Pawtucket grew up around the mills on the Blackstone River, and its neighborhoods, from Darlington and Woodlawn to Oak Hill and Fairlawn, are full of the triple-deckers and two-families built for the people who worked in them.
Built for mill workers, wired a century ago
The same housing that fills Providence fills Pawtucket: multi-family wood-frame houses from around the turn of the last century, with a meter and panel for each unit. Fuse boxes, ungrounded outlets, overloaded basement circuits and wiring from several different decades in one building are common. Owners renovating units or replacing old panels keep us busy here.
Mills and storefronts
Old mill buildings around the river have been turned into apartments, studios, shops and workspaces, and Pawtucket’s commercial streets keep changing hands. Those spaces need commercial lighting, new circuits in EMT conduit and panels sized for the new use.
Landlords and tenants
In a rental, an electrical problem is everyone’s problem. Clear labeling of which panel feeds which apartment, working smoke alarms and GFCI protection in kitchens and baths make life easier for landlords and safer for tenants.
Pawtucket questions
Asked in Pawtucket.
Do you serve Pawtucket and Central Falls?
Yes. Pawtucket and Central Falls are a short drive from our Providence base. Call (401) 753-1030.
Should each apartment in my building have its own panel?
In most Rhode Island multi-family houses each unit has its own meter and panel, plus a house meter for common areas. Each tenant should be able to reach the breakers for their own unit. An electrician can sort out a building where circuits have gotten mixed between units.
Can you do commercial work in an old mill building?
Yes. YF Electric does commercial and industrial work, including LED lighting and EMT conduit runs, which are standard in converted mill and retail spaces.