Master electrician Heath Eastman tells us how he became an electrician. Heath explains that he hadn’t considered the trade until he and his wife started renovating their first home. After hiring an electrician to handle some of the projects they had on their plate, the electrician mentioned knowing someone looking for help.
Heath’s journey to becoming a master electrician and a member of the TOH crew is something of a mix between hard work and good luck. While renovating their home, Heath and his wife faced some big projects: knob and tube wiring, crumbling lathe, and a slew of other jobs. They had to hire an electrician to handle some of this work, and that’s where things began.
Heath was young and wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do, but he did have a basic foundation in the trades, as his father was a carpenter. During a conversation, the electrician told Heath that someone he often works with was seeking help. Knowing he was looking for a change, Heath took the job. Twenty years later, he’s a licensed master electrician who loves his trade.
Heath’s introduction to This Old House is the result of chance, as well. Heath was working for a contractor who landed a TOH job—a colonial in Essex, Massachusetts. Heath was featured on the show briefly, installing a light fixture in a new cupola. Two years later, the production crew was looking for an electrician and remembered Heath. Heath couldn’t pass up the opportunity when the show’s producer reached out to see if he’d be interested in handling some house calls for Ask This Old House.
Heath’s origin story mirrors that of many beloved This Old House cast members who were spotted on the job. As Russ Morash, the show’s creator, explained about the show’s enduring appeal: “There’s a real fascination in watching a craftsperson execute a task and solve a problem.” That philosophy—letting skilled tradespeople shine on camera—is exactly what drew the production team back to Heath.
Heath feels that highlighting electrical work on the show is important. He knows it’s one of the most critical renovation components. He also knows that many folks are intimidated by electrical work. When Heath performs the work correctly and safely on the show, it’s an opportunity to show homeowners that they don’t need to be nervous about the job.
Safety First: Heath takes electrical safety seriously — and wants homeowners to as well. As he explained while demonstrating electrical testers on Ask This Old House: “These are very, very important. These make it very easy to identify whether something is energized. And the importance of that is to make sure that it’s off when you’re working on it or if it’s on, if it’s wired correctly or if there’s a problem going on.”
According to Heath, the future is bright for electrical professionals. With new technology such as electric cars and solar fields growing daily, the demand for electricians to work on those items won’t meet the supply. In essence, he feels the possibilities are endless for these trained professionals.
Heath is particularly excited about emerging induction charging technology — the same concept behind wireless phone chargers, but for cars. As he described on Ask This Old House: “You have the induction — whether it’s a pad that you drive up on, whether it’s built into the asphalt of the concrete, that you literally just drive the vehicle over. The system’s already wired and they talk to each other and it just charges instantly.” Even with wireless charging on the horizon, Heath noted he’s not worried about job security: “I still have to power the piece.”
Heath has seen the EV charging boom firsthand. As he explained on Ask This Old House, the demand is already surging: “We’re getting more and more of a call every day to put these in. A lot of people are buying the vehicles and, you know, they want the larger chargers to be installed in their homes. We’re getting calls from car dealerships to install newer systems because they’re anticipating more and more vehicles having them.”
