It would be best if you thought about getting an electrical panel upgrade because this houses the many circuit breakers that circulate power throughout your household. Have you ever seen the cables that link your house to the outside world? Your electrical panel is where they all come together. The lines branch off from there, allowing electricity to be delivered to specific areas of your home.
If you’ve ever examined yours, you’ll notice that it’s jam-packed with various switches. Like any other equipment in your household, your electrical panel will eventually approach the end of its useful life. If you see any of the below in your home, your electrical panel may be signaling that it’s time for an electrical panel upgrade:
What are the Signs that Indicate You Need an Electrical Panel Upgrade?
1) Your home is more than 20 years old
If your house is more than 20 years old, you may need an electrical panel upgrade. Older homes typically vary from 60 to 100 amps. The average household built in the last two decades or so will have a 200 amps or more electrical service. Older panels in these residences will need to be upgraded to ensure the equipment and breaker interrupts will work when called upon. Circuit breakers are considered wear items, you want to be certain that if called upon they will function correctly in an emergency situation. Certain panels like “stab-loc” style are infamous and well documented as being fire hazards. These panels should always be replaced without exception.
2) Breakers trips frequently
If your experiencing tripping circuit breakers or hearing strange noises, it’s time to fix or replace it. When you connect too many devices into a circuit that demands more electricity than the circuit can handle, the system will trip. The “tripping” or power cutoff is a built-in preventive function of the breaker to keep the cables from burning. This could indicate that a circuit needs to be added or split up to reduce demand or stress on existing circuits. Oftentimes a panel and/or capacity upgrade is needed to be able to make that improvement possible.
3) The lights flicker often
There may be an apparent connection issue with the electrical panel if your lights flicker when other items are running. If an appliance is on and its output appears to be reduced, it could be due to overburdened circuits in the panel. It’s possible that the panel is outdated and must be replaced to manage the increased load. This flicker lights is common when large loads start up, such as air conditioners, and is a telltale sign a capacity upgrade is needed.
4) You’re relying too much on extension cords
Extension cables are essential, but only as a temporary need. Electrical lines are usually stored in your walls for a reason. A well-protected system will experience minimal wear and tear. Wires littered around the living room space can be shorted or pinched, resulting in broken outlets. The usage of extension cords regularly is not recommended. To add extra outlets and lower the total stress on your panels and breakers, you must get in touch with your local electrician.
5) You smell something burning, or you see discolored outlets
It’s never a good indication if your electrical system smells like it’s burning! Your panel may be overloaded if it’s overheating. When the service box’s wiring is weak, high wattage is generated in a small region. If the temperature increases, you may detect a burnt odor. It may also cause browning and discoloration of your outlets. A specialist should examine the problem as soon as possible, as this could result in an electrical fire.
Have Your Electrical Panel Upgrade Overseen by Experienced Professionals
If you see any of these signs with your electrical panel, contact a professional and licensed electrician right away to inquire about getting an electrical panel upgrade. You must never take on projects like this as inexperience. Lack of know-how in the electrical field can have very dire consequences like electrical shocks and fires. For an electrical panel upgrade, get in touch with Teague Electric at https://teagueelectric.com/.
