YF Electric is based in Providence (02908), the Mount Pleasant and Elmhurst side of the city. From here it’s minutes to Smith Hill, Federal Hill, Olneyville, Elmwood, the West End and the East Side.
Three floors, three meters, three panels
Walk down almost any street in Mount Pleasant, Elmwood, Olneyville or Wanskuck and you’ll see them: triple-deckers and two-families from the late 1800s and early 1900s, with a stack of meters on the side wall and a panel for every apartment. Electrically, that means three of everything: three services to keep in good shape, house circuits for the hall lights and basement, and tenants who each need working power. Panel and fuse box replacements, rewiring a unit between tenants, and adding grounded outlets are everyday work here.
What turns up in the walls
Houses this old have been rewired a little at a time for a hundred years. When we open them up we find knob-and-tube and cloth-insulated cable still in service, two-prong outlets with no ground, splices without boxes, and basements full of add-on circuits. None of it is unusual for Providence, and all of it can be made safe.
Permits and power
In Providence, electrical permits and inspections run through the city’s Department of Inspection and Standards. Rhode Island Energy (formerly National Grid) owns the lines and the meter, and has to be scheduled whenever a service upgrade means pulling the meter.
Providence questions
Asked in Providence.
Is YF Electric based in Providence?
Yes. YF Electric is based in Providence, Rhode Island (02908) and serves Providence and the surrounding cities and towns. Call (401) 753-1030.
Can you work on all three units of a triple-decker?
Yes. Triple-deckers usually have a separate meter and panel for each apartment plus house circuits for common areas. We can replace or upgrade one panel or all of them, and we plan the work with Rhode Island Energy when the meters have to be pulled.
Who issues electrical permits in Providence?
The City of Providence Department of Inspection and Standards issues building and electrical permits and handles inspections inside the city. Your electrician pulls the electrical permit for the work.
My Providence apartment still has a fuse box. Is that safe?
A fuse box isn’t automatically dangerous, but most are 60 amps or less, and oversized fuses or overloaded circuits are common. Replacing it with a breaker panel adds capacity and modern protection. Have an electrician look at it, especially if fuses blow often.