Moote Electrical has served Pontiac and the surrounding Oakland County area since 1959. We handle residential and commercial electrical work, from a single dead outlet to a full-building rewire. Same-day appointments are available, and we respond to electrical emergencies when the situation can't wait. Work is performed by licensed electricians who know Michigan code and the local housing stock. Local roots mean we're invested in getting it right. Family-owned. Locally rooted. Ready to wire.
We've handled everything from a flickering light to a full rewire, and the call usually starts the same way: something isn't working, and you're not sure why. Flickering lights, dead outlets, tripping breakers, burning smells, or a room that's lost power entirely are all signs that something needs attention. Half the house going dark often points to a wiring fault or a failed breaker that a quick visual inspection won't catch.
When we arrive, we run a proper diagnostic. We check for arc-fault and ground-fault conditions, inspect GFCI and AFCI protection, trace shorts, and look for code issues that may have gone unnoticed for years. We tell you what we found and what it takes to fix it before any work begins. Straight answers about your panel and wiring, no surprises.
Panels don't last forever. A breaker box from the 1970s or 1980s was designed for a fraction of the electrical load a modern home or business carries. Symptoms that point to a panel problem include breakers that trip repeatedly, breakers that won't reset, flickering lights under load, and circuits that simply can't keep up with demand.
A 200-amp panel upgrade gives your home or building the capacity it needs. We handle service-entrance work, meter upgrades, subpanel installation, and the load calculations that make sure the new equipment is sized correctly. We pull the permit. We wire it to code. We stand behind it.
Keeping a home safe starts with the wiring behind the walls, and that includes every outlet and switch a family touches every day. We install GFCI outlets in kitchens, bathrooms, and garages where code requires them, and AFCI outlets where arc-fault protection is needed. USB outlets, dimmer switches, and smart-switch upgrades are straightforward jobs we handle regularly.
Dedicated circuits are just as important. A dryer, refrigerator, or chest freezer needs its own circuit to run safely and efficiently. On the electrical supply side, a new air conditioning unit requires a properly sized dedicated circuit and disconnect. We size and run those circuits correctly, including the grounding and bonding that makes the whole system safe. We'll handle the wiring so you don't have to.
When the electrician arrives, the real work begins, and lighting jobs cover a wide range. We install recessed lighting, replace outdated fixtures, and wire ceiling fans throughout the home. Outside, we run weatherproof outlets, install security lighting and motion sensor lights, and set up landscape lighting that holds up through Michigan winters.
LED retrofits are a common request. Swapping older fixtures for LED-compatible housings cuts energy use and usually improves the quality of light in the room. Whether it's a single fixture replacement or a full lighting plan for a renovation, we can handle the scope. Let us handle the panel and the permits.
Pontiac has a lot of older housing stock, and older homes come with older wiring. Knob-and-tube wiring from the early 1900s, aluminum wiring from the 1960s and 1970s, and undersized circuits that were never updated are common finds. None of those systems were built for today's loads, and some carry real safety risks.
We perform whole-home rewiring, knob-and-tube replacement, and aluminum wiring remediation. Every job is permitted and inspected. We take pride in the electrical work we leave behind, and that means the finished project passes inspection and gives the homeowner or buyer confidence in the system. If you're buying a fixer-upper, prepping a home for sale, or trying to get an older rental property up to code, call and we'll get the current flowing right.
Oakland County winters are hard on homes and harder on electrical systems. Sub-freezing temperatures, ice storms, and heavy wind events drive the kind of power outages that leave families without heat for days. At the same time, older homes in the Pontiac area are carrying more electrical load than they were designed for. The three services below come up constantly in this area, and we handle all of them.
A standby generator is only useful if it's wired correctly. We handle the electrical side of generator installation: running the wiring, installing the transfer switch, and confirming the panel has the capacity to support the load. A properly installed transfer switch keeps the generator isolated from the utility line, which protects both your home and the line workers restoring power after an outage. With Michigan ice storms capable of knocking out power for multiple days, having a reliable backup source wired and ready is worth the investment.
Many homes in Oakland County were built in the postwar era and haven't had their panels touched since. Those older boxes were not designed to handle EV chargers, home offices, electric ranges, and the other loads that are now routine. We assess the existing service, calculate the actual load, and upgrade the panel or service entrance to handle what the home needs now and in the years ahead. We also install subpanels for garages, additions, and multi-family buildings where a second distribution point makes sense.
Heat tape is resistive wiring installed along pipes or along roof eaves to prevent freezing. In Pontiac, where temperatures can stay below freezing for weeks, frozen pipes and roof ice dams are not unusual. A proper heat tape installation is not just a matter of plugging something in. It requires a dedicated circuit and GFCI protection to meet code and operate safely. We run the circuit, install the protection, and make sure the installation is done to last through repeated Michigan winters.
The hardest part of an electrical problem is knowing when to call, but the scope of what we handle goes well beyond repairs. On the residential side, we wire home additions, finish basements, run circuits for garages and sheds, and handle renovation wiring from rough-in through final inspection. Pre-sale electrical inspections are a common request from homeowners who want to know what a buyer's inspector will find before it becomes a negotiating issue.
On the commercial side, we work with small businesses, office buildings, retail spaces, apartment buildings, condos, and multi-family properties across the area. Trusted by local homeowners and property managers for their electrical work, we understand what landlords and property managers need: code-compliant work, proper permits, and a crew that shows up when scheduled. We also handle code-violation repairs when a property has failed inspection and needs to get back into compliance. A family-run electrical business serving this area for over six decades means we've worked on nearly every type of building Pontiac has.
The sooner you call, the sooner the power is back on, but some upgrades are worth planning ahead for. A Level 2 EV charger requires a dedicated 240-volt circuit and a panel with enough capacity to support it. We assess your current service, run the circuit, and install the charger outlet so it's ready to use. Garage and block-heater circuits are a natural add-on for Michigan drivers who already have the panel open.
Whole-home surge protection is another upgrade that pays off over time. A single surge protector at the panel shields every circuit in the building from voltage spikes caused by utility switching, nearby lightning, or large appliances cycling on and off. It's a straightforward installation with long-term value for any home or business running sensitive electronics.
An electrical inspection gives you a clear picture of what's inside the walls. We perform home electrical inspections for buyers, sellers, landlords, and owners who simply want to know the condition of their system. A pre-purchase inspection can surface wiring issues, grounding problems, missing GFCI and AFCI protection, or an undersized panel before a deal closes. A pre-sale inspection gives a seller the chance to address those same issues on their own terms.
For rental properties and investment properties, a periodic inspection confirms that the building meets current code and that tenants are protected. We check grounding and bonding, test protection devices, review the panel, and document what we find. The report gives property owners and managers something concrete to act on.
Electrical pricing depends on the job. A service call to diagnose a tripping breaker is a different scope than a panel upgrade or a full rewire, and we price accordingly. What doesn't change is how we communicate: we give you a clear picture of what the work involves and what it costs before we start. No vague estimates and no surprises when the invoice arrives.
We're available same-day for most jobs and take emergency calls when something can't wait. If the power is out, an outlet is sparking, or a breaker won't hold, call and we'll get someone out. We work across Pontiac and throughout Oakland County, including Waterford, Auburn Hills, Bloomfield Hills, Clarkston, Lake Orion, Rochester, Walled Lake, and the surrounding communities.
An electrical emergency is any situation where waiting creates a real risk of fire, injury, or extended loss of power. Sparking outlets, a panel that is buzzing loudly or warm to the touch, a burning smell near wiring, a breaker that will not hold, and a complete loss of power to the home are all situations worth calling about right away. When in doubt, call and describe what you are seeing.
Do not attempt to reset a breaker repeatedly if it keeps tripping, and do not use an outlet that is sparking, discolored, or warm. If there is a burning smell or visible smoke, shut off the main breaker if it is safe to reach and get everyone out of the area. Leave the investigation to the electrician. Your job is to stay safe until we arrive.
A burning smell near an outlet usually indicates an arc fault, overheated wiring, or a failing connection inside the box. Near a panel, it can point to a breaker that is failing or wiring that is carrying more current than it should. Both situations need immediate attention. Turn off the circuit if you can and call us.
A dead outlet that has no power and does not respond to a GFCI reset may have a wiring fault, a failed connection, or a tripped upstream breaker. A warm or hot outlet suggests the wiring behind it is carrying more load than it can handle safely. Discoloration or scorch marks around the face of an outlet are a sign of arcing and should be treated as an emergency. Stop using the outlet and call.
An undersized or aging panel limits how much power the home can carry safely. Breakers that trip under normal loads, lights that dim when large appliances cycle on, and circuits that cannot support modern equipment are all symptoms of a panel that has been outgrown. In older homes, a fuse box may also lack arc-fault and ground-fault protection that current code requires. Upgrading the panel addresses all of those issues at once.
We look at breaker condition, proper sizing for each circuit, signs of overheating or corrosion, grounding and bonding, and whether the panel has room to add circuits if needed. At the service entrance, we check for damage, confirm the utility connection is secure, and look for signs of moisture intrusion or deterioration. If we find anything that needs attention, we explain it before recommending any work.
A transfer switch isolates your home's electrical system from the utility line before the generator takes over. Without one, a generator can backfeed power onto the utility line, which creates a serious hazard for line workers restoring power after an outage. A properly installed transfer switch prevents that backfeed and is required by code. We install both manual and automatic transfer switches as part of every generator hookup.
We run the wiring from the panel to the generator location, install the transfer switch, and confirm the panel has the capacity to support the generator's output. We handle the permit and coordinate the inspection. The generator itself is a separate trade, but the electrical connection, the transfer switch, and the load calculations are our scope.
Heat tape draws consistent power over long periods, and a standard outlet on a shared circuit is not the right supply for it. A proper installation requires a dedicated circuit and a GFCI-protected outlet to meet code and operate safely over multiple seasons. We run the circuit, install the protection, and make sure the hookup is built to handle Michigan winters reliably.
Knob-and-tube wiring was not designed for the loads a modern home carries, and it lacks the grounding conductor that current code requires. Aluminum branch wiring from the 1960s and 1970s expands and contracts differently than copper, which can loosen connections over time and create a fire risk. Both systems can be remediated or replaced. We assess the condition, explain the options, and handle the work with permits and inspections included.
A quick repair is appropriate when the underlying wiring is sound and the problem is isolated. When the wiring itself is deteriorated, undersized, or part of a larger pattern of issues, patching one spot without addressing the root cause leaves the problem in place. We tell you honestly which situation you are in and what the right scope of work looks like.
Moote Electrical has been doing this work in Pontiac since 1959. Sixty-seven years in Oakland County means we know the homes, the code, and the community. When you call, you reach someone who knows the area and can get a crew scheduled. We pull the permit. We wire it to code. We stand behind it. Call (947) 999-8795 for a quote on any electrical job, large or small.
We have been handling electrical work in Pontiac and across Oakland County since 1959, and the range of jobs we take on reflects what homeowners and businesses here actually need. The table below covers every service we offer, who each one is right for, and a practical note to help you decide what to do next. Call (947) 999-8795 and we will walk you through the specifics.
| Electrical Service | What It Covers | Common Situations | Worth Knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Tape Installation | dedicated circuit for heat tapeGFCI-protected outlet installationexisting circuit inspection and upgrade | homes with pipes along exterior walls or in unheated crawl spaces where freezing is a seasonal risk | Heat tape must be on a dedicated, GFCI-protected circuit to operate safely. An unprotected or aging circuit is a fire risk. |
| Outlet and Switch Installation | standard and GFCI outletsUSB receptaclesweatherproof outdoor outletsdimmer and smart-switch wiring | homeowners adding convenience or upgrading to current code | GFCI protection is required by code in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoor areas. We verify compliance on every install. |
| Electrical Repairs and Troubleshooting | dead outlets and tripped breakersflickering or dimming lightsburning smells or sparkscircuit tracing and fault diagnosis | any homeowner or business with an unexplained electrical problem | Most repair calls benefit from same-day scheduling; do not wait on sparking outlets or a burning smell. |
| Breaker and Fuse Repair | breaker replacementfuse panel assessmentAFCI and GFCI breaker upgradesrepeatedly tripping circuit diagnosis | homes where a breaker trips regularly or a fuse blows without a clear cause | A breaker that trips repeatedly is a symptom, not the problem. We find the underlying cause before replacing hardware. |
| Lighting Installation | recessed and ceiling fixtureslandscape and security lightingunder-cabinet and pendant lightingexterior and garage fixtures | remodels, additions, and any room where existing lighting is inadequate | Outdoor fixtures must be properly bonded and rated for exposure. We handle the wiring and grounding, not just the fixture swap. |
| Backup Generator Installation | transfer switch installationdedicated generator circuitpanel capacity sizingpermit and code compliance | homeowners and businesses that cannot afford to lose power during Oakland County ice storms and multi-day outages | The transfer switch and wiring are what make a generator safe and legal. We handle that side of the job completely. |
| Electrical Safety Inspections | pre-purchase and pre-sale inspectionsrental property inspectionspost-renovation code reviewolder home safety assessment | buyers, sellers, landlords, and property managers who need a clear picture of the electrical condition | An inspection before a property changes hands can surface problems before they become liability issues or negotiating surprises. |
| Ceiling Fan Installation | new fan with or without existing wiringfan-rated box installationswitch and dimmer wiring | homeowners adding a fan to a room that currently has only a light fixture or no overhead wiring | Ceiling fans require a fan-rated junction box. Standard light boxes are not rated for the load and movement. |
| Wiring and Rewiring | whole-home rewireaddition and remodel wiringknob-and-tube and aluminum wiring replacementnew construction rough-in | older homes with outdated wiring or any property undergoing a major renovation | Knob-and-tube wiring cannot safely support modern electrical loads. Aluminum branch circuits require specific connectors and a full inspection. |
| Dedicated Appliance Circuits | refrigerator, microwave, and dishwasher circuitsworkshop and garage circuitshot tub electrical hookuplaundry and dryer circuits | kitchens, workshops, and any space where high-draw appliances share a circuit and cause trips | A dedicated circuit prevents nuisance tripping and reduces the risk of overloading shared wiring in older homes. |
| EV Charger Installation | Level 2 240-volt circuithardwired or outlet-based connectionpanel capacity assessmentpermit and inspection | homeowners adding an electric vehicle who need a faster, safer charge than a standard 120-volt outlet provides | Level 2 charging requires a dedicated 240-volt circuit. We assess panel capacity first so the install is sized correctly from the start. |
| Garage and Block-Heater Circuits | dedicated garage outlet circuitsblock heater outlet installationGFCI protection in garage spaces | Michigan homeowners who plug in vehicles overnight during cold months and need reliable, protected power in the garage | Block heater outlets in garages should be GFCI-protected and on a circuit sized for the load. Many older garages are not wired to current standards. |
| Whole-Home Surge Protection | panel-level surge protector installationprotection for appliances and electronicspost-storm surge risk assessment | any home in Michigan where grid fluctuations, lightning, and ice-storm outages are a regular seasonal reality | A surge protector at the panel catches spikes before they reach your devices. It is one of the most cost-effective add-ons during a panel upgrade. |
| Electrical Panel and Service UpgradesMost Popular | 100-amp to 200-amp service upgradesubpanel installationload calculationsmeter upgrade coordination | older homes with undersized panels, homeowners adding EV chargers, or any property adding significant electrical load | Many Pontiac homes still run on panels sized for a fraction of today's electrical demand. We handle the permit, the service-entrance work, and the utility coordination. |
How do I know if my panel needs to be upgraded?
A few signs point toward an overdue panel upgrade: breakers that trip regularly without an obvious cause, a panel that feels warm or makes a buzzing sound, lights that dim when appliances kick on, or a home that still runs on a 100-amp service and you are adding an EV charger, a workshop, or other significant load. If your panel is original to a home built before 1980, it is worth having us take a look. We give you straight answers about what we find.
Why does my breaker keep tripping?
A breaker that trips repeatedly is doing its job, which means something is wrong with the circuit or the load on it. The most common causes are too many high-draw devices sharing one circuit, a failing breaker that no longer holds its rated load, a short somewhere in the wiring, or an appliance drawing more current than the circuit was designed for. Resetting the breaker without finding the cause does not fix the problem. We diagnose what is actually happening and correct it.
Is the electrical work permitted and inspected?
Yes. We pull the permit, we wire it to code, and we stand behind it. Permitted work is inspected by the local authority, which protects you when you sell the home and confirms the job was done to current code. We handle the permit process so you do not have to navigate it yourself.
Same-Day and Emergency Availability
For urgent repairs, we work to get there the same day. For emergencies, we are available around the clock because electrical problems do not wait for business hours.
Is older wiring in my home safe?
It depends on the type and condition. Knob-and-tube wiring, which is common in homes built before 1950, was not designed for modern electrical loads and cannot safely support them. Aluminum branch-circuit wiring, found in many homes from the 1960s and 1970s, requires specific connectors and regular inspection to remain code-compliant. If your home has either type, we recommend an inspection. We handle the assessment and, if needed, the rewire.
What does a whole-home rewire involve, and how long does it take?
A full rewire means replacing all the branch-circuit wiring from the panel out to every outlet, switch, and fixture in the home. The timeline depends on the size of the house and how accessible the walls are. A typical single-family home takes several days. We walk you through the scope before work begins so you know what to expect, and we do not start without your sign-off on the plan.
What do I need for a Level 2 EV charger at home?
A Level 2 charger runs on a dedicated 240-volt circuit, similar to what a dryer or range uses. Before we install one, we assess your panel to confirm it has the available capacity. If the panel is undersized or already near its limit, we handle the upgrade at the same time. We run the circuit, install the outlet or hardwired connection, pull the permit, and make sure the install is inspected.
Work Performed by Licensed Electricians
Every job is handled by licensed electricians who know current code and do the work right the first time. We pull the permit, we do the work, and we stand behind it.
How does backup generator hookup work?
A generator is only as useful as the transfer switch and wiring connecting it to your home. We install the transfer switch, run the dedicated circuit from the panel, and make sure the connection meets code. The transfer switch is what prevents back-feeding power onto the utility line, which is a serious safety issue. We size the panel capacity for the generator load and handle the permit. The generator equipment itself is a separate purchase, but we coordinate the electrical side completely.
Do I need to be home while the work is done?
For most jobs, yes, at least at the start and end. We need access to the panel and the areas where work is being done, and we walk you through what we found and what we did before we leave. For multi-day projects, we can work with your schedule to minimize disruption. Call us and we will figure out an arrangement that works.
Experienced With Older and Newer Homes
We have been working on Oakland County homes since 1959, which means we know what is inside the walls of older housing stock and how to bring it up to current standards safely.
How does pricing work, and will the quote change once work starts?
We give you a clear picture of the scope and the cost before anyone starts working. If we open a wall or trace a circuit and find something that changes the scope, we stop and talk to you before going further. You will not find work done without your knowledge or a number on the invoice you did not agree to. We give you straight answers about your panel and wiring, no surprises.
What is the risk of a warm or buzzing outlet?
A warm outlet or one that buzzes or makes a crackling sound is a sign of a loose connection, an overloaded circuit, or a wiring fault. Any of those conditions can cause arcing, which is a leading cause of residential electrical fires. Stop using the outlet, do not plug anything else into it, and call us. This is not a problem to monitor and see if it gets worse.
What is whole-home surge protection, and is it worth it?
A whole-home surge protector installs at the panel and catches voltage spikes before they travel through your wiring to appliances, electronics, and smart-home systems. In Michigan, grid fluctuations during ice storms and lightning strikes are a real seasonal risk. A panel-level protector is one of the most cost-effective additions we make on a panel upgrade or new circuit install, and we recommend it to most customers doing panel work.
Call (947) 999-8795 and we will walk you through exactly what your home or property needs, what the work involves, and what it will cost before anyone picks up a tool.
(947) 999-8795