Voltus Energy Solutions is a New Jersey licensed electrical contractor, and Montclair is exactly the kind of town we are built for. Close to 60 percent of Montclair’s homes were built before 1940: Queen Anne Victorians with turrets and wraparound porches, Colonial Revivals, Tudors, and Craftsman houses, many of them large and full of detail. These homes were built to last, but their plaster walls, fine woodwork, and original finishes demand a careful hand. We modernize the wiring and service without tearing the house apart, because we do not damage the homes we work in.
If your home in Upper Montclair, the Estate Section, or near Watchung Plaza still runs on knob-and-tube wiring, a fuse box or undersized panel, or ungrounded two-prong outlets, we bring it safely up to modern, code-compliant standards.
What we do most often in Montclair
- Electrical panel and service upgrades: replacing 60- and 100-amp fuse boxes with modern 200-amp service for renovations, additions, and today’s appliances. See how many amps your home needs.
- Knob-and-tube and old wiring remediation: for the Victorians and pre-1940 homes that fill the town, the legacy wiring insurers increasingly refuse to cover.
- Aluminum wiring correction: common in postwar additions and 1960s and 70s updates.
- EV charger installation: Level 2 chargers for Montclair’s many commuters going electric.
- Whole-home rewiring for the gut renovations and kitchen remodels so common across town.
Older Montclair homes, honest advice
A lot of what we do here is triage: sorting out what is genuinely unsafe, what is simply outdated, and what can wait. If you are buying in town, our pre-purchase electrical inspection tells you what you are walking into before closing. In Montclair’s local historic districts, exterior and service changes can require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission, and we route and conceal upgrades so they respect the character of the house.
Permits and inspections in Montclair
Electrical work in Montclair falls under New Jersey’s Uniform Construction Code and is permitted through the Township’s Building Office in the Municipal Building at 205 Claremont Avenue. As your licensed contractor, we pull the electrical permit, schedule the inspection, and carry the work to sign-off. NJ Electrical Contractor License #34EI01906000, fully insured.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to replace the knob-and-tube wiring in my Montclair home?
Not always all at once, but it should be assessed. Many Montclair-area insurers will not write or renew a policy on active knob-and-tube, and it cannot safely handle modern loads or grounded outlets. We inspect what you have and give you an honest, prioritized plan.
My house still has a fuse box or 100-amp service. Do I have to upgrade?
Only if it is unsafe or you are adding load. Most Montclair owners upgrade to a 200-amp panel when they add central AC, an EV charger, or a kitchen remodel, and it is often required to pass inspection.
Can you install an EV charger in an older Montclair home?
Yes. The main question is panel capacity. In many pre-1940 homes we either free up space or pair the charger with a panel upgrade, and we handle the permit.
Do you handle the permit and any historic-district review?
Yes. We pull the electrical permit through Montclair’s Building Office and coordinate inspections, and we help with the Certificate of Appropriateness where a historic district requires it.
Is aluminum wiring a problem?
It can be. Aluminum branch wiring from the 1960s and 70s loosens and overheats at connections. We assess and remediate it properly. More on the risks here.
Serving Montclair and nearby towns
Voltus proudly serves Montclair and the surrounding communities, including Glen Ridge, Verona, Bloomfield, and West Orange. See all our service areas.
Worried about old wiring or planning a renovation?
Call Voltus at (973) 382-9995 for a Montclair electrical assessment, or request service online. We answer, take down the details, and can escalate real emergencies right away.
Electrical services we offer in Montclair
Panel upgrades and replacement, EV charger installation, backup power, rewiring and system design, ceiling fan installation, troubleshooting and repair, landscape and outdoor lighting, whole-home surge protection, and 24/7 emergency service.