Fitchburg grew up along the Nashua River as a mill and manufacturing city, and much of its housing dates from those years: triple-deckers, worker housing and big Victorians on the hills above Main Street, plus neighborhoods around the Upper Common and Fitchburg State University where many older houses are now rentals.
That age shows behind the walls. It is common to find a mix of wiring eras in one building, from cloth-insulated cable to newer additions spliced on, along with fuse boxes and panels serving more apartments than they were sized for.
Fitchburg is also served by Unitil rather than National Grid, and anyone who lived through the December 2008 ice storm remembers how long outages can last up here. Generator hookups and surge protection are common requests.
Where we work in Fitchburg
- Upper Common and downtown
- Around Fitchburg State University
- Cleghorn
- West Fitchburg
- The hills above Main Street
Common jobs in Fitchburg
- Updating mixed old wiring in multi-family buildings
- Panel and service upgrades for rental properties
- Generator transfer equipment for outages
- Smoke and safety upgrades during renovations
Electrical permits are filed with the City of Fitchburg's inspector of wires. We file the permit and schedule the inspection for any job that needs one.
Fitchburg questions
Asked in Fitchburg.
Short answers to what people in Fitchburg ask most. More in the full Q&A.
Sparks, a burning smell, a hot panel or half the house dark? Turn off the breaker or the main if it’s safe to do so, then get an electrician out. For fire or smoke, get out and call 911. For a downed line, stay clear and call your utility.
Who supplies electricity in Fitchburg?
Fitchburg is served by Unitil (Fitchburg Gas and Electric), not National Grid. Service upgrades and meter work are coordinated with Unitil, along with the city's electrical permit and inspection.
We own an older Fitchburg rental. Where should electrical updates start?
Usually at the panel and service. If each unit doesn't have adequate capacity and its own properly labeled circuits, everything downstream is harder. From there we prioritize the oldest and most-used circuits, kitchens and baths, and smoke and GFCI protection.
Is cloth-covered wiring a problem?
Old cloth-insulated cable can become brittle, especially near light fixtures and in hot attics. It is not always an emergency, but it should be evaluated, and it is often replaced room by room during renovations.
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