with premier knowledge and expertise. We'll make sure the job is done right - and all at an affordable price. So why not zap the competition and give us a call today to get a quote? We'll keep your home electrifyingly safe and sound - and with our help, your project will be an absolute current-sation!

When you flip the switch on your next electrical project, don't forget to give Valkyrie Electric a call! We promise to bring the shock and awe to your residential project with our advanced technology, residential design expertise, and structural considerations. Contact us today for a quote and you'll see why we're the current go-to for all your electrical needs in Victoria and the West Shore. From our fast, friendly service to our competitive prices, we'll make sure you're electrified with your choice in Valkyrie Electric.

Valkyrie Electric is your local Victoria and West Shore residential expert. Contact us today for a quote on your next electrical project, and as you read, we will highlight some great reasons why you should choose Valkyrie Electric.

Do you dream of cooling off on summer days with a heat pump? Want to soak away your problems in a brand new hot tub? Nothing can kill your add-on dreams faster than a 40-year-old electrical panel that doesn’t have any more room. A trade off of any older home is that all of that character and charm often comes with an electrical system that is under capacity by modern standards. This is a very common problem, as electrical demand from appliances and home amenities has steadily increased over the past decades.

Unfortunately, high demand items like heat pumps, hot tubs, EV chargers, air conditioning, and electric tankless water heaters cannot be added to every electrical panel, even if there seems to be room for more breakers. Not sure if your electrical system has room? A quick way to check is to look at your panel’s main breaker. If it’s 100 amps or less, you’re probably out of room to install any new large appliances.

But don’t despair- Valkyrie Electric offers experienced, qualified installation of new electrical panels, load management systems, and service upgrades to give your home the capacity it needs to achieve your dreams. Upgrading an electrical system often requires coordinating with BC Hydro to ensure that your new electrical equipment is properly certified. Although it might seem like a big undertaking, it’s a very common update made to older homes. We always recommend that customers consider their long term plans for their home prior to doing any minor electrical work. If you’re planning for a future kitchen renovation, home addition, or the addition of a suite, it’s best to install new equipment that has room for future add-ons. A service and panel upgrade is an investment in the future of your home, and Valkyrie Electric is here to help!

Did you know that when it comes to electricity, DIY actually stands for “don’t install yourself?” Electricity in your home shouldn’t be a hobby. It’s serious stuff. We don’t need to throw a bunch of statistics at you to make the case that electricity done wrong can be dangerous.

Hiring a Licensed Electrical Contractor and qualified, Red Seal electricians is the best way to make sure your electrical renovations are done right. At Valkyrie Electric, it’s our job to be up to date on the latest edition of the Canadian Electrical Code. Our quality of work must meet the standards set by the local jurisdiction. With the creation of new technology and electrical trends like home automation and load management systems, there are constant adaptations and changes to the electrical code. Despite the fact that running wires may seem like a no-brainer, we’ve seen some real nightmares when it comes to “do it yourself” electrical installations. Even if you’re a weekend warrior or a Jedi with a paintbrush, we recommend leaving the electrical to a professional.

Let’s face it: we all thought electric vehicles would be way cooler by now. But judging from the price at the pumps, we can see that the tide is turning toward electric vehicles. Many jurisdictions now require that new homes come pre-built with an outlet for an EV charger, and it’s estimated that by 2030, 60 percent of new vehicles on the road with be ZEB’s. But what if your home has been around since Marty McFly and Dock Emmett Brown first time travelled in a plutonium powered delorian? Fortunately, you don’t need 1.2 gigawatts to power an EV charger- just some expert advice.

Valkyrie Electric provides qualified installations of EV chargers from all of the top brands. We can also offer solutions if your existing electrical system doesn’t have the capacity for an EV charger. Even if you don’t have an electric vehicle yet, having an EV charging outlet installed can future-proof your home and increase its value. We always recommend to our customers who are planning a renovation that they think about adding wiring for a future charger.

BC Hydro now offers some great incentives to help you save on new installations. Qualifying for these rebates requires professional installation by a licensed electrical contractor. If you’re about to trade in your ol’ gas guzzler, check out BC Hydro’s rebate page.