Have you been thinking about an electric panel upgrade for your house? Have you been seeing signs that you want an upgrade? Was an upgrade recommended to you? Have you been looking for ways to add value to your house? Are you wondering just how much an electrical panel replacement cost for your house?
You will find any number of reasons for pondering an electrical service upgrade. Many homes today require them, although, and it’s something homeowners tend to put off doing.
So, great for you for beginning to consider that!
We will be speaking about the whole process – start to finish – in this article.
What’s an Electrical Panel Upgrade?
Understanding what the electric upgrade process entails is actually crucial, although a great deal of folks simply do not know. In the event you have not had noticeable problems with the electrical system of yours, you have not had much incentive to find out about upgrades.
In fact, though, you must know about electrical upgrades and why they’re usually needed. Circuits which are actually faulty or perhaps overloaded could be dangerous, and perhaps start a fire in the home of yours.
Signs You Want an electric Panel Upgrade
Many common electrical issues are actually connected to a faulty electrical panel since the panel is actually connected to the entire electrical system. When the panel is actually malfunctioning, the harm is actually likely spread throughout the house.
As one electrical contractor put it: “Your electrical panel is actually like the heart of yours – it is essential to the all around health of your system.”
The following sections explain some reasons you should think about an electric panel upgrade for the home of yours in the near future:
Your Home Still Has a Fuse Box or perhaps Your Electrical Panel is actually Unsafe for Other Reasons
Fuse boxes were the norm for homes through the 1960s, and quite a few homes still have them today. If yours is actually one of them, the fuse box should be changed.
It is not that the fuse box is actually dangerous in and of itself, although it can be pretty inconvenient to have to keep replacing fuses. Instead, it is the different stopgap measures folks may have taken over the years to help keep the boxes functional.
These include inserting other metal objects and coins into the fuse slots as a way to stay away from buying new fuses. Marginally useful, that’s – and at risk that is great.
For both fuse boxes and circuit breakers, you must inspect the power panel, checking for things such as:
Whether it’s unusually warm or perhaps hot
You hear crackling sounds coming from it
You see rust or perhaps corrosion on the circuit breakers
Name of the manufacturer There are still some known faulty panels out there, so check yours is not one of them. If it’s, have it replaced instantly. The makers of these panels are actually Federal Pacific Electric (FPE), Zinsco, and Pushmatic.
If you are concerned that your electric panel might be a faulty or perhaps recalled model installed many years ago, do a search for the manufacturer’s name or perhaps call the utility company of yours or perhaps an electrician to learn for sure.
Circuit Breakers that Often Have to Be Reset
Even in case you (or a previous owner) got rid of the old fuse box long ago, the circuit breakers that replaced it might be outdated now too.
If your house was built before, say, 1990, it most likely has hundred to 150 amp service, which was good for meeting most 20th century home electrical needs. Nowadays, however, the standard is actually 200 amps.
See the discussion below of the “heavy up” for more on what this means.
Inappropriate Electrical Outlets throughout the House
Look for:
Outlets that are actually damaged Outlets with only 2 prongs, which means they’re not grounded and there is a threat of electrocution or perhaps fire.
In areas around water, there are actually no ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). This also can result in injury that is serious or perhaps even death by electrocution.