When Should You Schedule an Electrical Panel Upgrade?
The seriousness of an aging or a damaged electrical system shouldn’t be overlooked, and panel upgrades shouldn’t be put off until electrical systems present fire hazards. As a New Jersey homeowner, you should understand the importance of upgrading electrical system components and hiring an electrician to perform a panel upgrade.
What Is a Breaker Panel?
The electrical breaker panel is the focal point of the electrical wiring in your home. It’s also the component that transfers electricity from your service provider to your home. Your electricianmay also call the breaker panel a “fuse box” or “main breaker box.” Breaker panels are found in the garages or utility rooms of most homes.
Signs That You Should Schedule a Panel Upgrade
- Your Home Is Over 20 Years Old – New homes usually have 200-amp panels, but older homes reach full capacity at 60 or 100 amps. The modern household requires much more electricity than older breaker panels can provide. Breaker panels can last up to 40 years, but if your home is more than 20 years old and you haven’t replaced the panel, you should probably schedule a panel upgrade with your electrician.
- Your Electrical Panel Trips Frequently – You shouldn’t get used to the constant tripping of your electrical panel. Instead, you should look into a panel upgrade. Circuit breakers trip because they’re accommodating too many appliances at once, so you probably need a panel with more capacity.
- Your Electrical Panel Is Warm – A warm electrical panel can indicate that the panel is defective, installed incorrectly, or overloaded. Regardless of the reason for the warmth, the panel should be replaced as soon as possible.
- Your Lights Flicker or Dim Often – Frequent flickering and dimming of your lights when you plug in appliances is often a sign of a faulty breaker panel.
- Your Electrical Panel Smells – If you notice a slight burning smell emanating from your electrical panel, you may have an improperly connected wire or a bad circuit breaker, both of which could cause an electrical fire.
- Your Home Is For Sale – Homeowners who are preparing to sell their homes often consider upgrading their breaker panels to increase their property values and entice buyers to purchase their houses.
Whether your electrical panel is old, defective, or overloaded, a panel upgrade from a trained electrician can solve the problem, so reach out to an experienced company like Light It Up Electric, LLC to ensure that the electrical system in your New Jersey home is efficient and safe.
