Licensed Electrician Serving Palos Hills, IL
Palos Hills filled in mostly through the 1960s and 70s, and that timing matters electrically. Houses built between roughly 1965 and 1973 are the ones most likely to have aluminum branch wiring, and plenty still run their original 100-amp service — which is where trouble starts once a kitchen remodel, a hot tub or an EV charger gets added. EMT Electric works throughout Palos Hills, including the condo and townhome blocks near Moraine Valley.
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Aluminum wiring and 100-amp service in Palos Hills
Aluminum branch wiring went into many homes built in the late 1960s and early 70s, when copper prices spiked. The wire itself is not the main problem — the connections are. Aluminum expands and contracts more than copper and oxidizes at screw terminals, so outlets and switches can loosen, run warm and eventually scorch. Warning signs include warm cover plates, flickering lights, a burning smell, or outlets that work one day and not the next. We assess the whole house and remediate by connecting short copper pigtails with connectors listed for aluminum, without tearing open walls.
The other common issue is service size. A 100-amp panel was plenty for a 1970 house, but a remodeled kitchen, central air, a hot tub and an EV charger can push it past what it can safely carry. We do a load calculation before recommending anything; sometimes rebalancing circuits or adding a sub-panel is enough, and sometimes a 200-amp upgrade coordinated with ComEd is the right call. In the condo and townhome buildings near Moraine Valley, work inside a unit may also need the association's approval, and we work with that.
Popular projects in Palos Hills
The jobs we're called for most often here.
Aluminum wiring remediation
For Palos Hills homes built from roughly 1965 to 1973, we test outlets and switches, look for heat damage, and pigtail aluminum circuits to copper with connectors listed for aluminum, one device at a time.
100-amp to 200-amp upgrades
When an original 100-amp panel is full or overloaded, we replace it with a 200-amp panel, coordinate the shutoff with ComEd and label every circuit so you know what each breaker feeds.
Electrical safety inspections and repairs
Buying or selling in Palos Hills? We check the panel, grounding, GFCI protection and any aluminum connections, then walk you through what is fine, what needs attention and what is urgent.
Services
From quick fixes to full remodel wiring — here’s what EMT Electric handles.
Troubleshooting
- Troubleshoot & repair partial power
- Identify shorts, overloads, & failures
Fans & Ventilation
- Ceiling fans
- Attic fans & bathroom exhaust fans
Switches & Outlets
- Dimmers, 3-way, 4-way, timers
- Receptacles / GFCI replacements
Dedicated Circuits
- Dryer, AC unit, furnace, baseboard heaters
- Washer, microwave, oven, etc.
- Dishwasher & disposal power
Outdoor & Low Voltage
- Security/pole/landscape lights
- Photocells, motion sensors
- Doorbells & cable
Permits and inspections in Palos Hills
Palos Hills is a city, and electrical permits go through its building department. Panel upgrades, new circuits and rewiring generally need a permit and inspection there, and the electrical contractor may need to register with the city first. EMT Electric pulls the permit, meets the inspector and coordinates any service shutoff with ComEd. Whether a small repair needs a permit varies, and we will tell you upfront if yours does.
Palos Hills electrical questions
Can you replace switches and outlets in a house with aluminum wiring?
Yes, but not by connecting ordinary devices straight to the aluminum. Standard switches and outlets are made for copper. We either pigtail each connection to copper with connectors listed for aluminum, or use devices specifically rated for aluminum wire. That way a new dimmer, USB outlet or GFCI does not become the next loose, hot connection.
Do you take emergency electrical calls in Palos Hills?
EMT Electric is a two-man shop, so there is no dispatch center, but we return every call the same day. If something is unsafe — a burning smell, a hot outlet, a breaker that will not reset — we will tell you what to shut off and schedule the repair as soon as we can. If there is smoke or fire, call 911 first.
Do you do commercial electrical work in Palos Hills?
Yes. Along with homes, EMT Electric handles commercial work for offices, shops and small businesses — lighting, outlets, dedicated circuits for equipment, wiring upgrades and troubleshooting. Peter is on every job, quotes are free and firm, and the permit is pulled whenever the work requires one.
Why Palos Hills Homeowners Choose EMT Electric
EMT Electric is owner-operated: Peter Podczerwinski is on every Palos Hills job, and there are no subcontractors. In business since 2008, the shop returns every call the same day and gives free, firm quotes before any work starts.
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Nearby areas we serve
We work across the neighborhoods and towns around Palos Hills, out of our base in Oak Lawn.