Spokane is a city of old houses. Whole neighborhoods on the South Hill, in Browne’s Addition, the Perry District, Logan, Garland, Hillyard and East Central went up between the 1890s and the 1920s, and plenty of them still have some of the original wiring behind the plaster.
That is where much of the work is: replacing fuse boxes and worn-out panels, retiring knob-and-tube, swapping two-prong outlets for grounded ones, and running new circuits so a 1910 kitchen can handle a 2020s kitchen’s appliances.
Common jobs in Spokane
- 01Fuse box and old panel replacement
- 02Knob-and-tube replacement in plaster walls
- 03Grounded outlets for two-prong
- 04Kitchen and bath remodel circuits
- 05Service mast and meter base repairs after snow and ice
- 06Generator inlets for outage season
Spokane questions
Asked in Spokane.
Burning smell, sparks, a hot panel or half the house dark? Turn off the breaker or the main if it’s safe, then call. For fire or smoke, get out and call 911. For a downed line, stay clear and call your utility.
Who issues electrical permits inside Spokane city limits?
The City of Spokane. Spokane is one of the Washington cities that runs its own electrical permits and inspections, so work inside city limits is permitted and inspected by the city, not by L&I.
Just outside the city line, the same job is permitted through L&I. Sonshyne Electric confirms the right jurisdiction for your address before the work starts.
My South Hill house still has knob-and-tube. Does it all have to come out?
Not always all at once, but any knob-and-tube that’s still live deserves a close look, and most of it should be replaced. It has no ground, it was never meant to be buried in insulation, and a century of splices and add-ons usually makes it worse.
The usual approach is to find out how much is still in service, then replace it circuit by circuit, often starting with kitchens, baths and bedrooms. Many insurers also ask about it.
Can an old Spokane house handle a heat pump or EV charger?
Often yes, but it depends on the service size and what’s already on the panel. Many older homes started with 60- or 100-amp service, and adding big loads to a full panel is how breakers start tripping.
A load calculation tells you whether the equipment fits the service you have or whether an upgrade should come first.
Nearby
Also serving nearby.
- Spokane ValleyRanch houses, split-levels and new subdivisions from Millwood to Greenacres, with more than one electric utility in the mix.Electrician in Spokane Valley
- MeadNorth of the city: suburban streets, acreage, detached shops and long runs to outbuildings.Electrician in Mead
- Airway HeightsWest Plains growth: a fast-building city of newer homes next to Fairchild Air Force Base.Electrician in Airway Heights