Power Up for Hi-Tech Living

Are you living in a 100-amp home with 200-amp needs? If you own a big-screen TV or two, an upright freezer for that side of beef, and a cluster of other electrical devices, the answer may be "yes."

Rewiring your mid-century home to handle increased power loads does more than prevent the periodic blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker. It may prevent a house fire.

"These upgrades have to be done in order to accommodate today's technology-driven modern families," says Sean Smith, owner of Smith Electric in Los Gatos. But rewiring and adding increased amperage to a modern home presents unique challenges.

"Due to the fact that Eichler homes have no attics or crawlspaces, upgrading the electrical takes a lot longer than other types of homes," he says.

Still, bringing your old electrical system up to today's codes is worth the trouble, professionals advise.

Read our entire feature on electric power tied to your mid-century modern home in our sneak preview of the new fall '13 issue of CA-Modern magazine, 'Power Up.'