Electrician for Older Toronto Homes, Condos and Storefronts

A lot of Toronto’s housing went up before the Second World War. In the Annex, Leslieville, Riverdale, the Junction and Roncesvalles, it is common to open a plaster wall and find knob-and-tube wiring, or to find a 60A or 100A service feeding a house that now has central air, an induction range and a dryer running at the same time. Most of our Toronto work starts with figuring out what is actually in the walls.

Knob-and-tube and aluminum wiring

Knob-and-tube shows up as single cloth-covered wires running separately through ceramic knobs in the attic or basement joists, often alongside two-prong outlets. It has no ground, and over the decades it was frequently spliced into or buried under insulation. Many insurers ask for it to be replaced before they will write or renew a policy. We can tell you how much of it is still live and whether a staged replacement makes sense.

Some 1960s and 1970s homes in North York and Scarborough were built with aluminum branch wiring. Signs include “AL” or “ALUMINUM” printed on cable sheathing in the basement, and warm or discoloured outlets and switches. It can be kept in service with connectors and devices rated for aluminum, but it should be looked at by a licensed electrician.

Moving from 100A to 200A

A service upgrade means replacing the panel and usually the meter base and service cable, and coordinating a disconnect and reconnect with Toronto Hydro. People do it to add an EV charger, a heat pump, or a basement or laneway suite with its own kitchen. Before recommending one, we do a load calculation; sometimes the existing service is enough, sometimes it isn’t.

Semis and row houses add a wrinkle: shared walls and tight side yards limit where new cable and conduit can run, so we plan routes before cutting anything.

Permits

In Ontario, most electrical work beyond simple like-for-like swaps needs a notification to the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) and an inspection. We file it as part of the job. If your insurer asks for proof that old wiring was replaced, the ESA certificate is what they usually want to see.

Services

• Residential electrical services
• Commercial electrical services
• Electrical panel upgrades and repairs
• EV charger installation

We also do fit-outs, lighting changes and repairs for Toronto shops, restaurants and offices.

Questions we hear in Toronto

Can a condo unit get new lighting or circuits?

Usually, yes, but most condo corporations want to approve the work and know who is doing it. Check your building’s rules first, and we can supply what management asks for.

How much plaster has to come out for a rewire?

It depends on the house. Where we can, we fish wires through attics, basements and closets and cut small access holes rather than opening whole walls.

Can I add an EV charger if I only have laneway or street parking?

A charger needs a dedicated circuit to where you park, so street parking generally rules it out. Laneway garages often work if the panel has capacity.

Getting a quote

A photo of your panel with the door open, a photo of the label inside the door, and a few lines about what you want done let us give you a much more useful first answer. Call 647-424-4894 or send us your project details for a free estimate. Watt Wizards Electrical serves Vaughan, Woodbridge, Toronto, Etobicoke and Mississauga. Email [email protected].

Other areas we work in