Panel Upgrade
These examples are mild indicators that it might be time to upgrade the electric panel servicing your house. Need a professional evaluation? Click here for an appointment with Ossie Electric.
Do you notice intermittent flickering of lights in your home? Do you routinely use extension cords and power strips to compensate for insufficient electrical outlets in several rooms? Are you planning an addition to your home or installing a high demand appliance like a hot tub or air conditioner?
An electric panel is the main breaker box that connects electric service provided by your local utility company from outside of your home to the wires inside of your home. If your home was built prior to 1960, you may still be using a fuse box.
The market continues to phase out the production, replacement, and usage of fuses because:
- The power supplied, at 60 amps, is inadequate for modern homes.
- The fuse breaks electrical overloads by burning out, so it is single failure.
- Insurers increasingly refuse to underwrite homes with fuse boxes due to higher failure rates.
By comparison, circuit breakers flip off when confronted with a power surge, shorts, or other dangerous scenarios; breakers can simply be turned back on and re-used once pass the flare-up. Circuit breaker panels typically last 20 to 40 years. In addition to the box itself, it is important that wires throughout your house are sufficient for the power coursing through them. With the proliferation of electrical devices such as televisions, microwaves, electric stovetops, hair dryers, computers, smartphones and garage-door openers, newer homes are built with 200-amp service. Many homes built in the 1980s with circuit breakers had 100-amp service and may need to be upgraded now.
Other electric code or living standards that may need to accompany panel upgrade are:
- Additional outlets are needed throughout your home.
- Your outlets have two prong but need to upgrade to grounded three prongs.
- Outlets near water do not have GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupters).
More urgent indicators that panel service needs to be immediately evaluated:
- You hear crackling sounds from the breaker box.
- You see corrosion and rust on the switches.
- The interior of the box feels warm.
- You are noticing unexplained burning smells at or near your box.
- Your power outlets are discolored or sparking.
- Your breaker switches are tripping with greater frequency.
Panels installed after 1990 generally comply with modern code. The experience with older panels is a bit uneven. In addition to fuse boxes, there are specific circuit breaker models that have been deemed hazardous - Zinsco, Pushmatic, and Federal Pacific, to name three – and should be replaced.
While some may be tempted to perform a service box upgrade by themselves, working with electricity is not a hobby. Failure to recognize where the power lines connect to the main breaker can result in electrocution. Using incorrect wiring can lead to a problem that might not immediately manifest itself. According to the National Fire Protection Association, in a five-year period beginning 2010, each year there were over 45,000 home fires stemming from electrical issues that resulted in 400+ civilian deaths and averaged $1.5 billion in property damage.
At Ossie Electric, we do not want you to risk this hazard. As licensed electricians, we know the current code, can troubleshoot for any existent latent problem, and can help you properly plan for other itinerant projects, such as outdoor lighting, that you might be considering.
Call us for a free estimate and a professional consultation concerning whether your electric panel needs to be upgraded.